Starting School at Home in Light of the Coronavirus {plus tips, resources}

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By Susan Platt from The Modern Mayflower blog

School at home?

As you know, fears over spreading the novel virus are forcing cancelled classes and school closings. Many are opting for an online or school at home model during this uncertain time.

If you’re reading this, you’re likely wondering how to make a smooth transition to schooling at home.

[Guest post by Susan Platt and myself because we want you to thrive despite these challenges!]

I remember when we began school at home many years ago, and I had so many fears, many unnamed, but some very obvious concerns.

I remember two young people sitting at my kitchen table many years ago, both with tears in their eyes. One was me and the other my oldest child who was five years old at the time. “I will never learn to read,” he cried. “He’s right,” I thought. “If he’s counting on me he is never going to learn to read.”

You see, that’s what fear of the unknown does.

Fear makes you doubt your own judgment and everything around you.

Fear is a liar.

That is a fact.

Fear does not equip you to tackle the task at hand.

Fear whispers all the worst cases, probably never going to happen scenarios right into your ears until it consumes your thought life.

Evict it.

Immediately.

Do not rent out space in your mind and heart to it, not for the Coronavirus, the economy, the homeschooling factor, or anything else.

You were not designed to live in fear.

My humble advice:

Be careful about how much media and mayhem you consume.

You see every person, entity, or media platform in existence that shares information with you has their own views and presents that information through a particular lens.

This includes me as well.

This newest virus, and the unprecedented publicity surrounding it, has us all in a pioneering kind of place.

People who have never had any inclination to homeschool are now without option as schools are closed nationwide and we are faced with the fact that our children will do school at home for the foreseeable future.

As a seasoned homeschooler who has been there and done that (that crying child graduated last year!) this seems like a beautiful opportunity to spread some calm and reassurance in these very uncertain times.

So I challenge myself (and you) to dispute is the mass hysteria, panicking and fear that is being consumed faster than the toilet paper.

Yes, we are living in uncertain times.

We already were – long before Covid-19.

So many things are not within our power to control.

However, there is a silver lining here!

There are so many other things that we do have a say-so in.

Do not forfeit your say-so.

We don’t get to choose what comes at us but we do get to choose our response to it.

If you find your children’s’ schools on hiatus until who knows when and your inner freak out alarm is ringing….just go ahead and hit the kill switch on that. 😉

I’m about to share some earth-shattering news with you.

You were already homeschooling.

If you are a parent, if you have children living in your home, YOU already school at home – you are a homeschooler!

Stay with me here…

Who taught your children to eat, sleep, talk, pray, tie their shoes?

You did.

You are the parent, the example.

You are, have always been, and for the better part of the future, you will be their primary teacher.

Academics are important…obviously.

But academics are not the sum total of raising children.

There is an opportunity here amongst the unknown.

You have the beautiful opportunity to create calm in this storm.
You are teaching your children how to handle what life throws at them.
You are teaching your children how to process, think and react when uncertainty comes their way, and it will again and again.
You are teaching them so much more than ABC’s, multiplication facts and even the periodic table.

All of these things, while they have their place, are secondary to the human being you are developing within your own 4 walls.

Opportunity, Friends.

Your children will be home whether it is convenient or not.

The circumstance is out of our control, the response is well within it.

Use this time wisely.

Imagine you just received a bonus check and you want to allocate each dollar where it will do the most and lasting good.

You have received a bonus.

You have been gifted some unexpected time with your children, and you get to decide what to do with it.

Let’s all use this time to reconnect, to communicate, to get to know each other better and at a new level.

Ask your children questions and listen to them. I have learned so many things about what is going on in the minds of my children just by asking and listening. You will find out who they are if you take the time to look in their eyes and have an open heart to hear and see the world through their young eyes.
Eat more meals together…around the table…everyone at the same time.
Learn something new together.
Read a few good books. (see my book lists below)
Watch what they watch.
Listen to what they listen to (when you can, of course). This gives you common ground, something to chat about and it ties another string that bonds.
Take this time to not just live together but to really LIVE together – in a new way.
Play some board games. Seriously. It’s character building for everyone:-)
Get them outside in your yard where possible to play! They need to have free play time!
Be resilient; kids are.

I do not underestimate the difficulties that this situation poses to many families.

The difficulties are here, they beg attention and must be dealt with.

[At the very end, Susan and I add the top 10 most important resource links to help you get up to speed FAST!]

I could give you a million ideas about academic things and how to create a “school at home.”

That is not where my heart lies.

Do what works for your family.

Most importantly:

Don’t forget to keep the main things as the main things.

Perspective is a beautiful thing, Friends.

Cheers to a new opportunity and Happy Schooling at Home!

Susan

I’m Susan, imperfect wife of Adam, mother of the 4 C’s and lover of Jesus! I’m always whispering the truths of God back into my own heart. Oh, how quickly perspective can become skewed! I am so thankful for the everlasting word of the Lover of my soul! I’m a girl learning to love to do what must be done, and trying to do it cheerfully!

Susan blogs over at The Modern Mayflower.

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” ~Matthew 11: 28-30

_________________________________________________________________

A World of School at Home Resources

Note: Since your child has been in a structured school environment, continue school at home with daily structure:

Just a few ideas of the most popular homeschooling styles are:

Montessori Style Homeschooling
Lifeschooling (one of my personal favorites)
Unit Studies
Charlotte Mason Homeschooling
Thomas Jefferson Education (TJEd)
Project-Based Learning
Unschooling
Relaxed Homeschooling
The Hess Un-Academy Method

Curriculum & Bookseller Catalog
What About Virtual Charter Schools?
Talking with Kids About Coronavirus {podcast}
Tips for Deschooling Your Child
A huge help and legal resource is the HSLDA
Homeschooling High School? It’s Not So Tough.
How to Homeschool in France
Tips & Advice for New Homeschooling Moms

Calming School at Home Ideas

My Top 45 Audiobooks For Families On The Go Or At Home

25 Foundational Hymns To Teach Your Children While Young
Deep Roots at Home wholesome book lists: fight back the culture, treasured old books, classic children’s, 60 Titles. Mysteries

These Are Not Wasted Years Dear Parent: A Few Words To You

Memorable Children’s Music for Cartime and Bedtime

Learning the Hymns: Teach Children Effortless Theology

The Ways we are Starving the Hearts of our Children

30 Ways Parents Can Guarantee Having To Support Their Kids Forever

Resources for Battling the Coronavirus & Staying Healthy

Starting School at Home in Light of the Coronavirus (plus tips, resources)

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Lee Ann Mancini

April 06, 2020 at 1:40 pm

Hello Jacqueline,

Thank you for your wonderful wisdom, and may God continue to bless others through your written words!

I am LeeAnnMancini.com and SeaKidsTv.com. It is my desire to equip parents, grandparents, teachers, and ministry leaders to help build a strong foundation in Jesus in children.

Can a Two-Year-Old Be Taught Biblical Truths?

by Lee Ann Mancini
It can be a challenge teaching a self-centered two-year-old concepts that are necessary for day to day life, such as learning to use the toilet, or not biting their brother or sister. Likewise, it can be hard to teach them biblical truths that cannot be tangibly grasped. However, God’s word instructs us to

“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7 NIV)
Lead your children
To impress God’s commandments on our children means we need to “mark, brand, mold, impact, influence, teach, love, lead, and disciple our children.”[1] God’s Word should leave a lifelong impression on their heart, soul, and mind. And also, to “bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you” (Proverbs 6:21-22).

As we understand what is commanded, the question remains can a two-year-old be taught biblical truths? How do you teach your child, and are your methods working?

Repetition
How can you teach your toddler to love Jesus with all his heart and mind? Should you wait until he is older? Why would you want to wait? Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me…” (Matthew 19:14) and, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15). Jesus is referencing infants and toddlers. The word “babies” is translated from the Greek word brephos and is applied to children as young as eight days after birth.[2]

Young children love repetition, and it is essential to repeat biblical words and phrases all day long. This will help your child to not only verbalize but also to one day understand the biblical application. It can be quite humorous to hear their version of what they heard. One day, my son called my daughter a “Florida idiot.” I was shocked and asked him why he would call her that. With tears in his eyes, he reminded me that I had called her a “Florida idiot.” It was then that I realized he was trying to say Floridian. Although he did not know what the word Floridian meant at that time, he did eventually. Just as your child may not fully comprehend biblical terms, one day they will.

Biblical truths
A good way to instill biblical truths in young children is to recite breath prayers and phrases. Breath prayers are prayers you can say within one exhale. Here are just a few examples:

God is good
Jesus loves me all the time
God gives me friends
Jesus is always there
God made the pretty flower
Thank you, Jesus, for taking care of me
Thank you, Jesus, for Mommy and Daddy
I love you, Jesus
I call these “the moments that matter for the master.” They can be used to indoctrinate God and his Son Jesus, into a child’s heart, soul, and mind, as you prepare the soil so the seeds can be planted into fertile ground. Understanding biblical truth is ultimately God’s job. “A God who has been encountered in a real and personal way is neither boring nor shallow. He’s real, relational, and relevant. When a child has a heart encounter and connection with Jesus, it changes them. It imprints onto their very foundation, and they are never the same.”[1]

Start early
Teaching biblical principles early will allow you to build a foundation that will reject the evils of modern society. The prophet Jeremiah understood that God appointed him before his birth (Jeremiah 1:4-5). The prophet Samuel “…grew up in the presence of the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:21). The man after God’s own heart, King David, acknowledged God from birth and declared his trust in God (Psalm Timothy knew the Scriptures from the time he was an infant (2 Timothy 3:15). The Lord was the anchor and hope for these amazing men’s souls (Hebrews 6:19). Your child needs a solid anchor; a solid foundation of truth. They need to learn that their anchor will help keep them safe from turbulent winds and storms in times of trouble and the evil onslaught of corrupt media. Don’t wait until it’s too late!

[1] Art Murphy, The Faith of a Child, A Step-by-Step Guide to Salvation for Your Child, 36.

[2] Dr. Shirley K. Morgenthaler, Right From the Start, 25.

[3] Melissa J. MacDonald, Missing, An Urgent Call For the Church to Rescue Kids, 71.

Comments

Lee Ann Mancini

April 06, 2020 at 1:40 pm

Hello Jacqueline,

Thank you for your wonderful wisdom, and may God continue to bless others through your written words!

I am LeeAnnMancini.com and SeaKidsTv.com. It is my desire to equip parents, grandparents, teachers, and ministry leaders to help build a strong foundation in Jesus in children.

Can a Two-Year-Old Be Taught Biblical Truths?

by Lee Ann Mancini
It can be a challenge teaching a self-centered two-year-old concepts that are necessary for day to day life, such as learning to use the toilet, or not biting their brother or sister. Likewise, it can be hard to teach them biblical truths that cannot be tangibly grasped. However, God’s word instructs us to

“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7 NIV)
Lead your children
To impress God’s commandments on our children means we need to “mark, brand, mold, impact, influence, teach, love, lead, and disciple our children.”[1] God’s Word should leave a lifelong impression on their heart, soul, and mind. And also, to “bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you” (Proverbs 6:21-22).

As we understand what is commanded, the question remains can a two-year-old be taught biblical truths? How do you teach your child, and are your methods working?

Repetition
How can you teach your toddler to love Jesus with all his heart and mind? Should you wait until he is older? Why would you want to wait? Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me…” (Matthew 19:14) and, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15). Jesus is referencing infants and toddlers. The word “babies” is translated from the Greek word brephos and is applied to children as young as eight days after birth.[2]

Young children love repetition, and it is essential to repeat biblical words and phrases all day long. This will help your child to not only verbalize but also to one day understand the biblical application. It can be quite humorous to hear their version of what they heard. One day, my son called my daughter a “Florida idiot.” I was shocked and asked him why he would call her that. With tears in his eyes, he reminded me that I had called her a “Florida idiot.” It was then that I realized he was trying to say Floridian. Although he did not know what the word Floridian meant at that time, he did eventually. Just as your child may not fully comprehend biblical terms, one day they will.

Biblical truths
A good way to instill biblical truths in young children is to recite breath prayers and phrases. Breath prayers are prayers you can say within one exhale. Here are just a few examples:

God is good
Jesus loves me all the time
God gives me friends
Jesus is always there
God made the pretty flower
Thank you, Jesus, for taking care of me
Thank you, Jesus, for Mommy and Daddy
I love you, Jesus
I call these “the moments that matter for the master.” They can be used to indoctrinate God and his Son Jesus, into a child’s heart, soul, and mind, as you prepare the soil so the seeds can be planted into fertile ground. Understanding biblical truth is ultimately God’s job. “A God who has been encountered in a real and personal way is neither boring nor shallow. He’s real, relational, and relevant. When a child has a heart encounter and connection with Jesus, it changes them. It imprints onto their very foundation, and they are never the same.”[1]

Start early
Teaching biblical principles early will allow you to build a foundation that will reject the evils of modern society. The prophet Jeremiah understood that God appointed him before his birth (Jeremiah 1:4-5). The prophet Samuel “…grew up in the presence of the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:21). The man after God’s own heart, King David, acknowledged God from birth and declared his trust in God (Psalm Timothy knew the Scriptures from the time he was an infant (2 Timothy 3:15). The Lord was the anchor and hope for these amazing men’s souls (Hebrews 6:19). Your child needs a solid anchor; a solid foundation of truth. They need to learn that their anchor will help keep them safe from turbulent winds and storms in times of trouble and the evil onslaught of corrupt media. Don’t wait until it’s too late!

[1] Art Murphy, The Faith of a Child, A Step-by-Step Guide to Salvation for Your Child, 36.

[2] Dr. Shirley K. Morgenthaler, Right From the Start, 25.

[3] Melissa J. MacDonald, Missing, An Urgent Call For the Church to Rescue Kids, 71.

Bob Bowdon

April 23, 2020 at 10:21 am

Jacqueline,
We’d like to chat with you about becoming a guest host of an upcoming video commentary, hosted by Choice Media:
http://ChoiceMedia.tv

Also, you may be interested in the program and podcast we released last night about a new hit piece on homeschooling, published by Harvard magazine:
https://youtu.be/L_tTJjF3tfk

Let’s talk!
— Bob Bowdon
Executive Director, Choice Media