Homeschooling during Covid-19

News Flash...Homeschooling is NOT for everyone

So, how do you maneuver the current situation where so many people are being forced to homeschool at the drop of a hat?

First of all, I hear you, I see you! the stress, the worry, the guilt. I’ve been there.

For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Michaela owner of Honest Talk International.

I have been homeschooling for six years. I have one Kid in elementary school, another in JR high, and another in High school.‍

Here are three tips for you in regards to making it work!‍

These come from a place of love and a place of learning… ‍

Manage expectations:  ‍

You can not expect yourself to adjust seamlessly to this without thought and preparation.  When our family decided to homeschool it was with months of preparation. 

I understand that you don’t have that, however, you and your kids will not be damaged if you take some time to breathe, collect your thoughts and tackle this together as a family!‍

Learning does NOT have to look like it does in the classroom environment.‍

Give yourself and your kids GRACE!! You are stressed, kids are stressed and that is not a good combination.  Instead, take a few days to do something fun with one another.  Learning can be done with reading, playing games, cards, dancing, etc.  Take time to learn about one another. ‍

Take it one day at a time and set ground rules. 

This kind of goes back to managing expectations. The kids need to know this isn’t a permanent summer vacation. With that being said, try to stick to a routine. It doesn’t mean becoming a drill sergeant… However it is important to exercise, get up and dressed, eat breakfast together, and work on one thing at a time.  Also, if you have big kids at home let them help the littles with reading and math.

Rember, I said routine but that doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible at times.

I CANNOT reiterate enough… give GRACE to yourself and your family. 

For those of you still with me, I’d like to share a little story. 

Back in 2012, our family was in the process of moving from Las Vegas, NV to Wichita Falls, TX.  The move was to take place in November, which means the school would have already started.  At the time, my two oldest were going to a private school and they wouldn’t prorate the tuition and wanted us to pay for the entire year when we were only going to be there for 3 months.  On the flip side, we didn’t want to put them in public school for 3 months and cause another transition.  So, we decided to do K12 online homeschool. 

It was a DISASTER and here’s why…

For starters, I had a terrible mindset.  In some ways, I would say I was resentful of the fact that I had to give up my time.  I know that sounds harsh but I was used to being in a routine while they were in school.

Secondly, my kids would blow through their work and then proceed to tell me how bored they were for the rest of the day which made me their number one source of entertainment.  Again, I was a little resentful of not having any time for myself.

Third, I didn’t know how to find a balance and if I’m being brutally honest, I just wasn’t committed to figuring one out. 

If you are feeling at all like I was, don’t worry,  there are things you can do to make it less overwhelming and still find the balance.  Stay tuned for my next post for tips on managing time. 

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