You are the thermostat of your homeschool.
Your excitement for learning, your regulation and attunement, and your enjoyment of your life are all much bigger indicators of the effectiveness of your homeschool than how many lessons you get through in a week.
When you are calm and happy, your children will pick up on that emotion.
When you are interested in the subject matter, your children's enthusiasm will grow.
When you are a confident leader, your children will follow.
But sometimes there is a gap between being a calm and creative leader, and inspiring our children to learn.
But there are a few steps we can take to close that gap and ignite a love of learning in our homes.
Hide the handheld screens.
Scrolling online depletes dopamine and steals the natural joy of discovery. Put your phone in a drawer while you school, dumb it down by removing problem apps, and get a land line or flip phone so loved ones can reach you without you getting sucked into the scroll.
Switch up the studies.
Lists of what your child needs to know when aren't masters of our homeschool, and your child won't learn anything if they aren't interested. Instead of slogging through boring textbooks, take a week to learn about whatever strikes your fancy.
Want to learn bread baking? Take a week to try new recipes together and check out some books from the library about baking.
Want to learn about amphibians? Go frog hunting at different ponds, gather some tadpoles to raise, and watch videos (on the big screen where scrolling is less of a distraction) about the life cycle of amphibians.
Don't dismiss you and your child's' natural curiosity. Instead, chase those sparks and let your homeschool come alive.
Get outside every day.
Fresh air, sunlight, and the sensory input of birdsong and leaves rustling through the trees help regulate our bodies and give us the quiet space necessary to think and wonder. In her book, The Unplugged Hours, Hannah Brencher says, "Creativity needs a push…and boredom is a most effective muse."
If we don't stop learning for a moment and give ourselves time to process the inputs, we won't be able to make sense of them for ourselves. This is one reason Charlotte Mason recommended afternoon outdoor play. When we give ourselves time to work with our hands, or take a walk, our brains can sort out what we have learned and made decisions about how to apply it.
Our Nature Book Flood offers 52 weeks of activities to help you and your children enjoy nature study together.
Create a vision board.
You might be so burned out that you don't even know what interests you. This kind of malaise calls for rest, and grieving, and maybe even a visit to a pastor or counselor.
But taking an afternoon to create a vision board can also help fire up the engine of curiosity and joy. Simply gather a stack of magazines, some scissors, glue and card stock, and your children.
Cut out pictures and words that spark joy for you, and let your children to the same. This might become a framework for your next school year, or a basis for goal setting. Or it might just be some pretty pictures to look at when the weather is bad and your mood is low.
Pray and sing.
Sometimes we have done all of the physical things we can to create a happy atmosphere to learn in. We are taking our vitamins and getting rest, we are talking to a counselor and eating healthy food, and sometimes we just have to put one foot in front of the other and create habits of peace.
In our Restoration Home group (we open again in April) one mom shared this inspiring devotion, and I hope it speaks to you as well.
Are you ready for more joy-filled learning? The Peaceful Press homeschool resources were created to nurture creativity and curiosity, spark joy, and draw you and your children closer to each other.