Homeschool Survival Guide due to Corona Virus (Covid-19)

Tip #1: Perspective

Take a deep breath and relax. You have got this. Remember, you are not trying to replicate school at home. Your family environment is so far removed from a school environment it is impossible to replicate school at home. For this reason, we need to come at homeschool from a different angle, that is, change your mindset.

Homeschool is not just about academic education – we educate the whole child (mind, character, and body) where academics are just a part of the larger picture. Here is a wonderful opportunity to really get to know your children. Teach them the value of family relationships, show them how to be a contributing family member, and if all goes well they may learn some academic stuff in the short time you have at home with them.

Tip #2: Expectations

Now that you realise you cannot replicate school at home, the next thing to do is really think about your expectations. Think about what you would like to achieve during this period – realistically and work backward from there.

Think about WHY you have chosen to homeschool. Of course, the initial reason is to keep the family safe from corona virus, however, there may be other underlying reasons.

• Are you homeschooling temporarily to self isolate and have every intention to return the family to school once the threat is over?
• Have you been curious about homeschool and see this as an opportunity to “try before you buy”? or
• Have you been sitting on the fence about homeschool and the corona virus is the push you needed to make the decision to do it?

Once identified begin setting goals that will meet your expectations during this time.

The key is NOT to expect too much. Being new to this situation, you and your children have some adjusting to do before this feels normal. In the case of homeschooling for the short-term normal may never be achieved. Therefore homeschool survival mode is good enough.

Tip #3: Routine

This is a big one! I find that routine is a huge factor in how smooth my day runs. Routine allows us to know what is expected of us, and when those expectations need to be met. As a result, we get on with our day and just do it.

You don’t want to be a slave to the clock or to a schedule. You do want to establish what needs to be done and in which particular order that makes sense for your day to flow. Nicole Avery from Planning with Kids has some great ideas on how to tame family chaos.

If you are only planning on homeschooling as a temporary measure you will want to keep your routine as close to normal as possible. If your mornings are chaotic now is a great opportunity to work on it. Establish a morning and evening routine that you can keep once the kids return to school in order to feel a sense of family achievement at the end of this time.

But what about the middle of the day, where the actual learning takes place? How will you fill in the time? Here is where homeschool survival strategies are needed. In this post, I will further outline how I run my day for maximum productivity.

Tip #4: Health

Stress levels will mostly rise as you adjust to this new lifestyle. With this in mind, it is vital to maintain or create healthful habits. Be sure to establish healthy sleep, exercise, and eating patterns. After all, when you and the kids are feeling good you are more capable of dealing with what the day (and kids) throw at you.

Tip #5: Self Care

Finally, don’t forget to look after yourself EVERY day. It is vital that you refuel so you can come back and face the battlefield again, and again, and again………..

Yes, even homeschool mums put strategies in place for our own time-out. This looks different depending on the family situation, however, it is achievable. You may need to get creative here. This is how I take time out:

Morning Quiet time:

I like to get up before the children and spend some quiet alone time – no children, no partner. (OK, I do not always wake before the kids, but mine are old enough to cope without me in the mornings). First I do my devotions followed by computer work. When I begin my day with this ritual, I feel like I have already achieved something no matter what the day throws at me. Other suggestions you may prefer include: a quiet cup of coffee/tea, a walk (if your partner or older child is home to watch little ones), quiet reading, meditation, exercise. Do whatever it is that helps you feel ready to tackle the day.

Afternoon Quiet time:

I find I really suffer from the 3pm afternoon slump. For this reason, we have Reading Time: my favourite! Essentially all family members (including me) find their own area of the house and read for a set period of time. Audiobooks are great for little ones. From very early on I established this routine. Its many benefits make it a worthwhile exercise. If your children are not avid readers, that’s OK. Agree on a quiet, independent activity. The goal of this activity is for the family to have some time out from each other, not necessarily to read.

In any event, it is important that you schedule self-care into your routine every day. Prioritise and protect it. When you are feeling revived, your stress levels reduce, patience increases and you generally cope better.