How’s the homeschooling going?

For some the answer is “We are enjoying it.” For some the answer is “We are trying.” For some the answer is “Help!”

For all of us it is a huge adjustment to family life. Whether it’s a full time, part time or just occasionally, it presents a new challenge.

It looks different for us all, some are awash with worksheets, some are online from morning till night and some have a mix of both. Schools are trying their best to meet the needs of all their students and we applaud their efforts!

Just remember throughout this whole experience we need to be kind to ourselves, whether we are homeschooling full time or juggling work and homeschooling, here’s a few things to think about:

We are not our child’s teacher, even those of us who are trained teachers will tell you how difficult it is to teach your own children!

Our house is our child’s safe place, their place of comfort, their place of love. It is not their school so we must avoid turning it into an ‘all work and no play’ environment.

Some days will be better than others, this is the natural ebb and flow of learning. We all have off days, we are all human, try to understand it’s tough for our little ones too.

Don’t be afraid to deviate from the plan, a lot of the best learning occurs when we go off piste! We need to read their mood, encourage when necessary, coax when needed but forcing the agenda will only end in disaster.

Here at Northern Art’s Factory, every class is structured but we read the room and respond to the needs of the children in front of us. A structured lesson plan can be cast aside if a child asks a pertinent question, this can lead on to a fabulous discussion and exploration of ideas or a small piece of choreography may develop in an unexpected way and take over the session. This is the beauty of art and learning fused to nurture creativity. Child led learning is empowering and builds confidence, if you get the chance, go with it…

We can only do the best that we can as parents, there are countless factors that determine what we can manage within our household. Finding a routine that works for our family will keep us all sane.

Our patience is being tested to the the limits most days, we must look after ourselves. Downtime is essential self care, however we choose to spend it, no guilt complexes.

We should try to smile and laugh at their idiosyncrasies, tricky to appreciate whilst we are all trying to work I know! Try to step back and remember that’s what we love about them.

As long as we find a way that is ‘good enough’ for now then we are doing well. We mustn’t strive for perfection on compare ourselves to others. At the end of this lockdown if our children are content and happy to be heading back to the classroom then we’ve done a great job!

How’s  the homeschooling going?

Just take some deep breaths, like the sleepless nights, this time will pass.