April may be the cruelest month, but March is hard on people who work with students. I’ve read about the No-One-Wants-To-Homeschool-in-March-Syndrome in Ruth Beechick, Jessie Wise, and Mary Pride’s books, but did not keep a citation. These are the months no one thinks they can keep going, everyone wants to quit, to enroll their kids somewhere else, and they all fret about…everything. You know how you never talk about finances BEFORE dinner? It’s good to wait for April before making big educational decisions too.
One of my friends whose kids are in public school wrote me that this is a hard time of year on her kids and their teachers too. A lot of years, I’ve gotten e-mail from people hoping to start homeschooling in the middle of the year – as if organizing a co-op makes me an expert on all things homeschooling. I send them my list of links, say a prayer, and try not to get stuck on the phone with them. (Sorry, I like the phone for talking to relatives and friends, and flirting with DH. That’s about it.)
Who knows why we are all discontent. Maybe Spring feels colder than winter because it’s so wet? Maybe the time change throws us off? Maybe our reach exceeds our grasp? Maybe schooling year round is nasty this time of year because you are half way done and other people are finishing up?
There were threads in the Masshomelearningassociation forum about Isolation in homeschooling, Fixing what’s wrong with homeschooling and blog posts about general malaise. Then April came, and I started seeing posts about having good ideas again. Or reassuring observations.
So, some sources of inspiration and information: For those of us in New England, the MassHOPE Convention is coming up. (I don’t usually go, because I’ve already read the speaker’s books. But reading is what inspires ME. I may not be supporting their efforts by attending, but I am linking to them…so that counts too?) A co-op can be a source of refreshment too. (Yes, she’s writing about Eagle’s Wings Co-op.) Don’t neglect your local church. There are lots of good books, web sites, and speakers on homeschooling. For weekly homeschool blog posts, The carnival of homeschooling is up.
So, I hope you are feeling inspired with whatever method you are using to do your duty to educate your children, whatever that method is, (I don’t have kids in public school or private school, so I don’t have links for those.) But , isn’t April is better than March for this stuff? Phew!
As for me, I just want to sew and make things. Blogging beats dishes and flipping sicked-on laundry. Anyone want to babysit two sick kids?
Didn’t think so. Off to flip laundry.
Hope everyone feels better soon.
For me I think “March Madness” is a combination of annual testing, third quarterly reports due, and tiredness after a long winter. :-)
Peace and Laughter!
It always hits me worst in February. Somehow, in March I feel like we’ve accomplished enough to feel like we’re actually accomplishing something.
I figured I’d WRITE it down this year, in the off chance I re-read it next year and say, “Oh, I’m not crazy, its March!”