Dear parents now homeschooling! 

I am a former public school teacher, but currently have been homeschooling my boys. We homeschool 4 days a week; Monday – Thursday from about 8am-12pm. This is the way that works best for their learning and allows me time to get what I need to do, done! I understand some may not agree, but hear me out. 

Parents that have now found themselves as their child’s teacher, do not need to worry about keeping the same hours as their public school hours. In case you are worried that you are not spending enough time on homeschool each day-think on this…a normal school day is about 7-8 hours. 

•subtract about an  hour for lunch recess 

•subtract about  an hour for specials times

•subtract about an hour for hallway/transitions/bathroom breaks. 

•Subtract about an hour for beginning and end of the day routine and students disrupting class.

•NOW REMEMBER your public school teacher has to teach 20+ students! Your ratio is much, much smaller so you need a lot less time! 

You can still have a very successful student with only a couple hours each day! I also work part-time from home. I know many parents are juggling a full time job, house obligations and homeschool right now. Having a set schedule is going to be your best friend. A schedule is very important for you and your child! Pick a time that “school” will happen and stick to it. If you decide to be flexible with those hours, than your child will be more likely to take it less serious, think it might not happen, or try to avoid it. If our children know that M-F from 8-10 we do school work, no matter what; then they will start to expect it and things will go much smoother. Your children are smart and clever, do not let them call your bluff! 

A great point!:  A homeschool blogger Raising Arrows states, “ If the public school can count standing in the line at the water fountain as “school hours,” then I count children sorting the recycling as school hours. “ Make everything a learning opportunity. Cook with your kids, play games with kids, and give your kids chores. 

Here is an idea of a daily schedule. This will not work for everyone, but I can guarantee if you create and post some sort of visual schedule for your children it will help so much! Let them have a say in some of the time slots and know this can work for children of all ages. 

8-9: Breakfast and toons (parent work time)

9-11: “School time” (parent try to squeeze work in while the kids work)

11-12: Chore time – Listen to fun music and everyone help out

12-1: Lunch

1-2: Rest time/reading time (parent work time)

2-3: Educational website (parent work time)

3-4: Play outside (parent work time)

4-5: Kids choice or technology (parent work time) 

Ideas to make “school” more successful and fun.

•Fun pens

•Fun markers

•Play music in the background

•Bribe  

•Snack for finished tasks

•Timers

•Let them run outside and ring the door bell after they finish each worksheet or activity this one makes them work fast, LOL!!

•LIMIT ALL TECHNOLOGY until all schoolwork and chores are done for the day. 

This is going to suck sometimes for both your kids and you…you will yell, you will loose your patience, you may not understand the work the teacher sent home, you will finally sit down to do some work and someone will need their butt wiped but YOU got this! One of my friends said, “give yourself some grace.” With all you have on your plate right now, your kids are going to be fine! 

And remember to thank a teacher!