|

Homeschool Honeymoon Disintegration

Around here, we begin our homeschool year rather late.  Never before September 1st, and rarely before September 15.  One year we didn’t begin until October!  So while many homeschool moms are several weeks or more into their homeschool year, I’m just beginning to plan.

mother try to help her son to do difficult task exercise

However, I’m not planning what you might think.  I’ve been homeschooling since 2001, so we have enough curriculum around here to get started each year.  What I’m planning is for when the homeschool honeymoon is over. Yes, I’m talking about homeschool honeymoon disintegration!

It never fails.  Each year I get excited anticipating the new year.  Eventually, the kids follow suit.  We’re all buzzing with excitement when the new year begins.  We can’t wait to crack open those books!  And then, somewhere along the line, the honeymoon ends and things start to fall apart.

Maybe it happens during the holiday hubbub; maybe it happens on day 3, but it always happens.  The trick to surviving is to know the signs of impending homeschool honeymoon disintegration and to be prepared!

Signs Of Impending Homeschool Honeymoon Disintegration

  • The kids are suddenly late sleepers or slow starters.
  • They are hungry every 10 minutes or need to use the bathroom a jillion times.
  • They take much longer than usual to complete tasks.
  • Independent workers no longer want to work independently.
  • They want to tell you stories in the middle of every subject.
  • They are more easily distracted than usual.
  • The bickering level increases.

If your kids are already outright complaining about their school work, the disintegration has already begun.  Duck and cover! Then try some of the suggestions below.

Ways To Prepare:

  • Keep books on their favorite topics on hand. Switch that history read-aloud to something fun for a week.
  • Step up the electives. (What do they love? Art? Science experiments?)
  • Take a field trip.
  • Host a play date.
  • Pause the curriculum and do an in-depth unit study.
  • Change up the schedule or the order you do subjects.
  • Get Dad, or a friend, to teach a subject for a week or two.
  • School outside if the weather is nice.
  • Do quiet subjects, like math or independent reading, at the library.

You get the idea!  The key is to change things up, make it a little more fun, or a little more relaxed.  A simple change of scenery can do wonderful things for a child’s attitude (for this mom’s attitude, too!).  Actually, the true key to beating homeschool honeymoon disintegration is to head it off at the pass.

Be on the lookout for the warning signs, make a few easy adjustments, wash rinse and repeat as necessary, and voila!  A calmer, more enjoyable, intuitive homeschool year for all – with a longer honeymoon!

Do you have suggestions for heading off Homeschool Honeymoon Disintegration before it appears (or at least before it goes into high gear)? Please share in the comments below! 

 

Similar Posts

2 Comments

  1. Every. One.of.those.things I’ve experienced already this year so far!!!
    I usually retreat to my room. One or two of the kids will follow me. It never fails that we’ll have discussion far better than anything we would have been studying!

  2. We school year-round now. This is our third year and we love it! About the time we are feeling confined by our rut it’s time for a break 🙂 we school two month on and one month off so we are off for the entire months of March, June, September and December ~

Leave a Reply to Gabrielle Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *