No matter how hard we try to keep things in our control, life will inevitably get busy. If you’re a homeschool parent, a particularly busy season can feel like it’s tearing apart your schedule and ruining your child’s education. Here are a few tips for homeschooling when your life gets busy.
Plan In Smaller Increments
If you’re a type-A homeschool parent who plans your child’s curriculum for the whole year in one go, taking a step back may help you manage your time better. Planning your schedule only a week or two in advance will leave enough flexibility to adjust when events and deadlines arise. Plus, forcing yourself to keep track of a hundred little details will make you feel more stressed and overwhelmed. Stick to big picture items in the near future and adjust as needed.
School on the Go
If you find yourself driving a lot during the day, utilize the time you and your kids have in the car for education. If your kids don’t get motion sick they can work on homework or reading and ask you questions that you can answer (as long as it’s safe). Podcasts and audiobooks are a great way to learn about new subjects on the go and you can even record yourself teaching a lesson and play that while your kids follow along with their materials.
Don’t Corner Yourself Into a Traditional School Schedule
It can be easy to feel like your homeschool routine needs to run from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm like most public schools, but that doesn’t have to be the case if it doesn’t work for you. Work meetings at 8:00 am? Start school at 9:00 those days. Club practice every week at 2:00? Take a long afternoon break and finish up in the evening. The beauty of homeschool is that you get to set your own schedule to meet your needs and those of your kids. Take advantage of the flexibility and use it to your advantage.
Consider Making Some Cuts
No matter how organized or flexible you are, there are only 24 hours in a day. If you find yourself constantly overwhelmed and exhausted after meeting deadlines and getting everything done on your to-do list, you may need to cut a few things from your schedule. No one likes this option, but removing one or two things from your weekly schedule can do wonders for your mental health and stress levels. You can always start doing those things again if you find you created too much time your yourself.
HomeschoolFacts.com has a complete list of support groups to help support you in your homeschooling endeavors and connect with homeschoolers near you. You can search the list of support groups here: https://www.homeschoolfacts.com/homeschool-support-groups.html