Homeschooling in December

A wonderful (and busy) time of year

Life in general is full and busy, but December often seems to overflow with busy-ness. There are Christmas pageant rehearsals, extra choir practices, Christmas parties, shopping, gift wrapping, food preparation…the list goes on - and for the homeschool mom, all of that is on top of the daily task of teaching her children!

If you are a homeschool mom overwhelmed by a December to do list, you can relax. You don’t have to “do it all!” Turn your Christmas preparations into school work or school work into Christmas preparations! For instance, baking cookies involves math…especially if you double or triple a recipe, so there is no need for another math lesson from a book on that day. Decorating cookies, wrapping presents, or making handmade gifts all count as art! Learning Christmas carols, those extra choir rehearsals, and caroling at the senior living center all count as music class. If your children have significant speaking parts in a pageant, that should count as at least part of your English course for the month. If your children learn joyfully to serve and give to others who cannot return the favor, you will have accomplished a much loftier goal than a high math score or a perfect English essay. Math and English are important, but character is vital.

Let God guide you. You don’t need anyone else’s permission to STEP OUT of the December rat race, reflect on the Reason for the season, and teach your children what is really important!