We have made two out of state moves in ten months.

Last June we moved from Alabama to Michigan to be closer to family and when that didn’t work out (the family part was great; everything else…not so much) we came back to Alabama. We got here about three weeks ago and the dust has barely settled.

This is not the ideal set of circumstances for a consistent and peaceful home…or homeschool…or therapy schedule.

So things have spiraled a bit; I am wrestling to hang on to my ideals in the midst of chaos. Screens have largely replaced reading and playing. Sugary, convenience foods have largely replaced home-cooked meals. Disorder has replaced the beautiful rhythms and routines of our home. Reactions have replaced intentional responses.

Have you ever been there, friend?

I know; a little pandemonium…it’s understandable, all things considered. It’s a season. The struggle for me is that it’s been a really long season. Put the house on the market. Have lots of emotions.

Pack. Sell. Buy. Unpack. Rinse, Repeat.

I have been striving for order. I keep hearing myself tell people, “Once we get settled…” The boxes are all unpacked and so I planned to start an actual school week last Monday. And then we got sick – five out of six of us. So, another week of rest. Another week of “off track.” I’ve noticed I am constantly getting back on track. The good news is I’ve gotten pretty good at it ;).

When There is No Plan

Sometimes, the plan is that there is no plan. Because no matter what your plan is, God has His plan, too, and that one is always better anyway. What’s the saying? I plan and God laughs? In a good-hearted, kindly, fatherly manner, He pats me on the head and says, “I hear you, but this is what I think…”

In His infinite wisdom, He happens to know what’s best.

I voted for a full school day and checked off boxes on a to-do list. He voted for rest.

Guess who won? Guess what was actually necessary? Sometimes the plan is to rest. It’s to have no plan. Or a highly flexible plan. Sometimes the plan is educational shows on Netflix and PBS Kids and lots of read-alouds. Or a picnic at the park with some poetry. Or playing in the backyard because the weather in Alabama is perfect in the spring and fall but in the summertime it is brutally hot so you better take advantage of those days while they’re here.

That plan is okay, too, sometimes. And when it’s time, you’ll head back on track.

How do you get back on track? The same way you do anything else…one step at a time.

Add One Thing

Start with a few math problems. Add in some handwriting or copywork. Make it casual. If your child is being read aloud to, doing math and writing a bit you are in seriously good shape. You’ve got the 3 R’s covered and that is your foundation.

If you want to get really snazzy, pop a disc of Story of the World into your CD player or listen to Peter and The Wolf by Maestro Classics. This is your “hands-off” teaching. Charlotte Mason was big on not getting in between the child and the author and although she went to be with Jesus way before Audible showed its face, I think she’d be a big fan of audiobooks.

“We are determined that the children shall love books, therefore we do not interpose ourselves between the book and the child.” – Charlotte Mason

Keep adding one more thing throughout the week and before you know it, look at you…you’re having school for real.

Picking What to Add

Our homeschool curriculum is divided into two categories: group work and individual work. When easing back into full swing, I usually start with group work. These subjects can be added more casually and don’t always feel schoolish. Group work is orchestrated by me. The subjects are…

  • Bible
  • Geography
  • Habits
  • History
  • Hymn Study
  • Literature (family read-aloud…no matter how old your children are)
  • Memory Work
  • Music Study
  • Nature Study
  • Physical Education
  • Picture Study
  • Poetry
  • Science (Lower Level)
  • Shakespeare

It looks like a lot but if you are following the Charlotte Mason method you know that this feast is spread over the week, many of the subjects only appearing once a week.

Language

  • Early/Independent Reading
  • Handwriting/Copywork/Commonplace Book
  • Writing
  • Grammar
  • Spelling
  • Foreign Language (Latin, foreign language)

STEM-L

  • Science (Upper Level)
  • Technology
  • Engineering
  • Math
  • Logic

Personal Development

  • Citizenship
  • Devotional/Spiritual Growth
  • Handicrafts/Art
  • Performing Art
  • Physical Education/Sports
  • Zone Work
  • Other (Therapy, Summer Camp, etc.)

These subjects are largely skill-based and depend on your child’s individual abilities, maturity, personality, and unique challenges. Some subjects are not covered until certain ages (for instance, grammar begins around fourth grade) and some subjects are only covered once a year or bi-yearly (like technology and engineering).

I’ve also done something called “You pick 2” (copyright credit, Panera Bread 😉 ). I write everything that needs to be done in my children’s “to-do” notebooks and have them pick two things to do each day until the list is completely checked off.

In closing, no mommy guilt required.

Last year after reading The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming, by Sally Clarkson, I became slightly obsessed with the idea of living within the seasons. It was like a light bulb went off – God created seasons and not all of them are the same. They all exist for different purposes.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 tells us (and The Byrds put it to music) “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

Winter is restful; Spring is for rebirth; Summer is rejuvenating; Fall is reflective.

What season are you in? Do you a baby nursing every 2.5 hours? A toddler under foot? A high-energy preschooler? An elementary child who wants to be on the go? A tween or teen craving independence? One or more of each? A season doesn’t have to last three months; you could be in a season this week or month or year. Seasons can even be broken down daily into their little cousins, Rhythms. Rhythms help you move through the day with grace having a time for rest, a time for waking up, a time for action and a time for contemplation.

We are in a season of therapy. It has been a long season and I’m not sure how long it will last and that’s okay. We are also in a season of having a high-energy four-year-old and three tween boys. And we’re in a season of “we just moved again.” Personally, I’m in a season of “my 30s are hating my 20s and I can’t survive on six hours of sleep anymore.” So into the proverbial blender all these seasons go and I respond appropriately. I strive to work within the natural constraints of my life.

The most important thing to remember is not to compare your season to anyone else’s – especially someone who is not in the same season as you.

You cannot live someone else’s season, and why would you want to? Instead, live well within the one God has given you today.