If you celebrate December holidays, things might be a tad crazy for you right now. Even in this current COVID situation, festivities, family traditions and gift exchanges are still happening. I love this time of year even though it always hectic. (Every. Single. Year. No matter how I try to plan ahead!)
Attempts to keep homeschooling going in the midst of holiday responsibilities (aka: frenzy) can seem overwhelming and impossible. Believe me, I know!
So here are a few strategies to get you through the next few weeks.
Suggestion #1. First of all, take a deeeeep breath. Let it out. Repeat as needed. Remind yourself that this one month of school is not going to make or break your entire academic year. It’s winter: traditionally and naturally, a time to slow down, take stock of things, rest and grow inwardly. Your homeschool life can reflect this. Plan for some time off and maybe do things differently for this little while.
Suggestion #2. Go online, just for this month. Search for “kids online learning” or “online educational programs for kids” and see if anything pops up that could be useful. There are free, 1 month trials for some programs (such as Reading Eggs or Adventure Academy) which could keep your children academically challenged (and entertained 😊), even if they aren’t studying the exact subjects you are currently working on. Think of it as enrichment, and it is only temporary. Also think of it as the path to sanity while you try to cover all the bases that holidays present.
Suggestion #3: If December marks religious celebration for your family, make that your subject for school. Or make winter the focus. There are lots of resources (books, online, social media hashtags) for finding meaningful activities and studies which will fill the bill for learning and also bring deeper meaning and joy to the season. Faith traditions and stories, as well as the season of winter, provide many avenues for learning: stars, evergreens, light, candle making, snowflakes, barn animals, geography, to name a few. And don’t forget that baking is educational, so bring out those holiday recipes!
Just be sure to keep this simple. Endless research and preparation is not what we’re looking for here! Find ready-made guides/books/blogs to guide you and don’t feel the need to go deep. (The daily Nature Advent Calendar is one of my very favorite resources.)
This is winter. This is holiday time. Think of enhancing this special season rather than adding to it. January will be here soon enough and then you can resume your usual curriculum.
Suggestion #4: Use workbooks and worksheets. Even if this isn’t yours style of teaching, lots of kids really enjoy and find satisfaction in completing worksheets and going through a workbook. It’s simple way to learn or provide enrichment, and it’s so easy! Workbooks can be ordered online (hello Amazon!) and places such as SuperTeacherWorksheets.com offer a wide variety of worksheets for immediate download.
My wish for you (as well as myself) is to enjoy this beautiful time of year. Make memories. Drink deeply of the season. Let all that you like about this holiday season enhance your homeschooling, rather than rob you of precious time and opportunity with your children.