Homeschooling 101 – Fitting it all in

Does your laundry pile up or the dishes go undone just so you can squeeze some homeschooling into your day? Are you always stressed and overwhelmed by the amount of work on your plate? I know those days all too well. I have them in my house too. But I must say, they are fewer and farther between now a days. I have found a few “tricks” to help me manage the chaos a little better and to stay on top of the many demands that rest on the shoulders of a homeschooling momma. Fitting it all in is a challenge but it is not impossible.

I have learned through the years to choose the “best” thing and leave the “good” and “better” things for another time. As a homeschooling momma the “best” thing for me, many times, is to be at home. It is easier to stay on top of the housework and to get school done well if most of our days are spent at home focused on learning. If we run all day many times each week we have fewer hours to work on our home and school. There are so many opportunities out there for our children and let’s face it, we get lonely too. But none of those are necessary and your children will be just fine if they don’t take the best art classes or sing in a fancy choir. Home is the best place for children to learn and if we trust that God chose you to parent the very specific children that He sent you then you must trust that you are the best teacher for them.

Expectations are usually something that we put on ourselves. We notice more than anyone else and things bother us more than anyone else too. And during these days of homeschooling, mothering, and character training our expectations might need to lower a little. I never try anymore to do school and every load of laundry that is in the hamper. I try to fit in two loads every other day and that seems to maintain through the week and then on Friday (our lighter school day) or Saturday I do several loads and get the hamper empty for the week. If the floor is swept and free of food I am happy now. It didn’t always used to be this way but it is impossible to maintain a floor free of spots (we have hardwood throughout our main living area) with seven people here all day long and crafting, schooling, and playing outside taking place. I don’t want to get rid of those activities so I came to realize that once a week mopping is just fine. Lower expectations for our home are not bad and they can make for a much more relaxed momma which will make everyone more content and happy. And that is invaluable.

Enlisting the help of my children is something I do quite often. They are just children and need time to play as well but a little daily work never hurt anyone. They might miss a spot of dust on top of the fireplace or not match the corners of the towel that they folded perfectly but again, no one will notice and they are learning and you have less on your plate. Let them try, let them learn, and stand back in amazement how quickly they master a chore and how much more time you have to enjoy your family after everyone pitches in and helps with the chores.

One thing that I still fight against is maintaining balance. One struggle for me is the internet. I love to read and to learn and to interact with like minded women and the internet allows me to do that. But it also pulls my attention away from my children and husband. I have found that I must set the “tone” for each day first thing in the morning. Instead of getting up and jumping on the computer first thing, I now get my kitchen cleaned (sometimes a big job, sometimes not), start some laundry, blitz the living room for clutter from the evening and make sure the dining room table is clean and ready for school. Once these things are done I find that my day is much more productive and smooth as I feel as if I have a handle on the day. I also start dinner, prep what can be done early, or at least decide what we are having. No more 5pm chaos of no dinner plan. And if my home is in order and I am not stressed at the end of the day I don’t even miss that I haven’t checked Facebook in hours or that I didn’t see the headlines on CNN. My world (my home and family) is happier and more peaceful and that is so worth it.

So, I challenge you to give these ideas a try and see if they can help you with fitting it all in better. Be diligent in your work and find joy in your calling when you find success in fitting it all in.