Homeschool Scheduling: I wish I'd known in my early years

Posted by Michelle Osborn on Nov 02, 2016

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Relational Homeschooling

Guest post by DianaWaring.com

Dear Friends,

I have one bit of advice for you that I wish I'd known in my early homeschooling years.

Ready?

Don't schedule every minute or every hour. In fact, be very slow to add anything to your minimum "must-do" list.

The reason?

Having sufficient free time is critical to the long-term success of homeschooling.

And, here's why:

Your kids are not robots when it comes to learning. Some days they will be eager to learn; other days they will be tired, emotional, or overwhelmed. Having the freedom in your schedule to work with the days when everything goes well AND the days when everything goes wrong makes your homeschool sustainable over the long haul.
You are not a robot when it comes to parenting/teaching. Some days you will be eager to teach, cook, clean, drive, discuss, and let your kids make a messy art project. Other days you will be tired, emotional, or overwhelmed, and just managing to read a book aloud to your kids after making breakfast will be a huge effort. Having the freedom in your schedule to work with both kinds of days allows you to live realistically, without being crushed by the dreaded "falling behind." This, too, makes your homeschool sustainable over the long haul.
Free time is the precious "space" where we can recharge, refresh, and regain our strength for the daily demands of life. For some of you (and this includes your kids), free time could mean curling up with a good book. For others (and this includes your kids), free time could mean getting to be outside playing, gardening, or taking a walk. For still others (and this includes your kids), free time could mean having a chance to be with friends, playing a game, chatting about interests, or planning a surprise party.
And, according to Proverbs 16:9, though we may plan our way, it is the Lord who actually directs our steps. That is a good reason to leave some free time in our schedules. The Lord may bring to our attention a friend or neighbor who needs a meal or some assistance. How freeing it is to be able to say, "Yes," when it's important!

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