Keep your child’s school day steadily moving.
The older I’ve gotten, the more I realize the need to keep my kiddos moving along in their school days. In my early years of teaching, I was the queen of lingering over subjects and taking bunny trails. Things changed as my kiddos got older and I added more children to my school day. I realized I was enjoying the lingering much more than they were! They still perceived all of my bunny trails as “school”… no matter how fun the trails were!
Boys are finishers by nature.
Especially if you have boys, it may help you to realize that boys are finishers by nature. Task completion gives them great pleasure. If they have no idea how long a task may stretch on, they may quickly lose the will to finish! So, with this in mind, anything extra you add to their day may not be welcome… no matter how fun you think the addition is!
Do what is in the HOD guide and leave the “fun extras” for free time!
I now do only what is in each box of the HOD guide. Then, to wrap it up, I read each key idea. I choose to linger only over our Bible or character discussions. This leaves free-time for my boys to pursue the fun extras! My boys are happier, and we finish earlier.
Is it possible you have been lingering too much or taking too many bunny trails?
Consider whether you may be lingering too much or taking too many bunny trails. If so, ask yourself how much your children enjoy the trails. Do the extras leave them too worn out to finish needed subjects in the HOD guide? Try less lingering and see what you think. You may find everyone is happier and finishing earlier!
Blessings,
Carrie
This Post Has 9 Comments
This is so true! I used to add things into ‘school’ all the time because it would be fun. But my son was just ready to be finished. I have slacked off adding anything and he much happier finishing and moving on to personal projects!
I have been doing this for a lot of years (10) and most years I have added things, traded things, modified etc. but this is my first year to just stick to the plan and do as written! And suprise! Best year to date! Just simplifying and not over complicating things and doing things better has been a huge help.
Thanks for the comments, Shauna and Jennifer! I’ve found the same to be true in my homeschooling. Have a good rest of your HOD week!
Ooh! I have always been unsure how to use the key ideas! I wondered if they were just for my reference… Are you saying you use them as a re-cap at the end of lessons?
That is what Carrie and I do! We often read the key ideas aloud at the end of the lesson. As you said, it is a nice re-cap!
Thanks for having it concise and to the point. So helpful too.
Esther Hagen
You are welcome! We are glad you enjoyed this post!
true! I have 2 boys snd a girl. I have learned the same thing
I have found the same to be true with my own 3 sons! They are task finishers, but they do enjoy lively discussions (as long as they are part of the day’s homeschool work, and as long as they can also get to their free time when they expect to)!