Asalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu ladies,

I hope you’ve had a beautiful Jumuah with your families and are looking forward to putting your feet up this weekend.  

I apologise for the lateness of the final instalment of our ‘Homeschool Mom’ series.  I’ve had a really busy week as I’m sure all of you had, hence I  didn’t get adequate time to write my thoughts down.  But we’re here now alhamdulillah, so let’s jump right in.

If you’ve decided to read this post, its likely that you’re pregnant and TIRED. We’ve all had those days, especially in the last trimester, where our bodies are feeling heavy and as a result, our energy levels have reduced.  Not to mention swollen feet, back pain and countless trips to the bathroom.

I’ve been there too, and it was definitely a challenge trying to continue homeschooling while dealing with the increasing uncomfortableness of pregnancy at the same time.  However, you’re almost there! And once again, Allah has blessed you with this wonderful skill to adapt to your circumstances, you’re doing amazing!  Below are some tips that I hope can make this phase just a little easier whilst you reach the finish line.

Don’t change things up too drastically
So the nesting phase although wonderful can have a downside. Suddenly it’s not just the house that needs a spring clean, its anything and everything in sight; homeschool included.

However, this is NOT the time to change things up.  When the newborn arrives, things are bound to get extremely busy, and homeschooling with naturally slow down to a certain degree whilst you adapt to all the changes.  By changing up things at this stage, you’re only creating more work and stress upon your shoulders trying out new material which takes some getting used too.  Right now, stick to what you know works, and if you feel there are some tweaks you need to make in your current curricula, perhaps take this time to research and plan but don’t transition just yet.  Leave the transition to when you have more energy and time.

Keep it simple
You may have planned some elaborate Science experiments and garden projects, but the reality is that you may not be able to get round to fitting them in.  however, that doesn’t need to mean that you don’t stop either.  Rather, for this short period, stick to things that you know you can manage.  Read alouds, worksheets, educational documentaries and independent work are to name a few ways that you can keep your schooling consistent but manageable too.  So don’t be afraid if your homeschool looks a little ‘tedious’ during this time.  Learning will occur, and you can always come back to the more adventurous projects at a later date. 

Change your routine up
We all experience different pregnancy symptoms, and it’s safe to say that especially in the last trimester you don’t feel quite yourself.  Once a ‘morning person’ Mom is easily reduced to a starting her day in the afternoon and vice versa.  So take some time out to listen to your body, pinpointing when you have the most energy and schedule school at that time.  If that means starting in the late afternoon after you’ve had some morning rest, do that.  Or if you feel energised first thing in the morning, get that tablework done straight after breakfast so it’s done before your energy slips away.  The point is not to be afraid to change your school routine up to adapt to the way you are feeling.  This stage will pass and before you know it you’ll be able to manage your household as you did before insha’Allah. 

It’s so important in seasons of life such as pregnancy, to be kind to ourselves and not put unrealistic expectations that will only set us up for disappointment.  You have a newborn baby to look forward to soon insha’Allah, and you want to feel that you are ready in every way possible; the last thing you want is to be a stressed out homeschool mom binding and laminating the night before!

I’ve really enjoyed writing up these posts, as I feel as Muslim homeschool mothers we need more support in the real life day to day issues that affect us, not just in what resources etc are available.  Thus I will be started a mini-podcast series within the next couple of weeks where we can elaborate on real-life homeschool mom issues in some more detail.  

Catch you soon insha’Allah! Make sure you put your feet up my dearest sister.