January Homeschool Reboot

How's your homeschool reboot going?

So many of us take a long break through winter holidays that January becomes a transition month as we seek to get back into our homeschool groove.

If you're struggling with a January reboot, here are a few ideas that may help ease your way.

Resume homeschooling gradually

Start small. If you homeschool "by subject," start with one or two subjects and add in more subjects over the coming days and weeks. If you've already dived in with "everything," know it's okay to back off and ease your way into January and beyond.

Keep some holiday magic

If you celebrate winter holidays, your kids have had sparkle, special foods and celebrations—maybe ever since Thanksgiving! Think of ways you can keep the sparkle in your every-day lives. Light candles at dinner, set a date for a "just because" feast, or start a new weekly meal rotation like Taco Tuesdays, Pizza Fridays, or other family favorites the kids can regularly look forward to. Add music to lunch or snack time and let your kids help build a playlist of favorites.

Make a calendar for the New Year

It's still January, and it's not too late for creating a calendar project with kids that will help them learn about the months and seasons coming up. Making a calendar is a gentle way to ease back to using pencils and art supplies and getting numbers and words down on paper.

Go out

By this, I mean both go out in the community and go outside. It's okay to delay the complete reboot of homeschool in favor of cold weather walks, hitting the children's museum, going to a play, or supporting local musicians at an open mic night.

Your homeschool routine won't return to its pre-holiday status overnight, much less immediately incorporate all your educational resolutions. But, with flexibility and patience, you can coax a new year of satisfying homeschooling into being.