There are kids in our park! Surviving the summer as a homeschooler.

Why do home schoolers need a guide to surviving the summer, I hear you ask, your children are always at home why is the summer any different?
Well simply because other children are around. Most homeschoolers I know have a sense of dread at this time of year, knowing for the next 6 weeks any semblance of our normal routine is impossible.

Homeschoolers summer moans:
The parks and playgrounds where we spend our afternoons lazing around are full of children. There is no sitting down and watching the toddler from a distance anymore. We need to follow him around in order to see him and make sure he takes turns.
The libraries where we idle away our rainy days curled up on beanbags reading, are full of such ear-splitting din that it is difficult to think never mind read.
Museums, which we happily potter around for hours on end, are suddenly so full it is impossible to see anything.
Friends who haven’t even phoned all school term suddenly seem to have moved in and everywhere you go in your house you trip over children.
Also if you adopt a formal approach to home schooling it is difficult to persuade you children that they should be working when they can hear children playing outside.

How to cope: major tip is to try to view the mass of children as an ‘educational resource’ rather than an encumbrance.

Parks and playgrounds: Could you change your favourite one for one slightly quieter? Where I live we have two local parks, one is on the sea front and people drive over from several miles around to visit it, so it is always packed. The other is a local one in a housing estate, used by local children; this becomes our regular haunt in summer.
If your children don’t know many local children (home schoolers friends are often spread over a relatively large area) hanging out in the local park over the summer is an excellent way to let them make local friends.

Libraries and museums: They often lay on special events and activities for children over the summer, these are well worth finding out and getting involved in. As well as entertaining the children at the time they also provide an excellent opportunity to meet and chat to people such as the local Children’s librarian and museum curators and educational co-ordinators. Mention you are home schooling and they are often keen to help by running sessions at the libraries and museums for home schooling groups.

Friends: Make the most of opportunities to catch up with schooled friends. You are pleased to see them really and your children certainly will be.
Take advantage of the extra children cluttering up your house to do activities that are difficult with only one or two children; help the children put on plays, play cricket or baseball, have a mini Olympics etc.

‘School work’: Does it matter if you let things slide a bit really? Perhaps you could change the time you sit down to work so everyone is finished early. We are often sitting at the table at 7am.

And of course, don’t forget to plan your back to school picnic. The day the schools go back gather your home schooling friends, a yummy picnic and take yourselves down to the beach, park or other favourite hang out, kick back and enjoy the peace.