Wake at 7 a.m. Shower, dress, eat, and be ready for another day of learning at 8 a.m., commencing four hours of math and science. Take lunch for half an hour, then get back to it with four more hours of history and English. It’s 4:30 p.m., and the day is over. It’s that easy, right?
Well, rarely.
Creating a workable schedule is a daunting task for the homeschool parent, as this mom, Alicia, well understands. In this video, she describes her experience attempting to create the ideal schedule.
Insights:
- Make a schedule that best suits your family
- Don’t force something that isn’t working
Make a schedule that best suits your family
Alicia used to have her four kids get up at 8:30 a.m. This, as she puts it, was “miserable.” School would last from six to eight hours a day with grumpy, tired, and unmotivated children. Realizing this wasn’t going to work, Alicia moved the start of the day to 9 a.m., which dramatically changed the course of the day. With an extra half hour of sleep, her children had more energy and motivation, finishing school in just over half the time it took before.
Alicia’s point in telling this little anecdote is to inspire homeschool parents to create a schedule that best suits their family. Getting started at 9 a.m. might be too late for you, or too early. Find what works with your family and stick to it.
Don’t force something that isn’t working
Of course, finding what works with your family is easier said than done. It involves a fair share of trial and error. Alicia encourages parents to be flexible to change a schedule that isn’t working. If you are starting the morning with history and English but your child keeps falling asleep during The Story of the World audiobooks, try shifting these subjects to the afternoon and beginning the day with math and science.
Don’t force the previous routine if it’s not working. Try out new schedules to find what fits best for you and your family.
How can I apply this to my life?
Now, there’s no such thing as the perfect schedule, certainly not one that is universal to all families and all situations. Each family is unique, and each day different than the last. Also, what works for one child might not for another. So don’t be discouraged if your schedule seems to be failing. Rather, see if you can pinpoint what might be the issue (such as, in Alicia’s case, the time the school day began) and change it. It may take some time to find what works best, but don’t give up! We know you’ll find the schedule that is just right for your family.
Find more answers to your questions in our video series Ask a Homeschool Parent or at our blog.
