25 Nov How to Have a Happy Homeschooler’s Holiday

Don’t you love this time of year? We just celebrated Thanksgiving, and we are now preparing and looking forward to Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. This time between Thanksgiving and New Years is a special time. Like most other families, this is a time when we become more intentional about spending time with our friends and family – and especially our children. Spending time with our children is something that a homeschooler tend to do a lot of, but when a holiday rolls around, we get really serious about creating happy moments and memories. Our family likes to take a break from academics so that we can engage with our children in different and meaningful ways.

Take a Break From Academics

There was a period of time, when our children were in the elementary grades, that we never took a break from academics. We homeschooled year-round, through the holidays and through the summer. We loved every moment, and the activities kept the children engaged and happy. After several years of this, however, I wanted (needed, actually) a break. Now, if Mom needs a break (homeschool tip), so do the kids! So for the first time, we paused for a break over the summer. I learned a valuable lesson that summer! Yes, homeschool is wonderful and academics are great, but there is far more to life than each of these.

The Holidays are an ideal time to take a break from the academics. A break allows for time to do the things you’ve been wanting to do and didn’t have time for – reading aloud by the fire in the evenings, taking a hike in the fallen leaves, visiting local museums, having a picnic lunch at the local park, indulging in hobbies and creativity. Use the holiday time to explore and experience the other side of homeschooling. These are moments that you will never regret.

Don’t Stop Learning

Even when you take a break from academics, learning doesn’t stop! As homeschoolers, we know that learning is part of a happy life, and there is a lot of life happening around the holidays! As we bustle around, getting things ready for the holidays, preparing meals and decorating our homes, be sure involve your children. It’s a wonderful time for both of you to learn new skills.

Some of the things that we will be learning more of during the holidays are napkin folding, how to set a decorative holiday table, cleaning techniques, gift wrapping, how to set up a charcuterie platter or table, how to bake a pie, how to make and decorate cookies, outdoor cleanup, and home décor. If these are things that you, as the parent don’t know how to do, it is a great opportunity for you to learn together!

Engage With Your Children Differently

A homeschoolers, much of our days can be involved in homeschool and academics. The holidays present the opportunity to engage differently with our children. We look forward to unstructured play time, outdoor adventures, field trips, visiting family and friends, doing holiday crafts, and simply enjoying each others company. We love spending evenings together doing a puzzle or playing a board game. I found that providing special snacks and drinks sweetens the moment. And now that our children are entering the teen years, this time together sparks deep conversations and builds relationships.

Holidays are a great time to engage with our children in meaningful ways. Don’t get so busy that you miss this beautiful and important opportunity to connect on a different level. This is what memories are made of, and the effect will last for many years to come.

Take the Time and Give the Space to Make Special Memories

Holidays are an opportunity for homeschoolers to make happy memories. Although, I believe, we do this on a daily basis, the holidays allow for a little more unplanned, unstructured time to spend with family. There is truly nothing quite like snuggling up by the fire with a soft blanket and good book. If you don’t love reading aloud, you can still cozy up together and read individually, play video games, or craft together. The important thing is to be together.

Several years ago, when my children were still quite young, I had a bit of a special-moment-realization. I was decorating our Christmas tree. We had Christmas music playing and were snacking on hot chocolate and cookies. It was a festive moment and the children were dancing around, eager to participate. Now, my whole adult life, I had been very particular about our tree. I wanted it to be this perfect focal point in the living room. But that’s now how it works with kids! I remember cringing as my son proudly displayed his craft from preschool in a prominent place on the tree. And shuddering as my daughter placed two identical ornaments right beside each other. It was that year that I learned to let all of my selfish requirements and demands go so that my children could begin to experience special memories. The holidays are not about my perfectly decorated tree, they are about these perfect moments and memories. My children took over the tree decorating from that moment on, and I’m not going to lie, I rather enjoy watching it all with my hot chocolate in my hand and the Christmas carols in the background.

The holidays are a happy time for homeschoolers. We get to spend more quality time with our children and take a break from academics. This is also a great opportunity to connect with our children in meaningful ways and create lasting memories. So find the time to make memories this year! Enjoy time with family and cherish this special season!