Dear Mama Thinking About Homeschooling

Dear mama thinking about homeschooling,

School is fast approaching. Summer went by in a blink, didn't it? Those days of sleeping in, long afternoons at the park, staying up late watching movies cuddled on the couch. More laughter, more hugs.

Yeah, more kids fighting too, I get that. More, "I'm bored, mom." It's not ALL sunshine and rainbows.

But if the thought of school approaching has anxiety rising like a tide inside your heart, hear me out. If the school supply list and the thought of pulling your grouchy kiddos out of bed every morning has you laying awake at night dreading that first day of school, take a few minutes and read on. If you'd like to leave the role of homework enforcer behind forever, let me encourage you.

There is another way.

You could keep them home.

Try Out Homeschooling This Summer

Yes, you can totally try out homeschooling this summer!

And by "try out homeschooling," I don't mean sit your kiddo at a table with a pile of workbooks. :-) Although if your kiddo loves workbooks, then by all means, get some awesome ones and let them have at it. Hint: gel pens are great.

What I mean by trying out homeschooling is to try out learning together.

One of the transitions that has to happen when you decide to homeschool is that you're no longer just a parent. You're a guide for learning, a co-learner, and sometimes, a teacher. Notice I didn't put "teacher" at the front of the list? That's because learning is happening for your child all the time. Much of it they are exploring themselves.

Here are 6 ideas you can use to try out homeschooling and build your relationship with your kids during the summer months! You may find that you are loving your time together so much that you dread sending them off to school. It's a great feeling, honestly.

Making the Decision to Homeschool

It's been a long time coming, friends, this decision to homeschool. A long time.

Even though I started thinking about (read: researching endlessly online and talking to anyone who would listen) homeschooling when B was a toddler, I still wasn't sure it was the right path for us. For so many reasons! My daughter is an extrovert. I'm definitely an introvert. I doubted my ability to be both mom AND the person in charge of making the learning happen

Homeschooling itself is swimming upstream from the culture of school -- throw in having an only child, and you're now not only swimming upstream, you're in an entirely different body of water altogether. With only a handful of other people having the same experience. Did I mention my daughter is a social butterfly, and loves being around friends?

Simplifying Your Closet

I'm on a mission in 2017 to simplify our lives, top to bottom. Attic to basement.

Maybe you dream of simplifying too?

Well, I know one thing for sure. Looking at my daughter's toys, and my craft supplies, and bins of college mementos --- all those things are totally overwhelming. Starting there is an exercise in frustration.

Marie Kondo talks about this in her book, "The Magic of Tidying Up." She says that you have to learn the process of simplifying and letting go with things that aren't sentimental or overwhelming. Her process starts with books. But books are much more meaningful to me, personally, than clothes. :-)

So last weekend I decided to start with something I could tackle in one day: simplifying my closet.

Lemon, Honey and Vinegar Sore Throat Potion

This is my go-to remedy as soon as I start to feel that dreaded tickle in the back of my throat that says a cold is on the way. It's wonderful for full-on it hurts to swallow sore throats!

The taste, to me, is an interesting lemony-tart with a kick from the vinegar. My husband thinks it smells awful and tastes worse, which I find funny because I'm the picky eater of the family!

This is my own version of sore throat remedies that I found all over the internet quite a few years ago when I was suffering with the kind of pain in your throat that keeps you from sleeping. When even breathing hurts. Honey is fantastic for coughs and sore throats!