You have heard about sick days in the corporate world? It is when the employee needs to take an off to recover from an illness. A homeschool mother’s mental health day is a similar concept. It’s the day the homeschool mother takes off, leaving her loving kids in the hands of another trustworthy adult. How does a homeschool parent spend this mental health day? Here are some ideas.
Settle the Kids First
If you’re worrying about what the kids are up to, you are not going to get much of a break. To ensure that you don’t ruin your day off, try and keep the kids with a responsible adult who you trust. Then you can give them tasks that require little or no supervision such as design a book cover for the book they are reading. Or build a fort within the house. Or draw their favorite cartoon character on a poster with a motivational quote. It’s all about busy work.
Head Out of the Home
Most mothers find it difficult to unplug from the homeschool classroom even when another substitute homeschool teacher is involved. The best way to get a total break is to head out of the home and do something that you usually don’t have time for. Tie up with your friends to do lunch in a fine dining restaurant. Go see that movie you have been wanting to. Attend a workshop on learning something that interests you. Just get out of the home so that you are not thinking about what the kids are doing.
Just Step Back and Relax
If you are so tired that you literally have no energy, then settle the kids as above and settle yourself back into your bed and go to sleep. Yes, sleep deprivation can take a huge toll on your health. A few hours of sleep when you are not responsible for the homeschool students or the chores at home will have you waking up refreshed. You can continue your day of rest by remaining tucked into bed with a good book, not a text book or study resource, and lazing.