Photo by Van Tay Media on Unsplash
So many of you have been thrown into the role of home school teacher. I’m hoping some of these tips might help you through the transition.
1. “I could never home school my children” – the most heard comment while I was home schooling. Basically, they were saying, “I’m not patient enough.” I discovered I needed to get patient real quick or I would be yelling all day. Patient with them and me. I chose patience.
Tip #1 – Your relationship with your child is more important than a completed assignment. This is the ideal situation for you to nurture a relationship with your child, to improve on characteristics you want to develop (ie. Patience, Love, Think Before You Act, Expectations and Consequences without Emotional Attachment, Etc), and familial social interactions. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by!
2. “My teacher didn’t do it that way” – the most heard comment from my children the first month of home schooling. And while we are talking about school at home. It doesn’t need to look like sitting at a desk for 8 hours. When children don’t need to line up and walk from one class to another or wait for all the other kids to finish an assignment before moving on or the numerous other things that take time for 20-30 children to do, then you may spend much less time accomplishing the learning.
Tip #2 – There is more than one way to cook an egg. And it’s a great thing for your children to learn that now. One of my favorite memes:
3. “What about their social life?” Even though social distancing is the buzz word, children and youth need a sense of connection as much as we do.
Tip #3 – Pair your children up to teach each other. Have them phone a friend if they are having trouble with math and you’re not sure how to help them. Call Grandma and have her walk them through an assignment or read to them or give them spelling words.
4. “You’re not qualified to teach your children” - In Life Coach School we constantly talk about questioning our belief systems. This is one thought that needs a serious overhaul (in my opinion.) If not you, then who? Who taught them how to make their bed, brush their teeth, and do chores? They learned how to walk and talk and deal with their emotions in your care. You are qualified!
Tip#4 – Believe in yourself! You are not going to “ruin” them. Don’t buy into this belief. Continue to trust in yourself to know how to teach them or how to figure it out. I’m so proud of my children and their accomplishments. I didn’t ruin them despite everything I did and/or didn’t do.
5. Some years home school became car school as I ran my children to co-op choir and science and baseball and field trips and….well, you get the idea. Staying home isn’t the problem now since everything distracting is closed. The distracting part is all the free websites with ideas of what you should/could be doing.
Tip#5 – Simplify. It might seem exciting (or overwhelming) to scroll through all the options. Don’t get caught up in all the pretty things. Be happy with the basics and then Have Fun!
6. Many of you are balancing a lot right now. Schooling and caring for children of differing ages. Working from home. Shopping for toilet paper, food, and other essential items. 😊 Not to mention all the energy spent keeping up on the latest news, worrying about finances, and trying to figure out how to make it all work.
Tip#6 – Find Balance. Only you know what that will look like for you. Don’t compare yourself to others. Maybe it’s not time to focus on quality or quantity. Maybe it’s time to just do your best and feel good about it – whatever it looks like. Negative self-judgment isn’t at all productive. Approach this with patience and compassion for yourself. Look in the mirror and say, “I’ve got this!” Then get to work. Take those baby steps that add up to a wonderful life.
