We took our Christmas/New Years break very seriously this year. We needed a rest from our normal routine and recovery from a whirlwind of a December.
So when we finally got back to homeschooling we started gently. That’s one of my favorite benefits of homeschool. You decide when to take a week off, or that 3 days of school this week will do the trick instead of 5.
It’s flexible.
The themes of January are winter, new beginnings and independent activities. Part of homeschool for us is engaging in poetry, art and learning about enriching our lives through education. God created us in His image, therefore, he created beings who like to create and experience beauty. It’s such a special experience navigating that with my kids and learning right alongside them.
So what does our “low key” homeschool month look like?
It looks like less book work, a lot more like late start mornings, snuggling up with new books, watching from my cozy chair as my kids play with lego’s. This is a reset approach that achieves rest and helps motivate us for the future work, that is more technical and structured. The biggest plus? I get to drink my coffee(sometimes while it’s still hot) and soak up the peace at this stage of life.
“What peace?”
Some weary ones may ask. Trust me, dear one, I empathize with you on this heavily. All that embark on this parenthood journey meet times that leave our eyes begging for five more minutes of sleep, our emotions scrambled like some overcooked eggs, and our heads reeling in confusion on how to tackle the next stage. But I do believe that despite the moments that are taxing and/or tough, there’s peace to be found and these kids are people gifted to us. They are to be cherished. They wont be in our quiet, safe care forever. Someday they’ll be wrestling with sad, hard problems and our positions will look a lot less like problem solver and a lot more like empathizer(not a bad transition but it may make us sentimental).
I personally choose to be thankful for the more experienced mothers that have told me “enjoy this time, it goes so fast.” Of course we don’t want to hear this when we’re struggling in motherhood, mentally or physically. However, this is not always used to invalidate and silence a personal struggle. In my case, I do my best to discard the “you just waits” or invalidations that I’ve received and cherish the wiser women who tell me that “you’ll miss this”. I believe that when we use our discernment in this area(this is not perfectly practiced in my life, because what is?) but I’ve found it to be a method that keeps me in a less hostile place emotionally and equally as important, gives well-meaning sisters the benefit of the doubt. We can believe the best of people and not be burdened by the wise perspectives of the seasoned ones among us. We may not agree with all that they offer but we can accept it for the gift that it is(a don’t throw the baby out with the bath water kind of situation, if you will).
I truly believe that the community(or village) we want and need to help raise our children comes from us choosing to be receptive to different ideas of parenthood than what we’re currently doing, without internalizing someone else’s style as shameful or an affront to our own methods . By us accepting the beauty and value that many perspectives brings to the table, we are more able to accept and understand community and see the value in what we bring to the table.
So look at those sweet little ones. Remember to smile at them, breathe in their weird toddler smell, squish them in your arms, and sit back(even if it’s just for the .5 of a second before you are asked for another snack) to let them independently play.
Soak in those words from the seasoned mothers. Give them a smile and let them know they’re appreciated. By doing this, you’re laying the foundations for the community that you need.
Above all, be gracious to yourselves. If you’re homeschooling, doing public school, not officially schooling yet, or you’re in your later mothering years. His Grace is sufficient for us. That means that no matter where our hearts are or have been, we can come to Him, rest in His grace and be renewed by Him to continue in strength.
Happy Almost February ❤️
The Crunchy Vagabond 