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Thoughts on the Middle of the Homeschool Year

Swimming geese.
The Family That Stays Together…

We are quickly approaching the middle of another homeschool year. Our family plans to take off the last two weeks of December and the first two weeks of January. It’s time for a rest from academics and a time of celebration.

Oh, Those Nasty Doubts

The children love it, but sometimes I get those feelings that I’m not doing enough “school” with them. I think I am not the only one. Though we have been teaching our children at home since our first child was born thirty years ago, there is still a lot of pressure from the world that stirs up doubts.

Teaching Babies Counts

And yes, teaching babies counts as homeschooling. Teaching crawling and walking counts as physical education. Language arts is covered when you teach a baby to talk. Singing Jesus Loves Me, praying for hurties, and reading scripture count for Bible studies. Introducing them to family and friends counts as early history and geography lessons on community. You get the drift. There’s no doubt about it, teaching babies counts.

Remember

Rather than letting the middle of the homeschool year become a time for frantic doubting, make it a time for remembering how much you have accomplished. I think we forget to consider that we have protected and nurtured our children and that they gained opportunities because they are taught at home. Sure we miss some of the great things that schools can offer, but that is outweighed by what we can do that they can’t.

An Example

For example, I’ve written about our late bloomer before. One of the courses she took in her freshman year at college concerned teaching special needs children. She called to thank us for teaching her at home. She said if we had put her in school they probably would have labeled her and would have made her think she was stupid. While we taught her at home, she knew she was behind, but she remembers we never told her she had learning problems or that she was dumb. She said we always told her she could do it.

And the Point Is?

The point is that looking only at the academic subjects you are teaching your children is the tip of the homeschool iceberg of what is being accomplished. Remember what you have accomplished, and more important, take time to ask God to help you remember the important accomplishments in your children’s home education.

That’s Easy for You to Say

I admit it is easier for an experienced homeschool veteran to see the big picture, but I’ve been where you are right now so I know. Use this time to remember, re-evaluate and make some changes if necessary. Teaching your children at home is one of the best gifts you can ever give them!

The Greatest Gift

And that’s a reason to celebrate the middle of the homeschool year. I don’t think it’s a coincidence it happens at Christmastime when we celebrate the greatest gift of all.

Have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Homeschool Year!

Blessings,
Harriet

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