Homeschool Time Management 101: Make every minute count.
Finding time to homeschool your child(ren) might seem impossible, especially since we live in such a fast paced world. However, finding time is not impossible. Remember why you decided to homeschool and let that be your motivation during time management frustrations. Here are a few suggestions that may help you better make or find time to homeschool:
First, plan out your lessons and teaching materials ahead of time and in bulk, if possible. I usually print out two or three weeks worth of worksheets and supplemental printables. Use a lesson planner to detail your lessons out and the supplemental resources you'll use; like videos, hands on experiments, etc. Lesson planners will prevent you from being all over the place with what to teach and when.
Think about your daily, weekly and monthly schedule and all the task you are responsible for. Factor in your child's schedule and any extracurricular activities they may be involved with. Then, find the best days and times that both you and your homeschool student are able to complete lessons.
Here is an example of our homeschool schedule on Tuesdays:
7:30-8:30: Wake Up/ Get Ready for the Day/ Breakfast
9am-1pm: ABA Therapy
1:15-1:45pm: Break/Lunch
2:00-3:00pm: Seatwork/ Homework/ Speech Therapy
3:00-4:30pm: Break/Play Time/ Free Time/ Chores/ or a Nap
4:30-6:45pm: Instructional Lessons
6:45-7:15pm Break/Dinner
7:15-8:15pm: Instructional Lessons
8:15pm-9pm: Bath Time/Night Reading/Bed Time
Consider a visual schedule for smaller children so they can easily stay on task with their daily schedule.
Take advantage of the weekend and consider homeschooling a few hours on Saturday and Sunday. We homeschool all year round, including weekends. This ensures our homeschool student stays on track with his peers and we can make up for any homeschool hours missed during the weekday.
Another time help is using ready made curriculums. Curriculums with lesson objectives, materials, instructional videos or ready made assignments cut down on the amount of time you need to spend lesson planning and homeschooling your student in general.
Next, consider task that you can eliminate from your day or find an alternative to. For example, I order a lot of our household items and groceries online. And I typically order in bulk so it last us a while. This eliminates several trips to the grocery store and more time for other task, like lesson planning.
Incorporate activity time where your child can work on something independently. For example, consider using an education app as a supplemental learning resource.
Finding a routine that works for you and your homeschool student is possible. Get creative, plan ahead and accordingly, use resources to support your homeschool efforts, join our membership site to get access to homeschool how to videos, and join our homeschool community to connect with other homeschool parents for ideas and additional support.
Happy Homeschooling!
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