A bored brain is a brain that is not learning. If you have read or studied anything while you were bored, you know from experience that a bored brain has trouble creating short-term memories. With a bored brain, maybe you have read a chapter or two in a textbook but later had no idea what you have actually read.
For some homeschooling families, boredom can be a dark cloud that hangs over your good intentions. It is possible that this boredom is not just limited to the children but also to the parent(s) who are coordinating the homeschool efforts. While one might think that boredom sets in only for those who are using a very rigid homeschool method such as "school at home," it takes only a quick internet search to see that even the most unrestricted "unschooling" family can have moments of boredom.
One of the unique advantages of homeschooling is the ability to get up and change course. When you can feel boredom coming on, try one of these refreshers.
Take a Trip
Homeschooling does not mean you have to be always at home. Regular trips to the local library should already be on your weekly schedule. Why not go to the zoo, see a movie, drive to another state? Where can you go that will create new memories and stretch you outside of your comfort zone?
If you have contacts in other locations, why not arrange a day or overnight trip to see how and what others are learning? Let the children in the new home be the "presenters" to show off how they experience homeschooling. Later, you and your children could be the host to the family that first hosted you.
Create Things.
"Creating" takes planning, reading and math skills. This is not a break from homeschooling. Rather, it is the very essence of homeschooling.
Bake something that you have never baked before. Create a giant-sized mural on a roll of paper. Build a sculpture from recycled trash. Take some family time to plan a new color scheme for a room in your house and then paint the room. Create a garden in a container if space is limited or go plant a big garden in your backyard. Help your children turn a chapter of a good book into a piece of theater that they perform.
Go Volunteer
Volunteering for any charity or non-profit is a great way for you and your children to experience a wider view of the world. In most organizations, you can easily arrange to volunteer as a family group. Businesses do this all the time- sending groups of 8-10 people to one location for volunteer work. Take some time and have your children research various charities in your area then make a family choice as to which group gets your weekly volunteer hours.
Fighting boredom can be very easy when you are homeschooling. Yes, it takes time and energy. None of us began homeschooling because we thought it would be easy. Get moving and creative!
Explore New Curriculum
For those days when you are more academically inclined, find some good ideas for homeschool lesson plans at http://www.homeschooltheater.com/
Bust some homeschool boredom today!
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Sean Buvala, father of four homeschooled children aged teen-adult, writes frequently about educational and parenting topics. Come learn more about his book for dads at http://www.daddyteller.com/.
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