It is the dreary, weary days of winter. Perhaps snow covers the ground and it is so cold outside, nobody wants to go out. Perhaps you’ve caught a bug. Then, shared it with each member of the family. Maybe even more than once! Perhaps you are stuck at home waiting out flu season because you don’t want to catch it or catch it again. Healthy or sick, these scenarios sound like a case of homeschool Cabin Fever!
As thoughts of sunny and warm days invade the mind, staying focused and pressing ahead with everything listed on the schedule can be difficult. The good news is just because homeschool cabin fever has hit your home doesn’t mean that learning has to stop! Now is the perfect time to take that rabbit trail of learning, find a new interest, or mix up the schedule a little.
If academics are just not happening, how about rearranging your day? Something as little as eating dessert first, or for breakfast, and leaving breakfast foods for dinner may bring a little sunshine into the house. How about turning the living room into a “blanket fort town” and allowing each child their own “house” to work in? Breaking up the day with a movie or special snack is another great idea.
Now is also a great time to write or rethink goals. On a piece of paper, olders can write theirs, youngsters can draw. How about brainstorming the upcoming “summer bucket list”, and ways to reach out to those in need around you. With parental assistance, make a “spring help” list finding the needs of those in your neighborhood (elderly, single parents, extended illnesses) and come up with a plan to help when the weather breaks. Raking leaves, unclogging gutters, cleaning up debris, and small repairs are just a few.
While you are stuck inside, it’s also a good time to teach a child a new chore or have older children teach the youngsters a new skill. Equally as good is taking up a new project or learning a repair skill. YouTube is a wonderful visual resource for this endeavor!
The dead of winter may obstruct your movements outside the home, but homeschool cabin fever doesn’t have to bring learning to a screeching halt. With a little thought, it can continue. The days of spring will be here soon and then life will resume.
