Tuesday Tip #2 Do not try to fit everything into one day!

Overwhelmed With Your Homeschool Schedule?

If I start thinking about all of the subjects I want my children to learn or expose them to, I can make a long list.
Bible, reading, math, science, history, government, music, art, writing, nature study, foreign language, poetry, spelling, geography …..
That list could keep going, but there is no way we can fit all of those things into a single homeschool day and, honestly, even a single homeschool season. This can make scheduling our homeschool days challenging.

The Homeschool Scheduling Solution


One solution might be to narrow down the list, but alternately we can remember that we do not have to teach everything in a single day. While there are some subjects (Bible, math, and reading) that we try to make sure we include in almost all of our homeschool days, there are others that we cover once or twice a week.
There are also subjects that we do not cover every year, but that I still make sure to incorporate as we can fit them into our days. For example, one year, I might make sure to include geography in our morning time so that all of my children get geography that year. The following year, I might do some poetry studies or focus on economics.

Homeschooling Scheduling Tips!


I get easily overwhelmed if I try to fit everything into a day, a week, or even a year. However, I have eighteen years to teach my children, including thirteen years of ‘formal’ schooling.
When I look at their education from a long-term perspective, I realize that I do not have to stress covering every subject every year.

Homeschool Goals


I also have to keep in mind that my goals for them:

  • First, to raise them to know and love the Lord.
  • Then to prepare them to be productive citizens who can think critically about the world around them.
  • Next, I want them to have a solid education that allows them to follow whatever path God has put forth for them and be able to provide for their own families one day.
  • Finally, I want them to love learning and the skills needed to be lifelong learners.


When I remember that last goal, I can remind myself that I do not have to teach them everything. If I expose my children to art history and show them what is available, they will know how to learn more if they are interested. The same applies to poetry, music, classical literature, and many more subjects.
When considering what you need to cover, consider your overall goals, your children’s interests, and the needed content.

Real-World Examples

For example, we cover music more often than necessary because it is enjoyable for my children. I also do math very regularly because there is a lot of content to cover to prepare them for a job or college upon graduation. When they are young, we do phonics regularly. However, once they can read well, our literature studies can vary a bit more because they strengthen their reading skills with their personal reading.


Do you ever feel overwhelmed trying to teach your children everything you want them to learn? How do you break down your homeschool schedule to make them work?

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Tuesday Tips #1 Teacher Workdays

Tuesday Tips Series

I have been doing a lot of planning and thinking about what I wanted to share on the blog this year.  There will be many curriculum and book reviews, more hymn studies, and some fun unit studies.

I also wanted to start a new series called Tuesday Tips, where I will share a simple homeschool tip each Tuesday (or at least most Tuesdays).  Some tips will be for new homeschoolers, and others will focus on specific areas like teens or homeschooling in the kitchen.

These will be short and simple posts that will hopefully give you some new ideas and strategies to help your homeschool run smoothly.  I would love for you to share your thoughts and/or questions that need tips in the comments.

Tuesday Homeschooling Tips

Today’s Tuesday Homeschooling Tip

Teacher workdays are essential for homeschool teachers.

We often think of teacher workdays as just something for classroom teachers, but they can be beneficial in our homeschools.  These days are perfect for planning, grading papers (especially those high schoolers), preparing materials, and setting goals.

Sometimes I schedule them ahead of time, like this week.  My high schooler is doing some independent work, but I am taking this week to plan and prepare before we start back from our break.

Other times we take one just because we need it.  When life happens, and you feel overwhelmed, or behind, it is okay to decide to take a teacher workday and get things straight before moving forward.

You might have realized that a particular program was not working, but you aren’t sure how to fix it or what to try.  Take the day to research ideas and develop a plan without feeling the pressure of also trying to keep teaching.

Are you already utilizing teacher workdays in your homeschool?  What works for you?