After an extended homeschooling break of any sorts--whether summer or Christmas or whatever--I have learned an important lesson for my family.
Begin again gently.
Sometimes in all of our Monday morning zeal and purpose and caffeine, we mamas charge ahead as Generals barking orders in a war that doesn't exist. We think we are warring against sloth, inefficiency, lack of productivity. We feel a pounding in our hearts and minds that we MUST get this home and these children back into shape and fast.
But really there is no war, just dear children. There is no battlefield, just a nurturing home. There is no plan-of-attack, just a lifestyle of learning ahead of us.
We need to take a deep breath and not let fear and drivenness and comparison cause our home to become something it isn't designed to be. Instead of marching through, let us walk slowly. Plump up the couch pillows. Clear a bit of living room clutter. And sit and read together.
Reading aloud is the gentlest way to begin again.
Long lists and big schedules and check marks may come again, but not yet. That's just too much of a shock to the system. It will weary us all again when we have hardly begun! Read and read again. Discuss the coming semester with your older children. Ask for their input. What did they enjoy? What has become tedious and unmotivating? What are their current interests? Read and talk. That's all good.
And then over the next week add a little here and a little there. Keep the relationships healthy...your relationship with your children and their relationship to learning. Stress diseases those relationships but gentleness and slowness keeps health.
11 comments:
Oh thank you, thank you. We are doing this right now, but for the first time. Honestly, it's the first time it's really been needed. The 13 yo isn't as eager as she used to be and now there is a 1st grader who is a little on the reluctant side. Thankfully, I listened to that still, small Voice. But in the back of my mind, I think I need to wage that war!
What wonderful wisdom! Thank you!
Ahh, needed this. Thankfully mercies are new each day.
#1 look at you getting your blogging mojo back on again!
#2 THANK YOU for this. i couldn't agree more. that said, i was totally the order-barking general on monday and it made for the most horrible day. how did you know? ha! i SO needed your words tonight.
sending love and prayers for your continued recovery.
I've done my best imitation of the barking general trying to whip the reluctant privates back into order. It doesn't work. A gentle transition from time off always works best. You're right...the main thing is to maintain good rapport with your children. It makes learning so much more fun and profitable.
I love your header!
Thank u for this reminder this morning! Monday was...interesting. Perhaps I will take a different approach today! :)
(My goodness! I followed a link to your post and saw the picture at the top... do you know, we read that exact thing at the beginning of the week?!)
This was lovely and a wonderful, gentle and much-needed reminder. Thank you.
Oh, how I needed those words today. We are starting with 30 minutes of reading, me reading to them.
I just found your blog through Contented Sparrow. What a great post! I'm thinking about homeschooling next year for the first time and this was so encouraging. Thank you!
Thanks, Aimee! I am coming home from a long vacation to start up our schooling again. And feeling nervous. And being tempted to overplan. Thanks for this!
We've been on a week long vacation to the grandparents. Children and parents both have been spoiled and lazy! :) I was thinking of Mondy and the Lord brought this post to mind. I came back to read it again. Thank you!
Post a Comment