Embracing the Clean Slate

 

Here it comes.

It’s August and for those of us who look forward to newness and a fresh start, we’re almost upon it.

As I write this, my family is wrapping up our summer learning and tying up loose ends in preparation for a month of travel.  The kids and I will take off to visit family while my hubby stays here at work (poor guy).  We’ll visit friends and family out east, I’ll sneak away for some planning time, and the kids will be able to let those little brain cells recharge.  I need this month as much as they do.  I’ll assess our year and really figure out what worked and what didn’t.  I’ll probably have some twinges of guilt for the things we didn’t do, but I’ll also celebrate all that we shared and experienced together.

And then I’ll wipe the slate clean and we’ll start again.

Each new year brings new challenges and opportunities.  Our expectations at the beginning often have to yield to reality and all that being a family in this crazy world entails, but I don’t let that deter me from dreaming.  That’s what the “between” is for.  In the summer I love making goals and planning for all of the amazing things we’ll do in the coming year.  Things look sparkly and bright on this side of things, when one year is done and the next hasn’t yet begun.  I am an eternal optimist, grabbing hold of the possibilities and marinating in all of the visions I have for my family.

How to embrace the clean slate

• Have a “Family Favorites” discussion– What was everyone’s favorite trip, subject, read aloud, science experiment, historical figure, or documentary?  Reminisce and enjoy hearing from each child’s perspective.
• Dream together- With those fun things still in mind, ask what each child would like to get the chance to do or learn about in the coming year.  Have them think of three things, so that you can at least schedule in one of them.  The children will feel a connection to the start of the year if their input is valued.
• Forgive yourself for your shortcomings- Did you really want to rein in your computer time on weekdays and it simply didn’t happen?  Did you end up having two fast food meals per week instead of your allotted one?  Weekly nature walks didn’t exactly happen as planned?  Your almost fourth grader still doesn’t know her basic times tables?  Now’s the time to exhale and let it go if you haven’t already.  Really.  Oh, and forgive the children for theirs as well.
• Assess your goals for each child as well as their needs, learning style, strengths, and weaknesses- Make lists, write a narrative in your journal, or even write a letter to each child expressing your pride in what they accomplished and your hopes for the next year.
• Get new notebooks or planners- I’m all about new notebooks.  I use simple spiral bound notebooks for planning, but you might like all of those sparkly and shiny, full-of-detail teacher’s planners instead.  Don’t underestimate the power of a simple fresh clean page to jump-start your enthusiasm.
• Dust off the shelves and restock- Get rid of the books you will not be using and store them elsewhere.  Clean and restock your schoolroom or bookshelves and make it a family affair complete with snacks, fun music, and silly challenges (“First person to find Little Women gets five M-&-M’s!”)
• Plan a tradition to start the year, if you haven’t already- We always begin our year with a breakfast out at Bob Evans restaurant and a special family project or game day.  There will be plenty of time for the hard stuff come Tuesday.  *wink*
• Pray with your children for the new schoolyear.  Invite the Lord into your beginning, middle and end.

While each year looks similar in many ways, especially for the mom or dad who’s been homeschooling for a long time, freshening things up and engaging in a bit of mental spring cleaning will go a long way toward making the start of your year a success.

 

I know you’ll make it a great one!

 

Original image by juggernautco on Flickr.