{"id":1212,"date":"2014-12-02T22:46:20","date_gmt":"2014-12-03T05:46:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/?page_id=1212"},"modified":"2015-07-03T13:54:37","modified_gmt":"2015-07-03T19:54:37","slug":"need-a-homeschool-break","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/need-a-homeschool-break\/","title":{"rendered":"Need a Homeschool Break?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Puffer

Puffer Fish<\/p><\/div>\n

Question:<\/h4>\n

We need to keep going with homeschooling, but I sure am in need of a break? Have any ideas, short of stopping school?<\/p>\n

Answer:<\/h4>\n

Have you ever tried doing a “Favorite Subject Immersion Week”<\/strong>? It is really a fun break for everyone!<\/p>\n

Rules:<\/span><\/h5>\n

1-No math or workbooks<\/strong><\/p>\n

2-Everybody pick a topic of interest<\/strong> (no stressing over it, just pick one–there will be other opportunities). Mom, you choose your topic too! (you need to have some fun learning about something you are interested in, plus your example will set the standard of excellence for the presentations and show kids how to do this intensive research fun thing.)<\/p>\n

3-Buddy up.<\/strong> Depending on how your family is configured, Dad and older kids might have to pair up with younger. This if for the research phase.<\/p>\n

4-Monday: Go to the library with your buddy<\/strong> in tow. (Mom, you need a buddy only if you have a baby, so that your buddy can watch the baby while you find your stuff). In the library, you collect all the nonfiction books, all the picture books, all the fiction books, and all the documentary videos, entertainment movies, music CD’s computer programs, etc. you can find on your specific topic. This takes a few hours at the library, buddied up, each taking a turn to help the other.<\/p>\n

5-<\/strong>When you get home, brainstorm all the other ways to learn about this topic<\/strong>: neighbors, mentors, museums, field trips, foods, TV specials, etc.<\/p>\n

6-Tuesday through Thursday:<\/strong> everyone enjoys reading, looking at picture books, watching videos,<\/strong> etc. on their topic. The plan? To saturate yourself to the point of satiation. When you feel you have learned everything of interest on this topic, then,<\/p>\n

7-Friday: do your presentation<\/strong> to share your enthusiasm of the subject in any way you choose: song, needlework, woodwork, artwork, dance, a little notebook with diagrams and drawings, a nature walk, written report, poster, experiment demonstration, etc. It is a celebration of all the interesting things you learned!<\/p>\n

So, for example, if I chose “Fish” for my topic, I would get nonfiction books on fish, picture books, look in the encyclopedia, get a documentary on The Ocean, get Mr. Limpet (funny Don Knotts movie about a fish), get the book Call It Courage (great children’s fiction on a boy who conquers his fear of the sea) or Moby Dick or something, get a music CD on water sounds, visit someplace that has a big aquarium (local Chinese restaurant), look up fish on an internet search, etc. On Friday, I will show my labeled drawings of fish, and give a little oral report on the fish I chose to report on: the puffer fish. I have a toy puffer fish, so I’d pass that around and tell the story I read of a guy who was showing off for his girlfriend by grabbing a puffer fish while they were snorkeling. (The puffer fish bit off his little finger. That ended the showing off!) Then we’d all play a card game of “fish”\u2014the one with realistic fish cards while eating goldfish crackers.<\/p>\n

You get the idea.\u00a0<\/em>It gives you a break, and energizes home school reminding everyone how fun it is to learn!<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

May I recommend:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\"Abigail_teeth\"
\nToo Tired!
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\"easyexercise\"
\nEasy Exercise
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\"110669\"
\nAnimated Hero Classics: William Bradford
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: We need to keep going with homeschooling, but I sure am in need of a break? Have any ideas, short of stopping school? Answer: Have you ever tried doing a “Favorite Subject Immersion Week”? It is really a fun break for everyone! Rules: 1-No math or workbooks 2-Everybody pick a topic of interest (no […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[140,143],"class_list":["post-1212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-homeschool","category-homeschooling-moms-sanity","tag-homeschool-burnout","tag-tiredness","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/puffer-fish-573810_1280.jpg?fit=1280%2C851&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6IrRN-jy","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1114,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/having-a-bad-homeschool-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":1212,"position":0},"title":"Having a Bad (Homeschool) Day?","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"There is an eternal law decreed that for every X number of good homeschool days, you will have to endure 1 bad homeschool day. Calculating the frequency of bad homeschool days is an easy matter. Simply multiply the number of children you have under 5 by the number of children\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to Homeschool"","block_context":{"text":"How to Homeschool","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"tornado-311711_1280","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/tornado-311711_1280-300x268.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1725,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/simplify-your-homeschool\/","url_meta":{"origin":1212,"position":1},"title":"Simplify Your Homeschool: Subject of the Day","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Does homeschooling feel overwhelming to you? So many subjects to teach . . . so many different age levels . . . such a frantic rush to get it all in? If you are feeling this way, you may want to try the \u201cSubject of the Day\u201d. This plan is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to Homeschool"","block_context":{"text":"How to Homeschool","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ammon_mesaverde.jpg?fit=437%2C350&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":252,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/for-the-new-homeschooler\/","url_meta":{"origin":1212,"position":2},"title":"For the New Homeschooler","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Congratulations on wanting to homeschool! I want to tell you that YOU CAN DO THIS! Homeschooling is a joyful lifestyle that you will love! Don't get stressed, just come with me step-by-step and I'll help you get started. 1. First, if you haven't already, pray. Your child belongs to God\u2014He\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to Homeschool"","block_context":{"text":"How to Homeschool","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"boys-286245_1280","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/boys-286245_1280-300x199.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1143,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/homeschooling-on-the-cheap\/","url_meta":{"origin":1212,"position":3},"title":"Homeschooling on the Cheap","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I want to do homeschooling but I am afraid that it is going to cost a lot of money. When I start homeschooling am I going to have to go somewhere and buy\u00a0expensive books? Answer: I know it can seem like it will take a fortune to homeschool well\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Concerns"","block_context":{"text":"Concerns","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/homeschooling-concerns\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/camping_oregon_1.jpg?fit=480%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7953,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/have-a-happy-homeschool-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":1212,"position":4},"title":"Have a Happy Homeschool Day!","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Isn't it just fun to be alive and free to learn! \u00a0 Visit my new website for some homeschooling encouragement today! \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "New Homeschooler"","block_context":{"text":"New Homeschooler","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/new-homeschooler\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"rebeckah_sycamore_tree","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/rebeckah_sycamore_tree.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":399,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/a-small-price\/","url_meta":{"origin":1212,"position":5},"title":"A Small Price","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"It's that time of year again! Local stores are advertising 10 cent notebooks, 59 cent pencil boxes, and extra low prices on school supplies. It's time to take my homeschooled children school shopping and buy them everything they want. That might sound a bit unnecessary, and extravagant. After all, we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Concerns"","block_context":{"text":"Concerns","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/homeschooling-concerns\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Soccer player Louisa (8)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/louisasoccer-300x267.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1212"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7403,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1212\/revisions\/7403"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}