Homeschool Time Management Tips

A big thank you to Apologia for sponsoring this series…

Some of the most useful homeschooling advice I ever received had nothing to do with curriculum or teaching methods. It was about time management.

I asked a veteran homeschool mom for advice as we were starting our homeschooling journey. Fully expecting book lists and curriculum ideas, I was shocked her reply. Instead of loading me down with math, science and grammar. She shared something far greater. Wisdom.

This mom had figured out something in her homeschooling years. It’s more about time than curriculum.

Here are some of the homeschooling time management tips she shared with me:

• There are lots of great opportunities and activities available for your home educated kids. Don’t try to do them all.

• Have a designated “errand day”. This will keep you from running out each afternoon for that one missing ingredient for the science project or a quick trip to the post office that ends up taking 3 hours. You’ll waste less time.

• Have a designated “appointment day”. Schedule all your doctor’s appointments, hair cuts, dentist visits, etc. on the same day of the week. This will keep you from having to interrupt your schooling schedule.

• Assign homework. Let the kids have some independent work/study time. This will free up some time for mom and give the kids some responsibility

• Spend quality time with each child each day. This might mean cuddling up on the couch with a read-aloud or making a special dessert together. Relationship building is one of the reasons we homeschool, right?

What are some homeschooling time management skills you have learned?