Katie Thompson

We’ve made it through nearly three months of homeschool, and I must be honest…

…I’m beyond exhausted.

As you can see my weekly homeschool blog updates have dropped to every couple of weeks. I’ve had to consolidate my life to conserve enough energy to take care of the kids and homeschool five days a week, on top of taking care of myself, and working when I get a free moment (never).

It’s…a lot. 

But it’s not too different from what millions of other parents out there are dealing with right now. We are in dire need of a break with no relief in sight. It can be extremely overwhelming, disheartening, and downright depressing.

I’m actually really grateful for our homeschool routine amidst the chaos. It feels familiar, helps me focus, and of course it benefits the kids. It feels like a few fun minutes out of each day in which I accomplish something for our family, and has been a big boost of confidence for the kids and I alike. Well, except on days like today where we had no less than FIVE time outs. Some days are just like that, though.

I do think I’ll be teaching from my electric wheelchair more often now though. Standing has been horribly painful lately and I can maneuver in our little homeschool corner just as well in my chair.

One fun activity we have started doing every week is writing postcards to friends and family. It’s been cheering up the people we love and can’t be with, and it’s melted my heart to help the kids write their sweet messages. And you can’t forget how exciting it is to put a letter in the mailbox, and of course, receive our own mail back!

If you have a little one at home, getting a few pen pals is a great idea to keep them connected with their friends and relatives, and it supports the US Postal Service! It helps kids develop language and writing skills, and encourages creativity. Add fun stickers and crayon drawings to make it extra personal.

I know things are hard, tiring, and extremely tense for all of us right now in the US or elsewhere, but know that you aren’t alone in your frustrations. In your most anxious moments, know that you have a friend in the swamp cheering you on and giving you a virtual hug!