Homeschool Week#2 & trying to stay ‘normal’

I think we can all agree that last week was a tough one. Even my youngest had a bad week and she rarely lets things get to her. Much like her Mama, that one! But the week just gone by with family life and homeschool was a whole rollercoaster of frustration, concern, cabin-fever, relaxation and worry. Can you relate? I’m sure we all could!

So, I’ve tried to keep things as ‘normal’ as humanly possible, given the current global crisis. I know we are on lockdown, but we are allowed to get out, as a family, once per day. Thankfully the weather has been really kind to us this week and we’ve been doing just that.

We are lucky to live near a local woodland, which we have been visiting almost on a daily basis. The fresh air and boost of vitamin D have been glorious! In some ways, we’ve been more grateful for the ability to enjoy those moments. Moments that seemed so boring and ‘not-as-exciting’ before all of this madness unfolded. 

Homeschool this week has been…challenging. More so than week one – which I knew them being so keen wouldn’t last forever. Especially since their moods over the last week have been so up and down. But we have had half days of homeschooling, along with much more relaxed days on the learning front, which I think they have needed. 

However, I’m having to rein that in on this upcoming week because they still need some form of structure. They still need a routine of education and learning and if I let them have an inch, they’ll most certainly take a mile. However, for this week, I let them take things a little easier and in all honestly, it’s been lovely. Apart from the kid-related mood swings and rivalry. But I can let them have that one given everything that’s going on. 

Sure they don’t read the newspapers, or watch the news reports! But they clearly feed on us parents and can tell something in the air has shifted. Which is why we’ve been trying, so very hard, to keep things as normal as possible. So, this week we have not only gone out for walks, we have baked, decorated our Easter tree, sat in the garden with books, made salt dough ornaments and more.

There has been an abundance of family time, for which I am very grateful for. With a side order of mental exhaustion! Because, let’s face it – none of this is easy, is it? 

So, for this upcoming week, I am hoping to have a much more smooth one {on the emotions front!}. I hope to be able to help the kids focus on their studies because as many people say ‘their learning can wait’ – I seem to think they cannot. My little Annabelle, with her speech delay, has come too far for everything to go to shit now. She is smashing everything academically and I plan to not only maintain that but hopefully progress it in time for Primary Four in September. I’ll be honest though, I’m not entirely sure what I am doing! Do any of us? 

The same applies to my son, Jacob. He needs daily education and structure. He is far too lazy and too much of a day-dreamer to allow him to slip into a hole of…whatever the hell our lives have become now…he’ll drown in his 1st year of High school. I for one, am not about to let that happen. So we will continue without 9 – 3 pm homeschool days, with the occasional half-day and we shall maintain balance and routine as much as we possibly can. As well as learning a few new skills along the way because, why not! 

But so far, so good and that is all we can really aim for, right? I hope that you are your family are doing well and we can smash this week! Let’s do this! 

How has homeschool/home learning been going for you & your gang this last week?

You can check out our Week One of Homelearning post on the blog if you fancy a read. 

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