Homeschooling After the Holidays

Homeschooling can be difficult after the holidays. Children and parents get used to a lighter slower paced schedule and holiday fun which makes diving back into schooling a bit of a struggle. It is not uncommon to find yourself dragging when it comes to jumping back into Homeschooling after the Holidays. Here are a few tips to make it a bit easier and build a routine everyone enjoys.

How to Get Back Into Homeschooling After the Holidays

In all honesty, sometimes the winter months can make you feel gloomy. You are coming off of a fun month of holiday activities, spending time with friends and family, and relaxing. The last thing most kids (and adults) feel like doing is jumping back into lesson plans and long days of school work.

Tips to Homeschooling After a Break

Go back into homeschooling after the holidays with a plan.

Even if you extend your holiday break a bit longer so you can go into it prepared it is best to take the time for a fresh plan. If you are diving into a new curriculum choice with the new year, this can be even more vital than if you are going back to a program your child is already familiar with.

Positive Attitude

Take the time you need to get into a positive mindset. If you feel happy and ready to tackle the rest of your homeschool year, the kids will too.

Start with an easy day.

Focus on rebuilding your routine rather than diving back in full force. Have fun and make the first day back focused on building an interest in learning something new. If you capture your child’s attention, so they decide they want to dive in without a fight. This is a great time for hands-on activities and fun Science experiments.

Communicate with your child

A lot of families start a new section of the year much like how traditional schools do after the holidays. If this is your families method treat the beginning of the semester similar. Talk to your child about what they will learn and talk to them about what they would like to learn. When children feel they have control over their education, they are more likely to be excited.

Read Aloud

Spending the day or first few days cuddled up with a great book and reading aloud is an excellent way to ease into a new homeschool rhythm. Pick a book that fits with a theme or period you are going to be learning about. Or start a yearly reading challenge and make this your introduction.

Be flexible with yourself and with your child.

Transitioning back into homeschooling after the holidays can be stressful and rough days are bound to happen. Be flexible and take the struggles in stride. Have fun and don’t stress out over every little thing that goes wrong. If the day gets too bad, take a step back and change your plans to fit your families needs.

Get Outside

I know it’s cold outside but getting out in the fresh air for 10 minutes can make everyone feel so much better. Take a walk, play in the snow, look for animal tracks, or collect little items from nature for a science table. It’s amazing what a change of scenery and the great outdoors can do for your mind. It’s so refreshing and your children will love it.

Meal Planning

Don’t stress about making complicated meals for the first week or two. Make it easier on yourself. Plan out several easy snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas that can be made quickly or tossed into a slow cooker in the morning. If your kids are old enough to help with meals, let them. Children love being involved in the kitchen, and that leads to practical life skills, bonding time, and less stress on you.

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