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Moving: how to school while packing?
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I need some words of wisdom from mama’s that have experience moving during the school year. We are moving on April 30 and I want to do some school each day but what does that look like? We’ve been practicing math facts, reading aloud for phonics practice, copy work, and watching science documentaries. They memorize verses thru Awana and we have Bible with family. Outdoor play is increasing as weather permits. This is for dd8 and ds7. Is this “enough” for another month or two? Oh, we’re also reading lit together. Any other tips to get us through the next couple of months are appreciated! Thanks!
We just moved and that’s more than I was able to manage! We’ll be continuing school all summer. One thing I like to do is have our current curriculum in one box and clearly label it so you can start back right away.
Well, o realize there are people who do this kind of thing and manage to keep up with things pretty well… But I am not one of them!! We’ve had several seasons like this in our life (most years actually), and have managed to graduate one, going on two in spite of it. And for us, EVERYTHING went out the window! We’ll be moving end of May again (we just moved in July/Aug and in Nov. Last year, and had a new baby on Oct. We won’t talk about our school year!! Again! Just get back on track as soon as you are able and be content with the progress you are able to make. You can always scale things back an some subjects to make it realistic too. They won’t die or fail to be good citizens of they don’t get the full year’s history, geography, science, Bible, etc. Plan! Even if it’s every year! They will probably do like my kids and do Bible on their own, start reading more hospital fiction of their own accord (just don’t provide any other books! It works great!)… And somehow, life goes on!
That was supposed to say historical fiction!! Agreeing with Holly… We pack books more carefully than anything else! Detailed labels and best organization. Likewise with other necessities. We did one carefully labeled and separated box of the most essential things in each category… Clothes, dishes, pans… So we could get started at a minimum, and continue with the rest of the unpacking at a slower pace. This actually happens pretty naturally, because they are the last thing you want to pack anyway.
I’m with Anniepeter – many seasons like this (moving, new babies, health stuff) and I can’t keep school going the whole time. This year alone, we’ve moved (Nov), I’ve had severe morning sickness (Nov-Jan), my son broke his arm twice (Oct and Jan) and needed surgery for one and now bone screening appts due to it being his fourth break in a year, our baby is due in June – school was simplified or missed altogether through much of that. Yet we’ve graduated one (now in college and doing wonderfully) and another will graduate in Dec (plans to get a welding apprenticeship).
I think we forget that all of life is education though (maybe not “school” but definitely education).
Let them decide what toys/possessions to declutter, have them pack boxes, let them help set up their new rooms. There will be a whole new nature area to explore even if it’s only your new back and front yards. Bible, reading and read-alouds are pretty easy to fit in most days. Otherwise just let them learn what they will learn from life, especially at the ages of 7 and 8. You have lots of time yet for the more “schooly” education.Rebecca
I guess my question would be is it a cross town move or cross country? If it involves moving out of your current area and meeting new friends, joining new groups,church, finding your way around a new place, etc. I would cut back as much as possible and call the whole experience ‘school’. If it is still a relatively close move you could probably pare down a bit and start up again fairly easily.
When we moved I kept them going in math and reading and we did history together and our literature read aloud and some days not that either. It’s such a crazy time! Good luck.
It sure sounds like what you’re doing is fantastic. We moved in November (my boys are 6 and 8), and we STILL haven’t settled back into a good school rhythm. Audio books can be a big helper, too, especially when Mama is packing.
Thanks for your help.
Unfortunately, things just took a turn so this will certainly keep us on our toes! We are selling our house May 1 and going right to the next settlement to buy our new farm. Well, we just found out the septic system failed and needs to be completely redone which could take 6-12 weeks!!! We won’t be able to buy until it’s done so that leaves us homeless.
We are moving an hour away and don’t know anyone in the area.
Any ideas for temporary housing?
Ask at your church if anyone knows someone who lives in the area.
We were able to rent a duplex for two months when we moved, so it is possible. Our backup plan was a Residence Inn type hotel that rents weekly, and we were going to rent a storage facility.
I will pray that this works out.
We have moved several times during a school year. My biggest piece of advice is to give yourself permission to “skip” school when needed. Expect to have days when you just don’t get things done. As mentioned by others, we pack and label our school stuff carefully – actually, we label all our boxes carefully, marking them with a room & contents. It makes the unpacking process so much easier. Then we pack our daily use books, some pencils and any other supplies we need into a separate box. I tried to have as much solo stuff prepared ahead of time as I could so that the kids could do school, but I wasn’t required to be there with them the entire time.
Another packing tip I got from the Duggar’s book… You can number your boxes and keep a little notebook where you write a more detailed list of contents so you can find exactly what you need. This may or may not be worth it depending on your style and your move. But it’s been a lifesaver for me this time around, with several moves in a row! But, out would have worked much better if we’d all been on the same page ;-). My husband and I don’t communicate very well sometimes (anyone else have that problem?). And I failed to let him know how important this was to me and that I wanted him to help me by doing this for the few boxes he packed too, or at least to stack them with the numbers out! We put them on two sides so it would have been easy enough to do, but… Oh well! Also, I should have been there with my notebook when he and the kids were unloading, to list which boxes were in which storage building! Even without that, it was a big help to me though.
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