It’s the time of year when festive carols are playing, Christmas performances are happening at local venues, and streets are filled with beautiful lights on homes. All I want to do is to ditch real life for watching Christmas movies, baking holiday desserts, and wrapping gifts, but I can’t always justify dropping academics for the holiday spirit. So what to do instead?
Changing My Perspective with Christmas School
As someone who tends to be slave to the lists I’ve made and boxes I need to check, I’ve realized that I don’t necessarily have to choose between Christmas cheer or homeschool academics. My family can enjoy the Christmas season and still be learning things, even if we take time off from structured school days.
If it helps you to embrace the freedom of flexibility, think of it as Christmas school. Here’s a list of ways to combine holiday fun with practical learning.
Geography Lessons for Christmas School
Sending or receiving Christmas cards provides an opportunity to identify specific cities, states, or countries on your globe.
Tracking the shipment of packages can be done on your Markable Map.
Watching YouTube videos provides a glimpse of how other cultures celebrate Christmas.
Handwriting Lessons for Christmas School
Sending notes of holiday cheer to friends and
family is a chance to improve cursive or printing skills.
Showing gratitude with thank you cards is an
opportunity to practice writing in a straight line on unmarked paper.
History Lessons for Christmas School
Reading books from the library shows how the fictional Santa Claus transformed from the story of the real Saint Nicholas.
Doing an Advent study or activity teaches biblical prophecy and history.
Literature Lessons for Christmas School
Gathering around the dining table to listen as a family member reads a Christmas book during meals can be a chance to hear timeless classics.
Turning on an audio book in a room lit only by the lights on the tree is a soothing way to listen to new Christmas stories or old favorites.
Math Lessons for Christmas School
Doubling or tripling the recipe for a favorite treat,
then determining how many to put on plates to share with community members and
loved ones, requires multiplication and division.
Monitoring the amount of money spent on each
gift and deducting it from the total set aside for the purpose is a lesson in
budgeting.
Staying Light-Hearted
Of course, not every Christmas activity needs to have an educational component. The point is not to take the season so seriously that every moment is forced to serve an academic purpose. While I don’t want to shirk our homeschool studies, it’s equally important to have some Christmas fun simply for the pleasure of it!
That means we’ve worn Santa hats when we’ve gone on runs through town, cranked silly Christmas songs in the car, and built gingerbread houses out of graham crackers. You might want to invite the neighbors over for a snowball fight, get creative with Elf on the Shelf antics, or cut out paper snowflakes to tape on your window.
As the year comes to an end, I want to know that my family and I have savored the Christmas season and forged precious memories. If we focus so much on school work that we forsake the fun and meaningful aspects of Christmas, we've wasted an opportunity as a homeschool family. You only have so many Christmases with your children under your roof. Cherish each one!
Three Advent Unit Study Kits
Each kit comes with a novel, discussion guide, activity ideas, recipes, and many of the craft supplies you'll need.
Life is full of rhythms. Times of waiting and times of celebration, times of plenty and times of lack—they weave themselves into the tapestry of our year and make us appreciate each new season in contrast.
Thanksgiving is behind us and Christmas awaits. This in-between season that some observe as Advent can be a sweet time to cultivate anticipation in our children. When we pause to try and wrap our minds around the idea of Emmanuel, God with us, heaven come down to earth, our children get the best gift we could offer: a pure sense of wonder and awe.
To say I was a reluctant homeschooler is an understatement. When my husband suggested we switch to homeschool, I said, “You’re not going to enslave me like that! No way!”
As an introvert, I did not want to be stuck with my children at home. I knew they would drive me crazy. I felt I was not fit for this task.
It transformed our family. It transformed my relationship with our children. It transformed all of our relationships.
What’s more, our children got a great education. And, we all enjoyed the process even through the years of homeschooling high school.
You can learn how to homeschool.
An oversimplification of the story? Yes. But if you're thinking about transitioning from traditional school to homeschool, I'd love you to think about the long view: Even if the prospect seems overwhelming, you really can learn how to homeschool and enjoy it.
When we talk about the transition from public school to homeschool, it’s so good to remember that all the advice in the world can’t compete with getting to know your child’s unique needs. Just as you are their best teacher, you’re also the ideal guide to love your kids through new experiences.
“You’re cheating me out of a good education.”
my fifth grader
I’ll never forget the night when I knew we'd bring my daughter Amy home from school.
I had just begun homeschooling Luke and Jonelle in kindergarten and first grade. Amy was in fifth grade in private school—the perfect student—getting good grades. Everything seemed to be moving along smoothly.
Over dinner, my homeschooled kindergartner and first-grader were telling my husband John how they had learned about centrifugal force that day. Amy was appalled that she had yet to learn about centrifugal force. She pleaded with us to homeschool her, too. Although we were spending significant dollars on her private school, she believed she was being cheated out of a good education by not being homeschooled. What a request!
The stress lifted after our transition from public school to homeschool
We brought her home the next year with a bit of trepidation. I had two primary concerns with bringing her home:
I was already teaching two young students how to read while watching a toddler who wouldn't nap.
Of all my four children, Amy’s learning style was most suited to a classroom environment—she did exceedingly well, providing what the teacher wanted. Worksheets didn't bother her.
If it’s not broken, why fix it? And yet, when your fifth grader begs you to bring her home because she doesn't want to miss out, what do you do?
Although Amy had been doing well in school, I was amazed to see a transformation in her attitude immediately. It was as if a huge weight of stress had been lifted that we hadn't even realized was there. Where she used to sometimes needle her siblings to rile them up, now I saw her relax into her own personality and be the leader and peacemaker she was born to be. What a relief! How reassuring to see that even the dutiful student thrives in the homeschool setting.
Let me offer you peace of mind as you transition to what I believe to be a fabulous way to educate your kids. Here are nine tips on how to homeschool that will ease the transition from public school to homeschool:
2. Legally withdraw your child from public school to homeschool
This process varies from state to state and system to system. So first check your state's legal requirements. Typically, there is a form or some sort of document used to formally withdraw your child in order to homeschool. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association has a helpful interactive map that will guide you.
Can you start homeschooling at any time?
You may be wondering about the timing of this switch. Is it best to make this decision between school years so that your child completes one school year in public school and then transitions to homeschooling in the fall with a fresh school year? This kind of clear-cut division makes sense to a lot of parents and feels like the right way to handle a switch to homeschooling. There’s a fear of quitting that keeps many families locked into finishing a school year.
But instead of thinking of each school year as a discrete unit, think of all of life as a learning journey. And then ask if you want to continue even a few days longer with an educational environment that’s not working. Make the course correction as soon as you realize it needs to be made!
Can you switch to homeschool in the middle of the year? Absolutely! You can legally make this transition any time of the school year or calendar year. The timing is up to you and your own preferences. But if you know you’re going to take the leap, do it as soon as is feasible for your family.
At what age can you start homeschooling your child? Technically, you’ve been teaching your kids since birth! Some families do preschool at home and call that homeschooling. Other families don’t call it homeschooling until their child would have been obligated to attend school (in kindergarten). Other families initially enroll their children in public school and later opt to homeschool. This change can happen in very early grades, in upper elementary, in middle school, and even in high school. You can start homeschooling at any age or grade.
3. Don't recreate school at home
Trying to recreate the school environment in the home is an easy trap to fall into. This can happen in your schedule or approach, but also if you try to separate your role of teacher and parent. Homeschooling is an entirely new category!
My son Luke attended kindergarten, and when he came home in first grade, I remember him looking at me with a quizzical look. I could see him thinking, “Wait, you’re my mom, how can you be my teacher?”
We have to be authentic with our kids. Rather than trying to change hats throughout your day from teacher to parent with false formality, it helps to integrate your learning and teaching into your parenting and lifestyle.
General Questions on How to Start Homeschooling You May Be Asking
When you get down to the nitty-gritty of planning your homeschool day (check out our helpful Instructor’s Guide), choosing resources, and allocating a budget, a myriad of second thoughts and questions arise. We’ve written extensively about all of these common concerns elsewhere. Click through to read the answers on how to homeschool.
Do homeschooled students do better than public school students? Is homeschooling as effective as public schooling? Is homeschool harder than public school?
Give yourself room to breathe! Realize it might take some time to find your groove when switching from public school to homeschool.
Some families take a few weeks (or a couple months!) to just enjoy being together again and to work slowly into new routines.
You might start just a couple subjects at a time and ramp into a full workload.
Consider planning some memory-making fun the first week to celebrate the change to homeschooling and share with your kids a positive vibe. Go to the zoo in the middle of the day, or eat donuts in your pajamas. Let it sink in that you can do that now!
(This totally terrified me before I began homeschooling. I soon realized my worries were unfounded and that I actually liked being with my kids! But all good relationships take work.)
More time together means you may initially notice both more of the good and more of the bad. This is a gift! You want to know what is going on in your kids' minds and hearts. If you can work through the tough things that come up, you will come out stronger and enjoy one another in your family all the more.
Commit yourself to look for the positive and affirm the good things you see in your kids. Lean into helping everyone develop the kind of character they need to be mature adults one day, while letting them know you are on their side.
6. Find a support network
You want supportive friends who can help you during the hard times and celebrate the victories of your homeschool journey. You also want to find places your kids can connect with other homeschoolers. A local homeschool group is often a great way to meet both these needs.
Enjoy getting involved, but be careful not to over-commit as you adjust to the new life of homeschooling!
7. Plan social times with both old and new friends
Think broadly as you connect with people from your community. Planning playdates with public school friends as well as new homeschool friends can reassure your kids that they can maintain relationships while they also make new ones.
8. Tweak as you go
Observe your family as you go and continue to adjust to what works best for you. You'll be amazed at how much you learn about your children's personalities and how they best learn. You'll also start to get a feel for how you like to teach.
One of the beautiful things about Sonlight's guarantee is that you have time to really get into the program and try it out and still return it or swap it for a better fit. Even if you decide mid-year to try a different level, you have the freedom to do that. We really want every family to love learning together and want to do whatever we can to make that happen!
Curious About How to Homeschool But Nervous About the Commitment?
Homeschooling is a huge responsibility. And you may be wondering if there’s an escape hatch in case it turns into a fiasco. Can a homeschooled child go back to school? And if yes, what about switching from homeschool to public school midyear?
Homeschooling isn’t for everyone. And it may be viable only for a season. For example, we’ve heard stories from widowed moms or moms going through cancer treatment who couldn’t maintain the energy or time commitment that homeschooling requires. They found the support they needed by sending their children back to public school.
Let me reassure you that, yes, you can always pull the plug on the homeschool experiment and send your child back to public school. The state is legally obligated to provide your child a free education, and opting to homeschool for a season or a few years does not negate that responsibility. There will always be a place for your child at your local public school.
Sometimes the best choice is to return to public school after a stint of homeschooling. Before you abandon homeschooling though, try a different curriculum, use a different weekly schedule, or talk to an Advisor to see what other changes might make homeschooling doable for you if you have a strong desire to continue.
9. Get expert help on how to homeschool
If you are transitioning from traditional school to homeschool and have specific questions, please contact a Sonlight Advisor (a veteran homeschooler) who can offer a free consultation and walk you through curriculum options.
You CAN teach your kids at home! A well-planned curriculum makes it so easy, and you can trust that you are giving your kids all the academics they need.
It's that time of year again ... when the world around us conspires to draw your children's attention from daily tasks and school to dreaming and wishing for the biggest and the best and the latest ____________ (insert name of appropriate toy or technology). The holidays are already a busy time of year, so attempting to keep students focused on homeschool academics can seem an overwhelming task!
I've written about Christmas school before, but every year at this time I remember what a challenge it was to try and homeschool during the holidays. So instead of fighting it this year, I want to encourage you to incorporate the holidays into your school schedule.
1. Make Your Schedule Flex
It is really okay to set aside your Instructor's Guide for a few weeks in December and focus on the reason behind all the hype and advertising. You may want to keep up with Math and Phonics, but plan to set aside your regular History and Science schedules and replace them with Advent-oriented literature and art projects.
2. Focus on Giving
One thing I was determined to do when my children were younger, was to turn around that inherent desire to get stuff into a desire to give stuff. Here are just a few examples of how we attempted to exhibit a servant's spirit at Christmas:
Gifts for Jesus Each year we would pray and ask God to point us to a family, organization, or individual that had a specific need. Most often it was a monetary need, and we would work with our kids as they looked for ways that they might earn some money to share. We always looked for creative ways to anonymously give our gift, so that it truly was a gift from Jesus and not something that would generate praise for us.
Gifts for neighbors Some years we would create goody bags to deliver to our neighbors and friends. I found inexpensive brown gift bags at the local Walmart and my kids would decorate them with drawings and craft supplies. Then we would bake some small loaves of breads and batches of cookies and make our favorite candies and snacks to share. We had great fun delivering our bags of cheer.
Gifts of self This is something we still try to do even as our kids have grown and gone. When they were younger, our co-op group would put together a short program of Christmas music and skits and visit a local nursing home to share. Other years our family was involved in various church-related holiday functions—cantatas, Christmas plays, neighborhood caroling—all great opportunities to share the joy of Christmas with others.
3. Include the Entire Family
Christmas is a community event, not something that happens just for the benefit of one or two. So include your children in your holiday preparations. It was always my theory that if my children wanted to enjoy family gatherings, shared meals, and gifts under the tree, then they could help me with the work involved to pull off those things. Obviously, this looked different each year as children got older and able to do more, but in general, my kids were involved in
holiday house cleaning (before and after events)
meal preparation (setting the table, assistance with cooking/baking, table decorations, etc...)
holiday shopping (for gifts, meal items, etc...)
The more they were involved in making it happen, the more they appreciated when it happened.
Bottom line... plan to keep your holiday plans simple this year and look for ways to make your children part of your planning and preparation. School will not suffer when you take a break from your regular schedule, and you will create wonderful memories for your family to recall in years to come.
P.S. Looking for educational gifts? Great books or fun games and puzzles are excellent ideas for Christmas giving.
Three Advent Unit Study Kits
Each kit comes with a novel, discussion guide, activity ideas, recipes, and many of the craft supplies you'll need.
We are happily counting down the days to Christmas around my house right now. The stockings are hung with care. The hot chocolate has been rolling out of the kitchen for days now, and the tree is twinkling in the window. There’s only one thing missing...the lists aren’t made yet.
Like most years, I was met with blank stares when I asked my kids for a list of their desired Christmas gifts. Surely I’m not alone? We are a homeschool family. My kids don’t watch much mainstream television. They don’t see ads very often, and they aren’t around other kids every day. They don't have a huge appetite for the most popular toys. All this means they don’t have many “must haves just because it’s popular” items to put on a Christmas wish list. So what’s a homeschool mom to do?
From clothing to science and geography, you could have a subscription box how up at your door every day of the week if you wanted. KidBox, Little Passports, Tinkercrate, and Kiwi Crate are all good options. There’s something about getting a package that brightens the day, and a subscription box is a gift that lasts all year long. Of course, I have to mention that several of the subscription boxes are a perfect supplement to any homeschool curriculum.
2. Magazine Subscriptions
Magazines are one of the best ways to cultivate your child’s individual interests. My oldest son loves sports, so he got a subscription to Sports Illustrated for Kids last year. My youngest son is an animal lover, so he got a Ranger Rick subscription, and my girls love the American Dolls, so they got an American Girls subscription. They have yet to tire of their magazines showing up in the mail each month.
I suggest you look for subscriptions that come monthly. There are several bi-monthly or quarterly subscriptions, but in my experience, that’s too long for my kids to wait. If you do decide to go with a less frequent subscription, try getting one with a sturdy cover that can be used for reference for a long while. I’ve found that Zoo Books fit in this category.
3. Craft Kits
Craft kits are particularly great for Christmas because they are usually consumable. In other words, you won’t have another toy cluttering up your house because once the craft is made, it’s done. I’ve found that these kits provide a lot of fun in the moment as well as a lasting momento of a new skill. I really like the loom kits and yes, the perler beads. It’s a mother’s nightmare, but it’s also nostalgic and wonderful how those beads just melt together to make a perfect refrigerator magnet. You also might consider LEGO kits and circuit boards.
4. Board Games
Board games are the perfect way to sneak in educational fun, and Christmas is the perfect time to learn new games. My family really enjoys classical games like Scrabble, Guess Who, and Mexican Train. For younger kids, you might consider Kerplunk, Hi Ho Cherry-O, and Memory. Older kids will enjoy the strategy needed for games like Blockus, and Uno is a game that almost all ages can enjoy.
5. Special Tools for School
Microscopes are an investment, so Christmas is a great time to provide this tool for your homeschool. Besides, there are not many kids who wouldn’t like to look at a magnified fingernail or pine needle on Christmas Day. If your kids love geography, you might consider a new interactive globe or map. Nature lovers will enjoy butterfly habitats or ant farms. School tools can absolutely be gifts!
6. Books for Christmas
I doubt that I even needed to include books on the list. You all know that books are a great gift. Christmas just isn’t Christmas without a small stack of new books. Since it’s common for us to visit the used bookstore, during Christmas I like to buy brand new books for my kids. I think it’s an extra special treat to be the first one to crack open the cover of a good book.
For Christmas gifts, I like to stick to books that are just for fun, recreational reading. That means different things for all my kids. For my oldest, it’s basketball books. For my animal-lover, it’s non-fiction. For my girls, it’s art how-to books and Disney character books. If you want a sure-fire way to grab some great “just-for-fun” (but still inspiring and worthwhile) books, check out Sonlight's Christmas books and the Summer Reader packages from Sonlight.
7. Extra Lessons
Has your child wanted to learn the piano? A foreign language? Taekwondo? The gift of a skill is one that will forever be treasured. If you want to make it super special, you can even wrap a gift to surprise them. If your child wants to learn Russian, wrap up a tea set and a fur hat. If your child is itching to play the piano, wrap up their piano books and a stuffed animal “practice buddy." Like a subscription box, lessons are a long-lasting gift that keep giving long after December. And, with the exception of possible supplies, equipment, or uniforms, there is nothing to clutter up your home.
8. Gifts That Give Back
There is something very cool about holding an item that was made in another country. It’s even more special when you are helping the person who made the item to provide for their family. What could be more educational than a gift straight from the region you’ve studied this semester? Look for fair trade items made in developing countries all around the world or ask your favorite missions agency if they have a handicrafts catalog.
9. With Love, From Mom
Sometimes, I’m surprised to see the things my kids love and treasure the most. One of the most popular gift items around my house every year is our yearly family picture album. Every year, I make a book of pictures that give a sampling of family highlights from the year. This is always a popular item on Christmas day and on through the year. They love pulling out both present and past albums to see how they’ve grown and changed. Things made with love are gifts to be forever treasured. A quilt made by mom or grandmom, a scrapbook, or an embroidered handkerchief all make spectacular heirloom keepsake presents.
I honestly believe that above all the gifts and presents we can give, time is by far the most valuable. It’s so important to remember that our kids want us. It’s the reason we hear, “Watch this, Mom!” a million times every day. They want us to be present in their lives and watch their milestones, both big and small, as often as we can. I think that regardless of how much you spendon Christmas, it’s a special time for families to spend precious time reconnecting after a long year, and recharging the batteries for a new one. So don’t worry...no list is needed for that gift.
Merry Christmas to all my fellow homeschoolers. May your days be merry and bright!
Do you celebrate the season of Advent? Candles, wreaths, and carol services are abundant this time of year, and brightly colored calendars tempt us with a square of chocolate behind each numbered door. We see Advent celebrations—or at least countdown celebrations—all around us. But did you know there's a simple devotional found in the humble song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star? In Latin, the word adventus simply means arrival. Traditionally and historically, Christians marked this time of year not just by awaiting the anniversary of Christ’s first arrival, but by contemplating his second coming as well.
With Christmas looming and many people already thinking about gifts, my thoughts are on limiting toys. In response to my post Tools Not Toys , a mom asked me this excellent question:
"This is fantastic advice. I'd like to move more in this direction with my kids, but I wonder if you have any advice for how to handle/decrease the junk toys that the extended family tends to lavish upon us?"
