Homeschooling in Tough Times

Life can get a little crazy I know that is not just us right? Sometimes life sends us curve balls and be feel like breaking down. We wonder how he will ever get what we need done. I have had so many times I have wondered how we would fit any type of school in while everything is turned upside down. When the unexpected happens take a deep breath and look for lessons your you can teach your child from the experience.

When things go wrong homeschooling can be tough

Imagine a family emergency leaves you traveling with little time to prepare. Obviously, school is canceled, but learning never is. Pack the books away and let your family settle in and relax a bit. Show your child maps and let them see the path you are taking. Be honest with your child about the situation and answer your child’s questions honestly.

Take a break from the craziness of the emergency with a trip to do something fun and educational to sneak some learning in and give your child a break from the stress.

When illness strikes you will find yourself or your child wondering how to keep up with school for your child. This is one of the wonderful things about homeschooling. When you homeschool your child you can pick the schedule. A year round homeschooling schedule leaves you with plenty of room to take time off when illness strikes.

If you are generally more of a relaxed homeschooler you can find plenty of relaxed educational opportunities for your child. Netflix is jam packed with great programs that will help your child learn and grow without having to do much of anything. If you find yourself stuck in bed grab a stack of books and spend some time cuddling in bed reading with your child.

Big changes really effect homeschooing

Homeschooling with a new baby can be scary but it also opens whole new doors to learning. When you find yourself on bed rest or healing after a baby you may worry about how to get school time in with older, but not yet independent children. Use this time to learn and bond with all of your children.

Talk to your kids about human growth and development. Discuss what a baby needs to grow and how to care for them. These unexpected lessons can give your child a key to the future.

While stuck in bed spend time with your child. Grab workbooks and curriculum and bring learning right into your bed. Breakfast trays, cookie sheets, even large books work well for makeshift desks so your kids never have to miss a beat and you have the advantage of having them close when you can not get up to chase them.

After baby is born you can read to all of them together in bed. Reading is good for the whole family and a calm restful activity that can allow you to bond with your children and the new baby without over doing it right after baby.

A loss can turn your homeschool upside down.

After a loss. One of the toughest times in homeschooling I have ever ran into was after my last pregnancy loss. I was tired, weak from blood loss, and depressed. Teaching my children was the last thing I had energy for when I could barely lift my own head. In this situation, I had two options. Take time off, or do something easy that took very little work for me. We Pulled out stacks of books, binge watched netflix, and fell deeply in love with our Mother Goose Time program that allowed the kids to learn and grow without me having to do a lot of prep work. We would pull the box into bed with us and dig into whatever fun daily bag the kids wanted. We never stuck to a schedule and we were free to learn and I was free to take time and nap when I needed.

We all find ourselves in tough times. The important part is to keep going and make do with what you have. They will learn.