Mondays are a fresh start to a new week. If life has been going smoothly with your children loving to learn and you are able to take a short break for an afternoon tea, keep up the good work!
Now, if the picture of your day includes more tantrums and whining than learning, maybe it is time to take a deep breath and reevaluate your plan. Rest assured, there will be a transition time as this year's routines are established, but if you know the adjustment time has passed and things are still very challenging, here are a few questions to ask yourself:
1. Are your expectations realistic?
If you have a 4-year old that won't sit still while you are trying to do hour lessons full of lecture-type teaching.....you might need to reevaluate. Studies have shown that children have the attention span in minutes their age plus one minute. Although this isn't a hard rule, we have found it to be pretty accurate!
2. Does your teaching style match the learning needs of your children?
"If you’ve told a child a thousand times, and the child still has not learned, then it is not the child who is the slow learner." This quote can seem a bit harsh but really think about the meaning. What can you do to refresh how you approach teaching your children in a way that helps them feel the spark of excitement as they explore new topics?
3. Are you trying to be an IG or Pinterest homeschool mom?
Don't get us wrong, we love a good IG feed and Pinterest is a wonderful resource, but trying to live up to the "perfect" homeschool pictures with a school space Joanna worthy, a clean house 24-7, always obedient children that love to read and will be working with NASA at age 10….just isn't reality. Homeschooling is different for each family. Experience tells us that you will find your kids learning in all sorts of unique places (usually not the space you so painstakingly set up). Upside down reading on the couch? Yep! Making a mess on your kitchen table day after day with supplies, books, and snack wrappers? Yes to that too! And guess what, that is ok! When life is messy it usually means your kids are thriving. Here’s a quick tip, if you can't stand the chaos on your table, call a five-minute break, turn the music on and for one song, clean as fast as everyone can just to keep the avalanche at bay. You will all learn teamwork and you will be amazed just how much you can get done in those few short minutes a couple of times a day. Most of all, answer all of their questions, smile, pray, and enjoy this fleeting time. You’ve got this!