Unexpected Homeschooler Sample

Unexpected Interruption

Maybe you’re still prayerfully deciding if you will keep your children home this next school year, or maybe you’ve already made this unexpected decision. Even if you are a working mom this is doable. Find another family to partner with or explore other creative ideas for your child's home education. Your homeschool should be unique, like your family! Your home is not a classroom, so you don’t have to turn it into one. We did school work together on the sofa or at the kitchen table. Reading was often done on the trampoline or in a hammock. Let your own lifestyle set the tone and remember, life is school. 

I often compare home education to potty training. No child will learn at the same rate or same way, and you or they can make it difficult or fun. But with effort and consistency, eventually it works! The beauty of home education is that just like potty training, eventually it clicks. (My guess is there are very few kids still wearing diapers by college age.) Your child will begin to step into self motivation, choosing to accomplish his academic tasks without prodding, at least most of the time. 

What may surprise you is how quickly your children will finish with their academic work. The time it takes to teach a handful of children is totally different than teaching a full classroom. 

For very young children, break your day into small segments of academic learning. You will be able to hold their attention for about ten minutes at a time. Don’t be frustrated by this. For older kids, even high school, expect about 3 hours maximum of book or on-line learning. 

Some things our family did to fill all those remaining hours together was to always have a read-aloud book going. When your children are old enough they can take turns reading a chapter with you. This is a great evening family activity, as are board games, and themed dinners. Get the kids involved in cooking and coming up with grocery lists and budgets. Give age-appropriate cleaning tasks to your children making it part of their daily routine and life education. 

And speaking of routines, have one! Keep it loose for unexpected interruptions, but you and your children will do best by knowing what is next. Also, there will be days when emotions are heightened and everyone needs a break. Shut the books and head to the park or museum or even meet another homeschooling family at the park. 

Most of all, don’t try to do this homeschool thing alone. Find a seasoned homeschool mom who is willing to talk you off the ledge on the days you want to throw your hands up and quit. Find and join a group of moms who encourage each other through this new journey or consider starting one of your own. And find time for your kids to interact with their friends, whether through church, park days, sports, or even through FaceTime calls. We were created for community and this will be very important to your and their mental well-being. 

Finally, expect your enemy to visit you many times a day with accusations and lies, telling you this is a mistake, to just go with the norm. He wants you to make agreements with him that your kids will be behind in their schoolwork, that you aren’t a qualified teacher, that this is just too weird for your family. Remain strong in your convictions. Ask God what He has to say to these wayward thoughts and counter the lies with the truth.This will turn your what-ifs into possibilities and your worries into prayers!

You are your child’s very best teacher and there is no one more qualified to care about his or her future. Childhood and training years don't last forever and you may never get a better chance to connect with your children than during this  interruption. And the most invaluable and unexpected surprise is how much this experience will grow and change you in the very best of ways. 

I won’t tell you it will be easy, but I will tell you it will be worth it in every way, for you and for your kids. Sure, there will be adjustments, but God didn’t call you to this place to leave you without His power to press through. No matter if you choose this path for a year or for their remaining school years, hold on for one of the greatest roller coaster rides of your life. Remember, Jesus is your unmoving stability bar and will never fail you. 

Father, now what? I’ll admit it. I’m scared about this. I’m asking You to calm my heart and to show me the very next step on this journey. I choose to wait on You rather than getting ahead and trying to have it all figured out. I’m stepping near to hear Your gentle whispers over the blaring doubts and what-ifs. I’m choosing to exchange my own personal desires for Yours and what is best for our family and holding on for the ride. I know You are with me. Thank You for Your faithfulness!

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