Homeschooling: When is the best time to start the day?

Some of you may be wondering, “When is the best time to start my homeschooling day?” One of the best things about homeschooling is the flexibility that you have. So the fact is, it is up to you! If you are a morning person and your family is used to getting up early. By all means start early. You can get a lot done early in the morning. However, If you are like me and not a morning person, start later. I may start at 9 or later in the day. I am so grateful I don’t have to get the children up to meet the bus in the morning. Some homeschool moms even teach in the evening.

Another reason it works for us to start later in the day is because my husband sometimes has meetings at night. So when I don’t get to everything I want to during the day, I can finish it in the evenings. So if a parent works a different shift, doing school other than in the day time may work better for you.

It is easy to get caught up in the public school mindset and think I have to start at the break of dawn, keep an hourly schedule, and use a textbook curriculum (although I prefer textbook curriculums). Well, guess what. You don’t. You have the flexiblity to make your schooling your own. You choose what works best for your family. Every family is different and what you don’t want to do is get caught up in comparing your way of homeschooling to others. We all have different personalities and what works best for some, will not work best for others.

For example, I am an introvert who as I said before is not a morning person. So for me, I start my day later in the morning. We choose to not do a lot of outside electives with my family. For example, I had someone come to the house for piano lessons. I chose outdoor activities where you only attend once a month such as Amigo camp or short term activities such as community players theatre, where I do not have to run places all year long. I plan playdates at our home. I would take the children to parks in town and do school with them there once in a while. I personally get worn out when I am running kids places every day to groups and then I would have a hard time getting our studies done. I also find our family stays healthier staying home. We take the summer off . My children are grateful for that time off to play with their friends and I find I need the time for myself to refresh. It also gives me time to assess where we are and find new curriculum to plan for the next year. We plan our vacations during the off season when others are in school to avoid the crowds. It took me a while to figure all this out, but that is what works for our family.

Other parents may be more extroverted and like to do many activities outside the home with their family such as sports, classes, and music. They thrive on being around others which energizes them and like a lot of extracurricular activities. This is another option with homeschooling that is readily available. The options are endless and you can create your own lifestyle with your family.

The most important thing is to start. I recommend getting some devotion time and praying first with your children for God’s strength, wisdom, and patience. Trusting that He will provide for you along the way. Start slow and each day you can add more. If you are not sure what to start with, read your or their favorite books to your children. I found my children love to be read to and still like it. It also gets them excited to read themselves. Be creative as you want and even play games at times to make it fun. Once you get started the rest will fall into place. And if it doesn’t…start again later or the next day. Starting and establishing a routine will help them to know what to expect and eventually when they get older they will be able to set their own schedule to achieve their goals. Your children’s ages and learning styles are different so you will have to recognize what works best for them as well. Remember, this is a process and Rome wasn’t built in a day. You can do it!

Homeschooling becomes more than just school. It becomes a lifestyle. A routine that your family comes to know and appreciate. Create your own schedule and you can change it along the way if it isn’t working for you. There are many parents out there doing the same thing. So remember you are not alone. You will look at things in a new way and doors will open up that you didn’t even know was out there. You create how you want your family to be. It is time you get to spend with your children that you will cherish in the long run. It goes by fast and I can honestly say it isn’t easy, but I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way. I love the fact I get to determine what is taught to my children. I love knowing who my children are with. I love the hugs I get everyday and seeing those “aha” moments when they get it. And now I can say I love seeing my daughters do well in college. God is faithful!

I hope this helps to get you started. I’ll be writing more in the days to come. If you have specific questions, feel free to ask.

Join our facebook group at Joyfaithstrength in Homeschooling.

Blessings,

Cheryl Bippus

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