Some days we need to know how to reset a tough homeschool day.
It’s those middle-of-the-year days. Sleepless nights. Sick days. Attitude and behaviour issues that arise where character needs to be addressed. These all require us know how to reset a tough homeschool day and then I’ll know it’s time to say that there’s no homeschool today.
HOW TO RESET A TOUGH HOMESCHOOL DAY
Winter days can be long. Their effects are exponential where a day can seem like a week.
It gets tiring for my kids to do the same thing over and over in winter. I notice their behaviour change, and their attention span diminish, whether they’ve been given extra breaks to play, read or watch a movie. But in all of this, I have had to see that I need to know how to reset a tough homeschool day, and it becomes a NO HOMESCHOOL TODAY kind of scenario!
CHANGE OF ROUTINE
In most people’s lives, consistency, schedule and routine are important because it allows focus and productivity. Children especially, thrive on routine, but often not for those exact same reasons. Instead, they like to know what they can anticipate.
Except…
When they aren’t feeling it.
Or…
Neither am I.
The routine of life, like seasons, meal time, homeschool, bedtime, etc. can all feel a bit mundane. Really, we ALL need mystery and surprise to keep interest and wonder in life. And so I find on occasion, in winter especially, that I like to surprise my kids (and I) with a complete change of routine. And, if there’s ever a tough day, we know how to reset a tough homeschool day.
NO HOMESCHOOL TODAY
Telling my children that there’s no homeschool today, creates surprise. They can hardly believe that we’d actually not do something “school” related. Perhaps it’s the worksheets, the writing, the reading, the books, the this, the that, me saying that it’s time to get school done, already sets the tone. This is not even the point of homeschooling for our family. The point is to do home school, to home educate, where education is a lifestyle, not a slotted time in the day.
No homeschool days means I see my kids more relaxed, and the pressure of achieving that day dissipates. Their eyes light up with wonder again anticipating what we could possibly be doing to replace school that day.
And, some days, I got nothing too exciting planned for the day except that I know we ALL need a break from everything… achievement, expectations and task-lists.
No matter who you are, you just need a break, and it’s time to play, vacate or create.
* This post is not sponsored in any way. All views and opinions are solely mine. *
LET’S PLAY
I love playing with my children and I love watching my children play.
I have found that children love it especially when you play with them at their level, rather than just watching them play. Children enjoy the interaction.
I must admit, though, the digital age mixed with my I’m-not-doing-something-on-my-task-list-right-now feelings has me question what is important and what I classify as productive. This is my own personal and constant endeavor which is a whole other blog post.
My kids GROW leaps and bounds when I give them days off of homeschooling. And really, this is the beauty and benefit of homeschool.
We do have weekend breaks, but it’s the change from routine, the shift in mindset and environment that is needed. It becomes medicine for the soul.
Some PLAY ideas include:
- Pretend play/dress-up – chef, policeman, fireman, doctor, princess, superhero
- Games – Blokus, Monopoly Jr.
- Dolls – American Girl doll
- Pet owner – puppy
- Store – cash register (Canadian money), cash register (American money), play food
LET’S VACATE
Getting out of the house is not always an easy thing to do, whether it’s convincing yourself to get out of the house with your children, or the amount of holiday time you have available. Often we don’t see how much we actually need to get out until we GET OUT!
If you live in cold temperatures in winter like I do, going somewhere warm for a while is ideal if you can. That said, a stay-cation or day outing is also a great way to get out.
Sometimes, you just gotta leave the environment of your home behind, and don’t you feel oh-so-good when you do it?! I say vacate the premises!
Some VACATE ideas include:
- Arizona (somewhere warm)
- Shopping mall with activities (West Edmonton Mall)
- Hotel in mountains with an amazing pool for the children
- Chalet in the mountains with our own personal hottub outside
- Hotel that’s a short distance away (to enjoy the swimming pool), and a planned an activity to do the next day
- Learn a winter skill/sport (skating, skiing, snow-shoeing, snowmobiling, tobogganing, outdoor hike)
- Attend a winter festival
- Staying at a family’s house for the weekend
- Going to a conference or retreat
- Play centre or discovery centre
- Museum
LET’S CREATE
And if getting out of the house is just not possible, CREATE!
You may need to take initiative to help your children see what they can do with what they have, but once you get them started, they often just love to explore and be creative!
Some CREATE ideas include:
- Crafts – all the things to make and do!
- Building – lego classic, lego duplo
- Cars & Tracks – hot wheels tracks, hot wheels cars
- Needlepoint – sewing
- Baking – chocolate chip cookies (from scratch)
- Art – painting, paint brushes, play-doh, clay
I’d love to hear what you’re family does to change up routine, whether it’s for the purpose of bringing surprise and wonder back among the predictable or if you are needing to reset a tough homeschool day. Do you ever tell your children that there’s no homeschool today for these reasons? Feel free to share below what you do in the winter months to change things up? Let’s encourage each other!
Anchored in Jesus,
Melanie