Re: burnout, working and hsing, career
Jeff & Diane Gwirtz
Hi Rachael,
I think you're talking more overall stress than burnout. Either way,
it's no fun. Life is a
balancing act and unschooling is no different. I know many families
where both parents work and they homeschool. It involves some
creativity and juggling, but it can work and work well. A lot of
unschooling families seem to gravitate towards working at home or
owning their own businesses. That makes it a little easier to mesh
the unschooling lifestyle with work, but it isn't possible for
everyone. Now, that said, I personally have not worked and
homeschooled. I worked part-time when my kids were little and again
when they were both in school. What I discovered is that I am just
not very good at juggling my time and energy. I get very involved in work and
neglect my family or visa versa. I admire people who do it. I'm
just not very good at it, and I accept that it's not one of my
strengths. Sometimes it's tempting when things are tight
financially, but I usually find another way out.
As far as unschooling and working in the schooled world - my husband
does this every day. He's a college professor. Sometimes it's
frustrating for him, but I think his students have benefitted from
our unschooling. He knows so much more about learning styles and
understands why some kids are so unprepared for college. He's doing
his part to try to make some changes. The politics sometimes make it
hard, but he tries to remember why he's there.
Don't be afraid to try some different solutions and see what works.
Unschooling shows us that there is more than one way to solve a
problem and that it's okay to start down one path and then veer over
onto another.
Diane from KS
jagwirtz@...
I think you're talking more overall stress than burnout. Either way,
it's no fun. Life is a
balancing act and unschooling is no different. I know many families
where both parents work and they homeschool. It involves some
creativity and juggling, but it can work and work well. A lot of
unschooling families seem to gravitate towards working at home or
owning their own businesses. That makes it a little easier to mesh
the unschooling lifestyle with work, but it isn't possible for
everyone. Now, that said, I personally have not worked and
homeschooled. I worked part-time when my kids were little and again
when they were both in school. What I discovered is that I am just
not very good at juggling my time and energy. I get very involved in work and
neglect my family or visa versa. I admire people who do it. I'm
just not very good at it, and I accept that it's not one of my
strengths. Sometimes it's tempting when things are tight
financially, but I usually find another way out.
As far as unschooling and working in the schooled world - my husband
does this every day. He's a college professor. Sometimes it's
frustrating for him, but I think his students have benefitted from
our unschooling. He knows so much more about learning styles and
understands why some kids are so unprepared for college. He's doing
his part to try to make some changes. The politics sometimes make it
hard, but he tries to remember why he's there.
Don't be afraid to try some different solutions and see what works.
Unschooling shows us that there is more than one way to solve a
problem and that it's okay to start down one path and then veer over
onto another.
Diane from KS
jagwirtz@...
[email protected]
In a message dated 99-09-18 00:14:57 EDT, you write:
<<
Don't be afraid to try some different solutions and see what works.
Unschooling shows us that there is more than one way to solve a
problem and that it's okay to start down one path and then veer over
onto another.
Diane from KS
jagwirtz@... >>
Diane,
Thanks for the reassurance. I myself am not having the problems of the roads
I have choosen as much as the hubby-- he is feeling kind of overwhelmed by
having to work at a job he hates to support a family that is draining ,
physically and emotionally (we have a toddler, enough said), and even though
he doesnt want to feel it, he feels like maybe he chose the wrong path, maybe
this isnt what is going to make him happy, and what should he do about it now
that hes got two kids and a wife, you know? I am glad tht he is dealing with
it all homestly, but its hard for him to see us at home learning and having
fun, and he cant be a part of that 11 hours out of the day. I feel this way
sometimes as do a lot of people I think, but its really giving my husband a
hard try, if you knwo what I mean. I thought I owuld get that unjobbing
book, maybe that would hlep him break out of the rat race he hates so much--
got any ideas for me to hlep him get unjobbed?
Rachael
<<
Don't be afraid to try some different solutions and see what works.
Unschooling shows us that there is more than one way to solve a
problem and that it's okay to start down one path and then veer over
onto another.
Diane from KS
jagwirtz@... >>
Diane,
Thanks for the reassurance. I myself am not having the problems of the roads
I have choosen as much as the hubby-- he is feeling kind of overwhelmed by
having to work at a job he hates to support a family that is draining ,
physically and emotionally (we have a toddler, enough said), and even though
he doesnt want to feel it, he feels like maybe he chose the wrong path, maybe
this isnt what is going to make him happy, and what should he do about it now
that hes got two kids and a wife, you know? I am glad tht he is dealing with
it all homestly, but its hard for him to see us at home learning and having
fun, and he cant be a part of that 11 hours out of the day. I feel this way
sometimes as do a lot of people I think, but its really giving my husband a
hard try, if you knwo what I mean. I thought I owuld get that unjobbing
book, maybe that would hlep him break out of the rat race he hates so much--
got any ideas for me to hlep him get unjobbed?
Rachael
Jeff & Diane Gwirtz
I sympathize with you Rachael. Having a husband unhappy at work can
really be trying. We've been there. Sometimes it just helps to keep
talking about what's really important to you as a family. Realizing
that work isn't everything makes a big difference. Good luck with
unjobbing.
Diane from KS
jagwirtz@...
really be trying. We've been there. Sometimes it just helps to keep
talking about what's really important to you as a family. Realizing
that work isn't everything makes a big difference. Good luck with
unjobbing.
Diane from KS
jagwirtz@...
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/17/99 9:58:12 PM, Roop0625@... writes:
<<I myself am not having the problems of the roads
I have choosen as much as the hubby-- he is feeling kind of overwhelmed by
having to work at a job he hates to support a family that is draining ,
physically and emotionally (we have a toddler, enough said), and even though
he doesnt want to feel it, he feels like maybe he chose the wrong path, maybe
this isnt what is going to make him happy, and what should he do about it now
that hes got two kids and a wife, you know? >>
I can definitely relate. My husband really hates his job. It creates
tension that my son and I are having so much fun and living in so much
freedom. I try to compensate by catering to my husband a lot in the evenings
and on weekends. (Not easy when son wants dad to do everything for him.)
The ultimate solution is for dh to get a better job, or for me to get one.
We're working on it, a tiny bit at a time.
Betsy
<<I myself am not having the problems of the roads
I have choosen as much as the hubby-- he is feeling kind of overwhelmed by
having to work at a job he hates to support a family that is draining ,
physically and emotionally (we have a toddler, enough said), and even though
he doesnt want to feel it, he feels like maybe he chose the wrong path, maybe
this isnt what is going to make him happy, and what should he do about it now
that hes got two kids and a wife, you know? >>
I can definitely relate. My husband really hates his job. It creates
tension that my son and I are having so much fun and living in so much
freedom. I try to compensate by catering to my husband a lot in the evenings
and on weekends. (Not easy when son wants dad to do everything for him.)
The ultimate solution is for dh to get a better job, or for me to get one.
We're working on it, a tiny bit at a time.
Betsy
[email protected]
In a message dated 99-09-18 11:28:00 EDT, you write:
<<
I can definitely relate. My husband really hates his job. It creates
tension that my son and I are having so much fun and living in so much
freedom. I try to compensate by catering to my husband a lot in the
evenings
and on weekends. (Not easy when son wants dad to do everything for him.)
The ultimate solution is for dh to get a better job, or for me to get one.
We're working on it, a tiny bit at a time.
Betsy
he goes to school too, so he is busy. Hopefully this business he is starting
(powerwashing) will allow him to quit in the spring. I know exactly what you
mean about you and your son being so free and having so much fun, and him at
work, hating it. That is so much like us. When we talked the other night,
he said he sometimes wished we could put them in school so that he and I
could have a day off. Maybe we need to hire a babysitter instead. I am
actually working now, three nights a week, aiting tables, which I like (free
food is nice too!), and that helps to take the pressure off. But it is hard,
to watch them be so unhappy. I cater to my husband too, but I wonder if I
should.
Rachael
<<
I can definitely relate. My husband really hates his job. It creates
tension that my son and I are having so much fun and living in so much
freedom. I try to compensate by catering to my husband a lot in the
evenings
and on weekends. (Not easy when son wants dad to do everything for him.)
The ultimate solution is for dh to get a better job, or for me to get one.
We're working on it, a tiny bit at a time.
Betsy
>>This is definately our situation. My dh is trying to start a business, and
he goes to school too, so he is busy. Hopefully this business he is starting
(powerwashing) will allow him to quit in the spring. I know exactly what you
mean about you and your son being so free and having so much fun, and him at
work, hating it. That is so much like us. When we talked the other night,
he said he sometimes wished we could put them in school so that he and I
could have a day off. Maybe we need to hire a babysitter instead. I am
actually working now, three nights a week, aiting tables, which I like (free
food is nice too!), and that helps to take the pressure off. But it is hard,
to watch them be so unhappy. I cater to my husband too, but I wonder if I
should.
Rachael