As the parent of three children under the age of 10, I can tell you that your family may seem to have a pretty packed schedule at times! Between school, extracurricular activities, soccer games, and work commitments, it can seem like there’s barely any time left to squeeze in homeschooling. But with the right planning and organization skills, you can create an efficient homeschooling schedule that will help ensure your child gets a good education while still fitting in all the other necessary parts of your life.
Save Time by Having your Child Plan his Day
Have your child create his schedule. Just because you’re Boys and a Dog homemaking homeschooling tips for busy folks doesn’t mean your child needs to sit in front of his homework from 9 am-3 pm every day, Monday through Friday. Have him choose what he wants to work on each day and create an order for completing it. This can help you save time and give your students ownership over their education. While some days might require some prodding to get started, having a say in what they’re doing each day will make them more invested in what they’re learning. After all, if it’s not their idea…why should they do it?
The easiest way to do it is to sit down with your child and make up a list of what they need to learn that day. Then, schedule time to work on their subjects at different times in an hour-by-hour outline. They can even use your calendar or planner as an outline. Let them decide which subjects take priority and in what order. If they seem uninterested in one subject, let them know that they’ll be able to move on once they complete it.
Save Time by Having Him Prepare His Clothes and Backpack the Night Before
Help your son develop good habits by setting up an easy routine to help him pack his bag in advance. Set aside 15-20 minutes at night before you go to bed and have him pick out what he’ll wear, fold it neatly, and place it in his backpack so that all he has to do is grab it when you are ready for school. This simple nightly routine helps save time and can serve as great practice for self-care too! Teaching our children how to take care of themselves makes them more capable, independent, and better prepared.
Another great way to save time is to schedule your school year in advance. Talk to your child about what he’d like to learn that year and pick out some books, subjects, or units of study to focus on. By having an idea of what you want to teach each semester, you can plan out how much time is needed for each subject and lesson, which will help make it easier to keep your busy schedule running smoothly. If you are homeschooling multiple children, try spreading out subjects throughout various areas of your home (such as working on math in one room while others study in another) so that they aren’t always in your way while you work with another child.
Give your Child the Tools to be Successful
Like many parents, you’ve already decided that homeschooling is for your family. But when you look at your schedule, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. From working full-time to taking care of kids and managing household responsibilities, there aren’t enough hours in the day to fit in everything that needs to be done. The key is setting up a homeschool schedule that works for everyone involved. One parent might have more time during one period, and another might be able to make up for lost time on another project after school. The goal should be flexible because no two families are alike two parents, three kids, an extended family, and multiple pets can mean endless ways things could play out over any given day or week.
Help your Child with Self-Discipline
Learning self-discipline is not easy. Rather than demanding it of your child, try to help your child learn self-discipline on their own. You can do so by working with them to organize their time and hone their study skills. Even when you have projects that need doing, you can work with your children to structure their time and remind them what they are supposed to be doing at any given moment (either through an appointment book or calendar). When children can see how scheduling and planning ahead work for adults, they will begin to cultivate their self-discipline naturally.
Keep Flexibility in your Schedule
The beauty of homeschooling is that you get to customize your learning plan. If your child finishes her math unit faster than expected, there’s no need to rush through it just because it’s on your schedule; go over it again or move on to another subject. Similarly, if she seems to struggle with a certain topic, offer extra help during regular school hours and cut back on other areas. Be sure to let your child know you are always available for extra help when needed, so she doesn’t feel overwhelmed by an entire day full of lessons. This flexibility will help make sure everyone stays focused and happy about learning!
