How to be Consistent when Homeschooling
I asked for some of your homeschool struggles in our group and you delivered! I got a ton of feedback and wanted to answer all of the amazing and thoughtful questions on our YouTube channel.
The first answer I received was where I started! An awesome mama revealed that she often struggles with maintaining consistency when homeschooling and that she felt like she wasn’t doing enough in their homeschool. Boy, do I get that! If you ask yourself, “why am I overwhelmed with homeschooling” or “Why is homeschooling frustrating”, it often boils down to guilt! You probably feel guilty about how you homeschool or you start homeschooling with all the vigor and then it putters out. Thus, the cycle keeps repeating.
The thing with being consistent when homeschooling though is the first rule of all: do NOT compare your family to someone else’s. Some parents thrive on many hours of formal academics daily while others thrive with a more loose and flexible homeschool schedule. And guess what, studies after study demonstrate that both kinds of homeschool families have thriving kids who learn and who grow up to be successful. It isn’t always about the amount of hours you homeschool-sometimes, it matters more about what you do during those hours.
Which leads me to my first point about being consistent while homeschooling…
Redefine what consistency means to you! Only you can answer what you want your homeschool day to look like, what will work for your kids, and what is realistic for you. Remember that this can always change too!
So what are some other ways to maintain a consistent homeschool routine?
After deciding what consistency means to you, try these other tips.
Nail down why consistency is important to you and your kids . What is it about consistency that is meaningful to you? Is it helpful for your sanity? Does it make a difference in your child’s competency/retention? Or, is it something you think you are supposed to have and narrowly define? Cultivating a mindful awareness of this can help you feel a sense of pride and let go of stress.
Embrace your natural work schedule and high-energy times. Maybe your most productive times are in the afternoon…that’s ok! You don’t have to do a 9-5 schedule. Maybe they are short spurts or one long one. Observe your kids over the next few weeks to determine these times.
Reduce your commitments at times that you tend to work better. Drop your commitments and your full plate. Marie Kondo your plate if you have to!
Take advantage of all the supplemental activities out there. Supplemental activities are core activities and nobody can change my mind!
And utilize technology, automations, and reminders right from your phone, Alexa, etc. We have a big, beautiful world full of helpful tech. Use it!
