Coastal Home Educators Conference

When I began homeschooling 13 years ago, I had an infant and a first grader. I never had been home with my children before and I used that time to get to know my kids. We went on walks, played and read out loud a lot. We did little formal schooling aside from reading and basic math.

I am more convinced that whatever your homeschooling style, a routine is essential for your children and your home. Whether you are a traditionalist, eclectic, unschooler, classical or a mix, kids do better when they know what to expect.

In addition to homeschooling, you have a family to feed, a home to keep clean,  clothes to wash, errands to run, bills to pay, groceries to buy and dozens of other things to do each day. Train your kids what to expect, and discipline yourself and them for this lifestyle. Plan your week, don’t get bulldozed by it!

There will be days when you do not feel like doing school. Do it anyway. Put aside the temporary pleasure of laziness and persevere. This is an important character quality for your children to learn, so model it for them.

But don’t be a slave to your curriculum and schedules either. Stop and look at the red bird outside and discuss it. Shoot a few baskets after your daughter completes a math drill. Read out loud to your kids…. a lot…. no matter what age they are! Discuss situations using the Bible as your reference. Teach them that the Bible is applicable in every area of life!

Make your kids a part of your team. They are valuable, they are needed and they are necessary to your home. They are not decorations and they are certainly not to be waited on hand and foot.  Working brings satisfaction, joy and contentment. So teach them to work!

To keep us on track and moving toward our goal (of not doing school next summer!) we use a weekly/daily checklist to keep us on target.

Highly scheduled, or flexible, a routine will help you to bring order to your home and homeschool.