Regardless of how you plan or not plan your homeschool day we all have the same amount of hours in the day. Many love to follow a strict schedule to keep them on track every hour of the school day. Many prefer a flexible schedule while some prefer not to schedule at all. At some point most homeschoolers formulate even a lose plan due to the sheer amount of work that needs to be accomplished in a day. I prefer a flexible schedule since I am apt to throw in the towel at the first sign a rigid schedule would be tampered with. All moms know to expect the unexpected since a calm day can turn to chaos in seconds. It can be challenging enough to stay on track when the day is uneventful. So, how do we plan to stay on track without going crazy?
Flexibility: Every day cannot be planned to the maximum. I know what you are thinking and just put that thought out of your head. I repeat: every day cannot be planned to the maximum. You will need a cushion if you are to survive. A cushion in your schedule will provide you time to catch up on a lesson, throw in a load of laundry, revise a lesson, throw in a load of laundry, go over a lesson again, and possibly throw in a load of laundry. If nothing else, you may one day find your cushion time is time to relax or just sit and play some games with the kids.
Plan ahead, work ahead: I recommend planning at least a week in advance. Make sure you have all the supplies or materials available to your children. If the lessons are planned ahead that will give your child a chance to work ahead. The benefits of working ahead are not falling behind or creating some cushion time you will need throughout the week. Some weeks are stressful and hearing your child say “I did that already” will be music to your ears.
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