Easy Schedule for Easing Back into New School Year

What does easing back into school look like, and how do we do it?

Why Would Anyone Want to Ease Back into School?

After many years of homeschooling and pursuing the perfect homeschool day, I finally realized it was an unachievable goal.

Before that, I would buy all my curriculum, study it, plan out the days, and even try to give margin. But when that first day came, and we tried to do all the new things on the first day, I would fail miserably every single time because it was just too much for one day.

All it ever did was create more chaos, frustration, anxiety, and stress—resulting in unhappy children and an unhappy mom. I would barely begin the first day of school and feel like a failure. 

In my mind, this is supposed to be “easy” and “natural.” Everyone is supposed to be happy and enjoy learning.

• Then why was I so sad? 
• Why are my kids so unhappy? 
• Why am I doing this anyway?

There are two things that I want you to take away from today’s post. 

#1. You will never have a perfect day. 

You’ll have days that may be close. But never perfect. And if you let go of that, you open the door to a much more enjoyable homeschool experience. 

#2. Easing into school benefits everyone. 

It helps the children because they begin school with joy and don’t feel like they are loaded down with more than they can handle at once. 

It benefits mom because no matter how hard you plan, how hard you work, and how much you prepare. There will always, always, always be some unknown variable that will come up and make things messy. 

In my experience, anticipating the “messiness” of the new school year and easing in allows our days actually to be less so.

How Do You Ease into a New School Year?

Okay, so if you’re reading this and think that sounds good, how do I do that? Let me share how we’ve been doing it in our home for the last ten years.

Weeks Before School Starts

I have a meeting with each child in the weeks before school starts. In that meeting, we discuss what they enjoyed the previous year and what they did not. We discuss their interests and what they want to learn in the new year. We talk about the things they did well and the ones that were difficult for them. 

During this conversation, I take notes, lots and lots of notes! I pay attention to what they say, and how they say it, and I focus on their body language. All of this I do heavily bathed in prayer, asking God to show me and lead me to what is best for each child.

Then I take those notes to my husband, and we review them. Then we begin to make a plan for that child.

I go through this process for each child. It’s very relaxed. It’s very upbeat. While they may not like everything about school, they love this because they know that I love them and that I’m thinking of their future. It’s a very bonding experience that we treasure.

What’s that process again?

• meet with each child
• take notes
• pray
• research new options if needed
• discuss with husband
• make a plan
• repeat for each child

The Week Before School Starts 

So the week before school starts after I have gone over their notes and made a plan for them. I have a meeting again with each one. We go over books, curriculum, and credits. I show them their books, tell them how long they should take, and what kind of credits they will earn for each class or subject. This is when they ask questions, specifically if the curriculum has changed. 

Again this is a very easygoing meeting. No pressure, just fun. 🙂

The First Week of School

Alright, so the first week of school, we do one core subject, and the rest is their delight-directed learning that, quite frankly, they don’t ever stop doing, even in the summer. 

We make the first core subject an easier one – history. I love history because it’s mostly reading. The children can get acquainted with their books without much pressure. Easy peasy. 

This is when I will find out what they did not understand in our meeting. (the one where we discussed their new books and how to use them.) Inevitably, something needs clarification, and now is the time to do it. It’s done without stress because it’s just one subject, only one ball to juggle. We can do that! YAY!

Side Note Worth Mentioning

When the kids were younger, we combined history. I miss those days all of us cuddled on the couch reading, or sitting around the table, doing different subject work, like grammar, spelling, vocabulary, copy work, and journaling, based on that topic.

Now that they’re older and working on high school credits, we give them work that is more focused on independent learning. If we’re all learning the same topic simultaneously, that’s good. But I don’t strive for that as much in high school anymore.

For example, suppose one of my students is studying American government, another is studying American history, and another is working on world history. That’s okay with me.

Ideally, everyone would learn the same time period at the same time. But in our home, when our oldest needed certain specific credits to graduate, it became more complicated to keep everyone on the same page.

So I let it go, and I didn’t worry about it. This goes back to following what is best for your family. If what “they say” (or even I say) isn’t working for your family. Let it go. It’s just not worth it.

After Week 1

After week one, it’s just rinse and repeat. You can add in your subjects in whatever way suits you best. If you’re curious, this is how we do it.

What Easing into School Looks Like Week 1

History/Bible/Delight-Directed

History is the only subject in which I am involved in week 1. The children are given their books and a list of requirements. Off they go. Again, when they come back with questions (they always do), I am not overwhelmed because it’s just one subject. Nice and easy.

Bible is daily personal study followed by evening family time around the table when everyone shares what they are learning with Dad.

Delight-Directed learning is a personal interest-led study. I view any physical work and record time spent in my planning journal at the end of the week. 

Results: Happy Kids and Happy Mom 🙂

What Easing into School Looks Like Week 2

Add: Math/Foreign Language 

Math is generally the biggest of the beasts. And getting this subject up and running is much easier with this slow start. There are virtually no complaints from the children whatsoever. 

Foreign language in our home is very nearly delight-directed. We allow them to pick the language they want to learn. Once chosen, it is done year-round, so it doesn’t feel like we are adding something new. It becomes a habit for them, like brushing their teeth.

Results: Happy Kids and Happy Mom 🙂

What Easing into School Looks Like Week 3

Add: Science

Science is given in much the same way as history, except that we also carve out time for science projects and labs. 

Results: Happy Kids and Happy Mom 🙂

What Easing into School Looks Like Week 4

Add: Language Loop

Language encompasses a great variety of things that are impossible to do every.single.day. What we do is loop schedule our language studies. I will return and post how we do it later so that this one doesn’t become too long. We generally loop spelling, vocabulary, writing composition, and grammar. We have teaching days with mom, followed by independent work days where they review what we learned together.

Results: Happy Kids and Happy Mom

What Easing into School Looks Like Week 5 

First full-load week without adding anything new.

The difference between a full-load week of school on week one versus week five is incredible. I highly recommend it! This schedule even works when something throws off school during the year, whether it is illness or any other life challenge. Easing into school is always the way to go. There’s no rush. Life is about learning, and if we teach our children how to learn with a desire that instills a love for it, we have succeeded. And so will they!!

Results: Happy Kids!! And HAPPY MOM!! WOO HOO!!! We are going to be just fine, Mama!!

Conclusion

Sometimes it’s good to be reminded that perfection is impossible and that taking your time to ease into the new school year is more than okay. If you have had a bit of a rocky start to your school year, try this. I have a good feeling you’ll be pleasantly surprised. 😊

Big Hugs!! ~Tammy

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