I Finally Found the Perfect Homeschool Schedule!

Just kidding. Sorry. Trust me, I’ve searched high and low to find the perfect schedule and it still eludes me. I keep refining it and I find some things that work, but then other things don’t work.

Since the first of the year, we start school earlier (8:30am) and have the big kids (ages 10 and 12) do an hour of schoolwork independently while I work with the 4 year old. Then we break at 9:30 and do our chores, Bible time and read aloud while the 4 year old does some electronic school with ABC Mouse or other similar programs. At 10:30 we’re back to doing academics before lunch, etc.

I thought we had found the perfect schedule. I love getting some academics done right away and then having dedicated time for chores, Bible and read aloud where I don’t feel rushed. I also enjoy having the (relatively) uninterrupted time working with my youngest.

The problem that has surfaced is that the older two are a bit too independent. There have been some struggles in certain subjects because I haven’t taken enough time to sit down with them and make sure they understand their material. There’s a fine line between encouraging student independence and Mom laziness. 🙂 It was nice having them do their work on their own with me only having to correct their work, until tests and quizzes came back with an obvious lack of understanding.

The other problem is that I need more definite ending times for the little guy’s screen time or it gets out of hand. He loves playing on his tablet or watching videos and I like it when he’s quietly occupied, but too much isn’t a good thing. He’s such an active child that he needs to be constantly occupied with something specific or he’s getting into trouble. I need that planned out ahead of time or the day descends into chaos.

So, we’re back to the schedule drawing board. We’ll keep the parts we like and try to tweak the areas that need work. I’ll have the big kids take turns reading to their brother while I teach the other, then switch. I’ll have definite ending times for the little one’s screens and plan specific types of activities (puzzles, art, outside play, etc) for the time slots that need it.

That will work for a while, and then we’ll need to tweak some more. Oh well! There is no perfect schedule – at least not one that works for every family at every point in life. I’m sure the sooner we realize that, the less stressed we’ll be. 🙂

Have you found the perfect schedule?

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