Seton Magazine Catholic Homeschool Articles, Advice & Resources
The month of December is a difficult time for many homeschooling families. As we homeschooling families approach Christmas, it is not easy to keep the children attentive to their studies. The children are so excited about the upcoming Christmas holiday, they cannot stop thinking about the adventure of decorating the tree and making the Advent Wreath.
They think about unwrapping the Nativity statues, decorating the rooms, buying and receiving gifts, and having grandparents and others visit! It is almost an overwhelming excitement for the children and keeps them from full attention to their home schooling studies during the weeks of December.
You might consider having a discussion about the calendar, showing the children the December calendar, pointing out the days of December leading up to Christmas.
In order to keep the children attentive to their studies in the next three weeks, consider making a very large calendar.
Include on the calendar specific homeschooling assignments that need to be done each day, even the amount of time that needs to be spent on the homeschooling. Include on the calendar the specific Christmas preparation events to be done each day when they have finished their day’s schooling assignments.
Even in this first week of December, as they finish each day’s assignments, and on the weekend, in this first week of Advent, the children can gather around and help make items to be included on the Advent wreath.
Think about all the little events the children love and get excited about and schedule them on the calendar in the afternoons and on weekends.
It helps the children to understand and to learn about how to control their emotions and desires, how to accomplish their duties and still have the pleasure of Christmas preparations.
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