Rise Early
Homeschool parents don’t get a lot of “me time” in their days. From the moment they wake up until the time they go to bed, they’re knee-deep in it all.The solution? Wake up first. Experienced homeschoolers understand that carving out even 10 minutes a day to be alone with your thoughts is invaluable.
Even if you’re not a morning person, program your coffee the night before and allow yourself some time to slowly wake up by yourself. Relish time alone in the morning to gather your thoughts and just be.
Overplan
Whatever your approach to homeschool, I recommend planning more than enough for each of your children. When life gets hectic or you’re just tired, you’ll have robust plans to fall back on and keep things moving forward.The key to overplanning is to be completely OK with never getting to all that you’ve planned. Know going in that you’ll never do all of these things, but you’ll do the ones that work well for your family.
Feel free to have days when you follow no plan at all. Maybe even most of your days will feel that way.
Don’t Interrupt
Your checklist says that you have to get through math, history, and science before the end of the day but your kids are still busy building their Lego city, reading, drawing, or digging in the garden.Let them be.
It’s really important to recognize the educational value of joyful activities such as these and not fall under a checklist’s potentially tyrannical influence.
Take Suggestions
Allow your children to have input into their education. Ask for ideas, get feedback, and involve your children in the preparation and execution of their homeschool experience. As they get older, do this more and more.Remain Flexible
If there’s one thing for certain in homeschool, it’s that it won’t stay the same. What works one year might not the next. Your children’s interests and aptitudes will vary widely across the spans of their childhoods.Be ready to toss a curriculum that isn’t working, rethink your whole approach to subjects, adjust your schedule and routines many times, and pivot to meet the needs of your children.
These aren't robots you’re programming, but beautiful souls you’re cultivating, so keep your approach soft, loving, open, and flexible.