Kristy Cammell Noticing seasons…
Have you noticed the seasons of homeschooling yet?
I’m not talking the usual four – although those definitely factor in – I’m talking about the way that different seasons of life affect the way you homeschool.
There’s the “go get ‘em” seasons where you jump on in and somehow have the oomph to do all. the. things. And actually feel energised!
There’s the figuring-it-out seasons where you’re deciphering what your options are, trying to work out what suits your family best, and giving things a go to see what happens.
There’s the weary seasons. Often very winter-like, when curling up on a couch by a warm fire and doing very little is all you feel like. Whether you act on that, or not.
There’s the outgoing seasons, where you feel like you’re out more than you’re home. There are seasons where that just works beautifully! (And there are seasons where you might feel like you’re being dragged along behind a galloping horse!)
There’s the challenging seasons, the ones where no matter which way you turn, it’s one thing after another. Illness, perhaps. Or ongoing appointments. Family situations beyond your control, the effects of pandemic uncertainty, or the need to support others for a stretching season.
There’s the slow seasons. Where things just seem to be taking their time, including you, and your kids, and any kind of perceived productivity. I like to think of these as seasons of deepening roots.
There’s the school seasons. For some families there are seasons that involve some or all children attending school. It may not be a one size fits all, and it’s certainly not ever an easy decision. But it’s an entirely valid one, for all sorts of reasons.
There’s the drudgery seasons. Where you’re going through the motions but not really feeling it. Where you know this is best and right for your family, but it feels like the less “fun” version somehow.
There’s the fun-but-crazy seasons, where life seems to fly by and you’re not even sure which way is up any more… but you know it’s worth every minute of it.
And there’s the seasons that seem like a mixture of them all, across the course of a single day, or week!
Wherever you find yourself right now, remember that you are in a season.
It won’t last forever.
So allow yourself the grace to be all there. Be all in. Enjoy the gifts that each type of season brings.
Because believe me: even when it doesn’t feel like it, there’s always something.
Different seasons also bring with them different challenges. There will be some seasons in which you feel like the bookwork (if you do any) is getting overlooked. And others when you feel like you’re nailing it. Still others when you discover you’re barking up the wrong tree and need to change up what you’re doing, and others when you feel like you’ve got a settled rhythm that just “clicks.”
Recognising which season you’re in, and allowing the grace you and your family need to enjoy it, is a huge part of measuring what’s “enough” at any given time. It can also give you the tools to see what needs to change, and what you need to spend time focusing on, in order to help your family enter a different type of season, when you’re ready.
The thing is, in the end? These seasons all have a way of balancing each other out.
The “enough” in one season can be quite different from the “enough” in another season.
And that, my friend, is absolutely ok!
You ARE doing enough.
Because you’re doing enough for the season that you’re in.
And if you feel like you need to do more, I can guarantee you that, in time, you will. Because that’s the pendulum swing of this thing called homeschooling. That’s simply how it works. Because that’s how life works. And this is how you cultivate a homeschool headspace that recognises that all of life, is learning.
Remember too, that you’re not alone. We’re all in this, together! And if there’s any way I can help, or offer you further support, head over to our Contact section to get in touch.
Keep being awesome!
Kristy x
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Do you need the listening ear of someone who is a homeschooler at heart who also comes with an educational background? Someone who understands the comparison culture yet has a solid grasp of the bigger picture when it comes to the different ages and stages of your child? I’d love to support you as you wrap your head around how to measure what “enough” looks like for you. Head to my Contact section to ask about my fee structure and book your video consultation.
