Homeschooling Through The Holidays

Homeschooling as a working mom can be busy. That’s a fact. Homeschooling through the holidays can add to the chaos, but it doesn’t have to be that way. 

A few years ago, I learned that if I made a few small, simple changes to my approach, homeschooling during the holidays could be enjoyable, fun, and less stressful.

Yes, even if you end up working 60+ hours, you can still make special memories with your kids instead of ending up burned out or in survival mode.

The key to homeschooling through the holidays is managing your calendar and making intentional choices that work for your family.

It is about figuring out what you want the holiday season to look like for your family and how to make it happen without having a mental breakdown.

And the great thing about homeschooling during the holidays is that this process I’m about to share can be used for any holiday, including spring break, summer vacation, or the next time your work picks up and you need to shift gears.

Managing Your Time

Holidays and vacations often mean more obligations, events, and demands on your time. Add this to all your regular day-to-day working and homeschool responsibilities, and you could have a recipe for disaster!

Managing your time or calendar is vital during the holiday season.

When it comes to holiday time management, set up your planner for those holiday weeks, and make sure you start with the days you have off of work.

I use the Month at a Glance planning page from the Homeschool Planner For Working Moms to see exactly what days I am working and what days I have available for other things, such as events and activities.

Next, add in any events you and your family want to attend. You really can’t do it all.

Sit down with your family and plan out activities you want to do and which ones you will pass on this time.

Add them to your planner. Bonus points if you use a shareable calendar like Homeschool Planet or wall calendar so that everyone in the family knows the plan.

Disclosure: I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

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And when things get crazy, ask yourself this question to cut through the noise: Will this matter a year from now? It’s a great way to remind yourself to focus on the important things!

Homeschooling Through The Holidays

When it comes to homeschooling through the holidays, take advantage of the flexibility of homeschooling. 

Now is a great time to shift away from the bookwork and take a homeschool holiday break. 

Homeschooling doesn’t mean that your kids must sit at the table every Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 3 PM, to learn. 

When I started working full-time outside the home during the holiday season, I tried to keep our homeschool schedule the same.

I hit survival mode hard and fast. It was one of the darkest periods of my working homeschool life. I vowed never to put myself or my kids through that again.

Even though I have kids who enjoy routines, I learned that it was wiser for our family to take a more relaxed approach to homeschooling through the holidays.

Holiday Educational Activities

Who says learning can’t be fun? My kids still have fond memories of baking cookies in my mother’s kitchen. 

Take a few minutes and look for fun and educational activities your family would enjoy. 

Every family is different, but here are a few of our favorite ideas:

• If your child loves art, grab these free art prompts and pick one a day or so. 
• If your child likes to build, try one of these STEM/STEAM ideas.
• Crafty kids? Try making creative homemade gifts. 
• Try a kid-friendly cooking recipe.
• Listen to an audio story from Around The World Stories.

This is an excellent tip for you if you homeschool in a state or province where you must keep a homeschool time log because you can count time spent on these activities. 

If you are worried you might not be doing enough learning through the holidays, remember that most public schools close during the holiday season.

Slowing Down During The Holidays 

The last tip for homeschooling through the holidays as a working mom is to focus on slowing down for the season. 

Remember, you don’t need to do every subject every day in your homeschool. 

You can grab a book, sit on the sofa, drink your coffee and read aloud while the kids jump around the room or doodle on a notebooking page and call it a day. 

You can create quiet boxes for kids and let them play, learn and discover while you work. 

LEGO Minifigure Faces 1000-Piece Jigsaw PuzzleLEGO Ice Cream Dream 1000 Piece Puzzle

 

You can dig out a favorite puzzle on the weekend and catch up with your teen.  

You don’t need to say yes to every single event, either. You can stay home and rest after a full day of work if that serves you better. 

It’s okay to say no to things that do not serve you. 

What Not To Do Homeschooling Through The Holidays

When it comes to homeschooling through the holidays, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Don’t try to do it all
• Don’t overcommit
• Don’t sweat the small stuff

Keep it simple if you can, including meals, gifts, and events.

Be picky with how you choose to spend your time and who you decide to spend that time with.

Things will go wrong on holidays and vacations. Life happens. Try to roll with it and laugh it off when you can.

Holiday Homeschool Resources:

Homeschooling through the holidays can be done joyfully if you manage your time, make small changes to your homeschool schedule and slow down.

• Mom Break Ideas For The Holidays
• Holiday Season Time Management Tips
• Holiday Month Long Study
• Homeschool Through the Holidays At The White House

Do you homeschool through the holidays? What does it look like for you?

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