Homeschooling Through
the Holidays
by Teri Brown
Although the holidays are supposed
to be a time of warmth and togetherness, we often find ourselves the
victim of a disease as common as the cold this time of year. The dreaded
"Holiday Stress" syndrome! Homeschooling during the holidays is next
to impossible for many families causing guilt for many parents as
whole weeks go by without a single book being opened. Every year I
would tell myself I was going to simplify my family's holidays so
we wouldn't become another holiday stress statistic and every year
would find me juggling too many balls and enjoying none of them. I
finally realized that one of the best things I could do for my family
during the holidays was to be selfish.
Don't misunderstand me, I'm
not advocating turning the season of brotherly love into the season
of self-love, I'm merely saying that you cannot be all things to all
people. I have friends who have taken the entire month of December
off of their homeschooling schedule in order to avoid over doing it.
In order to prioritize your time you have to figure out what's important
for your family according to what you value. If the holiday season
leaves you frazzled, perhaps it's time to look at some of the traditions
in your life that may no longer be meeting your needs. I know one
homeschooling Mom who took her family to see the Nutcracker Ballet
every Christmas. One year, in an effort to down size the family budget,
they put all their Christmas activities on the table. Which was the
first one her kids decided they could do without? The Nutcracker.
They not only saved money, but the time it took to go into the city.
What traditions are lurking in your life that has become meaningless?
For us it was cookies. Every year I would go to a friend's house and
bake cookies. Not a normal amount of cookies, mind you, but hundreds
of them. After wrapping up the cookies, we would then deliver them
to everyone we knew. For two days my family lived, slept and ate cookies.
The first year it was sort of fun - The next year it was not so fun.
Believe it or not, I baked the cookies for four years before I admitted
to how much I hated it. Now the kids and I make a couple of batches
of our favorites and share with a few of our neighbors. Less stress,
more meaning.
The following suggestions are not designed to be added
to an already packed schedule, but to take the place of ritualistic
activities that have ceased to have meaning. They are simply ideas
for down-to-earth celebrations that can bring a sense of peace and
warmth back into your holiday season.
A Holiday Picnic in the
Park
In the middle of winter? Why not? Your children will be amazed
at how different everything looks in the dead of winter and you will
be amazed at having the entire place to yourselves. Think of it, no
lines for the slides or bathrooms and you can take advantage of the
best parking space.
To help cut the chill, pack your basket with a
large thermos of savory soup and one of hot chocolate or spiced cider.
If you would like some warm bread with your soup heat, wrap in tin
foil and preheat in your oven. Fold in the middle of towels for transport.
To create a festive atmosphere, bring a bright tablecloth and a centerpiece
from home. Try cloth napkins instead of paper towels and use peppermint
sticks to stir in your hot chocolate. The entire family can help decorate
the table with greens that have been blown down in winter storms.
Most of the playground equipment will be cold, so remember to bring
a blanket or two for wrapping up the chilled child. For the little
one who's mittens never seem to keep him warm enough, you can also
pack a small propane heater.
Finish off the picnic with fragrant cinnamon
rolls and you have a delightful end to a perfect winter's picnic in
the park.
Yurt Holiday
One way to beat the stress of the holiday
season is to skip it all together with a family yurt vacation. Yurts
are like round tents with wooden floors and heat. Many of the national
and state parks have them and they can be rented for an extremely
reasonable price. Imagine having your favorite state park all to yourselves.
Imagine decorating your yurt with the treasures you find from nature,
be it pinecones, shells or rocks.
Pack up your gifts ahead of time
and rejoice in the lack of television. Get to know the nearest town
in a personal way as you shop for small, last minute gifts. Yes, it
is colder and the weather may not always cooperate with you, but it
seems a small price to pay for the peace and togetherness your family
will gain.
Light and Easy
One of our favorite holiday activities
is wandering through the city looking at the Christmas lights. We
generally stay away from the more popular streets, preferring streets
that are filled with regular people. Some streets are lit brilliantly,
while others are not. Some are filled with Santas and reindeer while
others are adorned with simpler nativity scenes or glowing menorahs.
We take along butterhorns and hot chocolate to nibble on while quietly
slipping down back streets under the jewel like lights. We may not
see the spectacular displays of the highly publicized and expensive
events, but our stress level stays low and we have just as much fun.
Water Therapy
I know this one can take a bit of planning for
a busy homeschool mom. But it's worth the effort. After you've finished
your shopping, treat yourself to a holiday bath. Bring in a few pieces
of holiday greenery, and some lovely candles. You only have to spend
about five minutes decorating the bathroom. In the candlelight, it
won't matter if your bathroom is of the latest fashion or barely functional.
You can use your favorite bubble bath or new scented oil. Try a different
type of soap. Doesn't matter what kind of accessories you use, as
long as you have something that's a bit different. Brew yourself a
pot of your favorite herbal tea, slip into the warm water and relax.
You've earned it.
When you find yourself strung out and impatient
take a quick break and remember what the holidays are for. Peace,
family, spiritual renewal, friends, whatever you deem important should
remain at the forefront of the season. As our day to day lives are
different during the holidays, why shouldn't our homeschools be different
as well? By remaining stress free and flexible we can avoid holiday
burnout and teach our children what is truly important.
