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For many South African parents, keeping the kids up to date with school work has proven a considerable challenge, but for one Parent24 reader, it has been anything but.
In a letter to Parent24, the local mom describes the experience of homeschooling her three children as "highly rewarding and surprisingly enjoyable."
Just a few steps away from making their situation a permanent one, the homeschooling mom says her kids couldn't be happier.
Read her letter below:
- OPINION: Are you a home-schooling parent?
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I am a work from home mom of three children in Grade 2, Grade 4, and Grade 9.
I found this forced lockdown school highly rewarding and surprisingly enjoyable.
We have decided to pull them out of school and start homeschooling as soon as my little school for three is registered with the Department of Education in my province.
The kids are very keen to do this and have told me they won't miss the school environment, teachers and peers, even though they were very happy going to school prior to the lockdown.
They enjoy waking up a little later and starting schoolwork at 9:00-9:30, after doing light chores at home.
I have classical music playing in the background, and there are very few distractions.
The kids are happy to get on with the work.
We get through all the work sent by the teachers plus a bit extra that I give them by 12:30.
This is when I'll make them a fresh home-cooked lunch which they help me make and clean up after.
It's a calm, chilled atmosphere where I don't push for them to finish in a certain amount of time, yet all the work gets done happily.
When lockdown is over, I will make them choose a team sport, and we will join a club where they will be able to exercise and socialize.
We won't allow them to lose touch with their peers from school as that wouldn't be fair just to uproot them.
It's also an attitude in which the schooling from home is approached.
I was excited to do this for my kids, and things were a bit shaky for the first week or so, but then we settled in a rhythm, and it's going rather smoothly.
I think it's also important the kids know that during "school time" I am not mom, but their teacher and they need to treat and respect me as if I am the teacher.
As soon as "school time" is over, I am mom again. It's worked out very well for us.
On the other side of the coin, I have friends that can't wait to send their kids back to school.
They have hated this time trying to get their kids to do the work sent by the teachers.
Some of us are born to teach young humans, some aren't, and I get that.
I have been loving this experience, and am very excited to start their homeschooling experience.
Warm regards,
Excited-to-homeschool mom of three
Is homeschooling your kids a doable option for you?
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