Time to Evaluate

Time to Evaluate by Heather

About this time of year I begin evaluating my homeschool curriculum. I ask myself, what seems to be working and what isn't? 

Most importantly, I seek God through prayer, and ask him what changes He would have me make.

Seeking God Through Prayer by Heather

I know we are several weeks in. Yes, it may seem like it may be too late to make any changes for this school year.  However, if I see we need to change something, or feel God leading us in a different direction, I begin looking for a solution. 

So far this school year, I do not see any changes needed in curriculum like I have in the past. In fact, last year I actually changed my daughter's English curriculum three times before we found something that worked for her. 

Although the curriculum doesn't need to be changed, we still need to make some changes. 

We really need to work on enjoying our school day. 

In all honesty, I have sucked the joy out of our homeschool more than anyone else. 

I will become stressed out thinking about everything I believe we should get done. Having a mindset that we are falling behind. Feeling as though we have chased way too many rabbit trails. 

Chasing Rabbit Trails Great Smoky Mountains Photo by Heather

Unfortunately, I also get caught up in the comparison game. I start comparing our homeschool to public school. I compare our homeschool to other homeschools. I compare myself to other homeschool moms.

This type of thinking not only stresses me out and makes me feel like a failure, but it also effects my daughter.

When I think this way, I tend to rush her. This stresses her out, and keeps her from really learning. It takes the joy out of learning to the point she doesn't want to learn. Then, she believes most learning is not fun. 

It is not good when she sees me comparing myself to other homeschool moms or our homeschool to other homeschools or public school. Regrettably, this teaches her to compare herself to others. It may also teach her to not be content with who God has made her to be. I don't want that for her. 

I want her to know she is unique. I want her to know God has a purpose for her that only she can fill in this world. 

Therefore, I ask myself, why do you let yourself get caught up in this way of thinking?  

Why do I allow myself to compare what God has given me to what someone else has or is doing in there homeschool?

This costs me the chance of truly seeing the blessings in our homeschool. Blessings God has given to us and no one else. 

You know those rabbit trails I mentioned? They are actually the things that are important to my daughter. They are what she finds interesting and wants to share. I see the rabbit trails as distractions or as wasting time, but if I pay closer attention, I realize they are little blessings in each day. 

The little trails are my daughter's passion. It is her sharing what is in her heart. The things she wants to know and learn about. What fills her with joy and what steals it. Those rabbit trails are little details of how she sees this world.

Many times I have stolen her joy by telling her we don't have time to talk, I need you to focus on school, and keeping a strict schedule. Keeping this type of schedule really did cause me to rush her through every subject. At the end of the day, she couldn't even tell her daddy what she had learned. I realized I was actually wasting time by rushing through the day. I was also missing precious moments and memories managing our homeschool this way. 

I already made a change a few years ago by ending the specific time schedule for each subject we had been following.  I realized some subjects needed more time on some days and other days they didn't. It just depended on the lesson and her understanding of the subject.

This lead us to adapted to a routine instead. We try to focus on doing the subjects in the same order each day. We just spend as much time as needed on each one for that particular day. After all, each day is different and has it's own challenges.  

However, this still has not created the joy I want in our homeschool. 😞 

So, I still need to look for a way to make things simple and enjoyable at the same time.

I want our homeschool to be flexible. I don't want to just keep moving from one subject to the next every 20-60 minutes just reading about facts. I want the learning to be fun and to stick with my daughter.

I also still want to be available for my husband and our two adult children when they need me.

This is definitely a time of refocusing for me.

Maybe not only a time for refocusing, but also a time for a change of heart and different way of thinking.

I need to focus on what is important right now.

I need to enjoy the time I have with my daughter each day.  The time we do school together is a special time for us. This is a time to make good memories that will last.

We both know school needs to be completed.  It will get done.  It just may not be completed in the time frame I originally thought it would. 

You know what? That is ok.

We will chase rabbit trails, and that is ok too. 

By taking the time to listen to what she has to say, she will feel important. It will help build trust in our relationship.  Listening to her will give her confidence. 

Most of all, I hope me listening to her, as she shares what she feels is important, will teach her about her self worth. I want  her to feel valued and loved. I want her to know where her true identity comes from. I hope she will never compare herself to others and be content with who God has made her to be.

We will have distractions from other things or people who need us some days, but I hope to teach her to love others through those moments in time. 

Just stopping to take a few minutes to help someone out by meeting their need, may be the biggest and most important lesson she can learn on those days.

I also know she needs to learn academics, but she also needs to be educated in the things of life that do not come from a textbook. 

I need to remember God orders our steps each day and has an agenda for us both. Those things I call distractions are really not distractions at all if I look at them in a different light.  They are actually moments God has placed in our lives to teach us and grow our faith. 

So, as I evaluate our homeschool this year, I am going to pay more attention to what brings joy to our homeschool and what steals it, as well as, what creates real learning and sweet memories.

We will stop the rush and the over scheduling. Being too busy can cause a ton of stress. Whether we do activities or lessons, I will record what we have accomplished for the day, and accept it as a blessed day.

No More Over Scheduling by Heather

I am going to allow breaks when we need them. 

We will add more board games to change things up. 

We will add more laughter and more time outdoors.  We both need fresh air and we love to be outside in nature.

Maybe we will include picnic lunches from time to time.

For the hard lessons, we will practice more patience, and take as much time as needed before moving on.

We will take time out to have a refreshing smoothie. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie by Heather

More involvement of her interests will be added into the homeschool day. The type of things that will be revitalizing and not cause stress.

I think we just need to slow things down.

 Maybe even include selfcare routines into the homeschool day. After all, she will need to know how to care for herself and to manage stress. 

I want us both to enjoy our day.  I want to direct our homeschool stress free and with balance. 

Not only do I want the two of us to enjoy our day and each other, I don't want my husband coming home to a stressed out wife everyday.

Our homeschool is our home, and I want it to flow with God's love, peace, and grace.

I want to encourage you to find peace and balance in your homeschool.  Find what removes stress. Remember, we all need balance in our lives. Don't allow anything or anyone to steal your joy or peace.

I look forward to hearing about what works for your homeschool and how you keep everything balanced.