It’s okay to admit you are a homeschooling mom in a RUT!

But it’s not okay to stay in one!

The definition of a rut: “a fixed or established mode of procedure or course of life, usually dull or unpromising” (Dictionary.com). This is not how I want my children to remember their homeschool years.  Do you?

Have you gotten in a rut with your homeschooling as I have? As you begin to plan your next school year, will it be business as usual or filled with vitality and freshness?  How about adding hands-on active learning?  I have much better organizational skills than I do creative skills. It is easier for me to come up with a daily schedule of book work that fits into a time frame, than to come up with exciting and new learning activities. I would like to get out of our homeschool rut.  If you are in a rut and tend to lean toward, “this is the way we have always done it” we, at the Yellow School House, have a few ideas. I invite all of you organizers to step out of your comfort zone and try something new with us.

With younger children, you can find so many active learning ideas on the Internet. Pinterest is a great place to start.  Children learn best when they can put what they learn into action. God gave use five amazing senses. The more of them they can use in the learning process, the better it will be remembered.

With older children, it takes a little bit more thought and planning. It usually takes more to amuse our older children. What are their interests? What are their career objectives? Start there. Here are a few ideas.

If possible, find adults that work in areas that your children are interested in pursuing and ask if they can shadow each one for a few days

Have them take a “fun class” at the local community college.

Make up a list of choices (let them help). For a semester, they may build, paint, draw, cook, grow something, learn a new instrument, etc. and it will count as an elective.  No book work involved just pure hands on learning! The organizer, homeschool mom in me will of course, set limits and time frames as well as come up with a learning objective. But you get the picture.

Even older children enjoy many of the activities that the younger ones do, they just don’t want to admit it. Let them help or supervise with the hands on learning of your younger ones.

If you are like me, pray as you plan this next school year.  Ask God to lead you as you make time, on purpose, in your school schedule for learning in a new way.  Organizers need to plan times for fun activities. One of  the joys of homeschooling is the flexibility.  Remind yourself of that. And as I tell myself, and you, don’t be hard on yourself when you default back to the “work, work, work” mode.  When you realize it, say a prayer and relax.

Michelle is a homeschool mom of four, two, now in college, and two at home. She is the owner of Yellow House Book Rental, a new service to homeschool families.  RENTING is now an option for homeschoolers!  Rent, buy new or used, rent-to-own, sell back or download!  All your options in one location!  You can follow the Yellow House Book Rental on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Michele would like to offer a 25.00 gift certificate to Yellow House Book Rental to one of Blessed Beyond a Doubt’s readers.  I will be picking a random winner on June 27th at 12a.  Winner will be contacted via email and must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.

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Don’t be one of those homeschooling moms that stays in a rut!