A Homeschool Snow Day
Snow is a special thing for us who live in the South. We don’t see it often. When it comes, we have to hold our breath to keep it from melting away!
Yesterday morning we woke up to the promise of flurries for the day. Many children hopped on their school bus and headed to school. We settled down around our table, and I opened the blinds to catch the moment when we would see snow…for possibly the only time this year.
We started seeing the flurries early, and my students were motivated to get their schoolwork completed. By 10:30 the snow was actually sticking, and I declared it was time for recess! We all bundled up and hurried outside to catch the snow before it melted.
I was already thinking about this post. Most of the other children in our neighborhood were stuck in a classroom. They would probably not have an opportunity to embrace the snow. I felt so blessed to be able to share this moment with my children.
The snow kept coming. Wasn’t it supposed to stop? We came inside and finished up a bit of schoolwork as we warmed up. So interesting that our science was a review of a Weather Unit about forecasting.
The curriculum actually had this question for students to answer:
With enough information, anyone can predict the weather accurately. True or False?
We learned as the day progressed that this was definitely a false statement. Our world cannot be controlled, and it is often inconsistent…definitely wild. By that afternoon, we were trying to help neighbors and friends get home. The snow was no longer something to enjoy. It had become a thing to conquer and endure.
This morning we sit and look out our window at the ice covered road and the snow covered ground. The sun is shining. Our family and friends found safety even if it meant sleeping at an office or walking miles to a shelter.
School children are enjoying the day off from schoolwork…whether at home or at a friend’s house or still stuck at school. My children are sitting at the table.
Homeschooling doesn’t stop. It endures the wildness of the world. It embraces the untamed moments of life.
Whether it is a snowstorm, cancer, death, or divorce, homeschooling continues. Whether it is academic studies or not, it is learning and growing through the unexpected and even the unwanted.
I am thankful that my children were not only able to enjoy the abundant snow, but that they were also able to sleep in their own beds with both of their parents safely at home. They have already attempted to build a snowman this morning, and we will see if warmer temperatures will make the snow a little stickier for afternoon snowball fights and silly-looking snowmen.
Hopefully, they will learn that when snowstorms hit their lives, they can endure and embrace the moments. They can work hard to get through the struggle, and they can find a way to enjoy the untamed moment.
An unexpected snowstorm is homeschooling.
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Disclosure: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.