Taking rest breaks and then engaging in fresh starts are important in the routine day in and day out of homeschooling. Routines are important in that they help us to accomplish everything that we need to in a given day. They let our kids know what to expect, so there are less melt downs and dead time in a day. However, after a while they become stale and wear you down. Because of this, it's really important to take rest breaks and give your self a fresh start every so often.
Rest Breaks
Our most intensive stretch of school each year starts in August and runs until around Thanksgiving or Christmas, whenever we stop for a long holiday break. This year that meant 18 weeks of solid schooling, only taking off a few days around Thanksgiving. That means every day up by 8, followed by around 8 hours of schooling. The same subjects, in the same order, 4 days a week with little independent time. Then we had our Adventure Fridays and completed any unfinished weekly work that day as well. By December we were all craving some down time and a chance to relax.
So we took 2 weeks off for Christmas, and spent the time in Alabama with family; it was a much needed rest period. I slept in some while Britt handled the boys in the mornings. The girls slept in frequently too. Other than helping my mother get lunch ready for the kids, and she mostly took care of that herself, I didn't have to think about anything. There are no words for how good it felt to turn off for several days and really feel like I didn't have to be the adult. The kids watched copious amounts of tv and played tons of video games. I spent a chunk of the day drawing while supervising the twin tornados, significantly aided by baby gates (I have missed those). There was Dr. Pepper and junk food, and time talking with family. If only every rest break could feel so restful and leave me so recharged.
While going home helps restore me in a way that other breaks don't, regular breaks are just as essential. We opted to extend our Christmas break by another week, and last week we took off as well. We deep cleaned the house, and got to some projects that I put off during the regular school year. The kids spent copious amounts of time on the tv and Nintendo but also found time to be creative and play games with each other. We also made adjustments to our regular schedule to accommodate Daddy's new work schedule. Again, all needful things to do and down time to take that isn't possible during our school days.
Not only are these rest breaks essential to me as their teacher and mother, but they are important to the kids. It gives them time to relax and destress. It gives them a chance to pursue activities that we don't regularly have time for and helps to grow their interest in other areas. It is healthy and needful to plan breaks in routine.
Fresh Starts
Yesterday, we began school again, with plans to work solidly through January and February before planning another down time in March after about 10 weeks of school. The new year and new semester is kicking off with some additions to our routine and some changes to the overall schedule. We are including some new classes and activities, and adjusting to Daddy on night shift. These fresh starts are just as important as the rest time is.
It might mean that we would accomplish more in a school year if I approached the winter and spring semesters with as much focused energy as I do the fall semester; however, no one would enjoy school in the least and I'd live in a constant state of burn out (a line I dance dangerously close to anyway). Furthermore, we'd be slaves to the schedule rather than letting it work for us. Additionally, we wouldn't be in the position to utilize opportunities that arrive. However, rather than living like this, it is wiser to make adjustments over the course of the year.
It is important to remember that a schedule and routine are meant to work for us, not drive us. They are there to give structure to our days and enable us to do all that we want to do, being the best stewards of our time. However, the very nature of life is change. Over the last few months we've had subjects change - taking longer or less time than initially needed. We've added things like Speech Therapy for Jon and Will. We've dropped some chores from the weekly list to the occasional list. And so our schedule and routine needs to change.
Updating those items has been one of my tasks this past week, during our down period. Tweaking the school schedule to save time for them to play outside, making space for free time and exploration, as well as insuring that we have flex time to accomplish work that runs over it's allocated time is important. Also, after 5 months it's past time to reallocate chores so that everyone can get practice with different tasks, while not overburdening anyone too much with chores they despise.
In Summary
And so we start out fresh with an adjusted schedule and new routines in place. We are rested and ready to jump back into the swing of school and life. We aren't lazy for taking an extended break, but wise enough to battle burnout with rest. We are investing in our school year by taking a break, so that our minds can be fresh and ready to learn. We aren't saying that our last five months were wasted by changing our schedule, but adjusting to new factors. The period of focused intensity accomplished what we wanted, and now we slow our pace a little in order to open the door to more options. All in all we are geared up and ready for what the next five months will throw our way.
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