Soft Launch into the New Year

This is the first year in a long time that our took a full summer break with no lessons and no holding onto the skeleton of our rhythm. After a year of my son doing a few online highschool credit courses on top of our planned lessons he was in need of some down time. My daughter was excited to enjoy some new found freedom and spend the summer roaming with her friends around the neighbourhood.

Personally, I enjoy year round schooling. We typically take all of December and most of Janaury off of regular lessons, but hold to the rhythm and venture deeply off into our individual projects. It is such a peaceful time, during the time of year that things can usually feel a bit chaotic. It also means come February, the longest-shortest month of the year, we are refreshed and eager to jump back in to lessons, which helps make time move a little bit faster.

We also always take one week off between blocks, so it isn’t like we are lacking for space to breathe in a packed year! There are many breaks and I’m not certain that a full summer off was warranted. Over the last few weeks my son has started setting an alarm to wake up early so he can get in a big breakfast, workout and shower before noon. He recently told me that a summer without any rhythm feels too long, so if we gained anything from a summer off, it was that the steady rhythm we held to had purpose.

My daughter, on the other hand, could swim in the rhythm-less days for ever. She loves the long days with no requirements of her except those she sets for herself. We have swung deep into imbalance when it comes to the phlegmatic traits of her temperament and it is going to be a slow process to regain some equilibrium.

When ever we have a break in our rhythm, we get back into it slowly. Its what we call the Soft Launch. Across a few weeks we slowly add in everything that our rhythm holds together so that it is a total shock to our systems. It is a transition that has proven valuable for both large and small breaks in our year, and nurtures everyone’s needs as we do it. So my son will have the freedom to get right back to things while my daughter will take the gentler route, and we’ll all end up in the same spot after a week or two.

Next week, Tuesday August 30th from 8-9pm EST, I’m hosting a free mini workshop to discuss all things Soft Launch, and I hope you will join me! I will give a rundown of how to build your rhythm, add things in slowly, see the bigger picture and iron out the details.

If you are interested in joining, follow this link to be taken to the event page or click on the button below to be taken directly to the sign up sheet!

Warmly

Marina