5 Tips For Balancing Homeschool and Life
Balancing homeschool and life can be quite a challenge! Nothing can ruin a homeschool lesson plan faster than real life. When this happens, there are a few things we can do to keep calm and carry on homeschooling.
This year in the Waldock home, real life has interrupted our homeschool plans frequently. In these moments, it would be easy to get stressed out and throw in the towel. But what if there was a way to bounce back and stay balanced?
We’ve discovered a few practical ways to balance homeschool and life, and I’m excited to share them with you. Keep reading to get the inside scoop on my top 5 tips for homeschooling when life gets crazy.
Nothing Ruins A Homeschool Plan Like Real Life!
There have been so many things this year to throw off our plans! We have had to change travel plans at the last minute, and we have had to cancel plans and divert our energy for a variety of reasons. The reality is that those moments can ruin your homeschool year if you let them.
The truth is that real-life interruptions aren’t failures. Instead, they’re lessons. We can use them to become more resilient, embrace flexibility, and give ourselves extra grace.
One of the most beautiful things about homeschooling is that it gives us the unique ability to adapt. We get to adapt to the way our children learn best, what works best for our families, and adapt our schedules.
Maybe we didn’t get through the entire math curriculum this month, but we learned real-life lessons and practiced problem-solving. Maybe the field trip fell apart at the last minute, but the impromptu backyard nature study or rainy-day board game marathon was exactly what we needed to reconnect.
It’s okay to pivot. It’s okay to press pause. It’s okay to re-evaluate and change course.
After all, the goal isn’t to have a perfect year, it’s to grow together as a family and cultivate a learning lifestyle that goes beyond any lesson plan or field trip. So when life throws you a curveball, take a deep breath and remember: you’re ok.
5 Tips For Balancing Homeschool and Life
This year, more than most, I’ve learned a few tips for balancing homeschool and life in a way that works for us. Here are my top tips for making it work.
#1 – Stay Calm
The more you freak out, the worse it gets. This is true in homeschooling and life. We can’t think clearly or make good decisions when we’re freaking out, so it’s important to remain calm.
Additionally, our kids feed off of our energy. When we freak out, it can make them anxious as well.
#2 – Get Back To The Basics
It’s okay to go back to the basics. If a book and a game a day is all you can do, that’s enough.
Get the scoop on our January Book and a Game reset to implement this lifesaver in your homeschool for those times when real life gets in the way of your homeschooling plans. Plus, discover 50 ideas for family fun with books and movies we love!
#3 – Allow For A Different Approach To Learning
Sometimes what you really need is a different approach to learning. This can be as simple as taking school work outside. Reading on a blanket or playing games at a picnic table in the sunshine can be just the thing to regroup and find balance.
If your life feels too busy for sitting down and completing lessons or reading aloud, hop in the car and listen to podcasts, play car games, or enjoy an audiobook while you run errands or travel to your next destination. Sometimes, you just have to ditch the textbooks to find a different approach that works for your family in the moment.
#4 – Balance May Not Be The Answer
Sometimes, finding balance isn’t the answer. Sometimes homeschooling is the priority, and everything else just has to wait, but then there are times when life is happening so fast that we have to hit the pause button on homeschooling for a few days or a few weeks.
Either scenario is fine. Life happens.
#5 – Remember, this is part of homeschooling!
We have to remember that this is just part of homeschooling. Homeschooling is learning at home, and home is where life happens.
It doesn’t mean you have done anything wrong. It doesn’t mean you have failed. It just means life got in the way, as life sometimes does.
Ultimately, it isn’t always easy to balance real life and homeschooling, but it is possible to do so without losing your peace and connection. When things go sideways, as they will, our approach can make all the difference.
Remember, real life is part of the journey, and it offers lessons just as valuable as any homeschool curriculum. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, start by choosing just one tip this week. Remember that balance isn’t about perfection, it’s about grace.
Let me know which tip you’re trying first or share your favorite way to find balance between homeschool and life in the comments. I can’t wait to read them!