Or is it how to survive moving while homeschooling? Can you do both or does one have to suffer to get things done?
We’ve been moving houses over here for the past few weeks, and man do I need a nap! I kind of feel like moving is like childbirth. It’s scary and hard and a lot of work, but eventually you gloss it over and it doesn’t seem so bad. Then the next time comes around and you’re reminded how tough it really is.
Every homeschooling parent will reach a time when there’s a big disruption to their schedule. It doesn’t have to be moving. It could be anything from illness to having a baby to weather events like hurricanes or snowstorms. When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston a few years ago, our homeschool grinded to a halt for weeks.
The thing is, with scheduled events like moving, you can plan ahead to make sure things run smoothly. Okay, maybe not smoothly, but they can keep running.
Keep reading for some tips for homeschooling while moving.
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Homeschooling While Moving
1. Start Early
If you know you’re going to move, start making some schedule changes way in advance. This could mean doing a little more weeks before the move.
If you’re trying to stay on schedule, do a little extra each day to compensate for the delays that will inevitably happen during the move.
For us, I decided to not take a spring break because I knew there would be one to two weeks of little to no school during the move and another week of the kids wanting to explore their new house and neighborhood.
Because of Covid, spring break wouldn’t have been the same anyway, so working through it helped me feel more okay about the disruptions in our homeschool during the move.
If you don’t want to add more to the days leading up to the move or work through a holiday, you can always keep schooling into the summer to make up for missed time.
Flexibility is one of the major perks of homeschooling!
2. Pair Things Down
You don’t need to do everything you do during normal school days when you’re busy moving.
Before our official break when I was busy boxing up our house, I moved most of the kids’ work to online programs like Math Prodigy and Reading Eggs, which is fun as well as educational.
I also loaded my daughter’s Kindle with books, and I downloaded a ton of audiobooks on my OverDrive library app.
During our many, many car rides, the kids and I also listened to a ton of our favorite podcasts, which not only taught us a lot but also made the constant trips back and forth more entertaining.
Being able to switch things from our usual work that is very dependent on me being there to guide and explain to more independent work made a huge difference. The kids were still learning while I packed.
Pssst! For more info on my favorite online programs for homeschoolers, check out this post. To read more about the OverDrive app and other free library resources, read this!
3. Stick to the Basics
Before the movers came and our structured routine came to a full stop, we did half days of the three R’s so I could have the afternoons to pack and deal with the massive to do list that comes with moving.
We would spend the mornings with (mostly online) math, language arts, and reading then call it a day.
This shortened schedule helped the kids be really productive and allowed me to not stress (that much!) knowing the important things were covered that day.
4. Be Realistic
Whether we like it or not, the bulk of moving tends to fall on the shoulders of us, the moms.
Between keeping everyone fed, dressed, and clean, and dealing with the stresses of moving, homeschool moms also have to worry about making sure everyone is staying on track with schoolwork.
That’s a lot!
The truth is, kids are always learning. Life will happen and there will be times when homeschooling will have to be adjusted or paused.
Even though moving feels like forever, it really only disrupts your schedule for a few weeks. During that time, you really don’t need to do everything.
Do the best you can and don’t worry about getting behind. If you’re able to stick to your schedule, great! If you’re getting overwhelmed, take care of your wellbeing first.
Have you moved while homeschooling? What are some of the things that kept you sane? Share your tips in the comments section!
