Why Am I Depressed and How Do I Cope?

Those days when everything seems too difficult. Homeschooling lessons are left incomplete. Dishes sit on the counter and in the sink, laundry is waiting to be folded, and dinner ends up being cereal. How do I cope? Does the difficulty with these tasks mean that depression has entered my life? And why am I depressed if that is true? 

Why Am I Depressed? 

Whether or not you have been officially diagnosed with depression, you know in your own heart if there is something wrong. Depression can sneak into our lives in a variety of ways for a myriad of reasons. For example, stressful events and major life changes are often reasons why people enter into times of depression. And with major life changes including pregnancy and childbirth, many homeschool moms can be susceptible to depression. 

Homeschool moms are trying to get everything done. We are housekeepers, teachers, caregivers, cleaners, bakers, nurses, chauffeurs, gardeners, friends, and more on any given day. Wearing all these hats can be very stressful. It can be easy to be frustrated or irritable. 

No matter why you may feel that you are depressed, you can cope. You are not alone. There are others in the homeschool community who have similar feelings and concerns. If you read your Bible, you’ll find others who suffered depression and sadness. Take courage in knowing that the Lord is always there for you. 

How Do I Cope?

The simplest advice I can give as someone who battles with depression is that you take one day at a time. Set yourself small, achievable goals. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t overcome the symptoms and problems associated with depression in one day, one week, or even one year. 

Here are some simple questions to help you get started: 

What goals do you have for yourself? 

What do you want to accomplish today in your homeschool? 

What is the most important lesson your children should learn today? 

What needs to be done in your home today? Is it laundry? Meal planning and preparation for the week? Shopping? 

What can you do for you today? Is there a hobby you have neglected? 

Once you have those questions answered for today, set out trying to accomplish those tasks and goals. Keep things simple and small until you can add more tasks each day. Maybe even combine tasks. Work on life skills with your children, and your homeschool lesson can involve shopping and cooking. Let them help with chores, and they can work on their time management skills. These skills are just as important as reading about reptiles or temperate forests. 

Personally, when I struggle, I find that we stick to the basics in our homeschool. Math and language arts are completed. Perhaps we take the time for a read aloud or a science or history lesson, but I keep the lessons short and focused. And sometimes we splurge on takeout too. Small things like ordering takeout or even skipping lessons to get outside can make the day less stressful. And remember your children are learning every moment, so while you may skip the book work, your children are still learning! 

Finding Things to Lessen the Load

No matter why I am depressed, finding resources to help lessen the homeschool load is important. If you are using curriculum or materials that don’t work for your family, this will only lead to more stress. Over the last several years, I have been blessed with working with the Homeschool Review Crew and now the Homeschool Influencer Network. I have been introduced to a great number of homeschool curricula and resources. Some have worked for our family and some haven’t. But finding the products that have helped us has removed stress from our homeschool days. 

One of the things that has also helped our family is buying a few ready-made dinners. On those days when there is just too much going on, it is nice to pop something in the oven and know we will have a hot meal in an hour. Sometimes I even prepare those meals in advance. So if you prefer cooking from scratch, you can fill your freezer with a few casserole dishes to serve on challenging days. 

My husband also helps lessen the load. He enjoys grocery shopping, so that is one less task for me to worry about weekly. And there are a few meals that he enjoys making, so we schedule those into our dinner rotation. Knowing I can share the cooking helps me tremendously. 

You Are Enough 

No matter how you answered, “Why am I depressed?” please know you are enough with the help of God. He has chosen you for your family. You are the perfect homeschool mom for your family. God will equip you with exactly what you need to take care of your family. You just have to ask. 

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Please note: If you are suffering from what you think may be depression, please seek help. Find a trusted person to speak with so you can seek the appropriate level of help. 

HomeschoolingFinds.com Author

This article has been written by Kristen Heider. She is the Business Building Team Manager of The Old Schoolhouse® and the Social Media Manager of HomeschoolingFinds.com. She shares more about her family’s homeschooling journey at A Mom’s Quest Teach.