If you decided to go the homeschooling route, this post is for you. I’m sharing three important strategies you should incorporate into your daily homeschool routine to make it a smooth and easy transition.
We all wished that things would be back to normal by now, but this school year is already proving to be one-of-a-kind. Whether you’ve sent your kids back to school with a mask, 
decided to do virtual learning, or embarked on your own homeschooling experience, this school year is like no other.
(If you didn’t go the homeschooling route, read on because you never know what the future may bring. Plus, these tips can help with after school homework, too.)
Follow A School Schedule
Every school – homeschool, private school, or public school – follows a schedule, and you should, too.
Following a schedule doesn’t mean that you or your kid loses that freedom that you’ve craved for your child’s schooling, it just means that there’s a structure, there’s a game plan with how your home school operates.
Whether you start your day by saying the Pledge of Allegiance or reviewing the days of the week or starting with a journal reflection, you are beginning your child’s home school day with intention. There’s routine, there’s structure, and your child knows exactly what to expect as the days progress and your child gets accustomed to the routine.
In terms of beginning the day, it’s best to start the day with something a bit easy, a few tasks that aren’t difficult, so that your child can work his way into his schooling day in ease. Writing in a gratitude journal, reviewing the months of the year or the ABCs, or following an easy writing prompt are all great and easy ways to start.
Then, as the morning progresses and your child’s brain has woken up you can begin incorporating those more difficult subjects and tasks – think math, reading, and science.
By starting the day with easier tasks and building on it with harder ones, your child is growing momentum to continue with those harder tasks.
I love routine and I love rules so following a school schedule is a piece of cake for me. If you’re more free-natured then following a schedule may not be your cup of tea, but you can still find your freedom (and your kid’s) within your schedule.
Provide your child with two choices on what task to accomplish next. Be flexible in your daily schedule; if a specific task just doesn’t feel right at the time, modify your schedule and come back to that task later. Give your child some flexibility and freedom in HOW he could accomplish a specific task. If your kiddo is working on counting, give him the freedom to practice his counting skills with counting cubes OR with his snack. In the end, he’s still getting his counting done.
You can still find your own freedom within your daily schedule.
And aside from the daily schedule, I also like to follow a weekly schedule. Mondays and Wednesdays and Fridays may include more outside time. Tuesdays and Thursdays may involve more hands-on learning and co-opactivities.
Remember, you get to create your daily and weekly schedules – have fun with it and think about what is best for you AND your kid.
Here is a place to start when looking for ideas on how to create your own schedule. Check out these Schedules for all ages.
Incorporate Breaks
The best schedules and routines include scheduled breaks…. AMEN?!
In all seriousness, including scheduled breaks during your homeschool will be a lifesaver for both you and your kiddo. Just as much as your child needs a brain break from the work, so will you.
Gotta refill that coffee, right?
Breaks don’t have to be super long. Maybe two minutes. Maybe five. They are an opportunity for your child to give his brain a rest, regroup, reset, and recharge for the next task on the school schedule.
Use Rewards during Homeschool
Rewards don’t always have to be candy and tablet time. There are plenty of things that you child may enjoy that can be used as rewards for accomplishing a specific task, working on math facts for a set amount of time, or for appropriate behavior (like remaining in his seat).
It’s best to outline to the child what he needs to do in order to earn the reward beforehand so that he can be motivated to accomplish the task to earn that reward. It’s also best to make sure the size of the reward matches the size of the behavior; just like you’re not going to provide a trip to Disney World for writing his name, you also don’t want to provide a thumbs up for an entire week’s worth of homeschool. The reward and the behavior need to be proportionate to one another.
And remember, since your child is EARNING that reward (you’re not just freely giving it), let your child help choose what he will earn. Stickers, stamps, creative projects, time with you, time to do a preferred activity like riding his bike, and an extra break are just some examples of rewards that you can use.
When in doubt, ask your kid what he wants to earn and go from there.
Enjoy your homeschool experience!
