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This ONE thing CHANGED our Homeschool Day
Throughout the many, many years of homeschooling, I can honestly say that I have been very slack concerning one thing. This one thing, when I implemented it and stuck to it, it changed things around. drastically. The day improved, attitudes changed, work got done more smoothly and the list goes on. In a sense, my mind cleared up a bit, and things just ran better all around.
Now that doesn't mean that we never ran into struggles, because we surely did!
This also mean we didn't need attitude adjstments, or that things went perfectly every day, however this one thing helped so much that it requires its' own post! I am sharing in hopes of helping mamas out there who struggle with homeshcooling, and the battle it takes to get through the day. As easy and as simple as this one thing is, it is crucial and it is dire. It's also extremely important that we don't stray away from it at all, is possible.
SCHEDULE
Scheduling. Now, we all know the importance of a schedule, especially when it comes to homeschooling. I will be the first to admit it though, it is very easy to fall into the rut of no schedules, just winging it, day to day changes, no set start time, rough time estimates etc.
That was me. For so many years, I fell into the trap of just letting things go as the fall. We didn't make our day, our day made itself. Now, I wasn't totally a failure, I mean I had the lesson plans set out, we knew which subjects came in which order, we got the lessons done. It wasn't too bad, was it? But it was, it was actually falling apart and I knew it. I was just too hesitant to face the facts, because then all the responsibility will come falling down all at once. Which it had to. It all had to come down, falling as it may, because that's the calling here. We are called and have chosen this path, to be responsible for our children's education. Even though there will be days where unfortunately life gets in the way, we still had to have ONE thing implemented and that HAD to be done.
A SET START
As simple as this seems, which is actually is crazy part, this was something we didn't fully implement until recently. For years we would start homeschooling in the late morning, we had set lessons to do before taking a break, then we would finish the day with another set of lessons that was already listed. For the most part, that schedule is exactly how we followed things out.
When we started this ONE thing it helped set things off the right note.
A SET START TIME. We implemented a set start time. Which meant every single morning school had to start a certain time or there would be consequences. If you were in public school, you would have to be in class at a certain time or else there would also be consequences as well. Now, what I did and what I recommend doing is having the set time, then giving a five-minute grace period. For example, if 9:00 is your start time, school has to start at 9:05.
Once that 9 am rolls around they know the "bell has rung" and they have five minutes to get seated and started. Now school has to start at our set time, however they can start earlier if they choose. But it CANNOT start later. Any minute later will result in a consequence such as an hour after school sitting with more schoolwork in quiet. Essentially a detention, which will also be the constant as the consequence for the late time to class. I have also set a rule, five "detentions" will be the removal of cell phones for the remainder of the school year.
This in itself is so important! We cannot expect our children to run wild and free, to grow up as responsible adults. As adults we know all too well of the consequences for our actions, whether it's a late payment, or late to work or appointments. We have to deal with all those things, and it all starts at home, teaching our littles to become responsible adults.
Using this ONE thing, setting an exact time to start every morning had set the tone for the whole day. They will start, sit quietly, do their work without complaints. It is just as important to stay CONSISTENT! Consistency is KEY for any lesson with children! You got this mama!