A THRIVING HOMESCHOOL VS. HOMESCHOOLING IN A PANDEMIC

Hosts DeeDee and Ximena want to say "well done" to all of the podcast listeners. This has not been an easy year and a half for any of us. As a listener, you care about your kids. You've tried your absolute best and you're still trying. They know you love your children and no matter how hard the school year was, you did your best! This episode is to debrief some of the tough parts of the school year and give you hope that it will get better! Homeschooling during a pandemic was hard even for seasoned homeschoolers.  ★★★ LISTENER COUPON CODE Request your coupon code to use on any purchase at bookshark.com. TIMESTAMPS 04:09 A lot of new homeschool families can't wait to put their kids back in school!  04:32 Zoom detention is a thing. 🙄 05:41 Contrary to myth, families who homeschooled before the pandemic didn't have an easy time with lockdowns, closures, and social distancing.  07:42 The precious gift of community as a homeschooler.  11:04 Ask yourself these questions to evaluate if homeschooling will be better for you after the pandemic. Question 1: How was my life before homeschooling? And how did homeschooling make it better? What lessons did you learn by slowing down and having your kids at home?  11:58 For the challenges you faced, were they actual homeschool problems or were they pandemic problems that you would have faced anyway? 12:27 Ask "How has the pandemic impacted me emotionally and psychologically?" 14:31 Train your brain with habits that eliminate the need for willpower. 15:08 The comfort of routines and structure. 16:35 Find a community! 19:42 The pandemic taught Ximena to relax a bit more in her homeschool, to play more games and flex more. 21:31 Creating an atmosphere with candles, music, etc. Taking brain breaks with physical activity. SPECIAL SEGMENTS Hack of the Week — making your home the teen hangout A Memorable Quote —"For the strength of the pack is the wolf. And the strength of the wolf is the pack" by Rudyard Kipling. Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com.