A Homeschoolers Thoughts
Having your kids home with you all day is a full time job! Arguing and fighting between siblings is REAL. So are messes. How about preparing meals for multiple people who are constantly hungry?! Add to it education, and you've got a really full day, every day.
My husband and I homeschool our three kids. I know there are some incredible humans out there who do it all alone, and some even make it look easy. If that's you, I think you're amazing. High five! I'm not that parent, and I'm comfortable owning that. I’m happy to be sharing the task with Evan!
If you've been thrust into a homeschooling experience because of what's happening in the world right now, that is starkly different than choosing it for yourself and your family. You were catapulted into it, abruptly and unexpectedly. Anxiety stress and tension are at high levels. Many are also unexpectedly working from home. And, on top of it, you're being told to homeschool your kids?! That honestly feels ridiculous to me. (Since I work from home I feel for you. Balancing parenting, working, and educating can be a real challenge.) But, my opinion aside, I just want to say a few things that I hope will help if you find yourself in this place of suddenly being expected to homeschool.
Because kids learn by example, how we live our lives matters so very much. They're watching! Education is much more than academics. Tension and stress have an extremely negative affect on the brain. Let's spend energy helping our children's brains develop and grow by doing more than just focusing on book work. Let's be intentional to bring lightness and laughter into our family life at a time when anxiety and stress is being felt from so many directions.
I feel the importance of this impart because of my own story. I was homeschooled until 9th grade. Unfortunately, I didn't have a positive experience. Even though I passed my entrance exam to begin high school I didn't feel well prepared. But I was excited for the change and ready to transition!
I struggled in certain classes. I did best when I was given one-on-one attention in order to understand the concepts being taught. That's not always possible in a classroom with many students. I also struggled while I was taught at home. My mom was really overwhelmed with life, and because of my mom's condition I helped my younger siblings learn. That meant I didn't spend as much time on my own education.
Adjusting to the social element of going to school was absolutely fine for me. I grew up in an apartment complex with plenty of friends to go around! I was also on a hockey team and involved in many other activities within my church and elsewhere. Socialization is one thing I never lacked!
Interestingly, my husband was also homeschooled. His experience was much different than mine and extremely positive! In fact it was so positive that he hoped our children could experience the same.
When my oldest daughter was 2 she started to express interest in reading. She had been looking at books since she was months old and knew she wanted more than that. Because she continued to ask, Evan and I started talking about what to do regarding her education and it became evident that he hoped she could begin by learning at home.
We recognize each of our children are unique and learn differently, so the idea of tailoring education to their specific needs feels absolutely right. This also means homeschooling isn't for everyone. Even though we currently homeschool all 3 of our kids, we're regularly evaluating our process and their experience and keeping the conversation open as to what we may do in the coming year. We're definitely not set on it being one way forever! Our children's opinions matter to us. We encourage them to think for themselves and express their thoughts and emotions.
By making time to focus on each child's education individually, much learning takes place in a short amount of time. It isn't typically a 6 hour school day for us. Viviana, who is 7, and AJ, who is 6, have both been comfortably reading for awhile now. Laella, who is 4, is learning how to read. Even though that could seem young, she was ready. I could see that as I watched her doing schoolwork this past fall. It felt natural to move her along. That's the beauty of homeschooling! Adjustments can be made as needed. Subjects can be hands on and fun. Integrating the classroom into everyday living can be an exciting way to learn! Even though structure is good and very helpful, when necessary we can easily vary our schedule. That's been super helpful!
As we all spend many extra hours parenting our children during this unique time, let's remember that love and nurture are vitally important. You deserve it just as much as they do. As you are choosing kindness and patience with your kids, be kind and patient with yourself as well. We're all in this together! Let's be allies. We're gonna get through this.
My goal is always to look back in life and be energized by the way I walked it out. This is a mile of that walk. Some stretches feel longer and harder than others, but the crowd cheering on the side lines helps immensely. Come and join me! Let's keep cheering each other along.
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