Happy New Homeschool Year!
Maybe you are new to homeschooling this year, or you’re continuing a second year of homeschooling after being forced to by COVID. Maybe you’ve been homeschooling for a few years now or you’re a homeschool vet. Whatever stage or category of homeschooling you’re in, here are 4 tips to help you prepare and manage this homeschool year.
1. Set a routine.
A routine is a regular way of doing things in a particular order that allows flexibility. This is the heartbeat and pulse of your homeschool days. Every day is not programmed to go exactly the same and routines allow you to break the limits of time schedules. With a routine you can rearrange your homeschool tasks to go to the doctor’s appointments, grocery shop, or just simply rest.
Routines allow you to keep in mind what you need to accomplish for the day in whatever order you can get it done.
Here’s my typical homeschool day routine:
Bible Devotional & Worship
Math
Reading/Language Arts
Science/Health
Social Studies
You’re probably thinking, “That’s it ?!” Yes, it is! Each day my focus is to complete each of those tasks in whatever order I can surrounding breaks, snacks, meals,extracurricular activities, and other life responsibilities. Some days we finish everything before lunch time and other days later in the afternoon.
Also, make sure your family knows what to expect from your homeschool routine. Take the time to have frequent discussions about it. You can even allow your child to participate in sharing their suggestions and ideas about your homeschool routine. Make it a family affair. Your routine can be as structured as you’d like or as lax as your free spirit desires.
No matter your routine style or preference, you will need a plan or goal(s) for each day. I’ve found that it helps to create a daily checklist to help stay on track. My boys enjoy the checklist. They love crossing off tasks as we accomplish them. They even remind me of what’s next to help keep me on track.
2. Pick a curriculum plan.
There are so many curriculum plan options and styles of homeschooling out there. It can be overwhelming trying to find one that fits you.
Some of the popular curriculum and homeschool options are:
Buy a curriculum set that contains the content areas (Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, History & Geography)
Locate various workbooks and/or activities for every subject based on your state’s requirements
Use a co-op homeschool program
You can also join local homeschool support groups, and any activities that peak your child’s interests. Keep in mind that you should choose a curriculum plan that you can handle. Choose one based on what you can afford, both monetarily and with time.
We use Imagodei Academy, a program that supplies a homeschool curriculum and homeschool guidance and support. We also joined a local homeschool support group, and activities that peak my child’s interest, like violin lessons and Code Ninja.
If you have any specific questions about these options or need direction, feel free to contact me. I’d be more than happy to help you. Also, here is a FREE homeschool checklist designed to help you develop a practical homeschool plan for your child.
3. Give yourself mercy!
Let’s be honest. At times we tend to forget that we are human and can become our own worst critic. We compare ourselves to other homeschool parents and feel inadequate when we don’t quite “measure up”.
Mercy is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. When we give ourselves mercy, we exchange the power of punishing ourselves with the space to be human. In case anyone hasn’t told you lately, you are a human being not a machine.
Machines are mechanical structures designed within controlled forces to perform an intended action. And as humans we are not designed to function this way. With that being said, we, including myself, need to handle ourselves with merciful care this homeschool year.
4. Remember your why
The reality is some days you may question why you even decided to homeschool your child. You may even feel like giving up and immediately enroll them into a public or private school. But don’t give up! Instead of responding in a natural way to your thoughts and feelings, remember your “why” for homeschooling.
My reason for homeschooling my children is because it’s a portion of my calling as a parent. As a homeschool parent I have the greatest influence in my child’s life and can provide a healthy, consistent, age appropriate learning environment. I have the autonomy to teach my children the truth in love. I have the responsibility to give them a biblical foundation for their learning, and to provide the space and opportunities to choose paths that will lead them to walk out God’s plans and purposes for their lives.
I pray that you’ll have a successful and prosperous homeschool school year. I commend you for choosing this path of homeschooling. It is not always an easy task but it’s an investment that yields a priceless harvest in your family and child’s life.
