It’s that time of year again. There’s a cool crispness in the morning air, the plants are finishing their jobs, the days are getting shorter, and the sweatshirts have been pulled out of the closet. And, everyone is going back to school. About a month ago I saw dozens and dozens of back-to-school photos from friends, public and homeschool alike. Smiling faces, holding signs and backpacks.
I didn’t post anything at that time because we weren’t starting school. We were deep in garden chores and canning and there was no time for school books. But, I know my kids were learning a lot! Even the two year old can identify numerous plants and bugs. Just yesterday, she pointed out a cricket and one of her brothers tried to tell her it was a grasshopper. She was right, it was a cricket. She’s also very proficient at finding the tomato plants to grab herself a snack.
I decided this year the garden needed to be put to bed before school started. Last year we attempted to do both and it was so stressful. We’ve worked diligently all of September, slowly ripping plants out of the garden and feeding them to the goats, who are bulking up quite nicely for winter off their feast.
Yesterday, we pulled out our next season’s routine and it was great! The kids were ready to start, I was ready to start, and everyone had fun and learned something new. We even added a news subscription called World Watch News this year. It’s a great way to get the news in without all the propaganda, biased opinions, and slants we find these days. And, it’s kid friendly!
Starting school got me thinking about what I do to help me feel successful in our school routine. There’s a few things over the past years that I’ve developed into routine that have helped immensely. I thought I’d share them with you.
First, I almost always find a two to three day stretch to get away with a couple friends to do some uninterrupted planning. I look forward to this time every summer. It’s really hard to squeeze it in with the garden and all the projects we try to accomplish but it’s so important. I’ve had summers where I haven’t been able to go and it really puts stress on me throughout the rest of the season because I have to then squish my planning into tiny segments, an afternoon here, an evening there.
This past summer, like usual, four of us went to a friend’s lake cabin. The setting is beautiful, the cabin comfortable, and the company perfect. If you want to plan a planning weekend, please know the people you choose to go with you are so important. You need people who can be quiet for long stretches of time, who can dig into their own planning or projects without your constant advice, people who are comfortable and secure in their own skin so when they see you doing something different from them they don’t freak out. Choose friends who know how to laugh and be silly too, because you need those moments where you go on a field trip to the local dairy and pick out the weirdest cheese you can find and then go back and all try it together, only to find yourself gagging and rolling on the floor laughing because your friend is running for the garbage.
I try to set aside time the rest of the summer to finish up my planning and ordering as well. Those times are usually short little moments. Most of the time I have to get up early to get it done when the house is still quiet. That was much harder this past summer because of our sweet little baby. I call babies speed bumps. They disrupt the flow of my routine and things are off for a while. And that’s okay! I know it’s a season and I’ll get back to my early mornings eventually.
About a month ago, I did something I haven’t done before and I’ll definitely be doing it again! I felt a nudge from the Lord to plan a half day retreat for homeschool moms. I had been praying about feeling so overwhelmed this last summer and He prompted me to do this. I thought, well that’s strange, Lord. I’m telling you I feel overwhelmed because of all the things I need to do and you’re telling me to add something else to my schedule. Well, okay. I ran it past a good friend and she thought it sounded wonderful so I put it out there. I asked the Lord to bring the ladies He wanted there and He did!
It was so cool, because as I was praying about it and put it out to our homeschool group, I had seven names in mind. Those seven ladies were the ones who responded! It was a reminder from the Lord that He hears and knows and has perfect plans.
It was the most refreshing morning. We had a great time in God’s Word and chatting about homeschooling and motherhood. It was full of encouragement, rejuvenation for the soul, and uplifting stories. I think we all walked away filled up and not just from the yummy lunch! I know I walked away with a changed perspective and the overwhelming feelings had greatly diminished. God is good!
Homeschooling isn’t easy, but neither are other school choices for our kids. I’m so thankful I get to homeschool and I’m so thankful I can do the things that help me feel successful, even if it’s just presetting the coffeepot the night before!
Desired Haven Farm 