Creating a daily plan might just be one of the toughest homeschool tasks. There are so many factors to consider in the process of developing a schedule that makes sense for your family. Are you struggling in this area of your homeschool? I’m sharing how to plan your homeschool day with ease.
Lofty Expectations
There is a tendency to embark on the homeschool journey by “over-promising”. In other words, you obligate yourself to behaviors, practices, processes, and methods that you will most likely never be able to maintain. As a result, you may feel guilty, inadequate, or ill-equipped to homeschool. This is a common error that most new homeschoolers make, but it’s not your fault. With the increasing popularity of homeschooling, there is so much more information to weed through. Everything looks enticing and necessary as you try to find your way to YOUR homeschool.
So how do you avoid “over-promising” while designing a homeschool plan? Here are 4 tips to help you plan your homeschool day while staying true to who you are.
Know Your Family
When creating your homeschool plan the first step is to understand your “family dynamic”. This refers to the natural way you function and interact on a daily basis. Understanding your family’s natural flow will help you determine when to plug in certain tasks and activities. When developing a homeschool plan, you want to be sure you are creating a process that your family can naturally follow or easily adapt to, as needed.
Know What Needs To Be Done
What activities, tasks, or responsibilities need to be completed during the day? These items may include meals, formal lessons, household chores, extracurricular activities, and work schedules (at home or remote). Get a clear picture of what needs to be done and how long each task may take. By considering these factors, you can set a clear timeline for your day.
Plan To Have Fun
Homeschool doesn’t mean “school at home”. The beauty of the homeschooling environment is that learning can happen all around, and in a variety of places. Be sure to include fun activities that break up the day, enrich your child’s learning, and just allow you to have fun! Also, fun activities don’t have to be expensive or require a lot of planning. Don’t forget, spontaneous activities can be fun too!
Be Flexible
Changes may occur from day to day that require you to adjust your schedule. Also, the routine you choose today may need to change as your life and responsibilities change. Feel free to adjust your plan when it ceases to work for your family. Flexibility is a necessary tool to help you stay engaged and excited about your homeschool journey.
Follow these four tips to start yourself off on the right track with planning your homeschool day.
Would you like to dive deeper into homeschool planning? Grab my FREE ebook “How to Plan Your Homeschool Day”. The ebook further explains each tip and provides examples. I also include a sample of the schedule we’re currently following in our home.
Get Your Copy of the ebook HERE! Happy Planning!
Oh, and one more thing!
Check out my Ultimate Homeschool Resource Guide for free and affordable materials you can use in your homeschool right now!
If you’re ready to get started on your homeschool journey and need more guidance, you may want to check out my “5 Days to Homeschool Success Challenge”! This is an easy-to-use introduction to homeschooling. You’ll receive actionable steps over the next five days to help you gain confidence and valuable information for your homeschooling journey.
