as a family of seven that has been home schooling for about 12 years, i wanted to share some tips that may help families with children who will be spending a lot more time together in the coming weeks.
make a fresh start. As we live through uncertain times, we can take the opportunity to reframe social distancing as a time to reconnect with our loved ones.
- set your intention to reconnect as a family
- do a mental health check-in: address concerns and worries, discuss the situation in an age-appropriate manner
- get buy-in & input from your children on how they envision the next few weeks
- set realistic expectations
- re-evaluate & reflect regularly: what is working? what needs to change? what was learned? what to do next?
- is there something you always wanted to do as a family? do that!
- develop a loose, general routine
- expect to exercise your patience muscle
- use short durations for activities and tasks
- use do-overs when someone makes a mistake, gets frustrated or upset
- do not try to recreate school at home or buy a bunch of “educational” stuff
create a new normal that works for your family’s specific situation.
- make a point to show affection and give positive affirmations
- get spouse and older children involved in leading and teaching activities
- go outside regularly
- read aloud together
- watch lectures, TED talks, movies and documentaries
- play board & car games; do sudoko, crossword and coloring books
- get crafty or journal & draw
- do science experiments
- teach life skills: cooking, cleaning, laundry, personal finance
- cook & eat as a family
- worship, pray and read sacred scriptures
- take naps
- learn one new thing every day
- manage screen time
Remember — the Force be with you, always.
good tree montessori homeschool 