Something I've been hearing a lot about lately...

It seems that I'm not the only one who feels that the Earth is spinning faster than normal lately LOL By this I mean that it seems as though time is just flying by. This seems to concern a lot of homeschooling parents because there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to do everything plus school work. Well, here's my theory and I think that a lot of you would agree that it will work. Brick and mortar schools go to school from the end of August through the end of June (usually). Well, as homeschoolers we're allowed to decide when our school year will begin and end as long as we have a set number of days in it. So, why not say that our school year begins on September 1 and ends on August 30 - really any combination of days like this would work. My point here is that then WE can decide when to take breaks and when to do work. That really is the joy of homeschooling: we can be as flexible as we want to be here.

I think that too many of us worry that if we don't do schoolwork, as in worksheets and such, on a daily basis that we'll ruin our children. This is NOT true! There is so much that our children can learn by just living. Whenever they go out in public they are learning to socialize, whenever they are at the grocery store they are learning about nutrition and money, etc. Another thing that you can do if you're truly concerned is fill your home with educational materials instead of junk toys. Now a few "junk" toys isn't going to hurt. However, in my home every toy teaches something. Even the "junk" barbies teach socialization skills and probably a lot more if I sat down to think about it.

So, my point here is stop sweating the small stuff. When you and your child are ready to sit down and do schoolwork together you'll do it. When life takes a priority your child isn't going to suffer. In fact, you're child is probably like mine anyway: at least 1 grade level ahead of their peers.

Relax and enjoy the freedom of homeschooling!