Is your child a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner? Each child’s personality is specific and special in their own way, just like their passions. In fact, as a parent, you believe each of your children are special. Now let’s imagine that you homeschool your preteen all year long and then plan out their summer with lots of activities – which is not a bad thing. However, the majority of their year is managed or controlled by an adult. Again, structure is not a bad thing, but a little flexibility can go a long way. This summer you can use homeschooling to help discover your child’s passion, or you can use the summer months to grow their passion in a specific subject. Below we discuss the benefits to both.
Let your child choose a “non-school” subject to explore
Start the summer by letting your youngster choose a subject they want to learn more about. Cooking, nature, film-making, etc. The possibilities are endless but you will find the excitement is motivating. Some kids love reading books. In this case you can encourage them to explore new authors or new genres. Maybe they want to try their hand at a new sport. Using the summer months to grow your children’s interests can make for a very rewarding summer.
Get Creative
There isn’t just one way to buy or read a book. Take a trip to explore new libraries or start a book club. Reading with friends can be a productive yet social event. There isn’t just one type of cooking. You can buy a cookbook and let your child cook their way through the cookbook throughout the summer. There are many ways to discover and cultivate a youthful passion.
Relax but Schedule
Summer should be relaxing. If you or your children feel pressured or stressed then you may consider revising your schedule. While your schooling methods can be in a relaxed format, we do suggest having some kind of format. This refers to “focused time”, to ensure your child is absorbing everything they are learning. Focused time can be used in the mornings, or in the evenings, or both. You can shuffle what your child does during the day or throughout the day but having some structured time will ensure that they are utilizing their time wisely.
Enjoy the Lazy Days
Every summer should include some lazy days. Everyone needs a change of habit and summer is usually that time. This is why we suggest (detailed above) having a relaxed schedule in collaboration with some focused time. Don’t forget to make room for beach trips or camping. Some days maybe even just focus on making memories. Either way have a great summer!