Create a homeschool schedule

Homeschooling is a popular choice for parents this year. You're one of these parents and you're trying to figure how to schedule your day. According to mprnews.com "The National Homeschool Association received more than 3400 requests for information in a single day last year, up from the five to 20 inquiries per day prior to the coronavirus." We are here to help you make your homeschooling experience a success. You will feel like you're staying afloat.

There are important things to consider before you begin planning your homeschooling day. Consider the ages and personalities of your children as well as their work-from-home obligations. What time do one or both parents leave the house to go to work? When do they return home? Are your children morning people? Are you a night person? Are you using a curriculum? There are many things to consider.

It is important to remember that homeschooling can be flexible. I will repeat that: homeschooling can be flexible. Your homeschooling schedule is yours. We have been homeschooling for the past several months at 2 p.m. and continuing until dinner. My children love playing outside and with their toys until lunch. This is making it possible for me to work and do household chores, so I moved things around. It is not required that homeschooling be conducted between 8am and 2pm on Monday through Friday. If your family is able to homeschool, you can do so on weekends. You have the ability to change things as and when you need. You should swim with the tide and not against it.

It is essential to set a routine or rhythm for your day. For the safety of both children and parents, consistency is essential. Instead of trying to plan every hour, I prefer to break down the day into three-hour chunks. This is what works best for us. Children are subject to delays and unexpected events. My type A personality is not happy when things don’t go according to plan. If I was doing "language arts" between 9 and 9:30 and then something happened and we didn’t get to it until 9 :45, that would be stressful. We can help you if you need everything mapped out per hour. You can also choose to not look at the clock but prefer a list-based schedule. Step 1 is to determine which method works best for your family. Step 2: Print one and try it out. You can always make adjustments along the way.

Some additional considerations:

• You can do as much school work at home in an hour or so than you would in a traditional classroom. How is this possible? It's possible because teachers spend a lot of time on other things than teaching. This means that you will need to find other activities to fill your day.

• Homeschooling is easier if your child is younger than you are. Children are always learning, so don't be discouraged. Homeschooling older children will require more work.

• These homeschool schedules do not allow for co-ops, errands or sports. These should be added to your homeschool schedule.

Happy Homeschooling! Here are some tips to organize your day in the best way for you and your family.