Homeschooling for Real Moms {Part 1}
What are your priorities?
Are you the type to plan ahead?
Do you have lists for:
- daily activities
- weekly menus
- grocery shopping
- coupons & sales
- even a list of things for which you need to make a list?
Or instead, do you find yourself disorganized and short on teaching time?
I am a Real Mom, not the Martha Stewart of Homeschooling.
Planning ahead and staying organized are not my strong suits. I will admit there have been times when I’ve had to run to Wal-Mart for underwear when I got too far behind with laundry. <insert sheepish grin> And even though I’ve been married to the same wonderful, forbearing man (with a healthy appetite!) for 31+ years, there are still days when I’ve simply forgotten to cook dinner.
How can organizationally challenged homeschooling moms stay on track with teaching?
I could attempt to inspire you with biblical principles, great quotes, and examples of planning ahead. I could set lofty goals before you. I could even try to make you feel guilty for not being better organized. (Although with my own reputation for using a shovel to clear off my desk, who would take me seriously?) But that is not my purpose.
Doing my best in homeschooling was important to me, so I had to develop strategies for successfully completing each year. I hope these ideas will encourage you as well.
One caveat: You have to find your own style.
You don’t have to do things a certain way just because I did.
In the next 2 posts I’ll share some tips I’ve learned the hard way. Read Part 2 and Part 3.
Suggestions–not the 10 commandments of homeschooling!What about you? What helps you stay organized?
What do you most need help with?
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Maggie is Bright Ideas Press's Founder and Creative Director. She is a wife, mom, grandmom, author, and speaker. Her favorite things are Jesus, playing with her granddaughters, reading, writing, traveling, encouraging moms, and drinking coffee. Find Maggie on Instagram @maggiehogan.
Comments (16)
Can’t wait to read the next two posts!!! You sound like me without a shovel :).
I’d like to tell you that I have forever conquered but I’m a work in progress. However, if Educating your Children is Important – some things must take priority. Right? {hugs}
Amen to that!
I can’t wait for these posts! I’m typing this next to my pile of random school books, with two day planners, weeks worth of uncut coupons and a busy busy day ahead.
*deep breath*
Thanks Maggie!
Oh girl – you have so much on your plate! I think SAHM and WAHM HS moms deserve bonus points and unlimited free supplies of dark chocolate and coffee!! Stay tuned – help is coming (via the next two blogs posts) Stay sane, my friend! Maggie
I’m really struggling to find a way to teach my 2 boys (ages 12 & 5). Time management is my biggest challenge. Can’t wait for your next posts!
Well now – that is a tricky age spread! You must feel like a split personality! My two sons are five years apart and even that was a challenge at times. Hoping something I write will bless you. Praying you can begin to pass on some simple time management tools to your eldest – he will need it and for many tweens and teens it is such a challenge. In Christ, Maggie
Maggie, It’s so helpful…..to have someone….to mentor those of us just starting! Thank you!
Oh sweetie – so wish I could just gather up you young moms and have everyone over to just share, hug, lend an ear, listen, and remind you gals that CHRIST IS KING and ALL THINGS are possible through HIM. And even during my darkest days (trust me – there were some very deep dark days) I know that it was simply my clinging to my hope in Christ that got me through. Not curriculum, friends, support groups, or online stuff, but HIM.
Well, I just got off on a tangent now didn’t I? Did someone mention shiny?! LOL!
Love ~ from a very, very ADD Mama!
Yes! YES! Him! HIM!
Wow … you sure know how to set the hook! I’m ready to be reeled in with the next two posts!
Thank you for sharing. I’m not the most orgainized as well. And my desk…well, I can totally identify with the shovel!!! But, I have learned the value of taking time to prepare for the upcoming week. That is what is working best for me right now…then, it’s fresh on my mind what we are planning to do the next few days.
Homeschooling can be a lonely field. We are in a rural area so co-ops and groups are not really an option right now. We all have our good and not-so-good days. I am so thankful for God’s grace to help us through each day.
Thank you for thet tips…I look forward to reading your upcoming posts as well
Gayla, I am so with you! For me the only way I could manage was one week at a time. For awhile I longed to be “that mom” with her color coordinated schedule/matching planner and precise routine, I finally came to understand – and accept – that I am not wired that way. BUT God IS a God of order so I had to learn a reasonably orderly process that would be pleasing to Him and do-able for me. Not that I have it done pat, every season brings changes, but it is a fairly simple goal now instead of dreaming the impossible dram! LOL!
God bless,
Maggie
I’ve got 3 kids, one super picky, one ADD/ODD and another dyslexic/dysgraphic but all brilliant:-). I teach adults and older kids to bring in money 2-3 days a week (kids can go with me), and I seem to have papers everywhere, all the time! I throw away daily and I’m still drowning. I have a bag for every thing – one for scouts, one for teaching kids, one for adult teaching, one for activities…I’m drowning in bags and seem to be running around all the time, inside my house and out. How do you do it all? Cause I have such a mess;-) But I love homeschooling. I can’t wait to read the other installments. Thanks for being so forthright.
What helps me the most:
(AKA take these away and I might as well curl up in my chair with a good book – if I remember to get one from the library since you took my planner which tells me to go to the library) 🙂
3-ring binders w/ homemade dividers (my daughter makes GORGEOUS ones for me!)
Moleskines (oh, addicted)
File Folders (pretty, please)
Franklin Covey planner
I am only organized out of sheer desperation.
SuzBee
AKA Suzanne Broadhurst
I feel as though I just walked into a house where I can “smell the chocolate chip cookies baking”, but I have to wait until next time to eat one. I can live with that! For now. : ) I can’t wait until the next two posts. I am looking forward to hearing some encouraging words about what feel like missed opportunities to me because of my own disorganization and inconsistent motivation. This is going to be good!!!
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