When you think of homeschooling moms, you probably picture someone who always knew this was the plan.
That definitely wasn’t me.
In fact, I never thought I would homeschool my kids—and honestly, I didn’t want to.
I went through the public school system myself, and while it wasn’t perfect, it shaped me into the ambitious and competitive woman I became.
So when we had children, my husband and I assumed we’d send them to a Christian private school.
We loved it, our kids loved it, and if it weren’t for an unexpected turn of events one summer, we probably never would have considered homeschooling.
But here we are—and now it’s hard to imagine going back.
That doesn’t mean I started confidently.
Quite the opposite.
I worried about being responsible for my children’s education.
What if I wasn’t qualified?
What if they fell behind?
I had finally found some independence again, was growing a couple of small businesses, and the thought of adding “teacher” to my list felt overwhelming.
Maybe you’ve had some of those same thoughts.
Why would I do this if someone else could teach them better?
Am I really qualified?
What about socialization?
If that’s you, I understand because I started this journey kicking and screaming.
But after our first year of homeschooling, my perspective completely changed.
These are the biggest lessons I learned—lessons I wish someone had shared with me before we started—and I hope they’ll encourage you as you consider homeschooling or begin your own journey.
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1. Schedule is Essential for Productivity
The greatest advice given to me before I embarked on my homeschooling journey was from my son’s Pre-K teacher.
“Have a schedule,” she said,
“if they know what to expect, they are more willing to go with your flow and are more engaged!”
She was absolutely right!
When school has a structure both you and your kids take it seriously.
Progress throughout the day becomes easier to measure, and freedom becomes a tangible reward rather than a constant distraction.
Of course figuring out a schedule that works is a whole different challenge.
It is important to remember that what may work for you or one family won’t necessarily work for another family.
How to Create A Schedule That Works!
Consider Your curriculum First
Start by looking at the curriculum you’re using.
Ask yourself:
- Are you following one program?
- Are you combining multiple programs
- Are you creating your own lessons?
Most programs have a recommended weekly and daily schedules.
This takes care of half of your work!
If you are following a program or a variety of programs, then you can structure your schedule based on their specific recommendations and adjust it to then fit your family’s needs.
Consider the Season of Life You Are In
Your homeschool should reflect the reality of your life at the present.
Think about:
- Are you working?
You now have to consider work-school balance.
My work is set aside for the evenings as it doesn’t work well to have me working during their homeschool hours, at least not while they’re little.
- Are you pregnant or nursing?
Expect the unexpected when growing a baby.
I have found that a block school schedule works really well with a baby in between feedings and naps, but it can be hard to get the kids back focused on work if the break is too long so I always tried to get them busy with some work or reading during these times.
- Do you have toddlers or babies?
There was a season where I had to baby-wear and teach at the same time.
Having a playpen set-up with all your little one’s activities is also a great option, but avoid making it distracting for your homeschoolers.
- How independent are your childres?
If your children can work quietly on their own for a block of time this can help you better manage tasks that require your full attention.
All of these will greatly impact your flexibility or lack there of, so rigid hourly schedules may not work very well, especially if you teaching is an essential part of your curriculum.
Instead, focus on a progressive order of subjects and a target time when certain subject need to be done by each day.
Give yourself some wiggle room for the unexpected.
Consider the Number of Children You Are Homeschooling
Homeschooling more than one kid can start to complicate a homeschooling schedule, but don’t freak out!
It is totally doable!
Bundling Subjects
One of my biggest time-savers when teaching my two is bundling subjects whenever it is possible.
Since my kids are one year apart, we combine:
- Science
- History
- Social Studies
- Bible Studies
- Language Studies
- Many hands-on activities
What is also great is that some curriculum split activities based on age groups.
This allows you to teach everyone as a group and then break down application based on age ranges.
Story of the World is one such curriculum and it breaks down activities into three groups: younger students (elementary), middle students (middle school), and older students (high school).
Strategizing Independent Work and Breaks
When individual-focused teaching is needed, I strategically rotate teaching time with independent work.
For example, while I am teaching arithmetic or phonics to one child, my other child completes seatwork independently.
You can similarly give the other child(ren) work that they could do on their own, or use this time for their breaks and alternate.
The key is finding a rhythm that allows everyone to stay productive without overwhelming yourself.
2. Tackle the Least Favorite Fundamental Subjects First Each Day
This tip builds directly on the importance of having a schedule.
Not all subjects are created equal.
When planning your day, prioritize the core subjects that require the most concentration and effort.
These typically include:
- Math
- Language Arts
- Phonics
- Reading
- Writing
Notice that I didn’t say your child’s least favorite subject overall.
I’m specifically referring to foundational subjects that require consistent practice and focus.
Why Mornings Matter
Most children focus best earlier in the day.
That means mornings are the ideal time to tackle:
- Subjects they struggle with
- Subjects they dislike
- Lessons requiring critical thinking
- Reading comprehension activities
- Writing assignments
Save memorization, review work, and lighter subjects for later in the afternoon.
What This Looked Like in Our Homeschool
For my children, writing was always the most dreaded subject.
If we didn’t complete writing before noon, the entire day became more difficult.
Assignments dragged on.
Frustration increased.
Tears became much more likely.
The same was true for lessons requiring deep comprehension or problem-solving.
Because of that, we now prioritize:
- Language Arts and Phonics
- Writing
- Short break
- Math
- Reading
- Another break
- Science, History, or Social Studies
Ideally, we finish Language Arts and Writing by 10 a.m., although these days, with a baby in the house, I’m happy if they’re completed by noon.
The difference this simple adjustment made was enormous.
*Update*
With Year 2 of homeschooling, our levels of subject prioritization shifted as math became increasingly challenging.
Now, our schedule looks more like:
- Math
- Language Arts
- Short break
- Writing
- Reading
- Another break
- Science, History, or Social Studies
Point being that your schedule will probably continue to evolve based on your family’s needs.
3. Start Each Day Right!
How you start each homeschooling day has a great effect on how the rest of that day will go!
I would go so far as to argue that the habits we teach our kids around how they start each day may be just as important as some of the academic lessons we teach.
I probably would not have understood this had I not gone with a Christian curriculum program, in its entirety.
If you’re not religious, please don’t click out, hear me out.
Like most homeschooling moms, when I thought about homeschooling, my focus was almost entirely the academics.
I worried about:
- Curriculum choices
- Teaching methods
- Educational standards
- Academic progress
However, homeschooling is more than academic knowledge.
We’re also teaching:
- Character
- Discipline
- Responsibility
- Life skills
- Habits that will serve our children for years to come
And one of those habits is learning how to start each day with purpose.
We need to be intentional about it.
A Holistic Approach to Education
Religious or not, most people would agree that children thrive when all areas of life are nurtured.
Taking care of our spiritual person is essential to one thriving mentally, emotionally, and physically.
A well-rounded education goes beyond worksheets and textbooks.
We teach our children to care for:
Their Bodies
Through:
- Exercise
- Healthy habits
- Physical activity
Their Minds
Through:
- Reading
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Academic learning
Their Hearts and Spirits
Through:
- Reflection
- Gratitude
- Prayer
- Family discussions
- Character development
For our family, starting the day with Bible study and prayer helps create a calm, intentional atmosphere before we begin academics.
Even if your family approaches spirituality differently, creating a meaningful morning routine can have a profound impact on your homeschool culture.
When children begin their day grounded and focused, everything else tends to run more smoothly.
4. Dress for Success
This was recommended by a popular decades-seasoned homeschooling mom-blogger on how she ensures success in her own homeschool.
In her home, every child is required to be presentable and in a school uniform, similar to private schools.
I didn’t understand it at first, but the more we worked through our year, I realized just how important presentation was—not only for my kids but for me too!
It’s Easy To Get Too Comfortable
It’s really easy to get in the habit of low-maintenance school days.
Everyone goes right out of bed and almost straight to the kitchen table to start school.
They’re still in pajamas and hair oftentimes not done.
Sure they’re comfortable, and why shouldn’t they have that perk since they’re schooling from home.
Well, the problem I have seen come up is that they get too comfortable and start to forget that they are at school despite still being home.
When we would have these days, motivation to stay focused and complete school work would wane quickly.
They would not want to do anything, and getting them to do their work would wipe me out by the end of the day.
Changes The Mood
On the other hand, when I would take the time to dress up and likewise encouraged them to do so, now all of a sudden the attitude suddenly changed.
We were presentable for learning.
It’s really not rocket science.
How you look directly correlates with your attitude and readiness for the day.
Add to the fact that you also feel a lot better about yourself when you are put together.
Our kids see that too, and they often reciprocate it.
This doesn’t mean you have to put everyone in formal school uniforms every morning.
For us, it simply means getting dressed, brushing our hair, and getting ready for the day instead of staying in pajamas.
Be Always Ready To GO
Another bonus of dressing for success every homeschooling morning is that you and your kids are ready to go if you have any activities scheduled that day.
I just recall all of the times we didn’t dress up ready to go for the day in the morning and the chaos that would follow in the afternoon when we had to go somewhere.
So unnecessary and stressful.
You’re also ready for anything!
Just think of the number of times you chose to stay home instead of going out with your kids.
It’s kind of like the idea of always having your house clean (when possible, of course), in case someone visits, but in this case it’s being always ready if adventure comes knocking!
5. Lesson Prep is Vital
I will be honest, I feel like I still don’t have a well-established schedule for our lessons just yet.
And I am already going into my third year of homeschooling.
So, if you don’t have one either, that’s ok.
But some sort of lesson prep or plan will make a WORLD of a difference to your sanity and the flow of your homeschooling day.
Most curricula provide some kind of sample schedule you could follow, whether they be for every day, three days, or 2 days per week.
That is extremely helpful.
However, I have found that those are usually not enough on their own.
Before you get into a routine with any curriculum, doing some of the legwork beforehand and planning things out more carefully can be essential for success.
What Does Lesson Prep Look Like?
It depends on the curriculum but usually lesson prep usually involves:
- Getting familiar with the teaching material
- Preparing your child’s student material
- Gathering any books, worksheets, or supplies you will need
- Preparing any supplemental materials that will be needed for lesson reinforcement
- Looking ahead at upcoming activities or assignments
This part can become time-consuming, and it is best done the night before or, better yet, at the beginning of the week, if possible.
It is so much easier to start the school day already knowing what you’re teaching than to try to figure everything out while your kids are sitting there waiting for you.
Planning The Flow Of Each Lesson
Lesson prep also means you break up each day’s classes and activities into a set schedule that you and your kids follow.
This will also take a lot of trial and error, just like preparing your general schedule did, and it similarly will depend on your home’s dynamics and expectations for each day.
It took me a number of schedules, from when we first began homeschool until today, before I got into a rhythm I liked.
And even then, I’m sure our current schedule will continue to change as our family changes.
That’s okay too.
Your homeschool schedule doesn’t have to stay the same forever.
The important thing is to have a plan that works for your family in the season you’re currently in.
6. If It’s Not Broken, Don’t Fix It
Homeschooling can be intimidating.
You don’t want to be the reason your children get behind in school, so you crack down on all the curricula.
Or, at least you try to.
I struggled with this fear and so I overcompensated by purchasing everything recommended.
I went so far as to supplement every subject with a couple of curricula because I didn’t want my kids to miss anything.
The more information the better… right?
Not exactly!
More Curriculum Is Not Better
All that did was confuse my children, since every curriculum had its own:
- Pace
- Focus
- Teaching style
- Sequence
- Approach to the same information
It also exhausted all of us because our school days became ridiculously long.
At one point, we were having nearly 12-hour school days.
I know.
What was I thinking?!
When things got out of hand, I quickly doubled down and focused on the daily completion of just our base curriculum, the Abeka program.
That alone takes a good amount of time if you stick by it thoroughly.
I set everything else aside and decided that I would only introduce a supplement if I actually saw a need for one.
For example, I would only supplement if:
- Abeka was not covering something sufficiently
- One of my kids struggled with a specific concept
- They needed additional practice in a specific area
What I saw was that it was working.
Pay Attention to Your Children’s Progress
My kids were grasping mathematical concepts well and excelling in reading.
They were performing way above benchmark in their state tests and even testing out of certain topics.
The program was working for them and helping them excel!
Isn’t that what we ultimately want?
So, just because something else if working great for another family, doesn’t mean we too must give it a try.
We don’t have to jump on every homeschool curriculum bandwagon and give in to FOMO.
Hind Sight Is 20/20
After we completed the school year, I decided to go through the other curriculum I had purchased and look at it from the perspective of a completed school year.
The information was pretty much the same across the board, so my kids didn’t miss anything.
Actually, the Abeka program was a little more rigorous and so they were ahead in some subjects.
That, however, isn’t the point.
The point is that I found a math and reading program that worked!
And if something is working, sometimes the best thing you can do is simply keep going.
Don’t change your curriculum just because someone else loves another program.
Don’t assume you’re not doing enough because another homeschool family is doing more.
Instead, look at your own children.
Ask yourself:
- Are they learning?
- Are they retaining the information?
- Are they progressing?
- Are they struggling in any specific areas?
- Are they meeting the academic benchmarks you’re looking for?
If what you’re doing is working, give it time to continue working.
If it’s not broken, don’t fix it!
7. You Are the Determining Factor of Your Child’s Academic Success
I’ve heard many moms talk about how their ideal form of homeschooling is spending as little time as possible actually teaching their kids.
And honestly?
I get it!
There are many programs where this can actually be possible.
There are video lessons, self-guided lessons, independent reading, and curriculum designed so that children complete most of the work on their own.
Literally anything but actually sitting down and getting into the nitty-gritty of a subject.
And before anyone comes at me, I want to say that that’s an ideal day for me as well!
I love it when I don’t have to teach and I could just focus on my own work while they watch a video lesson and complete their seatwork independently.
Unfortunately, I learned pretty quickly that if I didn’t take their school days seriously, they didn’t either.
Children Still Need Accountability
When I was focused on something other than teaching, they’d slip out and start doing something, anything, other than their schooling.
If I wasn’t checking their work, they’d stop trying as hard.
If I wasn’t assigning things directly, they’d start skipping assignments.
As much as I wanted to be hands-off as much as possible, I realized that that wasn’t very realistic for us.
Adults have a hard time staying focused.
Why are we expecting children to do it?
Homeschooling Requires Your Involvement
Homeschooling is not a task, it’s a lifestyle, as cliché as that sounds.
It isn’t simply something you assign to your children and hope they complete.
If I want my kids to thrive and succeed, I have to be involved.
No one else will do it for me.
No curriculum.
No perfect program.
No technology.
No video course.
At the end of the day, I am the one responsible for making sure they are learning, progressing, and actually doing the work.
That means I have to invest time and energy into their education.
Sometimes that means housework waits.
Sometimes my own work gets pushed aside.
Sometimes the school day requires more of me than I expected.
And yes, that can feel like a sacrifice.
But I also know that the return is worth it.
Building Up Independence
The time I invest now is helping build the habits, knowledge, discipline, and confidence that my children will carry with them later.
That doesn’t mean I have to hover over them forever.
In fact, one of my goals is to help them become increasingly independent as they grow.
But independence is something we teach.
It doesn’t happen simply because we hand a child a curriculum and walk away.
8. Consistency Is Key
Whenever I start a new curriculum, the information overload is rather overwhelming.
That is once reason why I could not try another curriculum for quite some time after starting Abeka.
Abeka itself is intense.
There are a lot of daily supplemental teaching materials that can make lesson prep feel longer than the lesson itself.
When you’re first starting, there’s also this pressure to do absolutely everything exactly as written.
Because what if you skip something important?
What if you don’t teach it correctly?
What if missing one little thing somehow affects your child’s entire educational future?
The pressure!
You Don’t Have to Master Everything Immediately
What I realized fairly quickly, was that consistency was key to optimizing functionality.
Whenever I would start any program, I would always start by following it pretty closely.
At first, that meant a lot of effort and attention.
Eventually, that consistency paid off.
You become familiar with the curriculum.
You understand how the lessons are structured.
You know which parts require more attention and which ones you can move through more quickly.
You start recognizing how your own child learns best.
And what once felt complicated slowly becomes routine.
Consistency Helps You Make Better Decisions
That is the case with any new curriculum.
Over time you start to understand it better and run it optimally, in the best way for each child, without wasting time.
You start to understand the strategy behind the curriculum instead of simply reading instructions.
You learn what resonates with your child.
You figure out which areas need more reinforcement and which ones don’t.
You also become better at recognizing when something genuinely needs to change versus when you simply need to give it more time.
Consistency gives you enough information to make educated decisions about your homeschool.
Without consistency, it’s very difficult to know whether:
- A curriculum isn’t working
- Your child simply needs more time
- You need to adjust your teaching approach
- A schedule needs to change
- Your child needs additional practice
You need enough repetition and routine to actually see patterns.
Consistency Helps Your Kids Too
Consistency doesn’t just make things easier for the parent.
It gives children structure as well.
When your school days follow a generally predictable routine, your children begin to understand what is expected of them.
They know:
- What needs to be completed
- What usually comes next
- When breaks happen
- What they need to finish before free time
That predictability can eliminate a lot of daily negotiation.
Instead of wondering whether school is happening that day, they simply know that it is.
Of course, homeschooling requires flexibility.
Life happens.
Babies interrupt lessons.
Appointments come up.
People get sick.
Some days simply do not go according to plan.
Consistency doesn’t mean every day has to be perfect.
It means that after the interruptions, you come back to your routine.
For me, that has been one of the biggest keys to creating a homeschool that functions optimally.
Final Thoughts
Undertaking the endeavor that is homeschooling can be challenging, in the beginning.
There is a lot to grasp:
- Curriculum options
- Teaching styles
- Daily schedules
- State/National requirements
- Learning styles
- Testing
- Activities
- Socialization
Not to mention all of the advice that you are given—whether you asked for it or not.
It’s a lot!
And when you’re the one responsible for your child’s education, it’s very easy to feel like every decision has enormous consequences.
You start wondering if you’re choosing the right curriculum.
If you’re teaching enough.
If they’re learning enough.
If another family is doing something better.
If you’re somehow missing something important.
But one of the most important things I’ve learned is this:
You don’t need to know everything before you begin.
You’re going to learn as you go.
Your first schedule probably won’t be your final schedule.
The first curriculum you choose may not be the curriculum you use forever.
You may realize that one child needs something completely different from another.
And that’s okay.
You Can Make Changes Along the Way
Generally speaking, there are many excellent and reputable curricula and teaching options available.
A curriculum can be great and still not be the right fit for your child.
If something isn’t working, you can change it.
And if a change becomes necessary, chances are you will recognize it because you’re paying attention to your child’s progress.
The fact that you’re researching, paying attention, and intentionally trying to give your children a good education already matters tremendously.
If you’re paying attention to their progress and willing to adjust when something isn’t working, you aren’t blindly moving forward.
You’re actively parenting, learning, and teaching.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Of course, you need to be realistic.
You don’t have to do everything completely alone.
If homeschooling begins to feel overwhelming, accountability and support can make a huge difference.
Depending on where you live, that might look like:
- Joining a homeschool co-op
- Connecting with other homeschooling families
- Using a charter homeschool program
- Working with an educational consultant or teacher
- Participating in local homeschool groups
- Using testing or assessments to monitor progress
Here in California, we regularly meet with a teacher who helps ensure that the programs we’re following are allowing our children to progress academically.
For me, that takes a huge weight off my shoulders.
It gives me another set of eyes on their education and reassures me that I’m not doing this completely alone.
And maybe that’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through homeschooling:
You don’t have to have everything figured out.
You just have to be willing to show up, stay consistent, pay attention to your children, and make changes when they’re needed.
Homeschooling may have been something I once came into kicking and screaming, but now I truly can’t imagine our family any other way.
