4 Homeschool Time Wasters to Avoid – Parent Edition

Trying to to do All the Household Work Yourself

Do your friends and family ever ask you how you manage to get everything done? In truth, parents often have to let go of high expectations for a super clean house and gourmet meals every night.

Of course, there will still be household essentials that have to get done for the health and wellbeing of your family.

Decide what essential tasks need to be done each day, and delegate some of these responsibilities to your children when they are old enough to help out.

Getting Sidetracked Online

The internet, and even social media, can be very useful for homeschooling parents, but it’s also easy to get sidetracked.

Before you know it, you’ve forgotten why you went online in the first place, and what was supposed to be a quick search has turned into an hour of wasted time.

If you are planning lessons or doing research online, be sure to focus on your goals and be clear about what you need to do.

Set aside a separate time slot for social media, emails, and other tasks, and if you’re worried about getting sidetracked, decide how much time you need to spend online before you open your computer. Then, set a timer, and hold yourself accountable.

Not Planning Ahead for Lessons

Preparing for lessons ahead of time will help you anticipate outcomes, gather materials, and develop strategies for hard-to-understand concepts.

If you jump into a lesson that you’ve only glanced at, there’s a good chance that things will go awry. Not always, of course — but proper planning enables you to anticipate how lessons will be received and tailor them to your kids’ individual learning styles.

Whether you plan lessons a month, a week, or a day in advance, the results will be well worth the effort.

Not Balancing Your Time Between Priorities

Living and working side-by-side with your kids every day is one of the most rewarding experiences there is, but many parents have a hard time finding balance between home, school, work, and personal time.

Taking time for yourself is critical, and it’s important to make it a priority so this personal time doesn’t disappear. Your children should understand from an early age that you need certain times of the day for yourself. Younger kids can use this time for rest or quiet play, and older children can catch up on their own projects.

Homeschooling parents wear many hats — teacher, coach, homemaker, chef, and taxi driver, just to name a few. With so many priorities demanding your attention, time management is more important than ever.