Tag: homeschool

Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

Blog by Schoolio Co-Founder, Lindsey Casselman.

As a homeschool mentor, one of the most common questions people ask me is about choosing a homeschool curriculum. If the pandemic has shown me one thing, it’s that people have a significant misunderstanding of what curriculum is used in public schools and where it comes from.

Let’s clear that up first:

In Canadian public schools, there is no pre-fabricated, standard curriculum that the government provides and teachers use. What the government has, and you can access online via each province’s website, are what is usually called “Learning Outcomes” or “Curriculum Expectations”. These are, exactly as the name states, the outcomes of the curriculum that is taught. The government lists the concepts they expect students to know by the end of their grade year. The level of support for teaching these concepts varies by province. But the commonality is that every teacher creates or sources their own curriculum content to use in order to teach your child.  And help your child reach those outcomes. There are no lessons or units that the government provides to teachers, this is part of their job.

So, the answer to everyone’s first question is no.

No, you cannot get access to the government curriculum, because there is no such thing. You can get access to the government’s expectations of learning outcomes and use them as a list to help aid you in deciding what to teach your own child. That is if it’s important to you to follow those expectations.

This leads us to how to choose a homeschool curriculum out of the many, many options out there. Obviously, having a lot of choices is always great, but it can feel so overwhelming when you’re brand new to the homeschool world.

Whenever I mentor someone on choosing a homeschool curriculum, I start with these four questions to help us narrow it down:

    1. What type of homeschool curriculum do you want? Are you wanting secular (no religious affiliation), or faith-based? If you want secular material your choices will narrow down considerably. Some people want faith-based learning, some don’t really care and will use faith-based material and just “leave out the religious bits”, and others want truly secular programming. The choice is completely yours!

    2. Do you want Canadian, US, or another country-based material? Most parents want material from their home country, especially for the history and geography units, but you can certainly source material from other places as well. I know one homeschool family that only uses old USSR educational learning material. I know many Canadian parents who use US material (as this is the overwhelming majority of products available). There’s no right or wrong answer.

                 The only thing to be aware of is that if you’re a Canadian and you use US material.

You will need to swap out the math parts that use units of measurement and money. Also, you will have to source some Canadian social studies if you want them included in your learning journey. None of that is too difficult, but it’s worth bearing in mind. Especially if you’re paying a hefty price tag for a math curriculum, for example, you will still need to source and purchase or create replacements for some components of the program.

    3. Are you wanting to follow any specific learning outcomes or expectations? Similar to #2, this is about the style and expectations you want to adhere to when choosing a homeschool curriculum. Some parents want to follow their home province/state’s learning outcomes. Regardless of where they live, some people want to follow the guidelines of certain countries. I know Canadians who follow American Common Core guidelines. And families in Dubai who want a Canadian education for their children. There’s no right or wrong, better or worse, it’s whatever you want for your family. You’re also not obligated in most areas to follow any standards. Work on familiarizing yourself with your local provincial/state homeschooling laws to be absolutely certain.

    4. Do you want to get all your subjects from one company? (This is called an all-in-one curriculum) or are you fine with (or prefer) to source different subjects from different companies when choosing a homeschool curriculum? There are pros and cons to both of these options and as with everything in home learning, the choice is yours!

The pros to an all-in-one homeschool curriculum are:

  • Ease of sourcing and use. If you like a company’s product and can get every subject from them, your curriculum hunt just got immensely easier.
  • Similarity across subjects. An all-in-one curriculum is going to mean you have all your content together in one place, it’s all the same “voice”, and it’s all the same instructional style. Every subject follows the same structure. This can be helpful for kids with unique learning needs if the instructional style suits them. And for any child who thrives with sameness and routine.
  • Easy planning. Some all-in-one programs will come with a schedule, or scheduling recommendations, and will often have all subjects laid out to be used in the same time frame. Letting you start and end your year at the same time across subjects.

Not always, but generally speaking in my experience, it has always been more affordable to buy an all-in-one curriculum than to buy subjects separately.

The pros to sourcing material from a variety of providers when choosing a homeschool curriculum:

  • When a company specializes in one subject area, they are more likely to employ experts in that sole area. For typical learners, this isn’t really necessary (for example, a fourth-grade public school teacher is at best an expert in one subject area, but not all). So, having top-of-line expert attention in every subject matter may be overkill for the price you will pay for it. But again that’s entirely up to you. If money isn’t an object and you want the best of the best in every subject, you can 100% achieve this through sourcing each subject area from that subject area’s leading experts.
  • Unique needs learners. There are curriculums out there developed specially for various unique learning needs. You can source a language arts program for dyslexic/dysgraphic children. There are different homeschool curriculum companies that offer math programs for gifted learners. And, you can source a writing program for reluctant writers, the list goes on. By choosing subject-by-subject, you can tailor each subject’s instructional strategy to your unique learner’s needs in each area. This is great for kids who excel in one or more areas while simultaneously struggling in other areas.

Are your children special needs?

This goes along with the last point, in that if your child has any special learning needs, you may be able to find a curriculum designed to meet those needs. If there isn’t a specific curriculum to meet your needs, (for example, there are curriculums for giftedness and dyslexia, but there are not, to my knowledge, curriculums specifically designed for ADHD children). Then your next best option is to consider your child’s needs before you start looking at the curriculum. Do you need something with an audio option for lessons? Do you need screen-free? Do you need a lot of hands-on and movement-based learning vs. seat work? These are all things to consider when you start your hunt for choosing a homeschool curriculum.

Choosing Homeschool Curriculum can be overwhelming.

Maybe you’re feeling more overwhelmed than ever before. I recommend actually sitting with these four questions and making a few notes on paper about each one. Do you have hard and fast requirements in any, all, or none of the above four? What are they? Does this feel daunting? It might, but it will really help you focus your direction when researching the homeschool curriculum.

Once you have a solid direction and wish list, you can start to research. You’ll be able to quickly weed certain programs out when they don’t meet an expectation you set out in your search. This will help you spend more time on the programs that do fit your student’s needs.

Recommendations and Reviews for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum:

Recommendations from people are great and can help you become aware of companies you may not have known existed. Remember though, that for any curriculum out there, you will find folks who LOVED it and folks who HATED it. The reason for this is because the curriculum, and what works for each family, are unique to the family and their needs. It’s going to be very personal for each person, and you’ll often find that people are very passionate about their love for the program they have found works best for them.

Just remember that there is no right or wrong, there is no “best” curriculum. Because families and learners are diverse, so is the homeschool curriculum. Try to find companies that have samples and reviews that actually show you the program materials, either in photo or video. You can take the reviews with a grain of salt while intensely inspecting the sample materials being shown to see if you think the program will work for you and your learner(s).

Is cost an issue when choosing a homeschool curriculum?

If cost is an issue, I recommend not even looking at programs that are out of your budget. Check the price first, if you can’t afford it, don’t torture yourself by falling in love. It’ll just make you inclined to be unhappy with whatever you end up “settling” for. I promise you, you can absolutely 100% provide an amazing education to your child without spending a lot of money or getting that really expensive curriculum package. All your child needs is your love and patience, and you will learn together regardless of your materials! So, please don’t sweat it if you’re on a tight budget for materials!

That about wraps it up.

Hopefully, you’ll find a program that really clicks for you and your child. Keep in mind that you are not married to whatever you choose the first time around. You can always try something new next year, or resell what you have in one of the many homeschools buy/sell groups (search for one local to you). Then switch gears mid-year. Some curriculum companies let you purchase mini units, so you can try out the content. This gives you a really good feel for the program before committing financially to the whole year.

And, if finances are an issue, being able to purchase a few units at a time throughout the year, rather than everything up front may be an important feature when choosing for you. Just remember that what you pick today may not work and that’s ok. There’s no failure in throwing in the towel on something that you tried and didn’t work. What works brilliantly this year, or for two years, or for five, might stop working one year as your children change and grow. Your teaching style, homeschool philosophy, or family structure also changes and grows. Aim for flexibility, patience, and maintaining an open mind.

Enjoy the process and have a great year!

Learn more about Schoolio’s Homeschool Curriculum.

Click Here to Learn More About Schoolio’s All-in-One Homeschool Curriculum

Homeschooling Teens? How to Homeschool Older Kids

How to Homeschool Older Kids by Sarah Wall

When they’re little, it’s easy to plan out homeschooling. The skills are obvious: they need to learn to read, write, add & subtract. They need a basic understanding of the world around them, and it’s fun to explore science and history topics. But then they hit those double-digits, and all of sudden, we feel the pressure to get serious about their education. Middle school and high school homeschooling can often feel scary and overwhelming. How do you homeschool when your kids are older? How can you be successful when homeschooling teens?

 

Here are 5 things to keep in mind when planning your homeschool for middle and high school students.

First, include your older kids in the planning.

After all, it’s their life, not yours. We don’t want to educate our kids for the life we hope and dream they will have — and certainly not for the life we wish we had. We can’t live vicariously through our kids. And it’s really easy to fall into that trap!

The best way to make sure your homeschool plans are for your kids is to include them in the planning.

Start with your homeschooling teens goals.

Sit down with your child and invite them to do some dreaming with you. What do they see themselves doing in the future? What kind of jobs are they interested in? What do they want to explore more?

You and they don’t have to decide right now what they’re going to be when they grow up. Instead, it’s about getting them to think ahead about their future. And if you help them pay attention to the lifestyle choices they enjoy or tend towards; you can help steer them towards career choices that will suit them best.

For example, if your child loves spending hours in outside play, then they probably aren’t going to be suited to an office job or career in accounting.

 

Explore your older kids interests.

Obviously, nothing is set in stone! Who knows? Maybe your outdoorsy child would prefer a career in law, and then spend weekends mountain climbing? But you won’t know that right away, until you’ve given them a chance to explore.

Get your older kids involved in community events and sign them up for lessons, classes, hobby-based activities and as many different things as you can afford and fit in your schedule. Encourage your children to try out widely varying things, even if they don’t think they will like them. Try free trials, short-term sessions and non-competitive versions of things, and see what takes hold.

Not only will your child get to experience a variety of topics and activities, but they’ll make connections that can be extremely valuable in future.

What’s required to achieve their goals?

If your child has stated goals, or has indicated an interest in a certain area, look at the end results for that goal, and reverse engineer it.

For example, if your older kids have an interest in marine animals, what’s the requirement to be a marine biologist?  What college degree do they need? Look at the prerequisites from the top colleges, and then go backwards. Maybe they need an honors high school biology credit? So that would mean you’ll need a beginner biology credit, and you’ll need to explore animals, cells and body systems in middle school. So now you know what kind of science topics you need for your 6th grader this year!

It’s not about narrowing the goals in the middle school years, but about keeping doors open.

As they get older, and their goals get more specific, you can narrow down the study requirements, and then you can look for the tools to fulfill those requirements.

Don’t forget the basics!

There’s more to life than academics. Make sure that your middle and high school kids have the life and career skills they need to be productive, contributing members of society too.  They should have the basics of cooking, cleaning, and finance. Teach them how to apply for a job, a bank account, and file taxes. How do they fill out forms for health care, government services and housing?

 

These are the years to really develop those habits of basic hygiene and personal care as well. Help them create routines for showers, for exercise, for staying in contact with friends. Make sure you leave room in their days for breaks and to just be kids!

Take advantage of this time with your homeschooling teens/ middle schoolers.

Middle school and high school students have so many opportunities. They’re old enough to be independent learners, young enough to learn quickly, and still curious enough to have a ton of interests!  At the same time, they should start to have their own goals and ideas about what they want to do.

As you’re planning for your older kids homeschooling, make sure you include and leave room for their own plans. Encourage and support them to explore! And work backwards from their goals to where they are now, so you can leave as many doors open to them as possible.

The teen and preteen years can be a scary time as parents and homeschoolers. But it can be a lot of fun too. Support their interests, coach and cheer them from the sidelines, and watch them bloom!

Homeschooling Teens - Guest Blog Sarah Wall

This blog about homeschooling teens and older kids was written by Sarah Wall.

Sarah is a pro at teaching her older kids and homeschooling teens. She also helps homeschool mamas do the same. After leaving an abusive marriage with 5 young children, launching a successful business, and creating a support community with several hundred members, Sarah believes there’s always a way to achieve your goals. It’s just about finding the right support. So, if you’re contemplating homeschooling teens, or middle schoolers, she believes that you can accomplish it.

Click Here to Read Sarah’s Blog

 

 

If you’re concerned about your teen or middle schoolers education due to pandemic learning. Sign up for the free High school Readiness Assessment. Click Here to Register

 

Costs of Homeschooling? Is it Affordable?

Thinking about homeschooling but feeling nervous about the budget? You might find yourself researching different curriculums and thinking is homeschooling affordable? Like is it actually affordable? Or are people who homeschool just financially set? Or are they budgeted so tightly there’s just no room for fun? The answer to both those questions is no.What are the costs of Homeschooling? Let’s find out!

Costs of Homeschooling:

Homeschooling is actually so much more affordable than you’d think. You don’t need to be a millionaire to homeschooling. A quick google search of ‘Costs of Homeschooling’, will show you a rough estimate of the average homeschool costs. According to Time4Learning.com the cost of homeschooling ranges from $700 to $1,800 per child, per year. Is that just for the curriculum? Nope. That amount generally includes the cost of curriculum, school supplies, field trips and extra activities that they may want to do.

You might feel like that’s a lot of money, but remember, it’s not all expected at once. Your biggest expense will be for your child’s curriculum. The good news is that’s just a once-a-year purchase. Typically, the cost of curriculum will rage around $250 to $400 per child. See, that’s not so bad!

Can you work and homeschool?

Are you worried that you’ll need to quit your job? Traditionally when a family would decide to homeschool, one parent would likely have to give up their job in order to stay home with the child. Because you can’t work a 9-5 at the office and homeschool your kids. That’s just not doable. So, most families would decide who made the most money and that person would continue working. Then the other parent would take on the ginormous responsibility of educating their children.

However, we’ve all learned since the beginning of the pandemic that parents are able to work from home and educate their children. It’s truly NOT for everyone. And, you’d need to ensure that your job is one that is flexible with hours and work. I’ve been homeschooling my kids since 2015 and have maintained a job the entire time. Why? Well, because my husband and I both earn money to cover the bills. Me not working, just wasn’t going to happen. Conveniently, my job is extremely compatible with a work-at-home schedule.

For years people would ask “How are you working a job and homeschooling your kids? That’s not possible.” I’d assure them that it actually is very possible. And they’d continue on in their unbelief, until the pandemic came steaming in. Suddenly everyone was working from home, and helping their kids with their education. For me, it’s always been about balance. I won’t sugar coat is, because it is a big sacrifice of my time.

What’s it look like to work from home and homeschool?

My kids do best when we accomplish school in the morning. For my family it looks like this:

I wake up earlier than everyone else so that I can get some much needed – me time! I work out, listen to music that fuels my soul, read, get creative. Then, I start on my first work assignment of the day. I continue working on that assignment until I hear the footsteps of my kiddos coming down the hall. Then I put my work away, and make them breakfast. Once breakfast is finished and everyone’s awake, we jump into some learning. It doesn’t take hours upon hours, it’s not typical school. It’s homeschool!! We make our way through the daily work and activities for the day. And soon, we’ve completed all our educational tasks for the day! I make sure to spend time with each child individually to make sure they understand their lesson.

Once we are finished with school for the day, I put on an educational show for them (and sometimes it’s not educational). While that is on, I jump into more work projects. When the shows done, we go to the park, or play in the yard. At this point, it’s usually mid-afternoon, my kids will then enjoy the rest of their afternoon with free play. If they don’t need me, I spend a little more time on work. Then dinner time and bed time. Done and done. If we have out of home activities, like French lessons, or co-op, or gymnastics, or swimming (pre-covid). I plan accordingly to make sure that my work projects are completed before we have these activities so that nothing gets neglected.

I’ve read and heard so many comments from people that don’t think you can work from home and homeschool. But it’s doable! Totally, doable! It really does take practice, balance, and a whole lot of dedication. Thanks to my job we can handle the costs of homeschooling a little better. So, all that to say, if you need to continue working in order to help your family with their finances, it’s possible! If I can do it, anyone can!

What about Extracurriculars?

You might be wondering if you can afford extracurriculars once you’ve paid for their curriculum? Here’s some good news: Field trips don’t need to be super extravagant. They can be simple like going to the zoo, park, aquarium, apple orchard, llama farm, or museum with another homeschool family. There are so many amazing, fun, things to do!

Oh, and I almost forgot the most amazing part of homeschooling and extra activities! Are you ready? OK here is goes! Places like indoor playgrounds, aquariums, zoos, gymnastics clubs, trampoline parks, and museums etc. They will more than likely offer you a discounted rate! WHAT!? I’m so serious. We never pay full price for the extra fun we have. Why? Because these places are sitting empty during the time that kids are in traditional school. Having a group of homeschoolers gives them the opportunity for extra money! Your kids get to go have fun, have new experiences, make and play with friends, learn new things. You get a mini mental break, and the club/zoo/park gets a little money. Everyone wins!

How do these discounts work for Extracurricular and the costs of homeschooling?

Obviously, they won’t just let you get a discount if it’s just your family of 2 or 3. The way to do it is to get a group of homeschooling friends and put all the kids together to make a great enough number that the location will jump at the opportunity to have those kids visit!

Our local homeschool group gets discounted gymnastics classes, swimming classes, art classes and more. Because there is a greater number of students signing up, the different businesses will give a discounted rate. So, we rarely ever pay full price to get our kids into these awesome activities and extracurriculars.

How do I find a homeschool group?

Not sure where to find other homeschoolers? Don’t worry! They’re everywhere! Homeschooling has become increasingly popular in the last few years, and especially since the pandemic. There’s so many excellent homeschool groups out there. Depending on your region, you more than likely have one near you. Still unsure where to find them? Check out different homeschooling groups on Facebook, and the lovely people in there will direct you to your people.

Still worried about the costs of homeschooling?

That’s OK. It’s a big change. But you need to remember that you won’t be paying for things like: Daycare, summer camps, before and after care, extra school activities (at full price), a large amount of school supplies and materials etc. There are so many ways that you’ll actually be saving money by keeping them home with you. It might seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

Homeschooling isn’t as expensive as most people think it is. Sure, there’s some upfront costs, some sacrifices on your time, dedication, balance, and more. But the reward is the amazing, special time that you get to spend with your kids. When they learn how to read you get to say “I taught him that.” It’s such an incredible experience. Absolutely, without a doubt, there will be some tough days, day where your balance is all off kilter and you are ready to just give up. But, that’s how it is with all things related to life, right? On those tough days you just have to keep moving forward and remember what an amazing job you are doing.

Here’s a graphic of what you can expect when it comes to homeschooling costs per year.

Costs of Homeschooling - Schoolio

*Note: This isn’t a set in stone price. Every homeschool family is different, activities vary, and curriculum varies. Some families homeschool for significantly less than the normal amount and some prefer to pay more. It really just depends on your family, your situation and what you and your children want and need.

If you haven’t already, consider giving Schoolio a chance. Our curriculum is affordable, up-to-date, hands on, and Canadian. We are all about children getting the best education, and parent love. We know money is tight, and that’s why our curriculum is so affordable.

Browse our Curriculum

Here’s an excellent, extra blog about Finances and Homeschooling by Lindsey: Let’s Talk About Finances

Additional resources for costs of homeschooling: 

High School – Is My Teen Prepared?

Is your teen prepared for High School?

The last two years have shown us all a very different way of life and education. For many students, virtual learning became the norm. While the world tried to figure out how to live through a pandemic. Due to that, many students have unfortunately lost precious education time. And now parents and students alike are feeling very underprepared for the road ahead. Especially students heading into high school for the first time.

 

Transitioning from middle school to high school is already a very big change for students. Now throw in the fact that kids going into high school this September haven’t had a normal education experience since March 2020. That likely will make them feel pretty overwhelmed. But don’t worry, that overwhelm is completely normal, and to be expected. Pandemic or not, it’s a big change. Different school, different teachers, different peers, and for some students that are homeschooled and going into high school, it’s a whole new ball park.

You want your teen to be successful.

I have no doubt that you want your child to be super successful with whatever they choose to do with their life. So, it’s normal for parents to feel a twinge of anxiety about how well they do in high school. After-all, it’s the final step before University. So, you might find yourself feeling like there’s a lot of pressure to make sure your teen does the best job possible.

Listen, you don’t have to suddenly become the chill parent, or the super crazy, pushy parent. Finding a balance somewhere in the middle is your best option.  You can accomplish that by simply being there for your teen. By offering them the right tools to help them have a successful high school experience despite these beginning hurdles they are facing.

There are two categories that we will focus on to help your teen have a successful  experience with their secondary school experience.

 

Category 1: Emotional Well-Being.

Kids are struggling with all the trauma that they’ve experienced in the last two years. We often like to assume that they’re doing fine. For some, they are. Even so, there has been a lot of damage done to their social and emotional skills. This being due to the ups and downs, and isolation of the pandemic.

That’s why it’s incredibly important to:

 

  1. Reassure your teen that we are all trying to figure it out. Life is different now, and unfortunately that means that your teen won’t have the same high school experience as generations before. It will be different. Let them know they aren’t alone in this. Other students, teachers, principals, and even you yourself, are all learning this new chapter of our lives together.
  2. Make sure that they know it’s OK to be a little freaked out. It’s totally natural to feel this way, and they are safe to talk to you about it.
  3. Don’t force toxic positivity on your kids. Is your child struggling with the fact that they didn’t get a real ‘Grade 8 graduation’? Could they be upset that they didn’t get to play that final season with the homeschool soccer team? Are they hurting inside because they never got to go to the science fair to show off their amazing experiment? Don’t ignore that. Let them be upset. Let them tell you that it made them sad. Don’t just jump to a silver lining. Teach them that sometimes it’s ok to notice the bad, sit in it and then when they’re ready, get up and move forward.
  4. Never compare how your teen does to the other teens around them. Every kid is different. If your child is struggling with the big change that is high school. Don’t be like “Well, my friends teen is doing just fine.” That will only cause frustration and a spike right down the middle of your relationship. If you notice that your teen is having a much more difficult time adjusting,  continually reassure them that they are going to be OK. That you are always there for them. And that with time, things will work out.

 

Category 2: Academic success.

As stated above, you obviously want your teen to be super successful on their secondary school journey. However, that doesn’t mean you should put unrealistic goals on their shoulders. Let them go on this journey, encourage them, be there for them. And give them the right tools to be successful.

What does that look like?

 

  1. Understand that he/she has their own learning pace. You should know your teen more than anyone else. So, you are the one that knows their learning pace (especially if you’ve homeschooled them). Therefore, you should be able to help them choose the right classes, to be successful on their high school journey.
  2. Help them build good study habits. Every day you can help your student learn good study habits, organization, and time management.
    1. Create a space that is just for study, or reading.
    2. Encourage them to keep a planner, to write down important dates and events.
    3. Show them how to take notes that are effective.
    4. Demonstrate to your child that it’s healthy and safe to ask for help. And reassure them of that when they get worried.
    5. You and your student both need to tone down the distractions. Are you someone that is easily distracted by your phone/T.V.? Limit those distractions when you’re working to help your child also learn to limit distractions when they need to be studying.
  3. Take an in-person or virtual tour of their new school. Depending on what is available to you, based on COVID guidelines. Letting them see where they are going to school can be really beneficial in that it helps them visualize their new digs.
  4. Brush up on pre-high school materials. Does that mean summer school? Nope! Instead, encourage them to spend about 15 minutes every day looking through their old material. This will help them remember so that they aren’t totally side-lined when they get to Secondary School.

 

Still worried about your teen starting high school?

If you are worried that your teen may have lost a lot of precious academic learning throughout the pandemic, there are steps that you can take in order to help them gain knowledge and get back to where they need to be academically.

 

You can sign up for the Schoolio High School Readiness Assessment. It’s free and simple to use. Your student will go through each question and section. After the assessment is finished, it will identify areas that your student may need a little extra support. And areas where they’re doing extremely well.

 

Sign up for The High School Readiness Assessment and we will notify you once it’s ready!

 

CLICK FOR HIGH SCHOOL READINESS SIGN UP

 

 

Check out these additional resources for helping your teen be prepared: 

 

 

“I’m Bored” – Let Your Kids Be Bored This Summer

When the “I’m bored” complaints start to roll in.

Summer break has started and with it comes a flurry of excitement and potential plans. Beaches, swimming pools, playgrounds, and water fights, may just be some of the exciting activities calling your kids names.

My kids always get so  thrilled for summer and the potential it holds. They can’t wait for less structure, and more opportunity to just play. That said, it always appears that a couple weeks – or sometimes even days – into summer break my kids start with the “I’m bored” complaints. And with that the boredom train is in full motion.

Actually, as I’m writing this my son just walked up to me and said, “I’m bored!” What’s a parent to do? Hand them a tablet? Have a list of fun activities to do? Drop everything and take them somewhere incredibly entertaining? Chances are, after another year of homeschool/virtual learning, the last thing you want to do is have an epic schedule packed with activities. But you also don’t want to let them sit in front of a screen all day. So, what do you do?

Should you have a schedule for each day?

What’s your go-to going to be? Have a beautifully curated schedule for every single day? Filled with extraordinary activities, crafts, snacks and fun? Or, are you going to just let your child be completely bored all summer? Maybe a happy medium between the two? What’s your plan for the ‘I’m bored’ days?

First of all, let’s just address the elephant in the room. When our children complain it makes us uncomfortable. I mean, it’s supposed to, right? From when your child was born, you learned to help them. You fed them, changed them, cared for them, entertained them, whenever they needed it. So, naturally when your child begins to whine that they are just so bored, you want to solve this issue for them too. In those moments, it’s all too easy to just hand them the tablet to calm their cries of boredom and solve the temporary issue.

But you don’t need to do that!

Guess what? You don’t need to do that. See, obviously there are complaints that we need to take seriously from our children. But boredom? That’s not one of them. According to Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, boredom is actually really good for your child. She says: “Children need to sit in their own boredom for the world to become quite enough that they can hear themselves.” It makes us uncomfortable though, right?

I mean, as a mom I want my kids to be happy. I want to help them in every single way that I possibly can. So, when they complain I feel the need to fix it, even when it’s just boredom related.

However, constantly entertaining your children isn’t a source of help, but rather a source of harm. Before you freak out. Stop. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with planning fun activities for your kids, that’s excellent! But, you just don’t need to do it all the time! Because that’s usually recipe for parental burn-out.  (Unless that’s truly your jam then go for it.)

Boredom isn’t bad.

“Children need time to themselves – to switch off from the bombardment of the outside world, to daydream, pursue their own thoughts and occupations, and discover personal interests and gifts. Letting the mind wander from time to time is important for everybody’s mental wellbeing and functioning.” Says Dr. Theresa Belton.

It’s true, in today’s world kids do have a much harder time with boredom than in generations before them. Why is that? Well, the answer is pretty obvious. Technology being one of the biggest killers of boredom. Following closely behind are extracurricular activities. We’ve essentially created a world where children have highly structured lives, with basically no time to just be.

What are the benefits of boredom for my child?

  1. Boredom inspires creativity and imagination. Research has found that people who are given a bunch of boring tasks to complete actually show more imagination when they’re then asked to take part in a creative thinking activity?
  1. Boredom teaches Resilience. Allowing your kids time to just be bored and have to ‘entertain’ or ‘amuse’ themselves is an excellent way to help your child develop resilience.
  1. Letting your kids be bored actually helps them develop problem-solving skills!
  1. Being bored can help your child learn how to build relationships.
  1. Boredom can improve mental health. Because being too busy (even as an adult) isn’t good.
  1. Boredom makes childhood happier. What? Really? Yes! Think about. When you remember back to your own childhood years, Aren’t some of your best memories the simple ones? The ones where you were creative from boredom? Chances are that’s a yes.

Many of the activities that we think would make our kid’s childhoods magical, aren’t. Because simplicity is the way to go, always!

What can you do this summer with the ‘I’m bored’ cries? Start with this.

  1. Set aside one day a week for an activity detox. That means no structured activities.
  1. Task them with creativity. (Check out ‘The Ultimate I’m bored items list’ to have around the house. Listed below).
  1. Limit the teach toys.
  1. Send them outdoors (and go out with them). If you don’t live in a location where your child can venture outside alone. Then take them to a park, let them run wild. Try not to jump in, instead just sit and watch them. If you have a backyard, let them have fun back there while you enjoy a cup of tea inside, or on the patio.
  1. Be a good role model. Our kids mirror what we do. So, if you find yourself grabbing for your phone every chance you get. That’s going to be what they want to do. Try to avoid that. Instead let them see you reading, writing, drawing, and creating. When they see you being creative, it encourages them to do the same.

Try this ‘I’m Bored Checklist’, next time your kids want screen time. Once they start going through the listed items, they might just find their own source of entertainment through the beauty of being creative and using their imagination


Get The ‘I’m Bored Checklist’

Check out The Ultimate I’m Bored Items List! And, try to keep a steady supply of these items.

I'm Bored items List

For some fun lessons to help keep your kids entertained this summer. Check out the Schoolio Special Interest Units 

Here are a few excellent resources about how boredom can be good for your kids!

Report Cards and Homeschooling

When I was driving by a local school, I saw the sign ‘Report Cards are Out’. And instantly remembered being in high school and the pressure I felt for end of semester marks. I always wanted to get the very best grades, and keep a high GPA. So much so, that I would make myself miserable when I didn’t get the marks I wanted. I put so much pressure on myself to do better, all the time. And that quickly became an unhealthy obsession.
Soon I became my grades. I didn’t feel good about who I was, if I wasn’t getting good marks. It didn’t matter that I was excelling in the arts, what mattered were my report cards. I placed huge focus on the areas I lacked in. And, chances are you’ve felt this way also, at some point in your life. Maybe you just never felt like you could be the best at something. Perhaps you became slightly obsessed with being better and doing better.

For generations society has been obsessed with this fast paced, ‘get ahead’ lifestyle.

If you aren’t working hard, then you’re failing. If you aren’t getting the results you want, then you’re failing. We praise people for getting the highest score, we applaud those who have accomplished the most. And the others get left in the shadows.
Thankfully, that’s not what homeschooling is about. Homeschooling is so much more than just ‘keeping your kids home’. It’s about teaching them that what they’re doing matters. It’s about helping them cultivate a love for things that truly matter to them. And helping them grow and blossom into the people that they were meant to be. Homeschooling is about taking that huge academic pressure off them. Then helping them learn in ways that are unique for them.

Finding Things They Love.

When Homeschooling you can spend more time finding things that they really, really love. Like art, music, science, acting, and then helping them reach goals in those areas. Without the pressure of ‘being the best’. See, homeschooling is just so much more than Reading, Writing and Arithmetic.  Homeschooling is about connection and discovering what truly matters to them. So many people have fallen into this idea that education is only about learning those math equations, mastering those sight words, and making sure your report cards mirror your academic excellence.

But that’s where we’ve got it all wrong.

Education is about learning in so many different areas of your life. It’s about measuring out the proper proportions for a recipe in the kitchen. It’s about spending time outside studying different critters living in the garden. Education is about helping your kids feel accomplished doing things that they love.
I get it, you’re reading this and thinking ‘Uh, but Math, Reading and Writing are all extremely essential to my child’s education.’ And you couldn’t be more right. They are so important! But homeschooling gives your child the opportunity to learn these important subjects in a more relaxed manner. And in ways that they enjoy. Homeschooling teaches them to have fun with learning, which is truly how learning should always be.

Homeschooling teaches your child other avenues of learning.

It’s about helping them excel in areas that truly benefit them. Some kids enjoy the more pressured life, of tracking their grades with their report card and knowing what they need to do better. Other kids feel the need for relaxation, and the very thought of keeping track of their grades makes them overwhelmed and frustrated. As always, it’s important to remember that each child is different. Every child is unique. And literally every child has a different way of learning. I have three kids, and each of them excel in different areas. Each one of them respond differently to their education, they all learn in a way that is unique to them.

An Example of Learning Differences:

My oldest loves the idea of getting an A+ written on her school work. In fact, sometimes after she has completed a sheet of math problems, I see that she’s put an A+ on her sheet after she’s checked her answers. My other daughter is the complete opposite. She doesn’t want to know how she’s doing with her education. She just wants to get it done. Then she wants to play. She doesn’t care if she gets an A+ or a D. However, she’s extremely musical and spends so much time sitting at the piano learning new classical pieces. Her soul seeps into the keys as she learns a new set of notes. And has learned so much more through music, than she ever had in books.
Every child is different, and that’s truly a good thing! Life would be pretty boring if we were all the same, wouldn’t it? With Homeschooling, you have the opportunity to allow your child to excel in the best way that works for them.

But Report Cards can still be so beneficial!

It can be fun to keep track of their grades, year by year. If it stresses out your child, then don’t show them the report. If it makes your child feel pride – then show them!
Either way, keeping small records of how the year went can be beneficial for you and your child. It’ll be easier for you to track where they are at academically and even emotionally. You’ll notice what areas they need a little extra help in. And what areas they’re doing the best in.

The Schoolio Homeschool Report Card.

We have an incredible Homeschooling Report Card available for you to use for free! If you are interested in keeping track of the year, or maybe your child is like my oldest daughter and wants to take it to her grandparents to brag. This report card is the perfect fit. The Schoolio Report card keeps track of more than just their academics. Also included: Character traits, arts and so much more! Because we believe education is holistic! Education isn’t just about the 3R’s, it’s about art, growth, happiness, and academics. A beautiful balance.
You can leave fun, positive notes on your child’s report card. Pointing out just how awesome they are, while offering encouragement for areas that they’re struggling in. Have fun with it! And help your child know that their value goes beyond the grades that they get.

Download your FREE Schoolio Report Card below!

 


DOWNLOAD REPORT CARD TEMPLATE

Celebrate the little things

Has homeschooling been giving you a lasting amount of anxiety?

So many parents are now struggling with this new normal of homeschooling their kids while balancing work, and home life. It’s a challenge, a huge under taking that unfortunately is causing a lot of anxiety for many parents.

2020 was a year of ups and downs, a year that we learned how to live differently from what we had become so accustomed and comfortable with. Many of us are still wishing they could go back in time and land in a place where things were the way they were pre-2020. I totally get that, but the sad truth is – it will never happen.  So, listen, you have to learn to take on this new normal and embrace it. Yes, you’re going to have days that leave you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and dreading another math lesson. But you’re also going to have days that leave you feeling accomplished, satisfied and extremely proud of you and your kids!

In Episode 12 of The Schoolio Podcast, Sathish and I share our 5 tips for a more peaceful Homeschool year in 2021. One of my absolute favourite things that Sathish shared on the show: Celebrate the little things! Do you do that? Or do you discount all the things that you accomplish in a day, and then mentally beat yourself up for not getting more accomplished. I’d say I land in the ‘hard on myself’ category. And sadly, I actually always have. I’ve struggled with never feeling like I get ‘enough’ done, this never-ending feeling that I have to accomplish more, more, more. But, when will it be enough? At what point can we relax and just be happy with what we did accomplish? The answer: When we celebrate the little things.

 

How can you celebrate the little things? You and your child completed a chapter book? Celebrate that! Show them that everything they do is important, even when it’s considered small. Your son just learned his times tables? Celebrate that! You just accomplished your third day of homeschooling?! You better celebrate that. Each moment, each accomplishment is huge, important and special. All these little moments are playing into the grand story of yours and your child’s lives.

 

Many of us were taught from a young age to always think we should be doing more. While we aren’t advocating laziness, we are in full support of celebrating those little moments and little victories, especially when it comes to homeschooling. When we do this, we aren’t just making ourselves feel better, we are also modeling to our kids how to be kind to ourselves. When we do this, we are teaching them how to be kind to themselves as well.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my kids growing up with low self-esteem, feeling like they’re never enough, and never accomplishing enough. So, let’s break that cycle! Right now, in this moment, choose to be kind to yourself. Choose to celebrate all the little accomplishments, because while they may seem small and mundane, they are actually so much greater than you realize. Choosing to celebrate, and choosing to be kind to yourself is a huge victory for you and your family.

Our hope with the newest episode of The Schoolio Podcast is that you will listen and feel better, utilizing the tools and tips that we equip you with to then improve your homeschool year and life. We care so much about you and are always here to help you.

Enjoy today’s episode of The Schoolio Podcast and share it with your friends! And please, let us know what you think of this episode!

Stream Episode 12 on your favourite Podcast Streaming app, or listen directly below: 

Read: That Homeschool Stress Though for more help with your homeschool year.

Finding Joy During the Holidays

What does Homeschooling during the holidays look like? Many new homeschooling parents are wondering the same thing. Do you take a two-week break like the school-boards do? Or you do take the full month of December? Should you homeschool right up until Christmas and then take a day or two off? What’s the best way to approach the holidays? 

This year is especially weird. Normal holidays during a global pandemic – that’s just not going to happen. How can you keep things fun and light for your kids despite the fact that there’s no Christmas plays, visits to grandma and grandpas house, and holiday parties with friends? 

Our best advice: Make little things fun. Put huge hype into things like ‘Pizza night’, driving around looking at Christmas lights, baking Christmas cookies together (unless baking with your kids stresses you out – no judgement here). Spend time reading Christmas books together, watching Christmas movies and talking about the plot of each story. On the latest podcast Lindsey and I talk about just that. Because, just like you, we are homeschooling moms living through a global pandemic and trying to find some semblance of balance through all the chaos around us. 

Whether you celebrate Diwali, Hannukah, Lunar New year, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice or Christmas, I’m sure you want it to be a special time for your children and you. So, let me remind you, that just because life is vastly different now, and things are unreservedly different than they were before, it doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy the holidays and cater to your children’s sense of magical peace. 

Light a few candles, make some hot chocolate, snuggle up close and enjoy this special time with your children. Yes, things are not the same. But in everything and every situation, there is something positive. Like the fact that this holiday season, the lack of business translates into more time spent in a peaceful state with your family. The hustle and the bustle are on the back burner, and peace and quality time are front and centre. 

So, enjoy it. Enjoy these little moments, enjoy the sound of your child reading. Enjoy the glow of the candles or Christmas lights. Enjoy the stories, enjoy the time. Because time is something that is taken from us all too quickly. My hope is that despite the difficulties of 2020, and the changes that have been brought as a result of it. You and your children will look back at this year with fond memories of all the time that you got to spend together. Lindsey and I truly believe that this holiday season is one that you both will always remember. 

Listen to this week’s podcast to hear Lindsey and my best advice when it comes to homeschooling and the holiday season. We talk about things like when you should take a break, what you can do to keep your kids up to date with their learning skills, fun things you can do together and more. 

We genuinely hope that you will enjoy this week’s podcast and find a sense of wonder in the mundane. And happiness in the crazy.

 

Find The Schoolio Podcast Episode 9 ‘Homeschooling and the Holidays’ on your favourite podcast streaming app.

Or click the link below to listen directly on Spotify.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2vTUFzvaejHB9bYc0uCA1n

 

That Homeschool Stress Though!

When you first thought of the idea to homeschool your children you probably imagined yourself being the next Elizabeth Thatcher, cultivating a great relationship with your kids. Helping them learn in a fun way with a big smile painted across your face at all times. Patience abounding from every corner of your heart, as you teach with deep understanding and constant kindness. But, two months into it you find yourself wearing your pyjamas for the entire day. You don’t remember when the last time you brushed your hair was, shower? Let’s not even talk about a shower. And, that patience and happiness that you thought you’d portray? Ya, you’ve currently placed your children in their room prisons because their attitudes have caused great irritation in your mind. All those activities and art projects you saw on Pinterest and thought ‘We’re going to do these!!’ Are now crumples of paper and popsicle sticks and one is currently glued to your first grader’s math while the other art disaster is stuck to the table. Your house hasn’t been properly cleaned since ….September? And, your favourite meal is cereal.

You sit down for a break and open up your phone to see another homeschooler on Instagram. Her hair’s done, she has make-up on, she’s posting pictures of her clean house, her perfectly set-up classroom, and her perfectly dressed children. Suddenly, you think ‘What am I doing wrong?’ Suddenly that stress that you were feeling has been impacted and now you feel not just the horrible stress but the feeling of inadequacy. The thoughts ‘Why can’t I do a good job like her?’ ‘Should I even be homeschooling?’ ‘What am I doing wrong?’ Are all flashing through your head. This stress just adds another layer of tension to your already tense shoulders and you feel much more snappy than you did this morning when you woke up.

Before you get to that point, I want to stop you right there. I want you to remember -before you look through the series of perfection Homeschooling parents on Instagram- that you are doing an incredible job. Parenting is hard, parenting during a pandemic is hard, taking care of a house is hard, working is hard, working from home is especially hard. But, you’re more than likely doing most of -if not- all of these things. You are incredible! You have to stop looking at all the things you ‘aren’t’ getting done and start looking at all the things you are accomplishing! Most people would look at your daily life and just curl up in a ball and say ‘NOPE.’ But not you. You’re tackling it all.

But stress, stress is the hardest part of all of our lives. So, what are some tips that we could use to calm down the Homeschooling/parenting stress and instead give us a small dose of peace?

If you haven’t already, listen to The Schoolio Podcast -Episode 5- ‘Tips to Help you Navigate the Stress’ on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1tnFc9JUnzHQ4C7zWtRHbB

or find The Schoolio Podcast on your favourite podcast streaming app.

P.S Don’t forget to subscribe!

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!

When Homeschooling is Hard.

When you were considering homeschooling you probably heard the experienced home school moms says “We finish school in a couple hours, then the rest of the day is play time.” So, when you shifted your mindset, to actually stay home with your kids, you thought: ‘This is going to be awesome!’ But now you find yourself sitting at the dining room table, listening to your child whine about how they hate math. They literally have 3 math problems left and you’ve been stuck there for an hour. You’re probably wondering what you’re doing wrong. Wondering if your kid needs the school setting. Or if homeschooling was a huge mistake?  

Now you sit here in your frustration, your anxiety, your feelings of inadequacy as a teacher. This right here was not what you signed up for. You signed up for something that made you feel connected to your child, something that helped them learn in a one on one setting. But you’re scratching your head thinking ‘WHY DID I DO THIS?’ Then there’s the whole virtual learning challenge. Maybe you didn’t take the full plunge into homeschool, but you decided to keep your child home and do the virtual learning option. Only to be overwhelmed by frustrations when the technology doesn’t work, or your kid can’t hear the teacher over all the other children’s noises. 

You still find yourself sitting at the table with your child, as they spend countless hours sitting in front of a screen. You notice that they are beyond frustrated, but there’s not much you can do to soothe them because you also are extremely overwhelmed by this whole situation as well. 

You find yourself longing for the days when you could just put your kid on a bus and let someone else educate them. Giving you some time to work, rest, clean, shop or visit friends. Let’s face it, life is completely different for so many of us. The overwhelm that we are facing today can be overtaking. It’s hard to manage your time and patience when so much is new, and more challenging. But you need to remember that you are an incredible human being, that has given up so much to help your child learn in a safe and healthy environment. 

How can you keep calm on those days that just never seem to end? How can be a pillar of peace for your child when everything has turned crazy in their lives and yours? 

First, remember that they are struggling too. For many kids this new virtual reality and/ or homeschool adventure can be really challenging to undertake. It’s not that they’re at you. They’re mad because their life has changed. They had no say in what happened, none of us did. No one had the chance to avoid a global pandemic. Remember, that your child is just trying to navigate this new reality. So, when he gets frustrated with you, or his virtual teacher, or his homeschool math problems – that’s not your fault. 

Second, take breaks. It’s OK to walk away from the schoolwork. It’s OK to say “Hey you know what? We need the day off.” A day off doesn’t mean that they won’t be learning. Give them some Lego, let them build. Give them some paint, let them create. Get them an apron, let them bake. There’re so many ways to learn that don’t involve workbooks and schedules. There’re so many opportunities for them to learn about the world, about creating things, about having fun, and about taking care of themselves. 

Third, model good behaviour. Obviously, you don’t want to throw a tantrum in front of your child about how much you despise homeschooling and or virtual learning. But if you’ve accidentally done so. Move forward. Show your child that it’s ok to become frustrated, but that we don’t sit in that frustration. We recognize the frustration and we move forward. Nothing is normal right now, and that is something that your child is feeling also. Connect with them, tell them that you’re also struggling. Model to them that it’s OK to share your feelings, that it’s OK to be frustrated. 

Fourth, talk to your child. Ask your child whether there are ways that she thinks you both can improve this new chapter in your lives. Sit down, PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY. Talk to your child like you are talking to your friend. Not a student, not your kid, a friend. Ask them how they are feeling, tell them what you’re thinking. Brain storm ideas to move forward. 

Change is hard for everyone. We here at Schoolio understand that. Some of us handle it so much better than others. So, teach your child that even though change can be challenging, it doesn’t have to mean that you will both be miserable. There’s no instruction manual for how to homeschool during a pandemic and an increasingly changing world. Just take it day by day. Don’t be hard on yourself, don’t be hard on your child. You’re both trying, and there’s a lot to be said for that.

Jaymee Davis is a stay-at-home/work-at-home/homeschool mama. She wants you to enjoy homeschooling, even when it can be challenging. And is dedicated to helping you succeed in this new chapter.  

Welcome: Schoolio Planning Freebies

 

What do you need to accomplish in each day when homeschooling? How can you keep your homeschool on track and set realistic goals that can be easily obtained without throwing you into a frenzy? We love our Schoolio Community, and we care deeply about how you are feeling as a homeschool parent. We don’t want you to feel stressed or worried that you are missing something, or spending the entire day trying to reach unrealistic goals. 

 

 

So what is the best way to have a successful school day? Planning is the best strategy to begin with.  So we had our expert planner, Lindsey, create some awesome free schedule planning tools to help you stay on track and not get overwhelmed. 

One Month Calendar 

Starting out by planning your month is a step in the right direction. You can include field trips, school days and days off on your monthly planner. Pro tip: Use pencil to fill out your monthly calendar, so you can easily erase and update. 

Sometimes the plan has to change, that’s totally normal with homeschooling, so be sure to use pencil or erasable pen. 

Now let’s break it down to a one week plan, Lindsey created an excellent template for planning out the week.  In this planner template, every day is slotted to include Math, Science, Language, Art and so on. Be sure to write down what lessons in which subjects on what days they should be accomplishing them. Remember the Pro Tip, changing up the plan is totally normal.  

Weekly Planner 

 

The weekly planner comes in 1 student or 2 students form. If you have more than one child learning from home, you can take advantage of the Weekly Planner for 2 students. If you have more than 2 students, print out more than one page to match the number of students. 

It’s beyond important to us that you are happy with your homeschool journey. Because we believe that homeschool should be enjoyable for you and your child, it doesn’t have to be ‘another stressful thing’ added to your already full plate. It can be such an enjoyable ride, that you and your child will never forget.   

Take advantage of our free weekly planner and monthly planner downloads. Made free, because we care about your success, time and happiness. 

 

Download our FREE Weekly Planner and One Month Calendar: 

 

 


Weekly Planner – 1 Student


Weekly Planner – 2 Student


One Month Planner