bbcovert@juno.com

If you have not learned this yet, you may begin to learn it now. Christmas can wreak havoc with your homeschooling schedule. Suddenly there are many distractions to the day. Your students' heads are filled with visions of lights, sugary treats, and new toys. Your calendar bulges with shopping trips, parties, rehearsals, church programs, and visits to nursing homes and retirement centers to spread Christmas cheer. You may be preparing for guests or preparing to be a guest. You've got a long list and have checked it more than twice, hoping you find time to get ready for the "most wonderful time of the year." How are you going to handle this December dilemma?

Some families plan in advance to take the month of December off. (I can just hear some of you saying, "NOW you tell me!") Taking the entire month away from homeschooling may not work for your family. I've done it, though not on purpose, and it was extremely hard to get back on track after such a long time away from lessons.

You have two options: you can limit your holiday activities and continue with your regular homeschooling schedule, or you can reduce the amount of required homeschool work. One year I tried the Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. On those days, we worked on educational projects. Tuesday, Thursday, and the weekends were reserved for shopping, cleaning, baking, and other holiday activities. Because I tend to jump at any Christmas activity that is offered, I didn't always get three days of schooling done each week. You need to have more willpower than I had!

You may find it impossible to get through a full day's worth of schooling for much of December. To avoid getting stressed out about it, you may want to cut each day's work in half. Take two days to complete each lesson. A slower pace for schoolwork can make up for the faster pace of holiday preparations. That way, your children won't forget what they've learned as they might if you took a complete break for homeschooling.

Homeschooling is all about flexibility! Make the Christmas season work for you. There are many ways you can incorporate holiday activities into your educational endeavors. Math and language arts can be used for cooking and shopping. The historical Christmas story can be incorporated into your history and Bible lessons. Above all, take time to focus on the reason for the season. This is a wonderful time to impress upon your children the great sacrifice God made when He sent His Only Son to be the Savior of the world. Let His peace reign in your home while the rest of the world rushes around, and enjoy a warm and cozy Christmas.

Happy homeschooling!

Copyright 2006 by Brenda B. Covert