Aug 13, 20223 min read

FINDING YOUR HOMESCHOOLING RHYTHM THROUGH DIFFERENT SEASONS OF LIFE

One thing that I think scares moms off from homeschooling is the unrelenting “what-ifs” of life. What if I get pregnant, what if I have a newborn, what if I have a toddler, what if my husband gets deployed, what if we move, what if I become ill...and the list goes on.

Each of the highs and lows of life can be cause for concern in terms of how we could possibly homeschool during those seasons. The beauty of homeschooling though is this: Homeschooling fits into our lives; it is not our lives which fit into homeschooling.

The beauty of homeschooling though, is this: Homeschooling fits into our lives; it is not our lives which fit into homeschooling.

Unlike traditional schooling, where the show must go on; i.e. homework, attendance, studying, things to sign, volunteer forms to fill out, and the list goes on, homeschooling becomes a thread of the tapestry of our lives. When you look at the back of a tapestry it is not always easy to determine what the outcome looks like

There are starts and stops that don’t seem to make sense, there are clusters and gaps in the pattern. However, when you turn the tapestry over, often what you find is a beautifully woven piece of art, that every seemingly insignificant piece of thread on the back had intricately designed.

Homeschooling is much like this.

There are stops and starts where seasons begin and end. Not just the seasons of nature, which are a beautiful opportunity for natural rhythms of learning, but the

seasons of life.

If first-trimester sickness and fatigue leave you with little capacity for a full day of scheduled learning, you get to decide that during that season you spend time on connection more than curriculum. Maybe this is your season to try unschooling. You play learning games and watch documentaries, you do simple studies that you choose together from a nature bundle, and you take nature walks when you feel up to it.

And you teach your child about this beautiful season of life, where you are growing a miracle inside of your body.

If you find your family in a difficult season of life, maybe you halt the multiple curriculums that you have for each subject and each grade level and decide this season to adopt a family-style approach to learning. Maybe you end up finding that this style of learning better suits your family even during the fairer weather seasons of life. Maybe you realize that your child is losing their love of learning because the math is becoming too stressful, or their bodies are changing and their emotions are becoming overwhelming to them. Well, maybe you decide that this is a season to put down the math and focus on social-emotional learning. Maybe you find that it was the wrong fit in the curriculum. Or maybe you find it wasn't the curriculum at all, but rather something deeper that needed time and attention.

So if you are currently homeschooling, and worried that this season or one in the future will threaten your carefully laid plans and curriculum choices, breathe easy mama.

If you are afraid to start because you are worried about how it could possibly work through life’s inevitable highs and lows, breathe easy mama. Each one of these seasons is an opportunity to choose to teach your child and learn along with them where to persevere, where to put things on hold, and where to prioritize your family in the face of life’s seasons. An opportunity to weave a beautiful tapestry, together.

An opportunity to weave a beautiful tapestry, together.

Christina

ABOUT CHRISTINA from ROOTED HOMELIFE

Christina is a wife and mom to five children, ages 1-14, with experience as a public and private school teacher and homeschool mom. Her passion for homeschooling and encouraging moms no matter where they are in their journey came together with the creation of her YouTube channel, Rooted Homelife. She shares all aspects of authentic, intentional motherhood through humor, faith, and a variety of resources for moms!