Whether dealing with an impending move, adding a new family member, dealing with illness or other unexpected or expected events, homeschooling during times of transition challenges even the most experienced homeschooling families.
As a military family, our family has moved four times so far and are looking at another move coming within the next six months. As a military family, I have found some things that have been helpful to our family.
First, give yourself grace. No matter what you expect to occur, things may not go the way you planned. For example, on our last move, we spent almost a month living in a hotel. We spent one week at our previous destination and then another three weeks at our new location while we found and then waited for our home to be ready.
Because I knew the move was coming and how long it was going to get from our point of origin to our new destination, our children (ages 13 to almost 20) packed items to bring with us to help keep them occupied while riding as well as homeschool materials for the younger three to do once we arrived at the hotel in our new city.
Doing less school or school differently than normal is okay. It is fine to modify the schedule, work requirements, subjects or whatever else is necessary in order to get through the periods of transition.
Second, do not be afraid to ask for help. If you or an immediate family member is dealing with a serious illness, reach out to those around you to provide assistance. This assistance may be in the form of taking your children to activities/classes, helping with meals or whatever else you may need assistance with at the time.
Third, give yourself grace, you can always get back on track after things get back to normal or your family adjusts to what the new normal may look like. Let’s be real for a minute, no matter who you are, what size your family is, or where you live, life is always changing in some way or another. Life does not stay the same always for everyone.
Fourth, finances may necessitate change. Things your family was able to easily afford may become too expensive. Or perhaps, activities your children have participated in the past may no longer be offered. Your family may need to find other options you can participate in or find other ways to spend your time.
Obviously, some people may deal with fewer periods of transition than others, but everyone has to deal with change. So no matter what your family’s situation may be, know that periods of transition provide opportunities for growth, exploration, and new experiences.
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A big thank you to Patti Pierce of Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy for writing this article.