6 Steps to Slow Down Your Homeschool Life

It’s common practice to ask, “How are you?” But, let’s pause and think about this question for a bit. Most often we respond with, “I’m doing well. Just so busy!” If you are in the midst of homeschooling, raising a family, keeping a house, and running kids, you just may be ready to slow down your homeschool days. Many times we see our days as being in survival mode. We have a long list of things to do, and the day gets away from us before we can check it all off. We haven’t even finished all of our lessons from the homeschooling day! So, what can we do when we’re in the middle of the semester with a deadline to get it all done? This year I’ve learned to stop, unplug, and change things up a bit to slow down our busy life. “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” -Socrates Let me show you 6 steps to slow down your homeschool life.

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Drop Something

When you have your kids signed up for too many things, you can feel like you’re running a marathon and not getting anywhere. So stop. Take a break. Accept the fact that you cannot do it all. Your kids cannot do it all. Take a few minutes and ask, “Why am I homeschooling?” For me, one of the reasons was because I didn’t want to rush around every morning getting three kids ready and out the door. I didn’t want the stress and anxiety. But guess what? With everything I had my kids signed up to do, I was rushing around anyway. Homeschooling can be a gift of time and flexibility. But, if you have your kids in too many classes or extra activities, homeschooling can become a curse. This is the time to let go of some things that aren’t as useful to your family. Take a break from an activity or drop it all together. It’s ok to quit something that isn’t improving your quality of life.

Begin Afternoon Tea

It’s time to recharge your batteries. Homeschooling, housework, and commitments can suck the joy out of living. When this happens, it’s time to build an enjoyable practice into your day. An afternoon tea party can be the perfect mini break to help you slow down and refocus. Bringing your kids together to put together healthy snacks and a spot of tea in the middle of the day is a perfect solution. Gather together in the kitchen, on the porch, or a sunlit room of your house and enjoy each other’s company before continuing with the next lesson or task. I do think the Brits have the right idea on this afternoon tradition.

Set Aside Quiet Time

“Silence is a fence around wisdom.” – German proverb Begin the day in silence. Since having kids, I seek the early mornings in silence. I find getting up before the sun and before the family is a calm start to my day. With a cup of coffee, a yoga mat or a book, I can transform my mornings into solitude and bliss. I’m already in a positive, peaceful mood when the kids get up and we’re ready to begin our homeschooling day. Find time throughout the day to enjoy some time for you.

Don’t Take On Too Much

After you have eliminated some of your to-do list items, be sure to not add anything else to your plate. These are the questions I have begun to ask myself before committing to anything.

How much time will this take out of our days at home?
How will this activity benefit my kids or myself?
What do I want to gain from this activity?
How will this get our family closer to achieving a goal?

When you take a look at these questions, it helps to see if the activity will be a good fit for your lifestyle.

Change Things Up

Now that you have more time at home to focus on lessons and your household chores, you may find your homeschooling days getting long and tedious. It’s time to change it up!

Set aside a day or two a week to drop in on friends. Don’t worry about how much you haven’t gotten done. You can catch up on school or housework another day.
Begin your homeschooling day with a fun read aloud, a Youtube yoga class, or a walk around your neighborhood.

Do Something For You

Homeschooling mamas have a hard time taking time out for themselves. Make a list of activities you’ve always wanted to do. Pick one activity and make time once a week for it. This may mean taking a morning off from homeschooling, but that’s ok. Plan out lessons in advance and encourage your kids to work independently while you take care of you. You’ll soon find your kids becoming more independent in their work.

Wrapping It Up

I put these steps in order for myself this year. I wanted to thrive as a homeschooling mother, but our busyness was getting in the way of enjoying the process. I hope these steps help you slow down and enjoy these precious homeschooling years. Thanks for visiting our Slow Down Your Homeschool Life! You might also like: