3 Top Hacks For Homeschooling Through The Holidays
Homeschooling through the holidays can seem like a daunting task. The holidays bring a certain hustle and bustle into our lives. Even those with the simplest of schedules tend to feel overwhelmed during the holidays. Add homeschooling to the mix and the whole idea can seem downright terrifying. I’m here to share with you my top 3 hacks for homeschooling through the holidays. Use these tips and soon you will wonder what you were so afraid of!
Tip #1 – A Holiday Friendly Schedule
The biggest reason people get so stressed about homeschooling through the holidays is because they feel like they need to take their regular homeschooling schedule and throw holiday activities into the mix, without deviating from the rest of the routine. Unfortunately, there are still only 24 hours in a day. Those hours do not increase just because it is the holiday season. (Sometimes, I think they decrease…) This holiday season, throw out the rigid schedule. I promise your kids’ education won’t suffer if you transform your schedule into a more flexible checklist. Make a list of 2 or 3 things you need to get done and try to fit them into your week. These items can be squeezed in while you are waiting for cookies to bake or while in the car running errands. Everything else can wait until the new year! Doesn’t that sound so much easier? I go into a bit more detail about this checklist in this article on tips for large family homeschooling. You can also get a free copy of the checklist we use in our homeschool all year long!Tip #2 – Make Up For Lost Time
I am a big fan of taking regular breaks. Short breaks, long breaks, and breaks in between. I find we do a lot more learning if we stop often and have some fun. This includes during the holiday season! I have been homeschooling for 10 years. Throughout that time, I have definitely been known to take a few days, or even a few weeks, off during the month of December so we could have more time for holiday fun! How do I do that without feeling guilty? By making up for the lost time later! How do I make up for the lost time when there are still only 24 hours in the day? I homeschool through the summer. My kids get a few weeks off during the summer instead of a few months. This allows us to take A LOT of time off during the Christmas season for some real holiday fun – with zero guilt!My Best Hack For Homeschooling Through The Holidays
Tip #3 – Turn Holiday Moments Into Educational Experiences
One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is to through out the school work and involve the kids in our holiday preparations. Did you know there is so much to be learned in our everyday activities? Teaching kids how to prep and cook holiday meals and goodies is an important life skill. Learning how to shop, budget, and give gifts to those we love is also an important part of growing up. There is so much to be learned all year long, but especially through the holidays. You can take any seemingly ordinary activity and turn it into an educational experience. Check out this epic article on Christmas activities for homeschoolers for a few examples and ideas.
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