Homeschooling schedules got you in a tizzy? Feel like hiding under a chair and pouting (what my son happens to be doing in the photo above)? Wonder if you’ll ever figure out a workable homeschooling schedule in this lifetime? I have definitely been there and done that!
So, what are some things you can do to beat the homeschool schedule blues? In the coming weeks I’ll be working up some posts that go a little more in depth on the subject, but until then, here’s a quick list to get you started.
1) Pinpoint the problem areas. Be specific. What parts of your homeschooling day drive you nuts? What subjects are you finding the most difficult to work in? Make a list.
2) Brainstorm ways you can overcome these problems. Don’t be afraid to list even seemingly outrageous solutions. Ask friends to help you brainstorm and LISTEN TO THEM. Sometimes the answer is only a phone call away.
3) Try each suggestion on for size (preferably one at a time). Give each one at least a week before deciding whether it works or not.
4) Discard those that do not work. Do not worry about the fact that Susie-so-and-so made it work for her family. You are not Susie-so-and-so, and your family may have different needs than hers.
5) Keep those that do work for you. Write them down, implement then, enlist the kids to hold you accountable to the schedule.
6) In a few weeks, reevaluate. Is it still working for you? Did it end up being as great as you had thought it would be? Do you need to try something else from your brainstorming session? Has the new schedule created a new problem area somewhere else? If so, is the new problem worth keeping the new schedule? Do you need to brainstorm a solution to the new problem?
7) Don’t be discouraged. The process may be long and involved, or you may find a workable schedule only to realize that a new baby or a new move or something else puts a kink in it and you have to rework it again. If you stay calm and just methodically work through finding a new solution, you’ll make a lot more headway in a lot less time than if you fly into a frenzy and end up burned out (or on the floor, under a chair, pouting). Remember the adage, “Slow & steady wins the race.”
and
8) My very favorite reminder…Pray for the Lord to fill in the gaps. You WILL have gaps. There is absolutely no way around it. Remind yourself, if you must, that your own schooling had gaps and yet, here you are, following the Lord’s will.
How about we do a little Schedule Show & Tell here. If you have a post or a link to a homeschool schedule, link it up here! Also, here is the link to the scheduling posts I promised earlier.
Andrea says
Some days I feel a bit like a dog chasing his tail….definitely overwhelmed.
Hugs,
andrea
Erin says
I think its easy to become overwhelmed or bogged down in trying to make a schedule, but in the past few years that I’ve done it, I’ve found that keeping it as SIMPLE as possible is what works best for us. I’ve tried having everyone switching tasks every 15-30 minutes, and it gets too chaotic. So we just have an “order of service” so to speak, and go with the flow. Once we finish one subject, we move on to the next, no matter how long (or not) each one took. I liked up a post I did a few months ago about our most recent schedule, but even that has changed a tad! 😉
I’m looking forward to your series of posts on this topic!
Grace Wheeler says
I’ll definetly be coming back to this in the future Amy! This is really encouraging and helpful as a beginning homeschooler. And since I have so many littles with changing schedules, I feel like I have to re-evaluate my routine every 3 months!
Also, I messed up my MckLinky (blushing) because I linked it to my general blog and not a specific post! Oops! So could you delete it and I’ll re-enter it the right way? Thanks!