Winter Is But a Season

After the apple tree is firmly planted in the ground there comes a time of waiting. An apple tree, like many other trees, goes through a period of dormancy in the winter. To the eye these are times when nothing is happening. Just like an apple tree goes through a season when nothing is growing, so our homeschool journey has its down seasons. After the excitement of new books, pencils, and erasers wears off, school tends to imitate the drabness of a winter without snow.

For some, especially a first-year home-educator, school may not only seem like a drab winter scene, but it may also include snowdrifts of frustration to step across. You may wonder whether you purchased the right curriculum because your fourth and fifth grade students are not motivated. You don’t have enough time to fill the cookie jar between prodding your students, cleaning up yesterday’s clutter, and getting supper ready—not to mention the laundry piling up.

What are some things a homeschool parent can do to prevent down times in their homeschool experience or at least to prevent them from coming as often? Let’s consider several possibilities.

Wisdom from above. The Bible encourages us to ask for wisdom when we need it. Pray for new inspiration to motivate your students. Ask the Lord to help you manage your workload. Read the Word and take His promises personally.

Interests. Tap into your students’ interest. Use part of one day each week for them to pursue it. It does not need to be bookwork. If you have a son who enjoys animals, let him have a pet (if possible), borrow books from the library on the care of his pet, or other related subjects. The daily care of an animal might change his perspective in other areas of life, including schoolwork.

New ideas. Do something new (different) one day. You could visit an elderly neighbor after schoolwork and have your students show him their latest artwork. Another possibility is making a newspaper and interviewing the neighbor for an article of what school was like fifty years ago.

Thanksgiving. Even though the calendar doesn’t list the Thanksgiving holiday the month you hit a low, spend some time as a family listing things you are thankful for and display them. Try to find twenty-five new items each day fora whole month.

Evaluate. Are you down because you failed to meet your mother's expectations, or those of your non-homeschooling friends? When unrealistic expectations are at the root, you as parents need to take time together to talk to the Lord and ask Him how He wants you to homeschool. Discuss what really is priority and stick to a few simple principles.

Resist the temptation to give up. Someone has said the first three years of homeschooling are the hardest. Try to add a little variety, or take a short break if you must. But do not quit just because everybody is blue. This season too shall pass.

—Frieda Thiessen