School from Home #2

To my friends who just survived their first day of schooling at home (day one click here), I bring you another day of encouragement. This is largely spurred by Emails and questions I'm receiving (If you have something specific you'd like me to address, I'll try my best to answer in another blog post).  It's also the same encouragement I give myself, for although I have been homeschooling for years, I am still a work in progress.  Perhaps it will be useful to you.

1) You did it.
You made it through. You didn't think you could, but you did it.  Was it perfect? Probably not.  And that's okay. But you did the best you could, and because of that, feel accomplished.  It is NOT easy to dive into this with limited time to think/prepare.  Feel encouraged, you did it.

2) Day 2 will be better.
No day is flawless.  Day 2 is a new chance.  Now you know what went well and what didn't.  What will you change about tomorrow? Now that you know what was tricky, you have a chance to improve.  These struggles are opportunities for connecting with your kids. This is where character development happens.  First thing day two, talk with them about what happened day one. Get a plan together on how today will be different from yesterday. Write it down.  Commit to working together to make day two different. I once had a professor say "If you do nothing between one negative behavior episode and the next behavior episode, how can those negative behaviors be expected to change?" These stumbles are great opportunities to help them grow their character.

3) Do everyday.
Read everyday.  Read to them, regardless of age.
Go outside everyday.  Go out there with them.
When you get stuck, it's okay to stop and change it up. Reading something you mutually enjoy or going outside together are great resets. We are currently enjoying the Poppy and Ragweed series as our family read aloud. On our nature walk today we followed a porcupine until he climbed up a tree.  We kept our dog at bay, thankfully.  What are you reading together? Did you have any memorable experiences outside today?

4)You are capable.
You made it through today, you have a fresh start day two. What a gift it is to have this time with your students. They will remember that you showed up and gave it your best.  You are more than capable. Onward to day two, I am cheering for you! 

(Day one click here)