Are you dreading getting back to homeschooling after a break? Is there reluctance and fighting? Well, our homeschool used to look like this after even a short vacation. And it was one of the reasons we decided to homeschool year-round.

But I know that lots of homeschoolers prefer to follow a school schedule. And we do occasionally have some time off. So when we do have a small break, I use the same methods to make the transition smooth and positive.

It doesn’t have to be a struggle to get back into the swing of things! Because with some planning and anticipation, you can be back to your learning before you know it!

Ease Back Into Learning

The very best thing you can do is to take it super easy. Don’t try to get back to your regular before-break schedule because you’re bound to come up against resistance.

I know I was super guilty of this. Because I felt so much pressure to homeschool enough and to do enough and to be enough, I would want to hit the ground running. I felt like we were wasting valuable learning time.

Luckily, I’ve realized that this isn’t the case. When you give kids the time to get back into a routine, they\’re going to do it much quicker. I know it seems counterintuitive, but trust me that it works! Allowing kids to lead will always mean success!

Prioritize Child-led Learning

Another way to make the transition from break to homeschool easier, is to focus on child-led learning. You can do a lot of the things you did during deschooling, because it works really well here too. Or you could involve your child in deciding what they want to learn.

My dear friend Kelly from Curiosity Encouraged has a great activity for helping her daughter to invest in her learning. She pulls out a big piece of paper and some pens and together they brainstorm what to include in the year.

Kelly says that it helps her daughter to be more engaged and gives her a good starting point when planning the homeschool year. She also says that when her daughter resists, she reminds her that she chose the topic. Genius! 😁

Take It as an Opportunity to Reevaluate

I’m a firm believer in reevaluating! Our children are not static, so why should our homeschool be? And a year is a long time to be doing to same things!

Even if it’s not the beginning of the school year, you could use your time when you return to homeschooling after a break, to shake things up a bit. Below are some questions you can ask yourself.

• Are my kids still enjoying the programmes/curricula we’re using?
• Does the duration of homeschool still suit us? Do we need to do more or less?
• How can we change things up to make sure we achieve our learning goals? Have our learning goals changed?
• Is my schedule still manageable? Can I get everything done that I need to?
• Where can I bring more joy into our homeschool?
• When can I spend more time on myself?

Final Thoughts on Homeschooling after a Break

It’s always hard to get back into a routine after some time off. I’m sure you remember how you felt when you were at school. Even though homeschooling isn’t like school, it does take commitment and motivation.

The beauty of homeschooling is that it’s super flexible. So you have the opportunity to figure out what works for you and your children. Just be sure to be kind to your kids – and to yourself! Because your relationship is the most important thing at the end of the day!