Spring is within sight yet again. The winter chill is fading, days are getting brighter and longer, and already I feel the anticipation of being able to open my windows and let the fresh air flow in. Soon we can pack away the snow suits and bulky winter gear in exchange for rubber boots, and going outside won’t seem like such a chore.
We had a sunny +8 Celsius yesterday, and just like that something inside me sparked, and I felt the urgency that I need to get “all the things” done, ready for spring and summer. I tend to procrastinate during winter because I can, but now I have a garden to plan, school to get back on track, more homeschool gatherings to attend, sports coming up, books I thought I would have read, and all my ongoing side projects to finish.
We try to have our core subjects done by the end of May, and we use Funschooling journals to carry us casually through spring and summer with topics like gardening, rock and gem studies, nature studies, ect. It is nice to keep some learning structure and also allows for more exploration learning that happens more naturally and therefore is fun. But more obviously, warm weather means being outside takes precedence, and once May hits, even the mosquitos won’t keep us inside.
Natural Approach to Life Skills
We share a family garden plot, and this year we plan to go bigger, and my children will be a big help with the planting, tending, and harvesting. I also have some raised beds I use for smaller plants like lettuce and herbs. We are going to try a fun experiment with aquaponics, to have a small fish tank and on top is the tray for growing small plants. My children are most excited to have a fish, but it will be interesting to see how it works.
We are also starting to sprout seeds for microgreens food and grow wheatgrass for juicing. It has been fun for my children to see the progress of germination and to grow their own super healthy food. With inflation on the rise, we have been researching the most cost effective, efficient, and healthy options for food and alternative ways for growing food, particularly in a small space.
I believe it is imperative to teach our children these types of life skills that they can put into practice at an early age and will serve them well when they are adults. There are so many life skills, even the simplest can be very valuable. We just need to have the patience to show them and allow them to use trial and error on their own.
This winter has seemed long and gloomy, with lack of sunlight and all the world uncertainties and with injustices that affected our family personally. It is hard not to show our stress or let it affect our children, but in reality not much gets passed their eyes and ears. So we have relied on faith a lot to help us through and to try to be the best example of how to cope with life’s obstacles. I want more than anything for my children to enjoy the same childhood I had, to be carefree and able to explore interests and friends and follow their dreams, but times are changing, and we have had to adapt and be resourceful over the last couple years to give our children a sense of normalcy.
It has been a learning curve for us all, and I have been very grateful that homeschooling has allowed us to carry on with uninterrupted learning, and we have formed closer bonds with family. With more public settings starting up again, we are anxious this year to participate in our community and to let our children socialize and enjoy friendships.
Noteworthy Nature Study
We noticed a welcomed arrival of our Canadian Geese today, and that gives us hope of an early spring. We can hear the neighbour’s lambs recently born, and there seems to be more movement of the local deer, elk, and moose. Soon more birds will be back, and we can enjoy their colours and sounds.
Last year, my daughter came across a robin chick that fell out of its nest and nearly met its fate by the cat. It was a wonderful opportunity for her and her brother to nurture it and finally be able to release it back into the wild once it could fly. We are hopeful for another intimate experience with nature - it was so rewarding.
Spring really is a miraculous time of year when everything wakes up and comes back to life and brings with it new beginnings. It allows us to forget the long winter and be full of joy and wonder and to be restored with nature’s vitamin D.
Spring cleaning must still be a thing because I feel anxious to put away winter clutter and to wash and dust all the nooks and crannies. To be fair, living a minimalist lifestyle is not always the easiest, but we are learning and still enjoy it. With minimal space, it has definitely taught us to adapt and to work as a team.
Warmer weather has drawn my children outside more which is nice, and I enjoy some more quiet time to myself throughout the day. Lazy days of sleeping in will fade away now, and we will have to start school earlier to fit everything in our day. I know I should keep a stricter schedule, but I figure this is part of the extra little bonuses that come with homeschooling, and as long as the work is getting done, I am flexible.
God Is Doing a New Thing
So as the snow is melting and the air is warming, I am ready for a season of renewal, physically and spiritually. I have felt the words pressed on me over the last few months to “Get used to different; God is doing a new thing.” Though we have faced some difficulties, God has been gracious to us to see us through this new journey, and faithful to His word that He shall never leave us nor forsake us. The sun may leave us, but our Father in Heaven never ceases to shine upon us.
I will leave you with a poem my daughter found:
Noses are red.
Fingers are blue.
I’m done with winter.
How about you?
Written by Sandy Knudson
I am a homeschooling mother of two children from Alberta. We are currently full time RVers living a minimalist lifestyle. I keep busy with books and hobbies, mainly woodworking and pyrography, which I have been doing for a few years now. I enjoy a faith inspired life and look forward to what new inspirations the Lord has in store.
See all articles on The Canadian Schoolhouse by Sandy.
"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).