As a wife, mother, homemaker, and teacher, let me share one thing I have learned...you need to have a plan for your home if you plan to teach at home. (See my daily routine under house cleaning). It all starts with preparation! I prepare my home the night before. Each room is picked up and the coffee pot is made. Before school we have a few minor chores to complete, we being myself and my son. We generally start school around 9:30a.m. and break or finish for lunch at 11:30 or 12:00. After lunch is over, we finish our chores and we're able to play together, make phone calls, appointments, check e-mail, etc. until 5:00 when it's time to start dinner. We eat dinner around 5:30 or 6:00, clean up the kitchen and we're done for the day. In the evening, just before it's time to get ready for bed, we do a quick pick up of the house, take baths, do our devotions & prayers and my son is in bed by 8:00p.m. Yes, I know this sounds like a strict schedule, but it's also flexible. I need the structure to ensure everything is completed every day, but I also need the flexibility to ensure my sanity! Again, remember, it all starts by having a plan. My home runs smoothly because I have a plan to get through each day.

 

Here are a few notes I took while attending Jessica Hulcy's workshop "If You Homeschool, You Don't Have to Live in a Pig Pen"