25 Ways to Infuse Love Into Homeschooling

One of the most common reasons parents choose to homeschool is to ensure that they are the ones teaching their children the most important things in life, not a text book or an institution. Spending time with and modeling for your child are both great benefits of homeschooling. The following is a list of 25 ways to infuse love into homeschooling. It is a compilation of ideas, activities, and ways you can nurture your child as their mom as well as their teacher.

1. Work on a jigsaw puzzle together. It is a great way to extend the love language of quality time. Choose a subject for the puzzle that goes along with something you are teaching.

2. Build a fort with pillows and blankets and climb inside together for reading time.

3. Select a painting, drawing, story, or poem your child has created. Frame it and put it on display.

4. Make a simple date with your child. I take my son for his favorite, rolled tacos. It is a great time to talk and connect.

5. Designate one day this week as a theme day, like dress up day or pajama day or game day. Adapt your lesson plans to incorporate the theme.

6. Practice praising your child for something they do today. This is a great homeschool habit for every day.

7. Take a walk together. It can be a nature walk followed up by a journal writing, or simply a walk at the beginning of the day to go over what's on the agenda. Taking time together outside of seat work is very important.

8. Write a family newsletter to email to family and friends.

9. Choose to become a good listener.

10. Be affectionate throughout your homeschool day. You're their teacher, but you're their mom first.

11. Teach your child a family recipe.

12. Write love notes with your child and slip them into other family members' drawers, folded laundry, or briefcase.

13. Spend the day whispering so that you have to get close to one another and listen very carefully.

14. Pray with your child for your pastor and his family, the church you attend, the body of Christ, and missionaries around the world.

15. Play a silly playground game like leap frog or hopscotch. Jump rope together for P.E. or take a trip to the park just to swing on the swings.

16. Bake something together to bless a neighbor. You can make a homemade card to accompany the treats. Take this opportunity to share the love of Christ in your note.

17. Plan a surprise field trip.

18. Call your child by their first name as often as you can for an entire day. This shows your child that you acknowledge them, that you are listening, that you are tuned into their world. It is definitely a way to lovingly affirm your child.

19. Make your child a bubble bath at the end of a hard day of homeschooling.

20. Select your child as "Student of the Week" and create special privileges to go along with the title.

21. Start an herb garden together. Use this activity to explain the various herbs and how to use them in various meals.

22. Take up a volunteer project together. Be sure to include your child in the charity selection process.

23. Serve heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast.

24. Reward your child with a coupon redeemable for one day off of chores.

25. And don't forget to tell them how much you love them!

Author Info:

For more information on homeschooling or to read additional articles by Codie Brenner, go to http://www.ispmom.com

Codie Brenner has a bachelor's degree in Journalism with a minor in Creative Writing from Pepperdine University. She is a freelance writer, Christian school Librarian, and homeschool mom.