Well, here we are in January, and for many of us this month can sometimes represent the January Humdrums. Where did our motivation go? Where is our excitement? The bustle of Christmas is over and the January bills are coming in. It’s hard to keep up the enthusiasm and needed perseverance to get back into the math and grammar texts.

This leads me in to the topic of my January post as I continue my Top 10 Homeschooling Perks (my most humble apologies for not making my posting in December – sigh). Persevere, I must.

So, what is Homeschooling Perk #8? Well, I hope to encourage you and counteract the January Humdrums with this little fact: You can cater to your children’s interests. That’s right: you can cater to their interests.

So, fear not. If Mom (or Dad) is feeling a little less enthusiasm than usual, why not allow this time to explore some of your children’s interests. Are they anxious to get out that new microscope they got for Christmas? Or read a new series of books? My youngest daughter received a rock tumbler for Christmas and as I listen to the thing tumble and churn away, the thought crossed my mind to allow her to spend a little time exploring geology before our scheduled science topic of Sound and Light. It’s not always easy for the kids to become reacquainted with their school routine either after a few weeks of Christmas holidays – which for the most part (at least with us) involved lots of unstructured play time, a little sleeping in, and ample time for dust to collect on their math books!

By taking advantage of this little homeschooling perk, a parent can allow their children to re-ignite the enthusiasm and help build some fresh excitement. Enthusiasm is contagious, so why not take advantage of it? Take a few cues from your children this month. And yes, you will still have to get out the math books and sneak in a little grammar (or whatever your child’s least favorite subject is – I have one who happens to love math) – but allow that natural enthusiasm for learning to flourish. Before you know it, you’ll be back on schedule.

Cheryl has been married to her ‘do all’ husband for 13 years. They live in British Columbia, Canada on beautiful Vancouver Island. Cheryl has been homeschooling their two daughters ages 9 & 11, for 6 years. Her approach to homeschooling is mostly ecclectic with a dash of Classical & Charlotte Mason. She used to be one of those parents who thought they could never homeschool – boy, was she wrong! She enjoys blogging to encourage others that they too can homeschool if the desire is upon their hearts. She homeschools simply because – her kids are worth it. Please visit Cheryl at HomeSchool Journey.