7 Reasons Why Your Homeschool Schedule Doesn’t Work
Have you started on your homeschool schedules yet? What worked for you last year and what didn’t do so well? Want to know why your homeschool schedule failed? Here are 7 reasons why your homeschool schedule doesn’t work!
If you want to learn more ideas on how to fix your homeschool schedule, I have here some Homeschooling Schedule Ideas to Help You Plan.
It’s August, are you in homeschool planning mode yet? I sure am and I’m glad that we’ve found some things that we love so that I don’t have to start fresh with a huge amount of decisions.
I am looking to change things up a bit and add some more fun and hands-on elements to our homeschool this year that we didn’t get to last year.
I have a great schedule for the boys but now that my daughter is in kindergarten, I will be doing more with her so it will be interesting to see how it goes with all 3 kiddos in the mix.
This post may contain affiliate links meaning I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Read my disclosure policy here.
See a list of my favorite Amazon Deals for your home and homeschool.
7 Reasons Why Your Homeschool Schedule Doesn’t Work
Your schedule is too full
Did you over-plan or have too many outside activities that you felt like you never had time to relax? Were your kids overtired? Then you may want to consider eliminating some of those commitments and bring it down to the bare necessities at least for one term to see if that works better for your family.
Monotonous Schedule
Did you guys do the same thing week in and week out, did you have time for time outdoors or were you able to take any fun field trips? I know it’s easy to get caught up in the academics but it’s also important to remember that kids need time to play. Learning can take so many shapes and forms and seat work is not always the best learning method for some kids.
No Hands-on Learning
Did you make time for those fun, messy projects, did you create colorful artwork or did you just skip those? You may not love the clean-up afterwards but I guarantee you that your kids would love the opportunity to build their own volcano and erupt it in their backyard. Keep a bin for junk and recyclables that your kids can use to create with like rockets or houses, who knows what ideas they can come up with? Give them time to create and build.
Not Enough Outdoor/Exercise Time
Did your children seem antsy or need frequent breaks from their schoolwork? Did you have to tell them often to remain in their chair even if it was for a short period of time? I love having outside time before we start school, that way they come in tired and ready to sit down and hopefully get some schoolwork done. They have fun, it forces you to get active with them so it’s a win win for everyone.
Too Teacher Intensive
If you found yourself feeling burnt out by the end of the year, maybe your teaching methods were too teacher-intensive. If you’re homeschooling more than one kiddo, it can be challenging to have one on one time for each child and each subject. Depending on their ages, some subjects can be more independent than others so why not use a curriculum that can help them work on their own and not rely on you as much. Of course, you’re available for help if needed.
See more ideas on How to Homeschool Successfully
Won’t Adapt to New Changes
Things can easily change from one term to the next and you have to be willing to change with them. Maybe a curriculum that worked for one child is becoming too challenging for them, or maybe your child dislikes the reading selections for his history course. It can be many things, are you willing to adapt and make changes if needed. I know you have your wonderful homeschool plans already set, but sometimes those need to be adjusted or scrapped completely to find something that works for your family.
Too Concerned with Completing Your Schedule
Are you so concerned with checking off those checkboxes that you become impatient and rush your child from one subject to the next? Are you stopping to enjoy this time that you have them home with you? Impatience won’t help anyone and feeling like your always behind will get your burnout pretty quickly.
One thing for sure is that you do need a plan and homeschool schedules can be a necessity to keep your sanity but they can also hinder you if you follow them to a T. Use these as a tool in your homeschool to avoid these common reasons why your homeschool schedule does not work and not as a something that needs to be enforced at all times.
Recommended Homeschooling Books
Looking to start or level up your homeschooling style this year? These recommended homeschooling books for moms and parents are surely going to help you with your child’s homeschool journey.
Think About Homeschooling: What It Is, What It Isn’t, & Why It WorksHomeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child with ConfidenceThe Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and LifeThe Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming the Wonder in Your Child’s Education, A New Way to HomeschoolEverything You Need to Know about Homeschooling: A Comprehensive, Easy-to-Use Guide for the Journey from Early Learning through GraduationThe Unhurried Homeschooler: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on Homeschooling
Recommended Homeschool Planners and Journals
Get more organized this school year with these pretty homeschooling planners and journals to keep your day-to-day activities more organized for a better flow of learning for your kids.
Homeschool Mama: Daily Assignment and Record Book Planner For One Student – Academic School Year – Pretty Yellow FlowersHomeschool Planner and Essential Organizer Faith Edition | Watercolor Foliage: Undated Customizable One Year Homeschool Planner, Organizer, and Record … (Faith Edition Undated Homeschool Planners)A Simple Plan Floral Homeschool Parent Planner 2024-2025Homeschool Lesson Planner: Weekly & Monthly Record Book for Teaching Multiple Kids | July – June Academic Calendar Year Agenda | Watercolor StripesHomeschool Lesson Planning Minimalist Notebook (Nature Series): 12 Month, 52 Week Undated Planner by schoolnest2023-2024 Homeschool Planner: Weekly & Monthly Lesson Planning and Grade Book for Teaching Multiple Kids – Academic School Year – Sunflower Rainbow
The Homeschool Planning for the Unorganized Mom eBook is on sale right now, if you’re struggling to get started or need a little push to set up a system for success.
More Homeschool Ideas to Help You Plan
- How to Create a Special Needs Homeschool Schedule
- Homeschool Routine Ideas
- Sample Homeschool Daily Schedules for 3 Kids
- Can I Really Homeschool my Kids?
- Homeschooling Bullet Journal by Little Blog in the Country
- What does your homeschool schedule look like? by Family Style Schooling
What is the biggest challenge of homeschooling?
Homeschooling offers a unique and flexible approach to your child’s education, yet like everything else that’s good in life, it comes with its own set of challenges. Perhaps the most significant challenge in this setup lies in maintaining discipline and structure.
Taking away the external structure of a traditional school setting, creating and sticking to a daily routine can be tricky not just for your kids but for you as well.
However, this challenge presents an excellent opportunity for parents and your students alike. You can involve your children in the creation of their schedules, through this activity, you can teach them valuable skills in time management and self-discipline.
This collaborative approach not only helps in keeping the day organized but also empowers your homeschooled kids, making them feel in charge of their learning process.
Another tip to turn this homeschool challenge into an opportunity is to use a variety of online resources and educational tools available. Nowadays, the internet is a treasure trove of free or affordable educational materials that can help create a diversified homeschooling experience.
From virtual zoo tours to online science experiment videos, these learning resources can make homeschooling more engaging and help kids develop a love for self-directed learning.
I hope you found my insights about 7 reasons why your homeschool schedule doesn’t work both insightful and helpful for your kid’s homeschooling! Remember, a schedule that doesn’t adapt to your family’s unique rhythm can turn learning into a chore rather than an adventure. The key is flexibility, understanding, and patience!
Great post, Minique. You make some very valuable points. My biggest struggle is definitely doing too much. I have a hard time saying no!
Don’t we all.
Monique, I really like the idea of the recyclables box! Let them create!
Thank you for sharing this list. This past year didn’t go as well as the first year (lots of arguments and frustration) and your list helped me get some clarity on what to do moving forward.
So glad this was helpful for you.