Organizing Your Homeschool Year: Using Work Binders & Task Cards

Written by Krista Smith.

You’ve stuck with me for three out of the four parts in this series on organization, and we’re finally in the home stretch. In Part 1, I showed you the ugly underbelly of my early homeschooling years and how that difficult time was the impetus for a big change in the way I plan and organize everything from the macro (yearly) level down to the nitty gritty micro (daily) level.

Organizing Your Homeschool Year: Using Monthly Folders

Written by Krista Smith.

In Part 1 of this 4-part series, I confessed that after limping along for a couple of years, one day, I finally realized that something needed to change in my homeschool. I needed confidence and better daily systems in order to love, serve, and teach my kids well.

In Part 2, I shared why planning out some things in the homeschool day and setting them on autopilot can be life-giving and sanity-restoring, whether you use the particular methods I suggest or come up with brand new ones that work better for your unique family. I also walked through STEP 1 in the 4-step overlapping system I use to plan out everything from the yearly level to the daily level in my homeschool.

Organizing Your Homeschool: Using a Planner

Written by Krista Smith.

In Part 1 of this 4-part series, I gave you a peek behind the curtain of chaos that was my early years of homeschooling. In this post, I’m hoping and praying that the things the Lord has been teaching me (mainly by hard knocks) and which I have been privileged to teach to other mothers, will breathe life into your homeschool, reduce stress (for you and your kids), and bring order to your chaotic days.

Organizing Your Homeschool Year: A Confession

Written by Krista Smith.

If you’ve been homeschooling longer than 2 minutes, it’s safe to say you may, at some point, have had picturesque visions of what your school year could be like...should be like. 

For most of us, these raptures typically occur in June when we’re all eagerly unwrapping the beautiful new curriculums which arrive in the mailbox at regular intervals throughout the summer. We tear open the shrink wrap like sugar addicts unwrapping Twinkies. We become starry-eyed as we flip through the pages, imagining how amazingly this year is going to go, all while trying to forget the dumpster fire that was last year…

…Please, Lord…

But this year! This year will be different. We secretly proclaim to ourselves.

5 More Homeschool Mom Hacks to Start Today

Written by Krista Smith.

I’m a plain-Jane sort of a person. I gravitate toward the ordinary. You won’t find any stilettos in my closet and if given the chance to eat something extravagant, I will opt for a cheeseburger. Every time. The same goes for how I manage my home. When faced with the mountain of daily tasks that come with homekeeping while homeschooling, I prefer simple solutions. I've already shared seven of my favorite everyday life-hacks. Here are five more.

The One Simple List that Will Fix Your Underwhelming Launch

I'd like to tell you that I always come fully-prepared into every homeschool year--that I have my plans solidified and written in stone; that I have all my curriculum ordered and in order; that I have tugged on all the kinks and have straightened them out.

But I don't.

I've been at this now for eleven years. Twelve, if you count preschool. And I still waver. My school year never launches quite a smoothly as I always hope it will. This year was no exception.

A Quick-fix for a Messy Morning Routine

Written by Krista Smith.

“Babe, get your laundry picked up, please.

Sweetheart, your laundry.

Darlin’…this is getting silly. Pick up your laundry. Like, NOW!”

How many of our mornings as homeschool moms start off this way? Then hit repeat for the next task in line.

Maybe not all of your kiddos struggle to stay on target, but I’d be willing to bet at least one of them, at least once a week needs a good, determined, poke in the right direction. It is certainly true at my house and with my kids, anyway.

So what is a mama to do?

The Case for One-Day House Cleaning

Written by Krista Smith.

I love homeschooling. I love that through schooling at home, Jesus gets to be the biggest, most important part of our day. I love that my kiddo’s interests get to take center stage and that state curriculums that don’t truly have my child’s actual education in mind get to take a seat. I love that, for us, a 4 ½ day schedule is a perfect fit and that on our ½ day (Friday) we get to wear our pajamas. All.Day.Long.

No apologies necessary.

How to "Soft Open" the Homeschool Year

Transition can be rough, especially for kids. It seems that just as soon as a household settles into a comfortable summertime rhythm...BAM!...it's time to start school again. Downshifting to a more structured, intentional schedule can wreak havoc on one's emotional and physical constitution. Tantrums, meltdowns, and bad attitudes are often the byproducts of drastic change. And that's just how we, mommas, respond. Don't even get me started on the kids' reactions!

Help! I'm Homeschooling Multiple Ages

Written by Jessica

Our homeschool days involve a lot of chatting, moving around, and doing things hands-on. There are definitely peaceful times of quietly working, but we don’t do a lot of silent and sitting-still here. While waiting for their turn to do a lesson with me or for me to check over their work, I don’t mind, and in fact encourage, my children to move around, to play quietly, and to pursue activities of interest to them.

Protecting the White Space

Written by Gretchen of Gretchen Ronnevik

The first days of homeschooling feel empty. I remember feeling like a failure when my daughter went through our daily curriculum in less than 2 hours. I often said, “That can’t be all.” Most homeschoolers will tell you that those early elementary years have very short days, but once they get to the upper grades, they will spend more of the day on schoolwork. We ended up filling our days by taking walks, playing outside, reading lots of stories, and having tea parties. We followed our curiosities and worked on projects that sounded fun.

5 Tips for a Peaceful Start to the Homeschool Day {with a video}

The first ten minutes of a homeschool morning really can set the course for the rest of the day. Chances are, if you stumble out of the gate in sluggish lethargy instead of launching out with purpose and a plan, you are dooming your day before it has even begun.

You don't have to stand idly by and watch as all your well-laid plans get derailed. You don't have to end the day in frustration or with feelings of failure. 

(This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.)

By creating a peaceful start to each homeschool day and beginning with the things that REALLY MATTER, you can stand prepared for all the rest knowing that your day has been pointed in the right direction. (But, of course, this holds true for every area of your life, not just homeschooling. I've been reading quite a bit about starting the day out right in THIS BOOK.  But, I digress...)

Bible Study Tips & Tools for a Busy Momma: Introduction

Bible study?
I barely have time to brush my teeth in the morning and yet I'm suppose to somehow squeeze in a personal Bible study to my day?!

Sweet Momma of lots of Littles, if this is your cry, take heart. You are not alone. Each year, I hear from countless women from all over the globe that echo this same plea. 

Mommas from all walks of life.

From all stages on the journey of faith.

And while their circumstances are all remarkably different, their desires are always the same-to carve out time each day to press hard into Jesus. 

To take hold of truth.

To cling to the comfort that comes only from His Word.

But like yours, their days are long. They are filled. They are full.

It is sometimes hard to even imagine cramming one.more.thing. into the day, let alone something that often requires solitude and dare I say it?...QUIET.

Child of the Day: Privilege + Responsibility

With a large family, it's easy to slip into the "herd mentality" of doing everything as a group...of lumping all of my children into one big collection and operating with a "if it's good for one, it's good for all" anthem.  

On the other hand, while parenting in an era characterized by child-centered homes, I can quickly find myself frittering these few foundational years of childhood away on overindulgence...on building a very me-centered child whose myopic lens only sees his own needs...his own wants.

Our Start-the-Day-Together Basket

With five little learners ranging from a fifth grader doing junior-high-level work to a tiny tot, stacking blocks and sorting colored pom-poms in muffin tins, my home is a daily frenzy of activity. Couple that activity with the INDEPENDENT spirit of nearly all of my kids, and you have the makings of a school day that could easily become disjointed.  

10 Little Things That Can Make or Break My Homeschool Day

Before I even begin, I have to preface this little diatribe with a quick disclaimer...
This is a list of things that could "make or break"my homeschool day. Please remember that every homeschool is unique. While my day might run smoother with the help of these 10 "little things", someone else might find them non-essential. I encourage you to use this list as a suggestion not a doctrine as you evaluate your homeschool day. And in the end, determine what works or does not work for you.

But I digress...

I start my day with God as my Guide

Admittedly, with many little ones groping for my attention each day, it can be difficult to set aside time to spend in the Word. But I find that by devoting a few quiet moments with God each morning, I am able to face a harried homeschool schedule with a full tank...refreshed and focused with Christ's GRACE and TRUTH to guide me. In addition, I am setting a good example for my children as they develop a habit of personal devotions in their own lives.

I have a plan

Typically, I make a skeletal plan of my entire school year in my Brave Homeschool Planner by the time the first day arrives. I, personally, find freedom in a plan. I don't need to waste brain cells each school day trying to "invent the wheel." I just merely have to refer to "the plan" and add or detract as needed.

I begin each day the night before

I have no desire to begin my day in a frantic panic. I've always found it helpful to prepare for the homeschool day the night before. I can make a smooth transition into the school morning knowing I am thoroughly prepared for the first lesson on the schedule. Here's how I do that...

I stick to a morning routine

A Good Morning Board has helped my children develop self-discipline. I have no desire to nag my way through the morning. By providing them with a list of morning routines that are age-appropriate, I only have to oversee the morning happenings...I no longer have to dictate and micro-manage.

I prep for dinner right after lunch

Our typical homeschool day does not end until 5 o'clock in the afternoon which doesn't leave me much time to think about dinner. By setting meat out to thaw or gathering and prepping certain dinner-time ingredients right after lunch, I am ensuring that I not only HAVE a dinner plan in place, but that I can quickly pull it all together right after school without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

I encourage self-direction in my children

It's physically impossible to teach four different subjects and grade levels at one time. The laws of physics and sanity just won't allow it! By providing my children with task cards, I am helping them to learn independence, self-motivation, and organization...three necessities of self-directed learning.

I schedule homekeeping pauses into our day

Disorder and clutter turns my mind into mush. Although I recognize that there is going to be a certain level of mess that is a natural part of a "lively" home, I also know that peace and tranquility can often only be found in order. So, I weave three quick homekeeping/cleaning pauses into our school day. I place them at the natural starts and stops (right before school, right after lunch, and right after school) in order to provide a smoother, less-chaotic transition to "the next."

I mark off "learning territory"

Because I believe learning and life should go together and that education should not be limited to only one room, we do not have an actual homeschool classroom. That being said, I do purpose to set our learning area apart in order that learning can actually take place. Have you ever tried writing a research paper while someone is firing a sock missile at you? Trust me...it can't be done! The general rule of thumb in our house (excluding the baby, of course) is that if the learning is happening here (the dining room table, the kitchen floor, the couch, etc.) and you are not a part of the learning at this present moment, then you can not be here. In other words, if you are on a break/free play time and your sibling is not, then respect him/her enough to take your play elsewhere.

I schedule an extended afternoon break

I'm often asked why I homeschool until 5 o'clock every evening when many homeschoolers keep to a traditional 3 o'clock quitting time. Although there is much method to my madness, the short answer is that I schedule a two-hour break in the middle of the day and those two hours are redeemed later on in the afternoon. As I've mentioned before, the Hubs comes home for lunch every day. To the best of my ability, I have made it a priority to set his hour-long lunch break apart as family time. Since I have a larger-than-average sized household and because I prefer not to serve sandwiches every day, it takes me about 1/2 hour to make lunch. After the Hubs heads back to work, the kids and I spend about 1/2 hour completing some afternoon chores (loading/unloading the dishwasher, sweeping the dining room floor, starting a load of laundry, etc.)...completing our 2-hour break and pushing our quitting time to 5 o'clock. I'll admit that it's a bit unconventional, but then again...so is homeschooling!

I maintain flexibility

While everything on this list would be filed under "the perfect homeschool day", I recognize that the perfect homeschool day comes along about as often as the "perfect hair day." These "little things" make up my goals. And although I don't necessarily meet my goals each and every day, I find direction...and therefor benefit...in having a goal. The important thing is to maintain flexibility, so that when the day veers off the plotted course, learning can still take place and sanity can still be salvaged.

What "little thing" would you add to this list?

How and Why I Give My Kids Allowance {Part 2}

A few days ago in Part 1 of this 2 part series, I shared HOW the Hubs and I provide allowance to our children.  Much to the dismay of many, I confessed that we do not dole out allowance based on the completion of weekly chores.  And while to some that might appear to mirror the financial style of welfare, I can assure you that my children have daily and weekly chores that they complete without payment.  Because as I mentioned previously, in order for a home to function at its best, each and every member of the home has to do his/her part to keep it running.  (Quick Aside:  As this is not a politically charged blog, I will not render my opinion on whether welfare should or should not be mirrored...ahem!)

How and Why I Give My Kids Allowance {Part 1}

My little Blonde Warrior just turned five! Although every birthday brings a level of excitement, in our house, number five has the added benefits of...

1. being able to invite friends over for a themed birthday party with games
2. getting to sign up for summer sports teams
3. being able to chew gum
4. GETTING A WEEKLY ALLOWANCE

The Hubs and I have a great method to our madness for each of these four "rights of passage". But, as our little man was just awarded his very first handful of coins Today, I thought I'd take a few days to share a little bit about HOW and WHY we choose to give allowance in our home.

How To Begin Read Alouds With Your Young Learner

As a closet librarian, I want all of my children to devour the written word through the pages of a good book. Although I understand that part of that passion has to come naturally...a child has to develop a personal desire to read...I also believe that a reading passion can be ignited and cultivated by simply enjoying great read-alouds together. (I realize that by definition a READ ALOUD is any book that is read out loud, including picture books. But for the purpose of this discussion, I will be referring to chapter books.)

While this sounds like an easy undertaking, introducing a chapter-style read-aloud to a young child can sometimes feel like a daunting task. For some children, moving from picture books to chapter books is a natural evolution. But for others, sitting for an extended period of time to listen to a book with no pictures can seem next to impossible.

How and Why I Teach My Children to Cook

Although all of my kids love to "help" cook and bake, a few years ago, when Sweetie Pea turned six, I began a more intentional Titus 2 effort to teach her how to cook a meal from START to FINISH. I wanted her to know how to properly write a grocery list, purchase healthy ingredients, prepare and cook an entire meal, and serve it with a smile. Once a month, she and I had a Sunday afternoon date in the kitchen whipping up simple meals together.