How to Overcome the Overwhelm with Homeschooling
Homeschooling can feel like juggling pink elephants while riding a unicycle—especially if you're doing it with a baby on your hip, a toddler climbing the furniture, and/or morning sickness making a daily appearance. I see you, fellow homeschool warrior. And I’m here to tell you: it doesn’t have to be this hard.
I've homeschooled from the couch during difficult pregnancies.
I've also homeschooled a child who spent more time on the couch than at a desk, for three years! He was so sick, we simplified his homeschool plan and I kept on homeschooling his 3 siblings, plus had a baby on my hip.
I've also homeschooled all by myself without my husband able to help, as he was already drowning in his own work hours.
I don't say any of this for sympathy, I say it to encourage you. To tell you that, "You can do this!"
If you’re suffocating in lesson plans, sickness, laundry, mess, loneliness and the endless chorus of “Mum, I’m hungry,” take a deep breath. Yes, right now! Let’s simplify this whole homeschooling thing and kick overwhelm to the curb.
1. Ditch the Pinterest-Perfect Homeschool
You do not need a colour-coded schedule, a dedicated homeschool room that looks like a private school classroom, or a perfectly curated morning basket (unless that brings you joy). Your homeschool should fit YOUR family—not the Instagram version of homeschooling. Learning happens in messy, real-life moments. The kitchen table, the couch, or even the doctor’s office waiting room? All fair game.
2. Embrace the 3Rs (and Let the Rest Go for Now)
If life is extra chaotic—pregnancy, sickness, a new baby, or just an off-season—scale back to the basics: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. You can add in science, history, and those amazing unit studies when you come up for air. Some seasons require survival mode, and that’s okay. Your kids will be just fine. My child who did high school part-time still made it to university.
3. Shorten Your School Day (Seriously, It’s Allowed)
Homeschooling doesn’t need to take six hours a day. Focused, efficient learning beats long, dragged-out lessons.Elementary kids can get their core work done in 1-2 hours. Older kids? 2-4 hours max. The rest of the day can be spent on independent reading, projects, and—dare I say it—free play. Yes, unstructured play is still learning.
If you decide to do a morning basket then in there you can put a selection of books that cover a wide variety of subjects. Before you children have even asked for their first snack of the day you might have already covered some science, geography, history and literature!
4. Use Workbooks or Open-and-Go Curriculum
As a general rule, I hate using too many workbooks in my homeschool. But there has been times and seasons where it was deemed necessary for me. If planning lessons makes you want to cry into your coffee, it’s time to find an open-and-go curriculum. These beauties require zero prep—just open the book and start teaching. (Or better yet, let the book do the teaching for you.) Or find one of those books from the teacher's store that cover all the humanities in one book. No prep, no printing, no lesson planning.
5. Teach Multiple Ages at Once
Got a house full of kids? Combine subjects like history, science, and literature so you’re not teaching five different things to five different kids. Read aloud as a family, use documentaries, or let older siblings teach younger ones. Homeschooling with a baby in the mix? Nurse while reading a story, set up simple activities for toddlers, and let your big kids work independently where they can. Or even better, put on an audiobook. Pick one which fits into a certain history period and call it your history curriculum. Or pick on which is set in a different country and call it your geography curriculum. Add in a youtube kids documentary which also fits in with the book and watch with them as you cook dinner.
6. Give Yourself Permission to Take Breaks
If you need a day (or week) off, take it. Homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint. Life happens—sick days, sleepless nights, unexpected chaos. Public school kids get teacher workdays, substitute teachers, and boarder holidays. You get to set the rhythm of your homeschool. A rested mom is a better teacher.
7. Delegate, Automate, and Simplify
Older kids can help younger ones. (Reading aloud, playing educational games, helping with chores.)
Use audiobooks, documentaries, and educational apps. These count as learning!
Meal plan and simplify meals. Rotating easy dinners will save your sanity. Cook a big dinner so lunch is already planned the night before!
Declutter your homeschool space. Fewer supplies = less mess = less stress.
Have a specified clean up time every day. Put on some music and set a target, "We all clean like crazy for the next two songs then we stop!"
8. Remember WHY You’re Homeschooling
When overwhelm creeps in, step back and remember why you started this journey in the first place. Freedom, family connection, a love of learning—these things matter more than a perfect schedule. Your kids will remember the snuggles, the books, and the time spent together far more than the perfectly planned curriculum.
Final Thoughts: You’ve Got This
If homeschooling feels overwhelming, it’s usually a sign to simplify and let go of perfection. You don’t need to do it all. You don’t need to be a supermom. Your kids don’t need the “perfect” homeschool—they just need you.
"CONNECTION OVER PERFECTION"
Do what brings you and your children JOY
So, take a deep breath, grab that coffee (or tea or hot chocolate), and remind yourself: homeschooling is just a part of life—not your entire life. You are already doing enough. And your kids? They’re learning and thriving—messy house, unfinished lessons, and all. ❤️
Let me know—what’s your biggest homeschooling challenge right now? DM me on Instagram @dream_explore_learn! Or on Facebook! I can't wait to hear from you.
