Are you having trouble keeping track of all the activities, lessons, and appointments your kids seem to have? Do you wake up in the morning and wonder where to start? Are you finding yourself a little green with jealousy when you read about that perfect homeschool family that gets it all done quickly and efficiently and looks good doing it?
First let me tell you that those perfect families don’t exist. Everyone shows their best side online and in the homeschool “how-to” books. The truth is that homeschooling isn't easy. It takes hard work and a bit of organization.
But you already knew that.
You aren't striving to be perfect. You don’t need to get it all done. You just need to wake each morning with love in your heart and a plan for the day. Here are some tips to help you add structure to your child's day.
Wake before your children.
This is easy or difficult depending on the ages of your kids. Rising early gives you a chance to focus on what YOU need. Have some coffee, read your Bible, answer your emails, exercise. Do whatever you need to do to put yourself in a good place to start the day.
Have breakfast with an easy lesson.
Once your kids are up and dressed, breakfast together with an easy lesson will ease you into your day. Scripture studies work well for this. Other options are read-alouds, current events, or logic puzzles.
Recruit helpers to clean up.
Delegating is one of the most important aspects of a home school. School teachers are paid to teach and that’s it. You are teaching, parenting, keeping a house, and maybe working for outside pay as well. You need help. Set the kids to age appropriate tasks while you start dinner.
Now for the hard stuff. Kids’ minds are most energized in the morning.
They are usually eager to learn new things and tackle difficult skills. In some families, this will be math time; in others, reading. Your teens can start on their dual credit studies, or work independently. This time period after breakfast and before lunch will usually be your most productive time of the day. Make the best of it.
Get outside.
All that work is making your kids hungry. Nothing beats a healthy and relaxing lunch and some time outside to keep your spirits up. Schedule a bit of outside time every day.
Schedule extracurricular activities for the afternoon hours.
When your kids are older, they will more than likely be drawn to sports, service projects, and other classes. In order to keep your mornings productive, it is better to schedule these activities in the afternoon. When there are no activities scheduled, kids can use this time to catch up on reading, dual credit studies, or music practice. If your kids are small, this is a perfect time for quiet activities like reading, puzzles, or napping.
The eight-minute clean up.
Your book-work is finished for the day. The kids are ready to play. The last chore of the day should be a quick tidy-up, with everyone helping, young and old. Set the timer for eight minutes, put on some music, and rush around cleaning as fast as you can.
Every family is different and this plan won’t work for everyone. The trick is to come up with a plan that works for you and stick with it. Your kids will thrive when they know what to expect each day.
