Start off slow, and then slow down.

I wish I could remember who gave me this advice waaay back when I first started home schooling my kids but that has faded from my memory over the years. What will never fade is the absolutely glorious revolution following this advice brought to my home schooling efforts!

My kids learned SO MUCH BETTER when their emotional needs were met because I was calm, present and not thinking about getting everything done on my to do list and hurry hurry hurry! But rather focusing on them and enjoying the moment with them. Taking the time to notice the caterpillar with them, letting my daughter put her own shoes on without me rushing her, letting my son have a few moments to process his experiences before moving on. I was so much happier and more calm when I wasn’t rushing to cram everything in…. but how to do this in today’s busy life when everything is coming at you 24/7?

For me, I had to make it happen intentionally. I had to choose not to schedule appointments back to back, but on different days and spaced out. I had to choose to put park days and library days on our calendar to hold the space free and guard that time like it was important, because it is, instead of trying to just “fit it in” when we had a free hour. I had to develop a routine for mornings, and bedtime and meals etc. so the kids and I all knew what was coming next, and things rolled out smoothly. I had to choose less extracurricular activities, and only flexible activities so it if was too much we could just take off. I had to have time frames blocked off for school where we didn’t leave the house, didn’t answer the phone, and just be present and work through the assignments without rushing.

Mostly, I had to be intentional about my mindset, and not allow my anxiety about “getting behind” or “what needs to be done” to put pressure on my kids to hurry hurry hurry!

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