5 Tips for Homeschooling When You're Struggling With Depression
I have always struggled with mental health, but something about this homeschooling year amplified those struggles! Maybe it is the pandemic or just seasonal depression, but no matter the case, homeschooling this year was TOUGH!!!
We took Spring Break in April and I never returned to my writing and social media accounts. I was spent. Emotionally, physically, I was done. I didn’t leave a message explaining my disappearance, I just vanished. But I vanished to take care of myself.
It was a necessary time of rest and reflection. During these quiet couple of months, I realized that I am not the only homeschooling parent who is living with depression, so I want to share 5 tips for homeschooling when you’re struggling with depression.
1) Decide What Counts as a Homeschooling Day
This is the single best tool I ever heard as a new homeschooler. Decide the minimum you can do and still count it as a full homeschool day. This will look different for everyone based on your homeschool style and state laws. I am in no way advocating for skipping school all together and calling it “unschooling”, but do you really need to do art appreciation, music history, and typing on top of your core subjects when you can barely pull yourself out of bed?
And a bonus tip, make this decision on your good days before you find yourself in your low and have yet another decision to make.
2) Use Online Curriculums and Tutors
If you are like me a have a lifelong struggle with depression that leads to low motivation, choose curriculum that has online subjects or hire the help of a tutor for those subjects that are tough for you. Outsourcing some of this teaching time takes one thing off your plate without tossing in the towel on homeschooling in general.
3) Seek Professional Help
Friends, I know this is hard, but this is also one of the most important tips for homeschooling with depression. When we find ourselves surrounded by the darkness and overwhelming sadness, we need to seek help from a licensed mental health therapist and/or medical doctors.
This was the hardest decision for me to make, so if you’re struggling with this tip, please know you are not alone! I had to make the call this spring and request medication. It isn’t shameful and it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. You are using a tool to help you overcome these feelings and you just might be surprised at how well they work!
4) Find a Community
According to healthline.com, 16.2 million adults have had at least one major depressive episode. What does that mean? It means we’re not alone! There are 16 MILLION other adults who know what we’re feeling. And I’m willing to bet several million of those are homeschool parents.
Homeschooling can be lonely if we are not intentional about being in community, and isolation can lead to (and be a symptom of) depression. So I encourage you to put yourself out there and find a community where you can share your feelings openly and safely.
I have found attending my local Celebrate Recovery has been extremely beneficial in not only sharing my struggles, but finding community and people to walk alongside me in this journey. You can find a Celebrate Recovery near you by clicking here.
5) Remember... This is just a season!
Depressive episodes can feel never ending, but reminding ourselves of the truth is one way to make sure we beat these seasons. Because that is what they are, seasons. This too will pass. It may pass like an unmedicated birth of a 12lb baby, but it will pass!
You can beat depression and you can continue homeschooling your children should you choose!