As I prepare to begin another year, I want to remind my fellow homeschool readers how essential simplifying homeschool can be.
Think back to WHY you began homeschooling. Was it because you wanted a better education for your child than the public schools? Was it for the individualized education? Was it for family time? Was it for other reasons?
And if you are called to this journey by Him, the most important thing you can do to is keep your eyes on Him, obediently follwoing His call each day.
Matthew 6:33 says:
Hear that? Seek first HIS righteousness. Not our own. His will. Not ours.
When I have followed His plans, is when our homeschool days have gone the smoothest.
We must not lose sight of our reasons for being on this journey.
It can be a very distracting world. On the one hand we as homeschoolers are so fortunate to have an amazing online community to connect with. And in real life there are so many groups, organizations, books, and resources out there. On the other hand it can be information overload at times. There’s so much good information out there!
With that is mind, as you begin your new school year, here are some tips to simplifying homeschool!
Eliminate distractions. Physical clutter and mental clutter are huge distractions. Decide what materials are necessary and purge the rest. Do you need an ancient map? Do you need 5 of them? What supplies are essential to your day? What ones are just taking up space. Face it, no one works productively in a cluttered space.
Mental Clutter. I love being able to connect with other adults during the day, since I am with my kids all day, everyday. However, if the internet/book reading is distracting, set aside a time that is only for these things. For me it is afternoon nap for the baby- and the older kids read. I have my coffee and recharge time. 🙂 I scan the articles but only choose to read ones that pertinent. Otherwise, my mind gets cluttered with information overload!
Plan meals. This is essential to smoother homeschool days. When I plan my meals at least one week at a time, it is much less stressful. I can get things ready in the morning and there is no, “What’s for dinner?” stress at 4 pm. Read more about meal planning here.
When you find curriculum that is working, stop looking elsewhere. There is always going to be something better. I say if its not broken, don’t fix it. Again, as homeschooolers we are so fortunate for the thousands of options out there, but yes, it is overwhelming. So when you find something you like, stick with it.
Don’t make homeschool worldly idol. By that I mean, do NOT get caught up in how it looks and how everyone else is doing it. Focus on hearts. Your’s and your child’s. And DO not compare to everyone else’s. Your homeschool is NOT supposed to look like anyone else. You are only to answer to God in how you are doing things. God does not care how your homeschool “looks” physically-He cares how your hearts look.
Don’t get discouraged with a bad day. Pick up the next day and move on. Want to see an example? Click here. 🙂
Never, ever eliminate Bible time. It is a must in seeking first His righteousness. There is no amount of caffeine that wakes me up more in the morning than seeing my kids singing worship songs, clapping hands, praying, and digging in the Word together. No matter what, we start our day with the Lord. It directs us, focuses us and puts Him first.
As you begin this year pray, pray, and pray some more. As you put Him first in your homeschool, and remember HE is why you are here…then you can truly Simply Live…for Him!
*My first two eBooks will be about Simplifying Homeschool and Meal Planning/Cooking. They are currently being written. Stay tuned for more details!*
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