Simplifying Parenting
Back to school anxiety? Play Ideas & Tips to help your child transition.
Home schooling - Is it the right choice for your child? How to know.
What is homeschooling?
Homeschooling/ Unschooling / Open schooling are all terms on the same continuum that do not require the child to go to a school. Homeschooled children are mostly at home, learning from their parents or in some cases tutors, at their own pace. Some may have a set syllabus, a set time for studies, and a routine that mimics a regular day at school for a child. The only difference may be the lack of a school building and commute. Other parents may opt for a looser style with no set curriculum but base it on how the child evolves and expresses interest. Some may be reading stories and watching videos, while others just get the textbooks of a particular level and teach from that.
Unschooling also connotes a free atmosphere where there is often no pressure to get to any particular milestone at a set time. Parents provide exposure, planned and unplanned, and let the child learns from it. They answer questions and offer choices.
With open schooling, kids can take exams and get more regular grading through a system of open schools that require no attendance at any school. The reading writing and arithmetic have to be at a particular level, and you can get a certificate to that effect when you take a standard test.
How can you balance play time and studies at the start of the school year
All work and no play makes a child dull...
Work-life balance is something that all of us try and achieve. Most of us do balance work, time with family, friends, alone time etc. to be successful. For a child, study/ play balance is like work-life balance. If they do not get time to play, they cannot grow to their full potential. However, studying and learning through some formal means is also essential. Balancing both so that you do not lag behind at school and get overwhelmed eventually is important.
A new school year can be fun and exciting as it's a chance to explore something that the child has not done before; be it new subjects, friends, teachers, or more. Make it better for your child by ensuring they have a great play-work balance and watch them thrive. Happy new school year!