One of the most important lessons I have learnt since we first started home educating was that I needed to give myself a break, some time to just recharge and switch my brain off. Over the years this has taken different forms of what works for me and the family but over the past 6 months it has changed into a computer free day a week.

I get a lot of the kids’ home education resources off the internet and I work part-time using the internet and my computer so by the end of the week I often feel like I have spent ages in from of my computer. And the problem is there is just so much that I use my computer for – booking trips, shopping, organising stuff for the following week, it goes on and on. But I have started setting myself a goal that all computer activity had to be finished by 6pm Saturday and then the computer goes off and does not get switched on again until Monday morning (okay, okay it does not always work, sometimes it does get switched on because I forgot to do something for Monday morning -but I try really hard to stick to it).

It is a small thing, I know but it has made a big difference in how I feel come Monday morning. I feel ready to tackle the upcoming week, ready to dive in and be present for all the questions.

I know technology is here to stay and I know technology has made my life much easier, it has given me the option of working part-time from home and allows me to access lots of amazing learning resources. But technology can also be draining because it just never switches off. There always seems to be one more thing to do, one more thing to search for or read up on. It sometimes feel never ending.

Home education is a marathon and in the past I have not taken care of myself and burnt myself out. Having a computer free day a week is one way I am trying to look after myself and be more focused and available for the kids without burning myself out. A day where I can relax and switch off my mind and recharge a bit. And in the months that I have been doing this, everything is still there on Monday, and I feel much stronger and the truth is more “available for the kids”.