In these days of weirdness when we find ourselves doing all kinds of things we never imagined we would for the sake of the health of our neighbours, many of us find ourselves now having to consider what it looks like to educate our kids at home. As a homeschool mom who has attempted to do this for some 16 years now, I would like to dispel some myths, relieve some anxieties, and set some priorities for moms and dads who are wading into these waters for the first time.

1. Take the pressure off yourself and stop calling these few weeks (or months, as it may become) homeschooling. There is something terrifying about that word that implies wearing denim jumpers, learning Latin, and memorizing the czars of Russia. None of us enjoy that pressure or expectation, so let’s drop those thoughts. Let’s just call it “extended parenting.” Enjoy family time together by reading, playing board games, watching educational videos (or just really good movies), eating meals at the dining room table together, and basically enjoying one another’s company. This time is a gift. For real. Let’s not waste or begrudge this forced family time.
   
   
2. Remember that this is really a blip in the big picture of your kids’ educational career. It could be 3 weeks. It could be until the end of this school year. We don’t know. What we do know is that every year of school builds review upon review and that there is always time to learn and relearn. This does not mean that we ought to waste this time and be negligent. But it also frees us from thinking that we are going to wreck our kids and they will be behind for life if we don’t “do school” correctly. Breathe and relax: You cannot ruin your children’s education in this short stint at home.
   
   
3. When considering how to fill their days, take this time to remind yourself of your lifelong goals for your children. Is it actually your primary goal for them to get a diploma? I am not trying to be snarky. I am asking a question that I need to ask myself every year as we reconsider the educational path for our kids. What do I REALLY want for my kids? What kind of person do I hope they become? How can I help them reach that goal? We want them to have a job that can provide for themselves and maybe a family someday. We want them to be productive and contributing members of society. We want them to be kind and generous and thoughtful and others-oriented. Yes, of course being well-educated will have much to do with the goals we have for them. But think about your kids as individuals for a moment. What does “well-educated” mean for each of them? Which leads us to point 4.
   
   
4. Your kids are not cookie-cutter images of every other child in the school system. One of my core reasons for homeschooling is the ability to individualize education for each of my kids. Your kids and mine all have specific gifts, skills, interests, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses that should shape the goals we have for them and for their education. Take time with them on this forced at-home season to discuss what those gifts and interests and weaknesses are. What do they see as skills they want to develop? What weaknesses do they have that make learning ‘like everyone else’ hard for them? Take those conversations into consideration and then search out online courses or webinars or books that meet those needs and aspirations.
   
   
5. Remember that one massive goal of education is (supposed to be?) to increase our kids’ curiosity about the world, their worship and awe of the God who made it all, their love of learning, and their desire to be a part of what the Lord is doing in his world. We sum this up by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbour as yourself.” If your kids are bored with learning or feel like all of it is just filling in blanks and checking off lists and memorizing useless facts, then use this time to spark their interest and curiosity in learning again. Why do we learn this stuff? What do we do with it all? How do we use it? Our schooling ought to help us to see God more clearly. Our schooling ought to help us to love people and serve them more genuinely.  I know, I know: the curriculum has a pace and a trajectory and none of us want to increase gaps in learning. Whenever our kids get back to the classroom, they best not be so far behind that they can’t catch up. I get that. But I ASSURE you that fueling a love of learning and a curiosity for content and an others-centered purpose for study will allow them to catch up and fill any content gap that might develop over these days at home. Think about your schooling and your current learning abilities. What do you remember from elementary school? From high school? What do you exert effort into learning now? Our brains absorb new content so much more easily when we love the topic and when we love the practical reason for that learning. Ask your kids what they are interested in learning. Ask them why they want to learn it and how they can use it. Get them excited about it and then focus on that for the next few weeks.
   
   
6. Last and most importantly, let’s get back to loving the Lord: make the focus of this time at home Christ-centered. If all your kids did over these next few weeks was learn to pray and read the Bible and sing praises and serve the Lord, they would be miles ahead in all the things that matter most. On the last day, the Lord will not judge parents on their kids’ GPAs. Our KIDS won’t even be judged on their GPAs. Or their Kiwanis festival marks. Or their sports stats. Or their popularity and social circles. Or their art portfolio. Or their science fair project. Or their prom dress. Or any of the very good things that come out of schooling (whether home, public, or private) that can become god things if we aren’t careful. Spend time with your kids discussing their spiritual health. Be open and honest about yours too. Read the Bible together. Begin your day with prayer. End your day with prayer. Listen to a sermon together. Assign a good book of theology to your older kids. Of course, out of that they can do literacy journals and book reports and essays, but also make sure they just talk to you about it and are moved by it. Encourage them to ask you questions and if you don’t know the answers, tell them so and then find them together. For the littles in your house, snuggle and read Bible stories that point to Jesus in every book of the Bible. It will be their best textbook for their entire lives! Christ Jesus will be their greatest teacher for their entire lives. Let’s ALL come to love Him more in these curious days.

If you were looking for curriculum recommendations or educational apps and tips on how to spend your days in this post, I apologize. Over the coming days I, along with some other moms who have homeschooled for years will give you those too. But all of it is for nothing if we don’t ground the education and care of our kids in these foundational bits first. In education as in all things, let us pursue the mind of Christ and ask for wisdom to know how to apply it rightly. Let us be open-handed with all the details of our lives because, clearly, the Lord can shake it all out in a blink of an eye. Let us seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and then make decisions that are kingdom-oriented and find that he relieves our anxiety in these days (Matthew 6:33-34). Let’s get in yoke with the Lord and not try to carry all of this on our own. Let’s learn from him for he is gentle and lowly of heart. And we will find rest for our souls in him. For his yoke is easy and his burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)