How do you prepare for the first day of homeschool?
While other families are busily buying up school supplies, backpacks, purchasing supplies from the class list and getting all the tissues and glue organized, what are you doing?
In my 15 years of homeschooling, I have discovered a few tips to getting ready for the first day of homeschoolling.
When we start:
I stagger our start so we don't have to start every single subject on the first day. I like to start with math because that subject tends to run long for us later in the year. Then I add language arts the following week. And on the 3rd week we add science and history - whatever we are taking at co-op that year. This means we start a little early in the year (usually the first week of August) but it ALSO means that we finish up early in the spring! By August it's well in to the upper 90s to 100s in temps and we are getting bored of the pool so we usually don't mind jumping in to school a little early. And by the end of April, we are so done with school and ready to be OUTSIDE in the beautiful weather.
What I need:
I never do back-to-school shopping until the local public school has started back. This way I avoid crazy crowds AND I take advantage of the clearance sales! Plus, as the years have gone on, I have a collected a great stock of glue sticks and scissors and don't even need to buy any more. I find that my needs are much less than public school needs are. All we need to start is our curriculum which I have been ordering all summer long.
Getting ready:
I try to get the kids back into a bedtime/wake up routine a week before we begin our staggered start. This is so hard to do! Summer schedule is super lazy and I enjoy my quiet mornings while the kids sleep in. I hate waking my kids up when I don't "have" to.
We begin this transition with conversations so my kids are aware that summer is (sadly) comingn to an end and we must start getting our minds and bodies ready for a new schedule again. Talking about the classes they'll be taking at co-op gets them excited and shopping for new clothes can make it more fun. (Unless you have a son like mine who cares NOT A THING for new clothes. But my girls are all ABOUT it!). Talking about it and focusing on the fun and exciting parts of the school year helps the kids begin to make that transition.
I try to make my attitude set the standard. I can't expect them to be happy about it if I'm not happy about it. Truthfully, the kids were usually ready and excited when they were younger. As teens, not so much! HA!
By the way, a tip to getting YOUR attitude ready for the school year is to read a book or watch a video on homeschooling that is motivating and encouraging. Talk with your homeschool friends and ask what they've been doing to get ready. It helps me get excited. It gives me ideas for the school year - maybe lesson plans or field trip ideas. Putting things on the calendar to look forward to also helps us to focus on the new school year and all it will hold.
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