New Daily Rhythms with School Year
Dear readers,
Until 2020, I don’t think I realized how many different ways there are to do school or learn. Public, private, or homeschooling were probably the extent to how I would have described school options. Of course, there are many different types of private schools, but the homeschooling options are what I really knew little about until the last 18 months.
Many families are navigating how to best engage in education and the variety of ways that can look have certainly expanded. As we all embark on a new school year— I’d like to follow the wisdom of my son’s t-shirt—- “Let’s Root for Each Other.”
Image Description: Let’s Root for Each Other! on t-shirt
Finding our paths
These decisions are not simple and figuring out what works best for children and their kin is a process and quite likely one that stays in process, especially during this time.
So whether you are doing school online, in person, at a public school, private school, charter school, homeschool or you are unschooling, deschooling, lifeschooling, or any other variation— I wish you great success, comfort in becoming more flexible, compassion for navigating unfamiliar experiences, courage to unlearn the things that are making learning more difficult, and a healthy dose of curiosity to figure out what works best at this moment, for everyone.
We may be on different roads but likely we have similar dreams for the children— to be kind, compassionate, love learning, discover their gifts, and be able to put those to use in the way as they grow that give their lives meaning and purpose. What is required in this moment to foster that? How can we look out for each other to facilitate a love of learning and appreciation for multiple paths?
As caregivers, educators, and kin of school age people— we may need to check in with each other a little more, give grace, notice when someone needs rest and how we can facilitate that and adjust our actions to help one another feel safe as a foundation to having the focus and energy needed to learn. It will be a process to recognize and honor what is needed each day and when we keep our why in the center, it can serve as an anchor to determine our next best steps.
Know this— I’m rooting for us all— whether we are on the same roads or different paths to education.
A pause to notice daily rhythm shifts as the seasons begin to shift
How are you all spending these late summer days? We are soaking up every last day of summer we can with trips to the beach— the sun is still warm during the day but the slightly cooler mornings and evenings, earlier sunsets, and increase in seaweed offer clues that autumn is around the corner. For now, we will enjoy the sunshine and warm sand until the leaves begin to turn color and remind us it is time to let some things go. The weather changes in Minnesota feel a bit like the soundtrack in a movie, offering clues that a transition is about to occur.
A few closing questions to reflect on changing routines with changing seasons
How are your daily rhythms shifting with autumn nearing?
How do they differ or how similar are they to years past?
Have you identified any routines that no longer work and left them in the past?
Whether school years directly or indirectly influence your schedules— what shifts to your routine do you look forward to with the change of the seasons?
