What Actually Helps PDA Kids Learn (And What Makes It Worse)

If you’re parenting a PDA kid, you already know this:

The more you push, the harder they push back.

And if you’re new to homeschooling a PDA or ADHD child, you might be thinking:

“If I just get the schedule right…”

“If I just stay consistent…”

“If I just hold firm…”

It should get easier.

But sometimes it doesn’t.

Sometimes it gets worse.

Because what looks like defiance is usually nervous system overwhelm.

And rigid structure — the kind we were taught is “good teaching” — can actually backfire.

Let me tell you what I’ve learned the hard way.

What Makes It Worse

Rigid scheduling.

“You do math at 9:00. Reading at 9:30. Writing at 10:00.”

For a PDA brain, that can feel like a trap.

Not a routine — a demand.

And when the nervous system perceives demand, it goes into threat mode.

Cue resistance.

Shutdown.

Negotiation.

Meltdowns.

It’s not laziness.

It’s not manipulation.

It’s autonomy panic.

The more tightly you grip, the more their brain fights for control.

What Actually Helps

Choice.

Not chaos. Not zero expectations.

Choice inside structure.

There’s a big difference.

Instead of:

“You have to do math right now.”

Try:

“Here are the three things that need to get done today. What would you like to do first?”

That one shift changes everything.

A to-do list feels very different from a command.

A list says:

“These things exist.”

A command says:

“You must.”

And for PDA kids, that distinction matters.

Why Order and Timing Matter Less Than Agency

One of the biggest mindset shifts for me was realizing this:

It doesn’t matter if math happens at 9am or 2pm.

It matters that it happens without a power struggle.

If unlocking lessons at midnight gives your child the ability to wake up and decide their own order? That’s not “spoiling” them.

That’s restoring autonomy.

If Open Exploration-style days — where they can choose what to work on — reduce anxiety and increase engagement? That’s not lowering standards.

That’s designing learning around a nervous system instead of against it.

And when you remove the demand, something surprising happens.

They often choose to do the work.

Not because they were forced.

Because they felt safe.

But Isn’t That Too Much Freedom?

This is the fear I hear all the time.

“If I give options, won’t they just avoid math forever?”

Maybe for a day.

Maybe even for a week.

But when learning isn’t wrapped in threat, resistance fades.

And when math is a concept-based lesson — not a 40-minute ordeal — it becomes approachable.

You can slow it down.

Break it apart.

Turn one writing lesson into four days.

Make one math concept last a week with hands-on work.

Completion matters more than speed.

Engagement matters more than compliance.

The Real Goal

The goal isn’t obedience.

It’s ownership.

When a child feels like learning is being done to them, resistance sets in.

When they feel like they are building something themselves, everything changes.

PDA kids especially need to feel like they are choosing — even inside non-negotiables.

We’re not removing expectations.

We’re removing the battle.

And that shift?

It changes the whole house.

If you’re in the thick of it right now, please hear this:

You’re not doing it wrong.

You’re parenting a brain that needs autonomy like oxygen.

Design around that.

And watch what happens.

? Lindsey

certified special-ed educator, homeschool mom, & co-founder of Schoolio

Establish a Good Homeschool Routine

What’s the very best schedule for homeschool families to follow in order to be successful? And how can you help your family learn healthy habits, especially around homeschool? These are pretty huge topics, and I’m sure that you’re feeling rather overwhelmed by it all. Chances are if you’re reading this, that your homeschool schedule is always changing or perhaps failing. Now you’re wondering, ‘How do I establish a good homeschool routine?’

Truth First.

First of all, you should know that most homeschool families have had or are having struggles with their schedule. As frustrating as that is, it’s common! Why is this? The answer is truly simple. It truly is impractical for most homeschool families to follow a strict schedule. In most cases, time slots on a time chart are only going to cause more frustration than happiness. The reason being, life happens! It’s important for your homeschool to work around your life, not the other way around. Which is why it’s so important to establish a good homeschool routine.

Avoid the Burden of an Intense Schedule.

Instead of burdening yourself with an intense schedule of: 8:00am – Math. 8:45am – Reading. Finally, 9:10am – Spelling and so on. Change it up! Have you heard of time blocks? Time blocks are different blocks of your day designated for homeschool work, and life.

Aim for Time Blocks With Your Homeschool Routine.

Time blocks can look like: 8:30 – 11:30am Block A. Block A can change based on the day. For Monday, it could be Math and Science. Then for Tuesday it could be ‘Free Creativity Time’. Following Block A, you can begin your next block. Or, you can take a break with your kids if they’re feeling tired. You as the homeschool parent teacher will be able to determine how your child is doing with this routine each day.

Avoid Micro Scheduling Within Your Time Blocks.

It’s much easier to schedule in the blocks of your day rather than individual subjects. Plus it’s so customizable. As your homeschool day can have as many or as few blocks as your family needs. It’s recommended to have 2-4 blocks in your homeschool day. While also doing your best to avoid micro scheduling within your homeschool blocks. Additionally, it’s important to keep the blocks running daily at the same time. It’s really important to be careful not to change the times of the blocks, as it’s good for your family to learn the blocks and stick to them.

Life Happens! What Happens in the Blocks Changes. But the Blocks Stay the Same.

It’s obvious that life happens, and changes are inevitable. Which is why having these blocks in your homeschool plan can be so great. For example, if I schedule 3 blocks for each day of the week. And my blocks are scheduled like: Block A 8:30am – 11:30am, Block B 11:30am- 2:30pm and Block C 2:30pm – 5:30pm. Our days can go like: Monday Block A – Math and Science. Block B – Art and chores. Block C – Free play, reading, practicing instruments. Then our Tuesday blocks can totally be switched up. Block A – Day prep, free play, chores. Block B – Language Arts and Social Studies. Block C – Music practice, physical education, reading.

Be Flexible with your time blocks.

It’s important to remember that while the items within the blocks may change on a daily basis, the time blocks remain the same. That’s because I’m not ‘creating a schedule’ to keep my family on track. I’m creating a routine using time blocks. Consequently, my whole family learns the routine because of these blocks. As a result, our family stays on track!

Don’t Do Every Subject, Every Day!

Another huge factor when it comes to keeping your homeschool schedule somewhat on track: Stop trying to do every subject, every day. Obviously you want to make sure that your child remains on track with their education. Because no one wants to fall behind. However, cramming all the subjects into one day will only cause a flurry of overwhelm for both you and your child. Sometimes, if I know that my child is struggling with Math, I will only schedule Math for a block. While being sure not to include any other subjects in that block of time, or other blocks throughout the day.

Figure Out How Your Family Operates.

Some families do better with morning learning, some families do better in the afternoon. First it’s important to find out your families learning rhythm. Then plan accordingly. Additionally, it’s really important to NOT worry so much about ‘book work’ being done daily. Maybe your child learns better with games? That’s fine! This doesn’t mean that you throw out the book work completely. Instead you can aim for book assignments for one day, learning games the next, and educational resources after that.

Don’t Compare Your Homeschool to Someone Else’s.

Everyone’s homeschool doesn’t look the same. For instance, if you see instagram posts of perfectly put together homeschool rooms with incredibly written captions of how the day went. It’s important to remember that most people post the highlight reels of their day. Rather than the chaos that actually occurred.

Switch It Up.

Maybe time blocks won’t work for your family. Perhaps you need a rigorous schedule instead. Alternatively you may feel better with a loose schedule. Irregardless, you should never feel that you must commit to one way of homeschooling for the whole duration of your homeschooling journey. Because things change, and that’s fine! For example, you may start homeschooling with a perfectly planned schedule, and end the year with time blocks. Because homeschooling is like an ocean, you have to learn to embrace the waves that come your way.

Be Confident.

You are doing such a great job teaching your kids! Therefore you should feel so proud of all that you are accomplishing. If your schedule has failed, please don’t be upset. Instead research alternative scheduling methods for your homeschool. Also, chatting with other homeschool parents on how their schedules or routines look can be extremely helpful. Just remember to chat with ‘real’ homeschool parents in homeschool groups. Rather than looking at someone else’s highlight reel, while wondering why your life can’t look that perfect. This is an important step in your journey to establish a good homeschool routine.

Don’t Get Stuck.

Sometimes as homeschool parents you will face tough days. Of course the schedule will change and things may fall out of whack. Sickness, work, life, unexpected situations. All of these scenarios can play a part in throwing your homeschool routine off track. If your homeschool routine/schedule has fallen apart, don’t get stuck. Just keep moving forward with the knowledge that you’re doing an excellent job. And remember, you have the ability to accomplish big things!

Check Out These Schoolio Blogs and Free Resources for Scheduling.

Click Here to read ‘When Your Homeschool Schedule Isn’t Going As Planned’

Click Here to view ‘Daily Homeschool Planning Tips and Free Resources’

Additional Helpful Resources to Establish a Good Homeschool Routine.

A Flexible Homeschool Routine Your Kids Will Love – The Simple Homeschooler

Tips for Planning Your Homeschool – The Happy Housewife

Best Tips for Creating a Homeschool Daily Schedule – Your Morning Basket

How Do I Start Homeschooling In Canada?

How Do I Start Homeschooling in Canada?

Homeschooling has become an extremely popular alternative to traditional education in the last 10 years. There’s no doubt that when homeschooling is done correctly, it can be an incredible experience for homeschoolers. So, how can you start homeschooling? What legal aspects do you need to be aware of? Is there some way to ensure that you will be successful at homeschooling your kids? We have the answer to your ‘How do I start homeschooling in Canada?’ question!

How Do I Start Homeschooling in Canada and be Successful?

Wanting to homeschool, but feeling overwhelmed is totally normal. Unfortunately, it’s human nature to second guess our decisions. Especially when it comes to our kids, their futures and well-being. Let me assure you, if you want to homeschool, you have excellent resources, and have the ability to make it a successful experience for your family. Then, there’s no reason to worry.

We’ve heard your questions of ‘How do I start homeschooling in Canada?’ and broken it down into 10 simple steps to get you started.

Step 1: Shift your mindset about learning schedules.

Homeschooling doesn’t look like traditional education, because it isn’t traditional education. So often new homeschoolers think that they need to make their homeschool day look exactly like a traditional school day. Thinking that your child needs to be working on school work all day, is false. We forget that in traditional school, kids have recess, lunch, activity time, and spend so much time waiting for the class to settle so the teaching can begin. Your homeschool day doesn’t have to look like that. Most homeschoolers only spend 2-3 hours on workbooks a day. The rest of their education is hands on, life learning. That doesn’t mean that they are missing out. Because, they aren’t! They are getting the same amount of educational learning as children in traditional school. It’s truly mind blowing how one-on-one teaching can take the hours upon hours out of learning.

Find out how to schedule your homeschool by clicking here

Also, it should be noted that homeschooling doesn’t have to happen at the same time as traditional school. Some homeschool families find that their learning vibe is better in the evening, on weekends, or even in the summer. Your schedule, is yours. You and only you know how your children learn, and when the best time of the day is for them and you to reach maximum potential for learning. Don’t be bogged down by this idea that your child must start workbooks at 9am and finish by 3:30pm.

Step 2: Find out the legal aspects of homeschooling in your province/state.

Every province and state have different expectations for homeschooling standards. It’s best to check and make sure you following local guidelines. Don’t let that stress you out though, even following legal standards, you will still have so much flexibility for your child’s curriculum, and learning schedule. We have a few blogs on some different province guidelines.

Click here for Saskatchewan

Click here for Alberta

Click here for British Columbia

Click here for Manitoba

Click here for Ontario

Step 3: Chat with experienced homeschoolers.

Chances are you already know a homeschool mom. And, you must know that most homeschool moms are eager to share how to be successful with homeschooling. Why? Because it’s working so well for their family, they want everyone to experience the freedom and peace that comes with home-learning. Find a local homeschool group in your area, or search out some awesome homeschool groups online. There are so many incredible sources.

Step 4: Choose your homeschooling style

When it comes to home education, there are so many different styles. The Classical Method, The Charlotte Mason Method, Montessori Method, Unschooling, School-at-home, Unit Studies, Eclectic Education, and more. What style suits your family best? Do some research and find out. Here’s a list of all the different methods of homeschooling, their benefits and drawbacks. So you can make an educated decision.

Click here to learn about different homeschool styles.

Step 5: Choose your curriculum

There are so many different styles of homeschooling. First, figure out which works best for you and your family. Once you’ve determined your style. Select a curriculum that goes along with your style and also the standards that you want for your children’s education. There are so many options out there, so be sure to do your research and find what is very best for your family.

Click here to learn about how to choose the best curriculum.

Step 6: Get familiar with excellent homeschool teaching strategies.

There are so many books out there, ask around and find out what some of your homeschool friends are into. Search out homeschooling podcasts for tips, and tricks, to make your homeschool teaching career successful.

Step 7: Set up social opportunities for your children.

The last thing we want is for you to feel overwhelmed or alone. That’s why Step 3 is so important. When you chat with other homeschool parents, you will have the opportunity to set up homeschool playdates, homeschool co-ops, sports, arts, and more. These activities will give your child and you a chance to chat with other like-minded people and help your children make lifelong friendships.

Step 8: Set learning goals with your kids.

It’s important for you to know what you want from the homeschool year. But what do your kids want? What do they want to learn? How do they want to learn? Ask them! Let them get involved in homeschool planning for the year. When you get your kids involved in these decisions it will help them gain interest.

Step 9: Get Familiar with your curriculum.

Once your curriculum arrives, unbox it. Check it out. Let your kids see the new books, and make a plan for what you will need for the first few units of their workbooks. (If that’s the style you choose). Do you need a ruler? Pencils? Paper? Make sure to have it all on hand for each lesson.

Step 10: Begin homeschooling, and have fun!

Please don’t stress yourself out with this idea that you need to be perfect in order for your children to learn. You are doing an amazing job. So, dive into it! And enjoy it! Don’t worry about what your neighbours think or say, or how your parents think it’s crazy that you are keeping them home to learn. Keep your mind on the truth. You are doing an awesome job! And your children are going to be just fine!

Daily Homeschool Planning Tips And Free Resources | How To

Daily Homeschool Planning Tips

Rewind to last year; chances are you probably had no desire to homeschool your children yet, here you are. You are doing precisely that. The pandemic threw a wrench into everyone’s lives. And now you’re struggling with trying to get all your child’s Curriculum done and keep them from falling behind. What an insanely large task to take on – Are you overwhelmed? Don’t be. More often than not, we receive messages from parents asking the questions: ‘Should we be homeschooling all day?’ ‘Will my child fall behind if we only do two hours of school a day?’ Scheduling, scheduling, scheduling. The word schedule can often bring up a large amount of anxiety in many people’s minds. Why? Because, if you’ve ever over-scheduled yourself or under scheduled yourself, you’ll know that it’s either burn out or the feeling of being unaccomplished that you will feel. Both are not a feeling that we want you to handle, especially when it comes to your homeschooling career.

Many families are worried that their children will have their education compromised because of all the chaos around them. And that’s why we started Schoolio and developed our Ontario based Curriculum. We believe that access to the Ontario Curriculum and Canadian Curriculum guidelines is essential for homeschoolers.

But now you’re feeling over the top frustrated because your child is sitting at the kitchen table whining for hours about the math problems they don’t want to do. Or, you’re zipping through the lessons faster than a rocket ship shooting into space, and you’re worried that you’re going too fast.

So, what do you do? How do you schedule your homeschool correctly so that you get that perfect balance that your children (and you) need?

Step one: Stop stressing! Stress is going to do absolutely nothing for you and your family.

Step two: Realize that a homeschool schedule doesn’t have to look like a regular school schedule. In-home learning is meant to be different, and that’s a good thing. It doesn’t mean that you won’t be getting the same amount of education; it’s just that homeschoolers hit their curriculum goals much faster than regular school. There are several reasons why this is. And to find out more, you need to listen to The Schoolio Podcast episode ‘Scheduling your Homeschool the right way’. In this episode, we cover the grounds of a good schedule.

We talk about what your homeschool day should ideally look like if it’s ok to go fast or slow. Should you have an epic schedule that leaves little breathing room? Or should you be completely relaxed with your child’s education? What is the best choice?

So that’s step three: Listen to the podcast! We share all the answers that you’re looking for and more. When you’re finished listening to the podcast, you’ll have an incredible feeling of clarity.

Step four: Remember the truth; the truth is, you’re doing a fantastic job. You always have made the best decisions for your children, and you always will. Sure, things are weird and confusing right now. But despite all that, look at the fantastic job you’re doing! You are amazing. So don’t let a mixed-up schedule make you feel inadequate. It takes time, patience, and testing to know what works best for you and your family. You’ve got this!