I remember how I felt as the end of the school year seemed to loom over the horizon. Let’s just say I had “short-timers attitude.” The torturous task of getting the kids ready for testing was over and there were always about two to three weeks left before school was officially over.
Oh, please! Can’t we just be done with it. After all, our brains shifted gears the minute the last timer went off and the last pencil was placed on the paper. Can’t we just call it a year and go play!
It was especially difficult when I realized that mid-June meant it was time for the annual used book sale. That was a “must attend” since my homeschool budget always relegated my purchases to as many “used” books as possible.
That meant I had to know where I was going next year before I ever ended my current year. There was a certain excitement about it all, but to be honest, I just wanted a few weeks to not think about school. A few unplanned moments would have been nice. But that never happened.
However, after about eight years of homeschooling, I did begin releasing myself from the “homeschool mom” bondage I had placed myself in. I wish it wouldn’t have taken so long, but I’m admittedly a slow learner. I realized that neither I, nor my kids were going to get much out of one more grammar lesson or one more quiz, so I began trying to get them excited about the next year by scanning curriculum together. Letting them share what was important to them.
That served many purposes. Let me share a few:
1. It lifted the “end of the year cloud” off of us and released us from the daily grind
2. It gave me an opportunity to see where my children’s interests lie and what they were drawn to
3. I was reminded of their learning styles and the various ways in which homeschooling allows me to teach them in a way that would be most effective for them
4. It gave us all a glimpse at our options and the possibilities that awaited us
5. It helped me be ready for the next year before I was done with the current one
6. It enabled me to save money by attending the used book sale
7. And best of all, it helped us all enjoy the summer because we were already ready for the next year
Some of you are closing the book on your school year in a few weeks and I want to encourage you that it’s o.k. if your children didn’t finish every lesson in the book.
Get them excited about next year and give yourselves a much needed break! It won’t be long before you’re diving into the next year. So give yourselves permission to enjoy the summer. You’ve earned it!
Are you already ready for next year? Do you struggle with letting go of this school year? What do you plan on doing this summer?
Hi Stephanie! Glad I saw this on Twitter because it really spoke to me. This is my 8th year homeschooling, and I ran out of gas a few weeks ago. This is the first year I've really struggled with finishing the year well. It's also the first year I've had so much other stuff going on, but still…I've been praying for abundant grace just to get through the next couple of weeks! 🙂 It had been on my heart to break out of the homeschool boxes I'd put myself in, so when I saw your word “bondage,” it just hit home. Thanks so much for your “homeschool mom” wisdom. 🙂
Hi Kim,
I really loved being a homeschool mom and wouldn't trade a moment of it! The good, the bad or the ugly. But sometimes we need to put our minds in neutral and take a break from planning, organizing and teaching. I used to have to remind myself that it's Biblical to rest.
I wanted to tell you that I hopped over to your site and loved it. I read you “Crazy Believing Testimony” and some words on your page spoke loudly to my own heart! “Exceedingly abundantly.” When I pray for others, I always ask the Lord to do exceedingly abundantly above all they can ask or think. And when I read your testimony it's as if the Lord said, “I'm going to do exceedingly abundantly for you.” It wasn't audible, but it was almost as real as if it was.
So, thanks for stopping in and sharing your heart. I'm so glad the Lord used something in today's post to speak to your heart and life. Your words spoke to mine, as well.
Awesome!