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~ A word from our founder, The HomeScholar Emeritus, Lee Binz ~

This is a chapter from my book, Scheduling - The Secret to Homeschool Sanity: Plan Your Way Back to Mental Health. You can purchase a copy in print or Kindle version here.

Chapter 1 

Scheduling for Success 

When used as a tool and not a tyrant, a homeschool schedule can provide sanity for a homeschooling household. Daily schedules, assignments for school, menu and chore plans, and homeschool record keeping can make your days more manageable. Some kids are list-driven and do much better when they follow lists and schedules.

It can be difficult, however, if you are an "un-scheduler" and your child is a "list-scheduler"! Un-schedulers can still benefit from the use of homeschool schedules but might need to use them with greater flexibility.

If you want to incorporate more scheduling into your homeschool but don't feel capable of implementing it yourself, use a curriculum that comes with assignment sheets already created for you.

Put Weak Areas First 

One of the best ways to save your sanity in the midst of homeschooling is to put your weak area first. Invest your resources wisely in two ways: money and time.

Putting your weak area first in terms of money means spending more money in that area. If math is your weak area, it's where you spend more money. Sometimes this means you will also need to re-spend money. If a curriculum isn't working, and it's your weak area, be willing to try again with a different curriculum.

You also want to invest your time first in your weak area. Your weak subject should be the first thing you work on in your homeschool, no matter what happens. It's what you commit to doing with your child before you have fun for the rest of your day.

Invest in Yourself 

Homeschooling is your chosen profession and investing in yourself is important, much like professional teachers take continuing education classes. Take what you need to help you do your job seriously. Think of it as an investment. If you have a weak area, invest in yourself so you can do your best.

Hold a Morning Meeting 

A morning meeting with your child is a daily investment in your personal mental health and sanity. Your ultimate goal as a homeschool parent is to become the project manager rather than the teacher, especially as your child gets into the high school years.

Hold a quick, daily check-in as the project manager. It doesn't have to be a long check-in, merely enough to make sure your kids know what they're going to do for the day, and whether they did their job the previous day. Using an assignment sheet can provide some structure for your morning meeting. You can use a checklist for subjects such as math and English.

A daily morning meeting can help your child grow in responsibility. As homeschoolers, our goal is for our children to become independent and responsible. Don't expect them to become 100 percent independent and responsible on the first day of high school. It takes all four years of high school to train teenagers to become as independent as adults, and that still may not happen even after they're seniors.

Having a morning meeting may not be universal, but even in the working world people don't function 100 percent independently. Most people have regular check-ins with their employers and staff. Even people who work from home have regular check-in meetings with others. Use this opportunity to help your teen along the path to independence.

Scheduling - The Secret to Homeschool Sanity is one of my Coffee Break Books. What are Coffee Break Books? These are books designed for YOU—a busy homeschool parent feeling frustrated by something, and needing information NOW—all put together in an easy-to-read, short, simple format. Coffee Break Books are perfect for overwhelmed, sleep-deprived moms with a baby on their hip. Simple, large font makes them easy to read even when distracted or pulled in a million directions. They are designed to help parents tackle just ONE issue of homeschooling during just ONE coffee break! Each book combines a practical and friendly approach with detailed, easy-to-digest information. Never overwhelming, always accessible and manageable, each book in the series will give you the tools you need to tackle the tasks of homeschooling high school, one warm sip at a time.

Learn more about Scheduling - The Secret to Homeschool Sanity in my video review below!

This is a chapter from my book, Scheduling - The Secret to Homeschool Sanity: Plan Your Way Back to Mental Health. You can purchase a copy in print or Kindle version here.