Welcome to our homeschool week and how I plan and work with our son to home educate him. If you follow us on our Facebook or Instagram you will know that whilst I have one child in school, I also home educate our son. This is how we do it.
This week whilst we have some academic work planned, we are more likely to be found focusing on mental health and wellbeing. Sometimes it’s not all about getting all the maths and writing done and kiddo has had a health issue we are dealing with, and has had to rest, which has meant skipping his ballet, gymnastics, swimming and physical activity for a week or two. He has ADHD and uses exercise as a way of managing his mental health and to regulate, so it’s been very challenging for him to have what he loves suspended, and to have to rest, but it’s also hard on us too, managing his needs and trying to help him cope. For me, and us as parents, our children’s mental health is the most important thing, and if a gentler week and less academic pressure is what is needed, then that’s what we do.
So it’s a mental health well being week. The beauty of home education is that we can do that. I don’t have to worry about reporting to school on sick days, or absences, and he doesn’t have to worry about “catching up” on work. We just roll with it, and we slide back into routine when we are ready.
So we have crafts, cooking, gardening, watching nature and adventure programmes and some tv series planned, some walks and visits to places we like with some academic work in the mix as we go.
Diamond painting and loom bands are a firm favourite right now, but he also loves painting, drawing and other crafts too. I have also taught him how to knit, which is a great focus activity, that he enjoys. He is currently knitting a very long and colourful scarf.
He’s hoping this week or next to ease back into exercise. He has a ballet show at the end of June, that he has rehearsals and practice for, so he’s keen to be back to normal.
We have some plans for maths, science, French and history. He also has his regular singing lesson, art class, violin lesson and maths tutor time.
So, we should be able to manage our week. We like to rise to a challenge.
That’s our homeschool week. Here’s to being allowed back to normal.
Looking after mental health and wellbeing is just as important as academic learning. I hope your boy is feeling better soon. It sounds like you have a great week planned still with lots of learning, just not in an academic way. x