It’s inevitable.
If you are a parent, there are going to be times when you are overwhelmed. And if you are a Home Educating parent, well, I’m sorry to say, there are going to be MORE times like this for you. You have chosen a path less travelled, which can mean uncertainty, extra work, and decision fatigue. But – it also means you are brave and creative, and while it may feel like you are doing this all on your own, there are people (like me!) who have been exactly where you are and have found strategies that worked for them and might just help you out too.
So, how do you get a grip on things when overwhelm hits, or you just can’t see a way forward in a tricky situation? Give my tried and tested mantra a try!
Throughout my years of Home Educating I found myself in these situations many times. Sometimes the issue was pretty small stuff. Other times it felt like the whole grand scheme was hanging in the balance.
The Three Words that Changed Everything
As a Home Educating parent, you are wearing a lot of hats. You are making a lot of decisions for your team. There can be times where you just can’t please everyone or you know that a choice you have to make is not going to be popular. This is when that annoying guilty voice in your ear can start to nag, and if you’re not quick enough to block it out, things can spiral.
Throughout my years of Home Educating, I found myself in these situations many times. Sometimes the issue was pretty small stuff. Other times, it felt like the whole grand scheme was hanging in the balance.
Healthy, Happy, Safe (But Not Always All Three)
Gradually, I noticed that the answer to my ‘stuckness’ often boiled down to three main areas. I needed to keep my kids
- healthy
- happy
- safe.
But here’s the plot twist. Sometimes I couldn’t do all three at the same time. Boom!
It might seem like common sense, but when you’re in the parenting trenches, with judgement coming at you from all sides it can be easy to forget. So, repeat after me –
‘My job is to keep my kids Healthy, Happy and Safe and sometimes I can’t do all three at once.’
How it Works in Real Life
Here are some examples of how I’ve applied this mantra and kicked that guilty voice into touch.
I’m really sorry, but your sister isn’t feeling well today. I know you’ll be really disappointed to miss dancing but my job today is to keep your sister Healthy. What can we do to make you feel less disappointed?
Mum, can I get another Ice Cream? Hmm, yeah, why not? (It might not be the healthiest, but on this incredible Summer afternoon, we’re making memories and living our best lives – it’s all about Happy right now).
I know you’re desperate and you’d be so happy to get a puppy, but I have to keep you Safe and Healthy, and your allergies need to be controlled first.
I really don’t want to work an extra shift. I want to spend time with my kids. But, I need to pay the bills to keep them Safe, so I’m not going to waste my energy feeling guilty.
Your Turn
Using my mantra helped me to break out of negative thinking that can threaten to spoil whole days. It helped me re-focus on what I CAN do and assess my priorities. I hope it does the same for you. Please, give it a go and let me know how you get on. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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