Choose Joy

Some days it can be hard to find the joy in homeschooling.

Our days feel so routine.

We start to just go through the motions.

The boys start to bicker with one another.

The boys start to complain about their schoolwork.

There is housework to get to and a seemingly endless number of tasks.

But I've found that when the drudgery is getting to me the most that's when we need to find our joy!


Here are some ways to find and choose joy in your homeschooling days:

  1. Pull out some new materials (or ones no one has touched in a while)--   I find shaking up our routine often helps us to remember the joy and excitement of learning.
  2. Get out of the house!  One surefire way to have fun with my boys is to take a field trip.  Hands on learning is best and there is nothing like the excitement of discovering a new place or rediscovering the love of an old one to get us smiling.  Even just going on a nature walk or taking a trip to the beach and getting out in nature seems to help us all reset and find our happy again. 
  3. Get messy-- painting together, doing a fun science experiment, pulling out toys and shaving cream, etc.; we're usually pretty happy when we're getting messy. 
  4. Change up WHERE we do school-- Taking our books to the library, building a fort and doing school in the fort, etc., I find that even moving to a new location can make everything seem new and fun. 
  5. Plan a game day-- sometimes when we really need to find our joy again we put all the books away and spend an entire day playing games.  We have so many great ones and this gives us a chance to remember how much fun learning can be. 
  6. Bake something together--  We love to bake and while that in itself is educational there is nothing like eating some warm yummy treats straight out of the oven while doing schoolwork. 
  7. Plan a movie marathon-- complete with popcorn and snacks, a movie marathon is always fun.  Usually we pick a movie series about some books we've been reading or a loosely based historical fiction series (like Harry Potter or Night at the Museum) so that they are at least somewhat educational but they don't have to be.  
  8. Turn to the computer-- We rarely think to take advantage of all the great on-line programs that are available.  On days where we need to shake things up a bit we turn to some of our favorite websites and the boys spend their school day playing computer games.  That's always fun. 
  9. Look for new ideas-- Often when we're drudging through our work it's because I am just putting out the same old books and we're just crossing subjects off our list without any real plan or direction.  Usually if I turn to Pinterest or some of my favorite homeschooling blogs I can come up with new lesson plans and ideas that take us off in a new, exciting direction.  
  10. Buy a few new supplies-- Sometimes even a simple little purchase like some new pens or markers get the boys excited again and when they're excited that joy spills over.  Sometimes we buy new books or try out a new game.  There's nothing quite like new supplies to breathe life into our days. 
  11. Plan a crafting day! When we need to find our joy we'll often turn to our crafting cabinet and spend some time coloring, making bracelets or trying out some new crafting kits that we always seem to have lying around.  
  12. Invite friends over-- It's always more fun with friends!  Having some company over is a great way to remember how blessed and lucky we are.  Try hosting an egg drop or a spy hunt day at your house; or just let the kids unplug and play with their toys together.  
  13. Snuggle up somewhere comfy and have a book reading marathon-- If we're going to have a book marathon we usually pick several books each and take turns reading aloud from our favorites.  
  14. Put the kids in charge-- Sometimes when it feels like we're just going through the motions of school it's because I have not followed the children's lead; they know what they enjoy learning about and letting them take charge of their schooling every so often reminds me of what they each find exciting.  
  15. Take a break-- sometimes the only way for us to find our joy again is to take a break (a day or two or even a week off from school) and then we're all refreshed and ready to dive back in again.  

Comments

  1. Great ideas. Sometimes our homeschooling days are stressful with a 3 year old in the mix. My mom will take him once a week or so to her house to play, and it gives us the quiet time we need!

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    Replies
    1. Yep, that would certainly add a bit of stress! It's so nice you have help and support. We're pretty fortunate that way too.

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  2. Sometimes I school in the afternoon--changing the time helps break up the monotony too.

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    1. Great idea! I find anything out of the ordinary helps!

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  3. This is such a great resource, especially for this time of year!! We do not school year round so when we see the end in sight sometimes it gets harder to get school done. We get frustrated and tired. Adding in some fun and something different is definitely a great way to get things restarted on a better foot and finish strong.

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    Replies
    1. Exactly! We tend to drag our feet with schoolwork this time of year when it's not really winter anymore but it's not quite spring and we're just sick of being inside and stuck with the same old work all the time. It's fun to shake things up and add some joy to our days.

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