Time

There are parents, who because of their circumstances, find it difficult to squeeze one more hour out of a day. However, it is very easy to overestimate the amount of time it takes to educate our children at home.  Education is all about learning to live, and homeschooling provides the time to cultivate life!

Most homeschoolers spend approximately half of the day fulfilling “state requirements” or the basics. Remember, your child doesn’t have to wait for the rest of the class to finish, endure busywork or stand in line. If you take advantage of the flexibility homeschooling allows, you will go the speed your child is comfortable with rather than scheduling in 60-minute blocks. As you encourage your children’s independence, your time will not be constantly required as your children work through their various activities. They may even surprise you by coming up with some pretty amazing projects on their own!

Managing our time boils down to managing our priorities. What higher priorities can there be for parents than carrying out the work we have been given, being good stewards of the blessings that have been entrusted to us and training our children in the way they should go?

Further Reading

• Homeschool Management Tips!
  “Homeschooling moms everywhere face the same challenge – how to juggle homeschooling, housework, cooking, mothering, some personal time, and being a good wife all into one twenty-four hour period? (Not to mention getting a little sleep, as well.)” Very practical ideas from Tamara Eaton.
• It’s About Time!
  “One of the first things I noticed in homeschooling my children was that the academics didn’t take up as much time as I thought they would, and we were able to do a lot of additional productive, fruitful, and creative activities both inside and outside the home…. We all have the same number of hours in our days, but homeschool families have the flexibility, blessing, and opportunity to use them wisely and efficiently.”   Article by Deborah Wuehler, Old Schoolhouse Magazine.
• Scheduling
  Tips and resources for planning, organizing and prioritizing the time we have been given each day.
• Scheduling
  More scheduling helps at our DIYHomeschooler site.
• Time Management Principles
  “Not only the uniqueness of home education but also the individuality of families themselves make imposing a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to scheduling unfeasible. Your job(s), your children’s ages and abilities, and your own abilities as teachers will affect your schedule. But regardless of your situation, you can incorporate five basic guidelines — regulate, integrate, rotate, delegate, and emulate — to help you manage your teaching time at home.” From BJU Press.