Stress-Free Summer Plans: (Or
How to Homeschool Year Round without Noticing!)
by Tamara Eaton
Shhh…I’ll let you
in on a secret –we’ve always homeschooled year round but don’t tell my
children! Frankly, by the time most summers roll around, we’re all ready for
a break from our normal studies and routine, including me. So
I’ve learned to slip in summer studies in a simple, enjoyable way without
anyone stressing out –no grades, no tests, no tight schedules, no record
keeping!
Here are just a few reasons I like to
maintain a learning lifestyle year round:
- We
don’t have to spend weeks reviewing in the fall –a public school
teacher once told me she introduces very little new material for the first
few months of school each year because so much time is spent on reviewing
all the children forgot over the summer months.
- We
have plenty of time to concentrate on any weak areas or “gaps” we need
to fill in.
- We
have extra time to concentrate on any strengths or special gifted areas in
each child! Maybe one has wanted to explore art in greater depth, another
is fascinated by geology. Here’s a whole summer we can dig into
these areas!
- We
live in hot sunny Alabama so there are hours in the afternoon when it’s
simply too hot to be outdoors –this makes a perfect time to work on
constructive indoor projects and educational hobbies along with reading
many wonderful books, without resorting to TV or other mindless pursuits!
- We
want to make learning FUN all the time and demonstrate a love of lifetime
learning to our children –summer gives us freedom to explore all those
“off the beaten curriculum paths” areas you won’t find in text
books.
- This
also gives us the opportunity to take off when needed during the regular
school year without guilt because we know how much the children have
learned year round!
3 R’s for the Summer
Generally we would plan to work in several short sessions
of math and English each week. For example, we’d do a little English for two
days a week –either working in an English textbook or doing a little writing
for about 15 or 20 minutes each session, and then tackle about half a math
lesson (depending on the child’s level and the length of the lesson) three
days a week. Sometimes
instead of working on the current math text, we’d take a break to
drill in specific areas –no long boring drills for multiplication, addition,
or subtraction facts, we’d play math games or practice facts as we would go
about our other activities.
Reading has never been “work” to us so we’ve always
enjoyed reading good books no matter what the time of year. Weekly library
trips are a pleasure –and most
public libraries have fun reading programs during the summer for younger
children. When the children were
young, we had special summer reading traditions –for example, each summer we
would read aloud from Elizabeth Enright’s Gone Away Lake and
Return to Gone Away . What a wonderful way to spend many happy
hours -- these books always inspired creative summer projects!
[For a list of good summer reading, see “Our
Favorite Books!” and check out the books reviewed and featured
in CHFWeb’s
Bookstore, too! ]
Simplifying Housework so YOU can have a vacation,
too!
Don’t stay indoors working all summer long --now is the
time to create a simplified cleaning and meal schedule for the next few weeks
so you can get out and enjoy the sunshine! Nobody will force you to take a
vacation, it’s up to you to manage to find time for yourself. (Your family
will appreciate the difference if they are observant –rested women make
better wives and moms! )
- Declutter!
Each spring or early in the summer, we try to work our way around the
house, sometimes just spending 15 minutes at a time, decluttering our
house so we have less to maintain. Surface
areas are kept as bare as practical, making room for a simple bouquet of
garden flowers or a plant, but quick to wipe clean each day.
- During
a recent camping trip, I noticed how little we actually needed to live
comfortably and determined to get rid of as much excess as possible. It
was so easy to tidy up each morning with fewer material things about.
- Make
sure everyone pulls his own weight around the house –have a family
meeting and assign specific chores if you haven’t already done so.
Provide appropriate consequences for children who aren’t faithful. Make
sure you’re following through and checking their work and training them
for efficiency. (Keep chores age-appropriate –don’t expect too much or
too little!) For more tips on establishing a family housework routine, see
the article on: Homeschool and Housework!
Join CHFWeb’s
" Doing Housework to the Glory of God" Christian
Homemaking group on the Homemaking section if you need additional
motivation! Just post a message asking for inspiration and accountability and
you’ll hear from other homeschooling moms who are working on this area, too
--they will be happy to share some tips.
Take Summer Shortcuts in the Kitchen!
- Keep
meals simple and don’t be afraid to pull out the paper plates!
Don’t tell the environmentalists
but we use hundreds over the summer. (We also plant trees though!)
If you need more ideas on
easy healthy menus for summer, check out the Recipe
Swap section of CHFWeb and ask for help from other homeschooling moms!
Summer passes quickly, so let’s make the most of
each day, enjoying time with our families and welcoming a slower change of
pace and a restful, productive season filled with His joy!
“You will show me the path of life; In Your
presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. “
–Psalm 16:11
[Note--If you don't know the Lord in a personal, saving way--find out how
you can be set free from all condemnation and receive Eternal life, as well as
His daily help and guidance! (Knowing God)
© Copyright Tamara Eaton 1994-2001, all rights reserved.
Permission is given to reprint any of Tamara's articles in non-profit
publications as long as the article is reprinted in full and contains the
copyright information and website address. Please send a copy of the
publication to :Deeper Life Family Ministries, P.O. Box 909, Killen, AL 35645.
We have always homeschooled our six children (elementary through high
school and beyond!) and enjoy encouraging other families in their
homeschooling, parenting and in the Lord! For more help and information,
please join us on the Christian Homeschool
Fellowship Message Board.
[ Please don't forget to include your email address within the body of your
message--we've had some of our responses returned due to insufficient email
addresses! ]
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"And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord;
and great shall be the peace of thy children."
Isaiah 54:13
