Many parents have been suddenly thrust into the reality of schools closing during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. They’ve found themselves diving into the world of “homeschooling” – sometimes while needing to continue working their regular jobs. I can’t imagine the stress that these families have been experiencing as schools shut down all over the country. However, I have some good news for these families.
The experience you are about to embark on with your kids is NOT homeschooling. Not even close. That distinction is REALLY important, and it will take a huge load off your shoulders once you come to realize that you are not instant homeschoolers.
Key Differences Between Forced School at Home and Homeschooling
Each state has its own homeschool laws and regulations. You do not need to care about your state’s homeschool law unless you decide not to send your kids back after schools reopen.
You do not need to create a long term educational plan and figure out how to help your kids achieve those goals.
You do not need to research all the different curricula available in the homeschool market, and choose what you believe is best for your kids while keeping in mind that each of your kids may need something different.
Many teachers are assigning work to be done at home, so you may not have to make any choices about the actual school work.
You don’t have to regularly evaluate whether the programs you’ve chosen are working for your family.
You do not need to keep a portfolio for review by a school district. You do not have to keep grades or learn how to create a transcript.
You do not need to worry about defending yourself against neighbors, family, or strangers who disapprove of the educational choice you’ve made for your kids.
You do not need to find a community of local homeschool families that you AND your kids connect with. You don’t need to take turns teaching in a co-op, hosting field trips, planning group classes, or coordinating regular park days.
The Stuff You’ll Miss
You will miss out on all the FUN stuff that really makes homeschooling shine. Community is a vital part of the homeschool experience that you just won’t get to be a part of – simply because all of our events are canceled too. Contrary to popular belief, homeschoolers LOVE to socialize! We are often out in the community learning, connecting, and exploring. That’s not happening right now. Believe me, my kids are NOT happy about homeschooling without these experiences! This is the frosting on the cake.
You’ll miss out on being in the front row watching your kids repeatedly tackle difficult tasks, work hard, and prevail. Sure you get to be there for some ah-ha! moments from time to time, but it’s different when you’re full-time homeschooling. You get to see their hard work first hand and their joy when the light bulb goes off.
You’ll miss out on hearing their constant “what-if” questions, and watching them chase down answers to their imaginations.
You’ll miss out on seeing their ever-changing long list of things THEY want to learn, and helping them achieve those personal goals.
I’m not trying to take away from your experience of doing school at home at all. I sincerely hope that this experience will nudge others to fully go down the road of actually homeschooling their kids. However, the journey you are about to take with your kids IS different from homeschooling.
School at Home – What to Do While Schools are Closed
The most important thing to do while schools are closed is to reconnect as a family. Forget academics for a minute. This is a scary time for all families. Our kids probably understand (and misunderstand) more than we realize, and they’re scared too. Focus on reassuring them and reconnecting with them first.
This connection won’t come from laying out a strict schedule of structured educational activities. It won’t come from worrying that they’ll get “behind”. It won’t come from a big packet of worksheets, an online program, or a long list of educational websites.
Look at this opportunity as a blessing in disguise! Yes it may be overwhelming and incredibly stressful, but take advantage of this chance to have some fun with your kids.
Put away the workbooks and grab some engaging toys.
Fun ideas to do while home with your kids…
- Read books together
- Listen to audio books
- Watch movies
- Play games – They don’t even have to be educational books, movies, and games.
- Play outside together
- Plant a garden
- Build a worm farm
- Put together puzzles
- Go on a hike
- Go on a nature scavenger hunt around your neighborhood
- Draw with chalk on the sidewalk
- Blow bubbles
- Create art
- Learn about music and composers
- Dance to music
- Cook dinner together
- Have a Poetry Tea Time
- Bake treats
- Write letters to family
- Make cards for friends
- Make crafts
- Start a business
- Science experiments
- Help them tackle a big project they’ve been wanting to do
Even if your school sends home school work for your kids to do, make sure you take plenty of time to dive into these fun experiences!
But what if you don’t have the time?
Many parents are facing the task of doing school at home with their kids AND continuing to work either out of the house or from home. Homeschool families come in many different variations, so the need to work full-time shouldn’t block you from homeschooling. However, you’ve likely been thrown into this situation with little notice. It may be a really tough balancing act. I’m not a fan of relying on electronics and online programs for our homeschool journey, but this situation is different.
There are many wonderful online educational programs available. The best ones usually aren’t free, but you don’t need to worry about finding the best long term match for your kids. You just need to get through the temporary school closings. Luckily, many companies are offering their online programs for free during this time. Museums and theaters are also offering online resources and videos. The list is changing every day, so I’ve been checking in with this Facebook group to find resources during this time.
Take a deep breath and pause for a moment. Homeschooling is an amazing journey, but it’s not what many families are being thrust into during this COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Please don’t get the wrong idea about homeschooling by confusing these two very different situations. You won’t have to deal with some of the difficult parts of homeschooling, but you also won’t experience what makes it an amazing journey.
Connect with your kids. Spend time as a family. Make some new memories of having fun together. Academics aren’t that important at this moment. Once this phase passes, perhaps the idea of homeschooling will spark an interest with your family. Just know that it is so much better than the forced school at home experience that you’re jumping into now.
[…] Don’t be discouraged if you were overwhelmed this past spring when schools closed. Many families were thrust into an unimaginable situation of trying to juggle many abrupt changes to their life’s routine. What many experienced was pretty far from what homeschooling actually looks like. Most homeschoolers put a lot of thought into the decision to homeschool instead of being thrust into it. For a better look at the differences, check out Tips for School at Home During School Closings. […]