December School: Simplifying for Sanity, Connection & Joy

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Sometimes the bravest thing you can do as a homeschool mom is hit pause. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you’re drowning in activities, commitments, and the crushing weight of keeping up with lessons while the world around you celebrates. What if this December could look different? What if instead of pushing through the chaos, you chose to pause, simplify, and actually connect with your kids? Let’s talk about December School and why simplifying this month isn’t failing… it’s the wisest thing you can do.

When December Feels Impossible

Okay, so it’s the end of November and something is in the air.

All the moms at co-op are sighing and looking a little run down. There’s a sense of “Is it just me, or does December feel impossible?”

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s like we’re all trying to cram twelve things into a season that only has three school weeks. Christmas programs, light displays, cookie baking, family gatherings, church events. And oh yeah, we’re supposed to keep teaching fractions and grammar in the middle of all that.

Here’s what I’m hearing: moms are burnt out. They’re overwhelmed. And they’re wondering if they’re the only ones who feel like school is getting in the way of the season instead of supporting it.

But here’s the beautiful thing about homeschooling: we have a choice traditional schools don’t have. We can slow down. We can simplify. We can create what I call “December School.” A rhythm that honors both learning and the season without drowning in chaos.

So today, I want to walk you through why simplifying December isn’t lazy. It’s wise. I’ll share some practical ideas for what December School can look like, bust a few myths that might be holding you back, and give you permission to let go of the pressure.

Because mama, your homeschool deserves more peace, and so do you.

Why Simplifying December Isn’t Optional

Let’s start with the why. Because I know some of you are already thinking, “But Laura, won’t we fall behind? What about finishing our curriculum?”

Here’s the reality: the holidays bring so much extra. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we’re talking about a month and a half of heightened activity. Family gatherings, church programs, co-op parties, field trips to see lights, cookie exchanges. The list goes on. And for most families, this isn’t optional. These are the moments that build memories and connection.

But when we try to maintain our full school schedule on top of all that?

Something breaks.

Usually, it’s us.

Traditional schools don’t have the option to pause. They’re locked into their calendars, their standardized testing timelines, their rigid structures. But we’re not traditional school. We’re homeschoolers. And that means we get to design our days in a way that actually serves our families, not just pushes us to the edge of burnout.

This is about grace over grind

It’s about giving yourself and your kids space to slow down emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Because here’s what I’ve learned: when we simplify, we don’t lose ground. We actually gain something more valuable.

We gain peace. We gain presence. We gain connection.

Remember that our brains can only handle so much information and decision-making before we hit overload. When you’re already managing holiday logistics, emotional regulation for overstimulated kids, and the mental gymnastics of meal planning for gatherings, adding a full academic load isn’t just hard. It’s neurologically overwhelming.

Your brain literally cannot process it all well. So something suffers. Usually it’s your patience. Your joy. Your ability to be present with your kids.

Myth-Busting: Simplifying Isn’t Failing

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Because I’ve thought it too.

“If I slow down, doesn’t that mean I’m being lazy? Doesn’t that mean I’m dropping the ball?”

Let’s bust that myth right now.

Slowing down is not lazy. Slowing down is strategic.

Think about it. Animals hibernate in winter. Trees shed their leaves and rest. Even the earth itself enters a season of dormancy. There’s a natural rhythm to pulling inward when the days get shorter and the weather gets colder. And we’re not exempt from that rhythm just because we homeschool.

But we’ve bought into this lie that if we can’t do it all, we’re failing. That if we’re not maintaining the same pace in December that we had in September, something’s wrong with us. That if we simplify, our kids are going to fall behind some invisible standard that we’ve convinced ourselves matters more than their well-being.

Here’s the truth: pushing through at full speed when your tank is empty leads to burnout. And burnout doesn’t just affect you. It affects your kids, your marriage, your home, your peace. When you’re running on fumes, nothing works well. Not your patience. Not your teaching. Not your joy.

So shifting your pace isn’t failing. It’s wise stewardship of your energy and your family’s well-being. It’s saying, “I see what my family needs right now, and I’m going to honor that.”

That’s not laziness, mama. That’s leadership.

The hidden cost of pushing through

Let me paint a picture of what pushing through really costs. When you force yourself to keep up with a full curriculum load during the busiest season of the year, here’s what happens:

Your kids feel the stress radiating from you during lessons
They associate learning with pressure instead of joy
You snap more easily at minor frustrations
The special moments you’re killing yourself to create feel tainted by your exhaustion
You end up resenting homeschooling instead of enjoying it

Is staying “on track” with a history chapter really worth that? I don’t think so.

A Tale of Two Decembers: My Story

Let me tell you about two very different Decembers in our homeschool.

The first December I’m thinking of, I tried to power through. I told myself, “We’re not quitting. We’re going to finish our lessons. We’re going to stay on track.” So I kept assigning math pages and spelling lists and history readings, even as the calendar filled up with parties and programs and all the things.

And you know what happened?

We made it about a week. Maybe a week and a half. And then I just… quit. I threw in the towel completely. We didn’t do school for the rest of the month because I was so exhausted and overwhelmed that I couldn’t even think straight.

Now, taking a longer break isn’t necessarily bad, especially if you homeschool more year-round like we do. But here’s the thing: the reason I took that break wasn’t because I planned it or because it was what my family needed. It was because I was completely burned out. And that’s not a good place to be.

The year we simplified intentionally

Fast forward to the year we planned ahead. When I sat down in November, looked at where we were, and made an actual plan.

I kept just two core subjects going at a lighter pace: math facts practice and thinking skills. I cut the heavy bookwork entirely. Then I added something cozy and festive: a Christmas unit study.

We watched videos, did simple crafts, baked cookies, and read Christmas stories. There was still learning happening, but it was gentle, joyful, and connected to the season.

You know what the difference was?

Simplifying meant consistency could stick. It took the pressure off and let everyone breathe. My kids weren’t begging to skip school. I wasn’t snapping at them for not focusing. We actually enjoyed December instead of just surviving it.

Practical Ideas for Your December School

Alright, let’s get practical. Because you might be thinking, “Okay Laura, I’m sold. I want to simplify. But what does that actually look like?”

Step 1: Audit where you are right now

First, you need to evaluate where you’re at. Grab your curriculum, your planner, whatever you’re using to track your year and do a quick audit. Ask yourself:

Where are we in each subject right now?
How many pages or chapters do we have left?
If I paused this for a month, could we realistically finish by May or June?

For some subjects, you’re going to realize you’re ahead. Cut those immediately. They don’t need to be part of December.

For the subjects that are left, ask yourself: Do I actually want this in our December routine? Because sometimes, the answer is no. And that’s okay.

Step 2: Keep only what serves your family

Here’s what we did this year. We kept two things going daily: building thinking skills and math fact practice. That’s it. No heavy lessons. No new concepts. Just skills practice to keep their brains engaged.

Then I cut the subjects we were behind in, like Math-U-See lessons, and decided we’d pick those back up in January. Because three weeks isn’t going to make or break our year.

And then I added the fun stuff. We enrolled in Gather Round’s online academy for their Christmas unit study that’s full of activities, crafts, baking, and Bible history woven in. We’re listening to a Christmas audiobook, “The Promise and the Light” by Katy Morgan, one chapter a day through December 25th. We’re keeping a few once-a-week things like art, science videos, and STEM activities.

But here’s the key: it’s light. It’s cozy. It’s not stressful.

Options for different homeschool styles

Maybe you’re not a unit study person. That’s totally fine. You can simplify even more. Here are some ideas:

The minimalist approach: Keep just one subject going, like math, and spend the rest of your time doing weekly Christmas movies, making ornaments, baking with your kids, going to look at lights, or serving your community.

The literature-based approach: Read Christmas books together, do a devotional, or work through an Advent study as a family.

The hands-on approach: Focus on a family giving project, volunteer together, or create handmade gifts.

The nature study approach: Take daily winter nature walks, keep a December nature journal, learn about winter animals and how they adapt to the season.

The point isn’t what you do. The point is that you’re intentional about it. You’re choosing connection over chaos. You’re choosing peace over pressure.

What About Falling Behind?

I can hear the worry in some of your minds right now. “But Laura, what if we don’t finish our curriculum by the end of the year?”

Let’s do some quick math. December typically has about three school weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you homeschool 36 weeks a year, that’s three weeks out of 36. Less than 10% of your year.

Even if you completely stopped schooling for those three weeks, you could make it up by:

Adding one extra week to your school year
Doing a lighter summer schedule with just a few hours a week
Spreading those three weeks across the rest of your year (that’s less than one extra day per month)

See? It’s not the disaster your brain is making it out to be.

And here’s something else to consider: what your kids learn in December might be more valuable than what’s in that textbook.

They’re learning that family matters. That traditions are worth protecting. That sometimes the most important thing isn’t checking boxes, it’s being present. That rest is productive. That joy is essential.

Those are lessons they’ll carry for a lifetime, long after they’ve forgotten that history chapter.

The Seasonal Rhythm Your Family Needs

Before we wrap up, I want to leave you with one final mindset shift. Because I think this is where a lot of us get stuck.

Life happens in seasons for a reason. You cannot go 110% all the time without hurting your body, your mind, and your family. You have to ebb and flow. There are seasons when we go hard, when we’re busy and productive and checking all the boxes. And there are seasons when we pull back, slow down, rest, and refuel.

The holidays are naturally a “go, go, go” season in some ways, with all the activities and gatherings. But they can also be a season of rest if we let them. A season of inward reflection. A season of recharging.

Your kids need this rhythm too

And here’s the thing: your kids need that too. They need it as much as you do, maybe even more. They just might not be able to express it.

In the craziness of Christmas, when there are so many distractions and so much stimulation, they need something to ground them. They need rhythm. They need peace. They need to focus on family, on gratitude, on giving, on the things that actually matter.

So embracing this seasonal rhythm isn’t just good for you. It’s good for them. It’s teaching them that it’s okay to slow down. That simplicity is valuable. That rest is not laziness, it’s wisdom.

Your Simple Action Step for This Week

Here’s what I want you to do this week: Schedule 30 minutes to audit your December.

Sit down with your planner and your curriculum. Look at what you have left to cover. Be honest about what’s actually going to happen with all the holiday activities on your calendar.

Then make three lists:

Keep: The 1-2 subjects you’ll continue (lighter than normal)
Pause: The subjects you’ll pick back up in January
Add: The cozy, festive, connection-focused activities you want to weave in

That’s it. Just 30 minutes of planning can save you weeks of stress and give you back the December you actually want.

Final Thoughts: Give Yourself Permission

Mama, if you’re feeling the nudge to slow down this December, trust it. You’re not lazy. You’re not failing. You’re wise.

December is only three school weeks long. Even if you fall behind by three weeks, you can spread that out across the spring or summer. It’s not going to ruin your year. But pushing yourself to the point of burnout? That will.

So give your homeschool the gift of grace this month. Lean into what matters most: connection, peace, and presence. Choose rhythms that refuel you instead of drain you. And remember, simplicity that sticks starts with honoring the season you’re in.

Your homeschool deserves more peace, and so do you. Let December be the month you finally give yourself permission to breathe.

Want more support in creating simplicity that sticks all year long? I want to personally invite you into a brand new Facebook community I’m launching called Simplicity Mamas: Homeschooling with Calm, Clarity & Connection. This is a free group where we’re going to encourage each other, share what’s working, and build real-life systems that actually fit our messy, beautiful homeschool lives. Join us today!