Teens and Stress
By Mimi Rothschild
Being a homeschool parent is hard, tiring work. Being a parent of homeschool teenagers can be worse. It takes much energy to parent teens and when you are tired already, even small tasks can wear you out. Conserving your energy while taking care of your family is important, so that when you do get to spend time with them, you will not be exhausted and it will be quality time. There are many ways in which you can conserve your energy and still get the things done that are important.
1. Prioritize
Pick your projects carefully. If your day is completely packed, there are bound to be projects that are ‘must dos’ and others that can wait. Pick and choose which ones can wait. It is a good idea to work some down time into your to do list. Often when a parent plans their day too closely, with no room for error, one mistake or change in plans can send the whole schedule into chaos and raise the stress level through the roof.
2. Say “No”
Learn to say no to your homeschool teenager. A day full of answering yes can add up to a very tired parent. There is no doubt that there are things your teenagers want from you that just aren’t all that critical. You are not being too rigid by saying no. You are letting your homeschool teenager know that you are not a pushover and they will hopefully learn that some of these things they can do themselves.
3. Speak your piece
Let your teenagers know that there is only a limited amount of energy in you. If you let them know beforehand that you have a full schedule or a tough week ahead, then they will learn to prioritize their own needs before they even bring them to you. Get them in the habit of looking at you and your efforts as a commodity to be used sparingly or only for the things they cannot do themselves.
4. Don’t fall for the “last minute” ploy
Teenagers will often come to their parents at the last minute and declare that they have to know the answer “right now”. Last minute decisions are stressful and consume more energy than ones given thoughtful consideration. Often the situation is not as dire as the homeschool teen says it is and once they learn that you will not deal with last minute demands, they will learn to bring them to you sooner.
5. Stop spinning your wheels
Don’t waste energy with unnecessary projects. If you are not getting anywhere with a project, leave it for another day. If you are constantly battling with your homeschooler about cleaning their room, but getting nowhere, this is wasted energy.
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