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With this year of homeschooling wrapping up for many, now is the time to evaluate what went right or wrong. Here are tips for a more organized homeschool next year.
Many homeschooling moms place undue stress on themselves by thinking because they are home they have to teach their kids, keep an immaculate house, have home-cooked meals prepared every day, and find the time to chauffeur, be there for their spouse, and keep a perky attitude. Whoever started this rumor was not a homeschooler! Granted homeschooling moms do seem to have a bit much on their plate, but sometimes the plate is going to fall, and that's okay. Here are some ways to plan ahead for an "almost" stress-free and organized homeschooling year in 2007/2008: Establish PrioritiesSometimes you will plan things the way you want them to be, only to find out that there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish them all. You need to place priority on the things that must be done first. Sometimes prioritizing is easily seen and you know what has to be done compared to what should be or would be nice to have done. Remember to include family and outside activities when prioritizing. Simplify Tasks Indulge yourself in a good organizer, like a Franklin Day Planner, to keep you on your toes and have your schedule before you at a glance. Some people prefer to just keep a calendar and that works fine, too. Regardless of your system, just remember KISS (keep it simple silly). If your calendar or daily planner is looking too full, it is time to start reorganizing your commitments. Remove the ClutterSummer may be a good time to have that yard sale you've been thinking about. Take this time to remove clutter from your house. Getting up to a messy house every day can be distressing and add unwanted stress. Use the summer break to get the house in order and then devise a simple housekeeping plan that will keep you on track, even into a new homeschooling year. Include this schedule in your planner or on your calendar, so it is in front of you. Tackle one room a day, and then you won't have to worry about doing it all at once. Accept Failure and LearnEven some of the best-laid plans will fail. Just accept the fact that no matter how hard you try, unexpected things will happen to throw you off course. Can you think of anyone that has not happened to? Of course not. It is just a fact of life. But, when the waves come, don't get discouraged. Remember that there is only so much in your control, and make best with what you have. After all, you are a homeschooling mom...you improvise almost every day during school, so why should life be any different? And, you are not alone. We all go through the same things. The difference is, did you fall under the waves or learn from your failures to make things better the next time around?
The copyright of the article Organizing Your Homeschool in Homeschooling is owned by Denise Oliveri. Permission to republish Organizing Your Homeschool in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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