I almost titled this blog post, “What’s a day in the life of a typical homeschool family like”, but what’s typical anyway? Does that even exist in homeschooling? The benefit of homeschooling is that it is unique and fits each family where they are…like shoes!
Are you a clog, stiletto, boot, or sandal??
We have been through many seasons of homeschooling in 15+ years and have been wedges, Mary Janes, and sneakers! But they all have gotten us where we need to go!
Adapting to your season of life is very important for efficiency and being kind to yourself.
MORNING HOMESCHOOL ROUTINE
I use to set an alarm for 6:30 AM, but when Covid hit there were no commitments in the afternoon anymore, so I adapted and gave us a more relaxed and stress-free morning changing my alarm to 8 AM.
Tip: Your homeschool routine should serve YOU, not the other way around!
Now that I have this blog, I’m excited to get up and get crackin’, so I changed my alarm to 7 AM. The time you start your day really helps set the tone and mood for the day. [See my blog post: How should I structure/schedule my homeschool day? (Block scheduling for focus and flexibility)]
Next, I get dressed and make my bed, very important!
Tip: I’ve been through seasons where I had my jammies on until 3 PM. That can feel good…until it’s 3 PM and you still have your jammies on. Then it can start to feel sloppy and unproductive, maybe a little out of sync with the world. Is wearing your PJs until 3 PM serving you and your homeschool the best it can?
Tip: If you want a good life make your bed…every single day. I’m serious. Well, maybe I’m joking, but I’m adamant that making the bed each day cultivates a mindset of productivity, efficiency, and gives you a place of peace in your home. It sets the tone, “I’m activity-oriented”.
Next, I stagger into the kitchen to make, “Holly’s Famous French Press Coffee” with 20 grams of amazing collagen protein, coconut palm sugar, raw honey, half & half…it’s delicious!
I use this morning time to putter around the house, listen to some soothing classical music while I start the day, and work for a few hours on the ol’ blog before the kiddos wake up.
My three kids still in school have become very independent with meals and getting themselves ready, including the 10-year-old.
I like to say this has been a silver lining of my lame meal preparation schedule (just being real here folks). I do have foods I cook and we all enjoy, but I am not consistent with this. Therefore, hunger pains have proved to be a big motivator!
Actually, the kids sort of naturally started making food they enjoy because we are all home and it just wasn’t always practical for me to stop whatever I was doing and prepare food.
For many years I was running our co-op along with the house and homeschooling, and when hunger struck the kids started cooking! I’m glad they are independent and can fend for themselves with such an important skill like cooking!
Tip: Cultivate independence as soon as possible and in as many areas as possible. We are actually raising adults, are we not? Independence will serve you and them in so many ways. What can you do in your home to make independence appealing and accessible?
Years ago, we started school at 9 AM, or at least that’s what my schedule said!
The reality for us is that start time is very fluid due to all the things happening in a home and with the humans in the home. Now we are more in sync with reality and start school sometime between 10 AM and ?.
Once we sit down we are focused and start group time with Bible, (prayer requests and praises, bible study, and lots of discussions), then history, (this year has been early American history and the Founding Fathers plan and intent for our country). We felt this subject was appropriate for this time in our history.
Tip: Adapt as needed and don’t feel bad about veering from the original plan. It’s like a budget; it’s a good starting point but sometimes you have to adjust things and crunch the numbers. You wouldn’t stick with a budget just because that was your best assessment on January 1st but now your income has changed, your car died and your child moved home from college. See what I mean?
My 15 and 10-year-old (girls) both participate and work together. Even though there is a gap in their abilities, we work it out and it can encourage patience (15-year-old) and striving to level up (10-year-old).
AFTERNOON HOMESCHOOL ROUTINE
We usually have a short break or two during our group time since it can run about 1 1/2 hours for both subjects.
Next, my 15-year-old works on independent subjects. This includes math (Teaching Textbooks algebra), science (Apologia anatomy), and writing. She has done two programs this year and neither has hit. I am teaching her the “I” beam method of writing an essay that I learned in college (from the teacher who accused me of plagiarism…but that’s a story for another day).
She checks in with me as needed, and I go over her essay drafts so she can work on revisions.
Meanwhile, my 10-year-old does math independently (Teaching Textbooks) and we work on language arts together. I teach a concept using the whiteboard and have her use lined paper in her notebook for work related to the concepts.
I have many resources I pull from, not one curriculum. We cover lots of different things, grammar, spelling, writing, vocabulary, reading (she is dyslexic), so all these things pull together to help her learn the English language and read.
She loves Explode the Code workbooks and is currently reading a sweet little 1948 school textbook for young readers called, “On Cherry Street”. So adorable and wholesome. The fact that she can read this book at all is a testament to her hard work to overcome dyslexia over the last four years. (That story is for another blog post as well.)
During the afternoon, I am:
running laundry
doing dishes (no dishwasher)
organizing and general tidying
working on the blog
checking email
checking Facebook
checking in with my 17-year-old who is doing Running Start with the college
checking in with the girls and helping as needed
handling miscellaneous texts, calls, home administration issues
paying bills and scheduling appointments
…I think you get the picture…
And of course, sometime in here, we have all eaten lunch, maybe something I made but likely the typical, “fend for yourself”!
By late afternoon things are wrapping up and I am likely…writing posts like this one!
You may get some more great ideas for your day from my post, [5 easy tips to more efficient homeschooling].
EVENING HOMESCHOOL ROUTINE
I have prioritized my health because, well, you can’t pour water from an empty pitcher. [Read my blog post, “How do I stop parent or student homeschool burnout?(and why burnout happens)]
I work out sometime between 4 PM and 6:15 PM. One of my boys and my husband work out as well, so we have had to assign windows of time for each of us to use the gym in the basement. (We have collected equipment over time- my hubs has always been a fitness enthusiast and use to work in the industry.)
Tip: Please take good care of yourself. Mom care is so important. I tell my story of having a panic attack 5 years ago in the post about burnout. You will get down the road a few years and regret that you didn’t care for yourself. You deserve it.
In the evening my kids are likely:
hanging out
playing the ukulele
watching something on social media
playing games
creating 3D projects
helping me
helping their dad prep his lunch
working on the koi pond
reading
gaming
doing art or drawing
listening to music
…you get the idea…
Several of us may sit down to eat together depending on the day and who is in the gym, and the evening progresses with more free time and family discussions with dad since he’s home from work.
Discussions are likely current events that have proved no shortage whatsoever in content since 2020, that’s for sure! When my 20-year-old is home from his work he participates in these lively discussions as well, and we all have some good laughs along the way.
I spend a couple of hours on the blog again, jumping up as needed for things but trying to protect the time as well (I’m sure you understand what that balancing act is about)!
The only real outside program happening for my two teens is youth group once a week.
My 17-year-old son, along with starting his first job, has been attending Saturday classes for a mission trip this summer, and we recently had the privilege of attending his graduation from the first phase of this training.
My 10-year-old and I have gone to a small home-based co-op with a handful of families on Fridays since January. We are still doing church at home since breathing is easier that way. I think that’s about it, but it’s plenty. And life is good.
We all head to bed sometime after 10 PM.
I know I need 8 or 9 hours to feel good, and it is so worth it to wake up and feel energized and be able to have high energy all day long. Since I want to get up at 7 AM I focus on getting to bed by 10 PM. But, if that doesn’t happen, I shut off the 7 AM alarm since I still have the 8 AM alarm as a backup, and I don’t feel one bit guilty letting my body have the rest and recuperation time it needs and deserves.
Honor your body’s God-given cues like hunger and tiredness. They are designed to keep us alive and healthy! Ignoring them is not wise.
If you have small children and babies that are especially demanding, it is all the more important to honor your body and keep it healthy.
Do you need to adjust the expectations you have of yourself during this season of your life? The days are long, but the years are short…I promise this is true.
And finally, the house is quiet and still. Only the glow of my white Christmas lights around our front window and a few scattered night lights or colored oil diffusers penetrate the darkness.
I finally crawl into my warm bed (then I throw the covers back when a hot flash occurs, but I digress), and snuggle down, looking forward to doing it all again and starting another day with “HFFPC”. (Remember, Holly’s Famous French Press Coffee. It’s a thing. 🙂 In case you are curious, here a few links to what I use. I source all this from anywhere I can find it on sale as well including Grocery Outlet and even Ebay! Not shown-Darigold half and half from Costco.)
[Side note: If this seems extreme I’m from the Pacific Northwest so we are serious about our coffee!]
(This was was my Mother’s Day gift.)
So, that’s our “typical” day, and I make sure it is always serving us, not the other way around.
There’s no point doing something for someone else or because a book told you it’s the way. Learn to say “no” if you need to.
Talk with your husband (and best friend) and brainstorm changes if you need them.
Don’t you ever want to be a fly on the wall and see how the day flows for someone else? Well, now you can say you were a fly on my wall, and I sincerely hope this glimpse gives you ideas and encourages you to be a flat, cowboy boot, runner, oxford, or loafer!
Tip: When all my kids were little, things ran differently than this. There was way more unpredictability and chaos. You have to do the best you can and remember you are only human and all your kids will learn more than you think during these early years. I remember being pregnant and so tired, or nursing while reading history. You just do it and “poof”, those days are long gone.
Tip: It will behoove you to train (and discipline when needed) the kids particularly when they are young so appropriate respect and behavior are the standard early on. Get tough mom! It will yield a big payoff for homeschooling as well.
If the shoe fits…WEAR IT!
How does your day flow? What “shoe” are you currently wearing? Leave a comment below!
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