We all know that the freezing temps and lack of sunshine can affect our moods… some people more than others. 🙋‍♀️ And that’s okay.

Winter is a good season to lean into pursuing mental, physical and spiritual health. It’s a good season to get extra sleep, take hot baths, read books by the fire, eat soup, light some candles, and channel all the hygge vibes.

But it can also be a hard season to continue homeschooling.

A long time homeschooling mom & very wise friend of mine always says: don’t make any big homeschool decisions in February! (Heck, don’t make any big life decisions in February.)

Don’t relocate to Florida. Don’t sign your kids up for public school. The sun will start shining again & you are going to make it!

Sometimes we need a little change of pace, though. Some extra motivation, accountability, and FUN to keep going.

That’s where ticket school comes in! It’s super simple & 100% customizable to your family.

CONSIDER THIS YOUR PERMISSION TO HAVE FUN IN YOUR HOMESCHOOL.

Is This Bribery?

Let’s address the question I always hear when I suggest setting up an external reward system.

Isn’t this just bribing kids to do what they should be learning to do with self-control and discipline and diligence?

To answer that question, I will parrot one of my favorite educators, Andrew Pudewa:

A bribe is paying someone to do something illegal, immoral, or dishonest.

Setting up an economic system that rewards hard work is not bribery. Our entire society is built on the idea that people should be rewarded for their individual hard work.

Pudewa expounds on this in detail in one of my favorite talks he gives, The Art and Science of Motivation. You can hear it on his podcast, The Arts of Language episodes 221-222.

Adults are rewarded for hard work with paychecks, bonuses, and other systems of employee reviews that give hard working people the chance to be externally acknowledged.

To hear, job well done!

We all want external acknowledgement sometimes. It’s how we’re wired.

In fact, one reason the job of homeschooling is so hard is there isn’t much external acknowledgement in our line of work. No paycheck or bonus or supervisor feedback.

This is why we need community to support us as we homeschool. Other moms who are in the thick of it to say, “Well done! You’re doing great!”

Yes, we should strive for helping our kids build diligent habits.

But, when it comes to winter homeschooling, it’s okay to mix things up and set up an economic system that brings a little bit of external acknowledgement and FUN to our kids’ hard work at school.

This isn’t bribery. This is wise teaching.

In my complete ticket school guide, I share:

• Specific tips for setting up Ticket School
• Tons of prize ideas for every budget
• Ideas for other incentive systems – including some super simple ones that take no extra effort except buying a bag of M & Ms
• Ideas for injecting fun into your older kids’ homeschooling work

Grab your ticket school guide right here – free for a limited time!

As always, I encourage you to take this idea & run with it. Tweak it to work for your family & make it your own.

If you post your version of ticket school or homeschool rewards on Instagram, I’d love for you to tag me @musicalmemory123 so I can see it. 🙂