My whole life I dreamt of being able to homeschool my children…
I always dreamed of traveling the world, while learning from experience… from culture.
I always dreamed of this magical existence, but when I actually became an adult and felt the pressures of needing to be responsible and to ‘fit in’ to the existing structures of life; I left my dream behind and enrolled my kids in school.
The years have gone by and all was well… Until everything shut down in mid-March, and the kids came home full time. Their school was not setup to handle virtual learning, like the public-school system was. Rather, for the first couple of weeks, we had to pick-up the lesson plans where the teachers left off, and get to work teaching our children. Teachers supported all they could, while simultaneously having to scramble to setup Google Classroom.
Let me say… I was impressed by this shift and it was handled so amazingly by the staff. The school pivoted and got things up and running as quickly and as smoothly as they were able. They worked their tails off getting supports in place and making themselves available to assist wherever, and whenever, it was needed. Many parents in our community began to struggle with making this transition… and rightfully so. Many were working from home, lost jobs, had family members ill with Covid, and were now expected to take on the responsibility of educating their child(ren).
But as I began to notice so many parents not only in our immediate, but also greater community, sharing how they were struggling… I also began to notice how incredibly smooth the transition was for me and my boys. It was during this time of stress in the greater world, that I called deeply on my mindfulness, energy medicine, and spiritual practices that I had worked my entire life to master. Doing this led to our home being filled with massive amounts of joy, with my children absolutely thriving in this new homeschool environment.
Instead of worrying about getting math assignments done, I spent the first few weeks solely focused on observing my children as they engaged with their school work. How did they learn? What did they gravitate too? What subjects and tasks frustrated them? What subjects made them come to life?
By the end of March, I was able to fully see AND understand my children in THEIR environment. I knew their idiosyncrasies… their likes and dislikes… where they needed to grow and where their zone of genius was. And as I spent this time simply observing and allowing them to choose how to navigate school and life; they began opening more than I have ever seen before… Sharing their deep thoughts, their observations, their desires and needs. We were absolutely thriving, and our home was filled with a whole new level of connection and joy! It was the exact energy I was fighting for years to try and create in the home, and now here it was… a reality. Crazy how that happens!
April arrived and we moved into Spring Break with a pause from learning. It was during this time that I was able to reflect on all that happened in the weeks prior. Was I doing something wrong or missing something, that our family was absolutely thriving while everyone around us was complaining and struggling?? I pondered that day and night. Isn’t that something?? When things go well in our lives, we tend to question its realness? Are we that accustomed to unhappiness, that when joy does arrive, we turn away?
All of my reflection during that time, brought forth a powerful realization within me, and it was in that very moment I decided to never go back to the pre-pandemic way of living. You know the one, don’t you? It was the world that thrived on mental avoidance, emotional disconnection, and spiritual bankruptcy. The world that was built on systems and institutions that dictated the way you thought, ate, and lived your life. The world where adults were so rooted in their own beliefs and closed off to others, that all they do is fight each other on who is right. The world that stressed you and your children out to the max…. the world that said your dreams were not valid because they didn’t fit the ‘adult’ way of how you are supposed to live your life.
That moment in April was the moment I found my new theme for 2020; “PEACE OUT”. Yep! I am fully and completely standing up saying PEACE OUT to all the old, outdated ways of living and doing things. I refuse to put all my efforts into trying to survive an old world. Instead, I consciously choose to put every ounce of my heart and soul into creating a new world of connection for all those that seek it. We’ve all heard it before, but as the song goes…. ‘Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me’.
So… it does… it begins with me… my home… my kids.
And in that moment, all those months ago, The Maker stepped up and affirmed everything that was moving through me. He told me:
“The world will never change by trying to convince other adults to change their ways… They are too stuck in trying to keep things the same. The world will only change through your children... That’s where I call you to serve”
I got goosebumps… I laughed… I cried…
In that moment, I understood on the deepest of levels that it is time to make the greatest transformation of all in my personal life and work... it’s time to get busy and build a new paradigm for all that seek it.
With the decision to shift and homeschool our children permanently, I spent the rest of April reading, researching, and pondering every aspect of this shift. I read about homeschooling, unschooling, world schooling… I studied Wisconsin Law for Homeschool… I connected with co-ops and homeschool groups across the state. And after countless hours researching curriculum, I decided to take all I know about Energy Medicine, The Maker, spirituality, meditation, how children truly develop and grow; and build my own curriculum that encompasses all of it.
I told each of my children through sobbing, happy tears… and I am going to tell each of you now through these typed words; They (My children and Yours) are going to change the world. I know that I was put on this earth to master all that I have, not so I can keep it to myself and not so I can try and convince adults to understand, but rather, so I can change the world by teaching children the truth of it.
I am committed to rolling up my sleeves and creating this new world now, so our children can live within in it. Children innately know how to live and be alive in this adventure of life… and I am going to step up and guide them (and you!) along the way, so they never have to live in a world that tells them otherwise.
I am going to show our children how to master these truths from early on in their lives… and in doing so, create a whole new world for all. I welcome you to join me here for the journey!
~ Jaimie
If you are a parent that wants to be a part of this love filled shift in our world, reach out. I have supports to help you shift your mindset, to help you understand your children on the deepest of levels, and how to build systems to support transformation. Please follow along on social platforms as well, as I will be sharing my custom curriculums, fieldtrips, projects and more!