The Perimenopausal Homeschooler:: How It Began

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Welcome to The Perimenopausal Homeschooler series! Here I share with my readers some of my favorite tips for homeschooling and taking care of young children despite those lovely perimenopausal symptoms. At least when I remember. {wink, wink}

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When I first started homeschooling, I was very much a delight-directed/ unschooling type of mom. I didn't plan exact lessons. I just followed along with what they wanted to do that day and guided them along.
 

Then something happened. I found that I was forgetting the guiding them along part. My children were starting to drift and weren't learning as much. How had I forgotten to help them along– answer questions– tell them about related topics?
 

I was confounded for a while. Then I started having nights where I woke up at 3 a.m. and could. not. get back to sleep. I had never had trouble sleeping ever before. After about four or five of those nights, it occurred to me that it always happened between menstruation and ovulation. That's when a woman's body should be making lots of estrogen.
 

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See? I'm not old. Just perimenopausal.

I googled insomnia and estrogen. Sure enough, insomnia and nighttime wakefulness are both symptoms of low estrogen. Perimenopause had gone to a whole new level.
 

So I start reading lists of perimenopausal symptoms. (Perimenopause is the 10-15 years before your last period. It's the time when you have all the hot flashes and such.) It turns out that there were now more than three symptoms on the list. (I guess the docs finally caught up with what women had been saying for years.) What's more, I had quite a few of the symptoms.

Here's a list of symptoms from Early Menopause:

(The symptoms are not just for early menopause. They are the symptoms of perimenopause, but the site is dedicated to early menopause– meaning when a woman goes through menopause much earlier than the norm, like at 38 years old.)
 

Physical Signs:

• Irregular Periods (changes in frequency, duration, skipped periods, etc.)
• Infertility
• Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
• Vaginal Dryness
• Bladder Control Problems
• Insomnia/Disrupted Sleep
• Palpitations
• Weight Gain (especially around your waist and abdomen)
• Skin Changes (dryness, thinning look)
• Headaches
• Breast Tenderness
• Gastrointestinal Distress and Nausea.
• Tingling or Itchy Skin.
• "Buzzing" in your head, Electric Shock Sensation
• Bloating
• Dizziness/Lightheadedness
• Sore Joints/Muscles
• Hair Loss or Thinning
• Increase in Facial Hair
• Changes in Body Odor
• Dry Mouth and Other Oral Symptoms

Emotional Signs:

• Irritability
• Mood Swings
• Lowered Libido
• Anxiety
• "Brain Fog" — difficulty concentrating, confusion
• Memory Lapses
• Extreme Fatigue/Low Energy Levels
• Confusion/Lack of Concentration
• Feeling Emotionally Detached

   

"Insomnia/ Disrupted Sleep"~ That explains my waking up in the middle of the night. "Brain Fog"~ That explains why I would forget to help my three children with school stuff. I was in the throes of perimenopause~ at 34 years old. I was also having hot flashes and several of the other symptoms. I was definitely into low estrogen symptoms.
 

So what was I to do? I went to the fount of all knowledge, the Sonlight Forums. I asked if anyone else was in the middle of perimenopause and what sorts of things they had found to help them homeschool while in the midst of these symptoms. Many women replied in sympathy. They were in the same spot I was and also could not wait for the helpful hints of other women. But no one had any helpful hints.
 

That was eight and a half years ago. I have found some ways to manage the lovely challenges that perimenopause can bring to the homeschool day and to life with children. (And I have teens and little ones.) I could keep them to myself, but I would rather share them. Maybe it will help some of you.
 

If you are in your late 30's, or in your 40's and 50's, you may be experiencing perimenopausal symptoms without even realizing it. (I didn't realize I was having hot flashes until I started researching.) You may be in the same position I was in~ you have just realized what is happening and don't know how to manage your life now.
 

I will give you a few of my favorite resources:
 

• The Change Before the Change by Laura E Corio~ Fabulous book! She explains all the symptoms, tells you what is happening in your body to cause that symptom, and then tells you what you can do to manage the symptom, starting with foods, then nutritional supplements, then herbs, and then prescriptions from your doctor.
   
• Women to Women ~ This website does sell a supplemental program, but it is also filled with good information that is all free. I'm all about free information.
   
• EarlyMenopause.com ~ This site focuses on early menopause, but they have wonderful explanations for the symptoms of perimenopause, as well as loads of helpful information for women who are going through this at the "normal" age.
   
• PerimenopauseSymptoms.org ~ I haven't looked at this site as thoroughly as the others, but what I have read is good. It looks to have lots of info.

   

This should be enough to get you started, don't you think?

Each month I will bring you another chapter in The Perimenopausal Homeschooler series. You don't have to be a homeschooling momma to find benefit in this series. Some of the tips I share will be directly related to schooling, but much of them will be helpful for living life and still taking care of young children. I will take one symptom and tell you what I have found helpful for me, whether it be lifestyle modifications or supplements. Keep in mind, I have thus far chosen not to use hormone replacement. (Also, I am not a doctor. If you want to try supplements that I have found helpful, talk to your doctor and pharmacist.)
 

I hope my craziness can help you find a little sanity.

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