Still Doing School in June?

Posted by Jimmie | 0 comments

It happens every May and June. Other homeschool moms are talking about wrapping up the year and taking “summer break.” But you’re still doing school. You know you could call it quits, but you really want to finish that last unit of study, or you know that it would be a disservice to your child to skip the rest of the math curriculum.

Maybe you went through a big transition that stole many weeks of teaching time, and now you’re trying to finish up. Or possibly your children needed a slower pace through their curriculum due to learning challenges. It could be that despite your best efforts at planning and diligent discipline, you mysteriously find yourself with several weeks of school left to complete. And it’s June!

Whatever the scenario, if you’re still doing school in June, it can be hard to resist the doubt that you’re somehow inadequate because everything is not wrapped up neatly by Memorial Day. Even if you deliberately scheduled a year-round homeschool plan, hearing other moms talk about their travel plans, days of swimming, or hours devoted to hobbies can give you a pang of regret.

And the kids make it worse. They come home with complaints that they are the “only” children still doing school. They make school in June sound like torture.

Let’s put this into perspective. Why did you choose to homeschool in the first place? Certainly is wasn’t to go along with a crowd but to do what is best for your family, specifically your children. That doesn’t change when you’re still doing school in June.

So hang in there! Add in some extra field trips and fun activities to make “summer school” a bit more bearable for your children. But keep plodding forward through the curriculum you chose. The feeling of accomplishment will make it worth the momentary pain. And realize that you are training your children in self-discipline and perseverance.

Are you still doing school? (I am!) How do you make it more bearable for yourself and for your children?

Jimmie is a former public school teacher turned homeschooling stay-at-home-mom. A sense of humor, faith, and creativity keep her “pressing on” in her unique situation — living and traveling abroad with an only child in a bilingual environment. Visit her blog at Jimmie’s Collage.