Let's Talk: Homeschool During the Quarantine

How's it going?  Life since the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic hit has been nearly the same, but at the same time, a lot is different.  Schooling from home is normal for us, we're ending our second year  next month actually.  What we're not enjoying, like many others, is not being able to freely go out and play at the parks and make new friends.  But, we're excited to go out and join activities once the virus goes away.

I was able to create a digital homeschool planner for next year.  It's something I've been wanting to do for the past year, but I never have time.  Staying home and slowing down allowed me to create 96 pages of fabulous that will make next year so much easier.

Social media confuses me.  I follow many homeschool profiles and I find it hilarious how they are falling into the trap of "oh my gosh, what are we going to do, freak out session" with all the non typical homeschoolers Guys, keep doing what you were doing before the global pandemic.  Keep teaching your children.  Sure, many parks are closed.  But, the outside isn't closed.  Just keep your distance from others.  We've made our way outside every day that it hasn't rained.  It's made huge difference in the attitudes of everyone.  Not just the kids either.

Everyday, we take to the outdoors somehow.  It's mostly a bike ride around the parking lots.  We've also ventured around the alligator pond.  That was a bit terrifying to be honest.  Xander took his basketball and dribbled it around the parking lots as we walked.  We make an effort to get fresh air.

We had a Lego car building project and took them outside to race down the ramps.  We took four trips back and forth to fix cars, but it was fun and watching them learn how to make their cars go faster and slower was interesting.

Why is everyone getting all caught up on homeschooling their kids anyways?  They're your kids.  Teach them.  You don't need a book to teach them if you don't have one.  Use your kitchen for math and science.  Language Arts, you just need paper so you can make games, flash cards, or write out your own assignments.  Use apps, educational TV programs, and let them play.  Play is the best thing you can let a young elementary student do.  Now, I will say having a bit of structure to your day will make thing a lot smoother, but that's up to you.  Oh, and you don't need to teach first thing in the morning.  Maybe your kids would learn better after lunch?  Or maybe mid afternoon?  Shoot, maybe even after dinner.  We're afternoon school peeps in this house.  One more thing.  School at home doesn't take 7 hours.  Don't stress, have fun, and enjoy the extra time with your own kids.

Here's a glimpse of some of the things we've done during quarantine (warning, it's not a lot, but we're still alive and well)...

We celebrated a birthday, and will be celebrating another one tomorrow.  Just so you know, celebrating a kids birthday, in a new town, is the saddest thing ever.  But, we hunkered down and still made it the best day ever.  We'll celebrate big in Florida when this mess is over with!

We painted

Sterling made a dinosaur habitat.  She's been obsessed with dinosaurs lately so this project was perfect for her.

They've also been playing Adventure Academy, a lot!  Not even ashamed to admit it.  It's learning, it's fun, and they love it.  Not sponsored, my kids just really REALLY love it. 

We've cut our trips to the store down to once a week.  That's good for me!  I normally go every 3 days because I forgot something.  Now, we're making it work and I go when we need bread, milk, or eggs and then buy groceries for the next week while I'm there.  It's also been working out where I can just go and the kids can stay with Nick.  So, I'm the only one going out to stores right now.  I took a trip back to NC on Saturday to get some things we didn't bring that will make this quarantine a little easier on all of us.  I didn't stop for lunch and I stopped at the same gas station both ways.  I used a sanitizing wipe at the gas pump and looked like a crazy person.  But, I was cautious.
So far, the best thing I brought back were Xander's Lego's.  They've been building nonstop since Saturday.  I probably just jinxed myself and they'll be fighting all day today.  Oh well.  Such is life.

I know what you're thinking.  I'm nuts and all this is easier said than done.  Two years ago when we started on our homeschool journey, I thought I was crazy too.  Who would want to teach their own kids and not get that 7ish hour break every day?!  That person must be nuts.  Homeschooling is actually a lot of fun.  Yes, there's a honeymoon phase, just like regular school or anything new for that matter.  But, after you keep to your guns and the kids know you're not backing down, they'll settle down and know you mean business.  No, everyday will not be rainbows and cupcakes.  You might get a sword fight one day.  But, play alone and make it fun.  The kids will be surprised and it will turn those upsetting moments into moments that will be remembered for a long time.

Have fun and enjoy these moments with your kids.