Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Honest. Quirky. Real. Practical tips, candid reviews, and stereotype-smashing humor for homeschooling families.

Honest. Quirky. Real. Practical tips, candid reviews, and stereotype-smashing humor for homeschooling families.

Homeschool Schedules: 4 Important Details You Need to Think About

By Kris Bales

Thanks to its inherent flexibility, homeschool schedules are as varied as the families who make them. But there are four details you need to think about.

The first year we homeschooled, I ordered a book that shall remain nameless to protect the innocent. If you’ve homeschooled more than a decade or two, you probably know that one I’m talking about. It involved pretty little color-coded schedules – and waking before the sun.

Y’all. That book quickly wound up at the local used bookstore. It was so not me. Now, what about you?

You picked out your homeschool curriculum. You hashed out your school year calendar and penciled it in your planner. Now, to clear the next big hurdle – planning your day-to-day homeschool schedules.

It doesn’t matter if you’re the color-coded, scheduled-down-to-thirty-minute-intervals type or the lesson-plans-scrawled-on-post-it notes type, most of us need some sort of plan for our day. There is a lot of truth to that saying, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

So, how do you figure out your best homeschool schedule? The answer to that question is probably as varied as the homeschool parents asking it, but there are some details you need to consider. [Read more…]

How to Maintain Scheduling Boundaries : 6 Simple Solutions

By Sara Dennis

When you homeschool, it can be difficult to set and maintain scheduling boundaries. Try Sara’s tips to stay focused and avoid derailing your school day.

Written by Sara Dennis of Classically Homeschooling.

Do you know the one skill all homeschooling parents need? The ability to set scheduling boundaries! After all, you need to drive the kids to activities. Your spouse needs you to run an errand. The church is asking for volunteers. Everyone wants a piece of your time.

So how do you maintain scheduling boundaries?

How to Maintain Scheduling Boundaries

Treat Scheduled Time Like an Appointment

Treat your scheduled time (for exercising or homeschooling, for example) like an appointment. You wouldn’t skip a doctor’s appointment just to run a quick errand, would you? Give yourself the same respect you give the doctor and treat your time as an appointment. [Read more…]

6 Positive Benefits of Chores for Kids

By Kris Bales

I’ve seen comments floating around the Internet lately about expecting kids to do household chores being a form of child abuse. That just blows my mind. I’ve pretty much skimmed over the comments, but I sincerely hope that people are talking only about extremes because there are so many positive benefits of chores for kids.

6 Positive Benefits of Chores for Kids

Positive Benefits of Chores for Kids

When I was a kid, my jobs included emptying the trashcans around the house, dusting, vacuuming, and setting the table or clearing the dinner dishes. I’ll never forget the time our dishwasher broke.

Apparently, my brother and I had been complaining about loading the dishwasher. So, my step-dad purposely (unbeknownst to us at the time) chose not the replace the dishwasher. For months. My brother and I took turns handwashing and drying the dishes.

He was a lousy helper, just for the record.

You can bet that we never complained about loading the dishwasher again once we got a new one! Also, I may or may not have told my husband before we got married that a dishwasher was a requirement. {ahem}

Far from being abuse, expecting kids to do chores has many benefits. Being expected to complete household chores allows kids to:

1. Contribute to the running of the household

A long-term study by Dr. Marty Rossman, author and researcher, revealed that expecting children to contribute to the family by completing chores instilled in them a life-long sense of responsibility, competence, self-reliance, and self-worth.

Helping with chores gives kids a sense of belonging and allows them to feel like a necessary piece of the family unit.

2. Develop self-confidence

Successfully completing household chores helps kids develop confidence. Instead of telling kids they’re too little to help, show them how to do age-appropriate tasks.

My four-year-old niece loves to load my mom’s dishwasher. Does it take longer to let her help than it would for my mom to just do it herself? Of course. But you should see the sense of pride on my niece’s face when she’s finished.

I sometimes watch those junior chef shows. The kids can seriously cook better than I can. They are so confident in the kitchen. They didn’t get that way from someone telling them they were too little or thinking it was child abuse to let (or expect) them to help in the kitchen.

3. Avoid a sense of entitlement

I can’t even tell you how many times I have uttered the words, “I’m not the maid” in my lifetime. I am not about the kids sitting around watching TV or playing video games while I do the housework. I’m also not about handing out money just because I’m a nice person.

My kids learned early on that there are things expected of them because they live and breathe and share space and make messes in the house just like everyone else. They also know that there are jobs they can do to earn spending money.

Kids need to understand that there are things expected of them because they live and breathe and share space and make messes in the house just like everyone else.Click to Tweet

I’m not going to lie. It kind of sucks when they become teenagers, get jobs, and no longer need to earn money for those jobs. I have to clean my own bathroom again. {sigh} (I still make them clean theirs.) I hate cleaning bathrooms.

They know that if they want to wear clean clothes, they need to wash them. I’m not the maid.

6 Positive Benefits of Chores for Kids

4. Develop a strong work ethic

Expecting kids to pitch in around the house helps them develop a strong work ethic. They learn that when given a job, they need to do it, do it well and complete it on time.

It has been so cool to watch my kids go out into the workforce and hear them talk about their jobs. They take such pride in their work, and it makes me so proud of them. Megan sometimes takes before and after pictures of the sections of clothes she works on at her job. Wow! (And, yes, she does keep her room neat.)

Josh got promoted to manager within six months of starting his job because of his pride in and sense of responsibility for doing his work. I firmly believe that expecting them to complete chores as kids – and complete them well – helped my kids develop the strong work ethic they display as adults.

5. Learn the life skills needed to manage their own homes

Household chores help kids them learn the skills they’ll need as adults managing their homes. My mom must not have made me clean toilets when I was a kid because I’m still not very good at it, and I can’t sew. But, I’ve pretty much got a handle on most other household chores.

My mom used to work nights so she’d usually get dinner started – like putting the meatloaf or casserole together – and I’d put it in the oven and make the side dishes. I didn’t have any problems cooking (or loading the dishwasher!) once I married and moved away from home.

Kids need to learn the life skills associated with household chores not only so they can help out in our homes, but so that they can one day successfully manage their homes.

Kids need to learn the life skills associated with household chores not only so they can help out in our homes, but so that they can one day successfully manage their homes.Click to Tweet

Fun New Tool for Managing Household Chores

Probably one of the biggest complaints from parents when it comes to chores for kids is having to nag the kids to complete them. Nagging doesn’t help anyone. Bosses don’t nag employees. They write them up or fire them for not doing their jobs.

We used to have a nifty little chore chart when the kids were little. It was perfect for making sure that everyone knew what their chores were without me constantly reminding them.

Chore charts are so last decade, y’all. Today’s kids and parents are so much more tech-minded and guess what. There’s an app for that!

What the Homey App Is

The Homey app is perfect for assigning chores, making sure they get done (without nagging) and even paying your kids an allowance.

Homey App Chore App

The app lets you set household chores for the whole family. If you pay your kids an allowance, you can track it in the Homey app, along with any extra paid jobs that they complete. Homey provides a fun, hands-on, and real-life opportunity for kids to learn about money management, budgeting, and responsibility.

Homey labels chores as either responsibilities (unpaid but possibly required for weekly allowance) or jobs (paid tasks beyond a child’s regular duties). You can require photo-proof of each job and set the app, so that completed work needs a parent’s approval. You can also set chores that kids need to finish before another activity (such as screen time).

Once a child marks a chore as complete, you get a notification letting you know so that you can make sure he did it correctly.

What the Homey App Does

All the money that your kids earn goes into their wallet on the Homey app. In their wallets, they can set up jars. These jars can use the popular “save, spend, and donate” three-jar method or each of the saving goals can have their own jar (such as individual jars for a new phone, a new bike, a charity organization, and long-term savings).

Homey App Reviews

When kids reach their saving goals, you can pay them in cash or transfer funds to a connected bank account right from the app. Additionally, you can put extra money in a child’s wallet if you want to reward them or take money out (such as when your kids owe you for a purchase you made for them).

Homey also features a robust permissions system that lets parents pick and choose features that each child sees. For example, you might allow older kids to mark a younger sibling’s chores as completed. Or, you can let them edit chore due dates if they have to skip a day without letting younger kids see that option in the app.

Homey Chores and Allowance App

With all these features, Homey promotes long-term saving. It also teaches kids about budgeting and banking and provides a tool for teaching responsibility. The Homey app is available on the App Store, Google Play, and Amazon.

Visit the Homey App website to learn more or to access the user manual or glossary of terms.

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5 Awesome Time Management Tips for Your Big Family

By Sara Dennis

Written by Sara Dennis of Classically Homeschooling.

For the last decade, I’ve been homeschooling four children, usually with toddlers or preschoolers roaming the house at the same time. During that time, I have developed a few practical time management tips to keep our homeschool day flowing smoothly.

Time Management Tips for Your Big Family

1. Teach the Same Topics on Multiple Levels

Have your kids study the same topic as much as possible, even if they’re on different levels.

Think about it. It’s far easier to cover ancient Egypt at different levels than it is to have one studying Rome, another reading about the Crusades, a third learning about the Mayflower, and a fourth covering the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s.

And yes, one year that was my life.

Jumping back and forth was hard. So the next year I combined kids as much as possible and had them studying the same topic. Then, I could prepare for just one topic, studying up on Egypt, for example, so I could discuss it with my high school teens and introduce it to my younger kids. The teens read about the details of mummification. The elementary kids read a picture book. And then everyone could join in mummifying a chicken.

Life is simple.

The same goes for science. The teens can study their high school textbook about biology, cells, and genetics. The middle school kids can read a middle school textbook on a similar topic. And your little ones can read picture books from the library.

Then everyone can gather together to study onion cells under the microscope and create a yummy animal cell model from cake and candies.

You won’t be tearing your hair out trying to teach three different topics to three different stages.

2. Start with Morning Time

Since your kids are studying similar subjects, use morning time to teach the entire family. Morning time is when your family gathers together to study, recite memory work, enjoy poetry, and listen to read alouds.

Play dough and coloring supplies are perfect for keeping little (and big!) fingers busy. The kids quietly listen while they draw, sketch, and color. Even your toddlers and preschoolers can join in.

Put your toddlers in their high chair during morning time and give then snack foods or special toys to play with. Pudding makes a great finger paint that’s safe to eat. Morning time in and of itself is more than enough for an enriching preschool curriculum.

3. Teach K-8 for Four Days and High School One Day

This year I’m trying a new time management trick in my homeschool. My youngest kids are using a 4-day school week, Monday through Thursday. We work through history, science, art, language arts, math, and Latin together. I focus solely on them for the school day and only briefly check with my high school teen to see how things are going.

Since we’re working on a four day week, my youngest kids have Fridays off. They play, explore the backyard, and goof off, leaving me free to focus on my high schooler.

Because teens can study independently for several days, my son doesn’t need me to oversee his studies. He watches the DVD math lecture before completing his math studies. He reads his history and answers the questions.

On Fridays, he and I sit down to discuss history and literature. I check science labs and grade tests. I answer questions and check to ensure he understands his studies.

So far it’s working wonderfully. My youngest children, who need me to hover over their every move, have my attention four days of the week, and I reserve Fridays for my teen.

4. Let Siblings Play Together

When I was homeschooling three young children with a toddler roaming the house, play times saved my sanity. The kids rotated through playing together while I worked one-on-one with a sibling.

I had a timetable for who was playing with who, who was playing alone or completing independent work, and who was with me. The goal was for each child to have time playing with each sibling, time alone, and time with me.

Let me tell you the logistics were crazy!

But once I had it figured out, life flowed smoothly. The little ones adored time with their older siblings. The older kids loved having a break. And it gave me one-on-one time with each child. I had the time I needed to teach math, tutor grammar, and explain writing assignments without worrying about the toddler painting the bathroom walls with toothpaste.

5. Color Code School Supplies

Color coding school supplies may sound funny for a time management tip, but do you know how much time I’ve spent dealing with kids arguing over school supplies, especially pencils?!

Seriously. One child would put a pencil down on the table. Another child would grab it. And a long and tedious argument would break out over whose pencil it was. It was like the kids preferred to fight than finish their math assignments!

School took forever to finish because I spent most of the day separating kids. I was fed up with the whole situation. Then one day, I was browsing the school and office section of the local store and discovered an array of pencil colors. {cue the Hallelujah chorus}

I found a solution to the constant sibling bickering! All school supplies were color coded. Even the pencils.

The bickering stopped. Everyone knew which color was theirs, and I could tell which child had forgotten to put their school supplies away. Color coding saved my sanity and countless hours of frustration and headaches from dealing with bickering kids.

A few easy time management tips and tricks make a world of difference when you’re homeschooling a large family. Look for opportunities to teach the same topic at multiple levels. Color code school supplies to prevent bickering. Schedule time for each child to play together and keep the toddlers entertained.

You’ll find that your homeschool flows much more smoothly.

What are your favorite time management tips for homeschooling a big family?

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How to Figure Out YOUR Best Homeschool Schedule

By Amy Dingmann

Written by Amy Dingmann of The Hmmm…schooling Mom.

There are many things to think about as a homeschooler, one of which happens to be just how and when you’re going to get the actual homeschooling done. There are lots of options when it comes to homeschool schedules, and many things to consider when figuring out how to set up your homeschool day, week, and year. But how do you figure out your best homeschool schedule?

Figuring Out Your Best Homeschool Schedule Daily and Weekly

It is very common for homeschooling families to do their lessons Monday through Friday, morning(ish) until lunch(ish). And that works really well for a lot of families.

But you don’t have to homeschool in the morning. I mean, this isn’t public school—and it sure doesn’t take as long to get done. You can start homeschooling after lunch. Or you can wait until after supper.

I mean, really, you can do whatever you want.

Our school set up for many years was called Float School. We did lessons M-F, starting at 9 am, but there was never a scheduled “end time.” We worked on whatever until the boys needed a break, and then they’d go do something else.

I’d call them back at some random point—which they never figured out was the exact time I could tell they needed some, ahem, redirection—and we’d do the next thing. Sometimes lessons took a couple of hours. Sometimes they took all day. And it was fine.

Some people homeschool four days a week. Sometimes that 5th day means a 3-day weekend or a co-op/field trip/errand day. Other times it’s a built-in buffer/catch-up day. (Illness in the house? Experiments took longer than expected? Unexpected visitor? Weather too gorgeous to sit inside?)

Some folks do school five days a week, but some days are parent-taught while others are independent. This schedule can be an excellent transition period if your kids want independence but aren’t quite there yet. It also works nicely if your kids have reached a point where a lot of their work is independent but they’re still involved in projects that work nicely as a group or need more supervision.

You can have no schedule. If you consider yourself an unschooler, this may be your mode of operation. Or you might not have a schedule because you have older kids who are very independent and in charge of their own work.

Pro tip: Even if you have no schedule, feel free to continue to touch base daily or once a week. I find that setting up a coffee bar or anything with food makes my sons show up and then we can talk about stuff. For instance, we can set goals or talk about struggles.

Even if you don't have a homeschool schedule, feel free to continue to touch base with your kids daily or weekly. Setting up a coffee bar or anything with food encourages teens to show up.Click to Tweet

Deciding What to Learn When

When considering schedules, you can also think about what subjects you will learn when. You don’t need to teach every subject every day, or all the time. Maybe you do math and writing every day, but you rotate science and history every other day. Perhaps Monday is music, Tuesday is painting, etc. Maybe you do world history the first and third weeks of the month and nature study the second and fourth weeks.

It’s really up to you.

Get started with free printables from A Plan in Place

Figuring Out Your Best Homeschool Schedule for the Year

You’ll have to decide if you’re going to do school year-round or if you will take summers off (or some other extended time that works for your family). And when I refer to year-round homeschooling, understand I’m talking about lessons year-round. I believe all kids (and adults) are always learning all the time, whether they’re staring at a curriculum or staring at the clouds.

Some families do school for six weeks and take two weeks off. Or do school for three weeks and take a week off. Some families school through the summer but take September-November off. All of our homes and situations are different, and with homeschooling, you can make your schedule work for your particular needs.

I could write a novel just by listing all the different ways I’ve seen families set up their homeschool schedules and how they’ve changed those schedules as time went by. The point? You can set up homeschooling in your family in whatever way works for you—whether that’s homeschooling 8 to noon, Monday through Friday, or homeschooling every other day for three hours after supper.

It really doesn’t matter what your grandma or your neighbor thinks about it. If it works in your home and your kids are learning, it’s the perfect schedule for you.

Consider your family’s needs.

Think about what your family actually needs for a set up for homeschooling to work in your home. What do your kids need? What do you need? Do either you or your significant other work outside the home? In the home? Do either of you work rotating shifts? What else do you have to fit into your day or week? Co-op? Music lessons? Does Dad work nights and needs to be able to sleep until afternoon? Does Mom volunteer for a local organization and needs every Friday off to do that?

Be willing to change.

Be okay with tossing things up. The way we are doing things now would not have worked for us five years ago for a variety of reasons. Understand that when you set a schedule, you aren’t etching it in stone.

Understand that your perfect schedule might not be your kids’ perfect schedule.

Homeschooling after lunch might work great in your personal schedule, but maybe your kids just can’t jive with that. They may consider asking them to come back and work on math when they’ve already been out climbing trees and building forts a lousy joke. And no one is laughing.

It really doesn’t matter what your grandma or your neighbor thinks about it. If it works in your home and your kids are learning, it’s the perfect schedule for you.Click to Tweet

Remember that some kids actually like schedules.

It’s common to hear in the homeschooling community that free and easy and unscheduled is the way to rock everything. But that isn’t true of every kid. Some kids like schedules. And some kids want to be able to choose what they learn, but also want school to start at a specific time and know what’s coming up next. Be aware if you have a kid like this and understand there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Ask for your kids’ opinions on the best way to set up school.

Sometimes the best advice comes right from the people living with you, so don’t forget to ask for their suggestions. Perhaps you’ve been struggling with something that you assume is an issue, and your kids don’t have a problem with it. Or conversely, maybe you think your set up is working great, but your kids have an idea that might work better.

Don’t stress yourself out.

Don’t let the idea of a schedule be so stressful that the how and when of getting homeschool done gets in the way of actual homeschooling. Is your schedule important? Sure. But it’s also completely modifiable. Jump in and start doing something and go from there. Pay attention and be willing to take suggestions, and, as a family, you will figure out the best way to do things in your home.

The long and short of it? Do what works. And when (not if) that set up doesn’t work anymore, do things differently. You’re a homeschooling parent, and you totally have that freedom.

What homeschooling schedule is currently working well for your family?

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