It's that time of year. Schools are winding down. Here in South Carolina, seniors have graduated, private schools have ended, and parents and students are asking if attendance is truly necessary. So naturally as we venture out during school hours the people begin speaking. "School must be out." (There are many times my son is sitting with a binder open doing work while they say this.) My response is always, "Well, we're a homeschool family." Boy, oh boy, does that render a large quantity of responses.
Many times I am met with the response of, "Oh I couldn't do that!" And I tell them the truth, that I was never intending to homeschool. Let's face it. I was planning what I would be doing when both kids get into school. What could I do with a day to myself? What could I do with FIVE consecutive days to myself. And for 36 weeks! I was scheduling my life three years ago. I was planning when I could workout, write, and go shopping. I was thinking of the rest I would have. Yes, life was grand. And now I am gearing up to start my daughter as an official kindergartener. This was supposed to be my year! So how am I supposed to do it? How do I teach two students at two different grade levels and still have time to clean the house, cook meals, train clients, and successfully write books? Ok, here it is. This is the ultimate trade secret to my success. Planning. That seems a little stupid once I say it. Most people would say planning is a bit simplistic of a magic key to success, but it's the truth. My weekly planner says the same thing almost every week. Same schedule. Same clients. Same kids activities. Same chores. What changes? Not much. But when there is a difference, it goes on that planner and helps me immensely. There are things that get done early some weeks, like lesson plans or plans for my clients. There are things that get floated to further in the week if something unexpected comes up. But either way, it's on the planner and we don't need to worry about if we're missing things. You see, I figured out list making, planners, and such are lifesaving tools. I have a planner that tracks things I care about like what I've read, written, done for a workout, and consumed. Yes, I track my water intake, fruits, and vegetables. Why? Because it's important. And there are days when you will have to change your schedule, like visiting someone in the hospital, and you want to make sure you keep track of your water when you aren't home. Weekly planners keep us from having hiccups when there's an unexpected doctor's appointment and we have school work. We can pack a bag the night before and be ready to roll. I never planned on spending countless hours making sure my son knew how to write essays. I never planned on teaching my daughter to spell. But with proper planning, and a lot of work, I think I finally have it figured out. Just don't ask me in September- I might be living on coffee and my hair might be gray and falling out.
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May 2023
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