How's your homeschool year going? No I mean it… how's it really going?
Do you feel like you've found a homeschool rhythm for your family? Or maybe you started out using a homeschool planner but found that you've strayed from your daily homeschool activities?
Oh friend, I've so been there!
In fact, I'm asking you the “how's your homeschool going?” question right now because this is the time of year that homeschooling can start to lose it's luster.
You know–the time when homeschool mom burnout is quite prevalent. And I don't want to see you end up there!
Let's talk about how to help you get your homeschool family back into a healthy learning routine using something that I call “rhythm-based homeschooling.”
When You Can't Find the Right Homeschool Learning Rhythm
Are you feeling stuck in your homeschool routine right now? Perhaps you feel caught between a rock and a hard place, feeling like:
1) You need to be more organized and purposeful with your homeschooling;
2) That homeschooling schedule you created doesn't ever seem to quite fit the unique demands of the day;
3) You wish you had time for all the fun projects you see online, or for those moments when the kids want to follow a learning rabbit-trail.
I know this feeling well. I spent many school years trapped in this state.
I longed to build self-motivated kids that loved learning… and yet, I found myself shutting down their requests to dig in the garden or to explore a topic online because we needed to “stick to the schedule.”
I couldn't imagine life without our homeschool schedule; and yet, deep down, I knew that most days it left me feeling like a drill sergeant that never could quite get his recruits to follow along.
Despite all my planning, rearranging (and coaxing), most days I still felt like I got never got enough done.
And, yes… all those wonderful things I'd pinned on my Pinterest board! Wonderful learning activities that I knew my kids would love to do! Couldn't we somehow find time for these?
Wasn't this what homeschooling was about, for pete's sake?!
Rhythm Based Homeschooling: The Small Shift That Made Homeschool Planning Possible
It seemed like we homeschoolers are presented with only two options:
1) Make a scheduled learning plan; or
2) Let learning naturally happen.
Isn't there a way to have both? There has to be some sort of happy medium here, right?
I did some soul-searching and loads of experimentation and developed a revolutionary approach that allowed for the best aspects of both scheduled and unscheduled homeschooling.
Finally, I found incredible freedom and new life in my homeschooling again!
And this homeschooling approach is something I'd love to share with you.
It's called “rhythm based homeschooling.”
Rhythm based homeschooling isn't a method really, but instead a set of key principles that are adaptable for any family, whether they tend to be more naturally structured or unstructured in their learning.
No two days are the same in homeschooling, and rhythm based homeschooling is flexible enough to accommodate for this.
Rhythm based homeschooling walks the line of setting homeschooling goals while offering grace for the times when those goals aren't met. It also allows for a family to have a regular flow to the day without the baggage of a moment-by-moment account of activities.
Learn More About Homeschool Rhythms
Rhythm based homeschooling is more than something that can be detailed in a simple blog post.
In order to understand and fully implement this unique approach, concepts must be personalized and experimented with in a guided learning format.
Which is why I've written a book called Plan to Be Flexible that leads homeschool moms through the process of developing a rhythm-based homeschooling approach!
This book tells my story of how I discovered how to use homeschool rhythms to easily bring order to our family's school days. It's an honest portrayal of my journey to finding peace and joy in homeschooling!
Plan to Be Flexible: Designing A Homeschool Rhythm and Curriculum Plan That Works for Your Family
If you're interested in learning more about homeschool rhythms and homeschool planning, this book is perfect for you!
May you be blessed as you determine the best ways to lead your homeschool family each day!