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ADVICE A HOMESCHOOLING MOM OF 6 WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW DURING A PANDEMIC
Lindsey
We had just come off spring break the day I really felt concern about COVID-19. My house was full of sand, our bodies were covered in new tan lines, and I was wondering when the pile of towels created offspring.
We immediately began prepping (ordered more toilet paper, hello, so many bums to wipe!), and then feeling relief, I started pulling schoolbooks out of cupboards and wondering if my kids would remember what I had taught them in math two weeks earlier.
Then it was announced schools far from us were closing for two weeks. Shortly after that, our own local schools were already extending spring break that had just begun .
I can imagine the distress this may cause parents. Especially if this lasts longer than two weeks. So, in light of the worry and concern about your child’s education you may be having, I want to share 3 things I’ve learned in my years of homeschooling.
- They’ll be just fine. Learning has so much more to do with real life than just tests and facts. Learning is everyday problem solving, recognizing your emotions, and being kind to one another.
You are their first and most important teacher, so if there are things you have been wanting to work on with them, well, my goodness, what a great time!
Maybe you don’t like how they speak to one another when they are frustrated. Talk to them about what you expect in your home and work on it as a family. Maybe you want them to have more responsibility in their life. Guide them. Encourage them. You got this.
- Let them lead. Really. Let.them.lead. Obviously, playing online for 4 hours isn’t what I mean. I’m talking about giving them topics they might be interested in and then run with it.
Have a 7 year old boy who is obsessed with dinosaurs right now? Watch youtube videos, make cookie dino eggs, if your libraries are still open request 10 books and watch as he devours them. You know what this teaches? LOVE OF LEARNING. It’s a thing, and it’s amazing.
Have a preteen girl who shows interest in painting? Order some supplies online and let her dabble. There are millions of tutorials at different levels and styles.
Have a senior interested in law? Reach out to a local lawyer (ask your local Facebook group) and set up a time for them to chat over the phone.
Many people are most likely going a bit stir crazy and would love to talk about their passion. Open doors for them and you’ll be blown away.
- Enjoy this time. Really, deeply enjoy it. When is the next time you have to be shut in with your family and they can’t do anything about it. Enjoy doing things together.
If you guys love playing board games then play all the games. Amazon has an endless selection. If movies are your thing, pop that popcorn.
Talk, laugh, drive one another bonkers. But make the memories. Together.
We are in uncertain times right now, but the one constant for your child is you. Let go of the fear, hold them tight, and enjoy the beauty the world has to offer right now, in your very home.
Just a day in the life of homeschooling.
Someone cooking, a couple of them painting, and of course the toddler picking her nose. 🙂
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Below is the About page Paul & I had on our first blog back in 2008. I decided to put it up while I work on writing up our new one. ENJOY! -Linds
Okay folks, this is how this game is played. We sat down and asked each other questions. No rules, no boundaries, and all answers must be posted for all of you to see—word for word. You are getting the raw, and the beautiful. You may not find this as fun as we did, but, oh well, it’s our website :).
Favorite item of clothing and why?
PAUL: A tie. Why? Well, first of all..I had to wear ties in high school for debate. I had to wear ties growing up for church. I had to wear ties for the mission. Ties really are the only business clothing you can get really creative on. And I have grown to love very stylish ties.
LINDS: I don’t believe in clothing 😉 …dresses because I feel like a lady.
Who was your first crush?
LINDS: Jaymie Burdick. Oh how I loved that boy.
PAUL: The internet and if I have to choose a person Lauren Patarozzi from 6th-12th grade.
What is your favorite thing about me?
PAUL: Your sense of humor and how much you love me.
LINDS: Your love and concern for everything and everyone. And how you make me laugh until my face literally hurts.
If you could go anywhere where would you go?
LINDS: Uhh..Celestial Kingdom, hello!
PAUL: Uhh..the moon, hello!
Favorite drink?
PAUL: Orange juice
LINDS: WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is your biggest regret?
LINDS: My biggest regret? Eating that chaulpa!! Just kidding. Not fellowshipping more during my school years.
PAUL: Not being a better older brother.
What are you looking forward to most in life?
PAUL: Very good..umm…[I’m gonna pause on that and eat..aaah that was good]…this is going to sound sappy, but making you laugh!
LINDS: So, being a girl and watching lots of chick flicks, where there are just those perfect moments…we’ve had those many times, where everything seems to stop and the music starts to play. So, those type of moments with our children…when we go to the park…they go on missions…they learn their ABCs. Growing old together. You being old…me not so much. Hahahahahaha. Just all the times we will have as a family. The end.
What color do you like the least?
LINDS: Poopy yellow.
PAUL: I would have to say girly pink [Lindsey starts crying..Paul laughs]. Just kidding..let’s see..pollution brown. Yeah, you know the brown color that has all the speckles in the air that looks so ugly!
If you were stuck on a island and you could bring one thing, what would it be? Besides me of course!
PAUL: The internet, hahahahahaha, I would bring…the boy scout swiss army knife because it has matches, toothpick, knife, saw, compass, everything you need to survive.
LINDS: My bookshelf and everything in it, and on it.
What is your favorite website?
LINDS: That’s such a Paul question. Uh, YOUTUBE.COM!!!! So, I can watch funny babies. I highly recommend the video “Funny Babies 2.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy0FdY32Hag
PAUL: Our website. Even though it took forever to create!
What is your dream house?
PAUL: One with a big library, lots of room, and NO pets.
LINDS: Hmm…an awesome kitchen, a place where our children and their friends can hang out, and filled with love.
Who is your least favorite celebrity?
LINDS: I don’t know…all of them! Umm. . . any of them that set bad examples for children.
PAUL: Keona Reeves, pound for pound is the worst actor of our time!
How many children do you want?
PAUL: As many as you’re going to let me have.
LINDS: If we had all the money and room in the world…12.
What is your favorite quote?
LINDS: If life gets to be more than you can stand—kneel
PAUL: “Know thyself” -Plato
If you could do one thing different in your life what would it be?
PAUL: I would have liked to have received more education sooner.
LINDS: Umm…I would have never quit dancing.
What is your favorite scripture?
LINDS: 1 Nephi 15:8
PAUL: Psalms 139: 7-10
Where was your first kiss?
PAUL: My first kiss was from my mother when I was one day old. [Lindsey hits Paul] OK, my first kiss was in the living room at my parents on Easter Sunday..[Lindsey hits Paul again]…OOOH, you don’t mean our first kiss!! OK, my first kiss was in the cul-de-sac of Pluto Court, Littleton Colorado, United States of America, Planet Earth.
LINDS: The Sacramento Temple.
What is the number one thing that annoys you about me?
LINDS: Hahahaha….you’re so cute. the number one thing that annoys me….uh….when, we are driving, and the light is green to turn right, you still stop and then turn right.
PAUL: [Clearing throat] I would have to say..the absolute, most definitely, number one thing that annoys me about you is when..how do I say this..you..want something..and then you’re so concerned about my needs that you change what you want and you’re too stubborn to choose what you really want!! I know that sounds like such a contradiction, but it’s really how you are!
If you could tell Heavenly Father one thing face to face, what would it be?
PAUL: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!
LINDS: That was my answer too!! 🙂
When did you know that you loved me?
LINDS: Owhhhh!! I would have to say…was when…it was after our second date. And we got done with dinner, and we decided to walk back to our car, instead of taking tracks. The sidewalks were icy and we would run and slide, and laugh our heads off. And I could picture us doing this forever!
PAUL: The first time I began to fall in love with you was on our first date. Let’s see..it was at the State Capitol and we sat on the steps in freezing cold weather and I realized after several hours that I had never been able to talk to someone so freely and so openly in such a long time. During that time you made me feel like the man I always wanted to be!
“You are the trip I did not take, you are the pearls I could not buy,
you are my blue Italian lake, you are my piece of foreign sky.” -Anne Campbell