Q & A time!

Well, I felt a little silly having a homeschooling “q & a time” because I do not in anyway want to convey that I am an expert. I’m not. 🙂 I’m just an ordinary mom who has been homeschooling for 6 years now! I love it, love talking about it, love doing it. So, when I got a few questions on my blog the other day about homeschooling, I thought I would just answer them in a new post. Please feel free to add YOUR answers to these same questions in the comments, OR more questions…and we can add to the list! 🙂

Here are Lynn’s questions:
However, I am very curious about your school calendar. Could you please share some details about how you school year around? Questions: When do you start the new year, do you take longer breaks, what lead you to make the jump from traditional to year around, are your summers lighter, how do you keep up with the bigger cleaning projects, how do you keep from burning out without a longer break, share a typical year schedule, how do the kids like it? THANKS in advance. I always learn so many things from you…….

1. Can you share details about how you school year round?
Sure! 🙂 I personally feel MORE freedom and flexibility by schooling year round, but I am sure not everyone feels this way. Generally speaking, we school 3-4 days per week all year and EVERY YEAR since starting homeschooling we have ended up with MORE than 180 days at the end of the year. Now, some of you might ask, “WHY?” do more than 180 days? Well, I believe learning is a lifestyle. I also believe that my children do better on routine. So, while I’m not a slave driver and make them work ALL subjects EVERYDAY, we do SOME type of learning everyday. In the summer we have a more relaxed schedule, but it is still “school.”

2. When do you start the new year?
We start our new year the first week of June each year. We have done this for several years in a row…no real rhyme or reason to it, but it works for us. So, we finish up in May and start right into the next year in June.

3. Do you take longer breaks?
Sometimes. The flexibility I enjoy is being able to NOT schedule ahead of time and take breaks AS NEEDED. We generally take a few weeks off at Christmas time. Again, we are still learning…this time of year is full of traditions for us – advent and Christmas crafts, devotions, etc. But it’s not traditional “school.” In the summer we usually do a few “camp” type weeks where we aren’t doing school at home – like soccer camp for a week, VBS, etc. Some years we go on vacations. And when I go on mission trips generally the kids don’t do school.

4. What led you to make the jump from traditional to year round?
I kind of answered this in #1. There are several reasons that we school year round and that is works for our family. My kids go CRAZY when they have weeks with no routine. I need to keep them fairly busy. 🙂 They spend HOURS playing outside DAILY…riding bikes, etc. But, I like to spend 2-3 hours in the morning reading aloud, doing devotions, a math lesson, etc. And, I also think kids RETAIN better if they don’t have 3 months off! Just my humble opinion.

5. Are your summers lighter?
Yes! This summer will be different because we have lots of public schooled kids on our street that will be outside wanting to play with our kids! I love that they have so many friends on our street! But, I know it’s going to be difficult to keep my kids inside doing school. I’m working on an alternate schedule…I’m thinking of schooling MWF and no school Tues, Thurs .They will still have to do their chores on Tues, Thurs. We also usually get passes to a local pool in the summer, so our afternoons will be at the pool! yay!

ha! sorry…this one made me laugh. I don’t keep up with cleaning. Sorry to disappoint!!  🙂  I clean as needed. But, I will say the BEST thing I have EVER done to keep my house routinely clean is GIVE MY KIDS LOTS OF CHORES!!! Seriously, my kids are going to know how to clean a kitchen, bathroom, do laundry, and cook meals before they are teenagers! They are tremendously helpful and when we do daily chores, my house stays fairly clean most of the time.

Daily Chores include: wiping down bathroom sinks, toilets with clorox wipes, sweeping, wiping down kitchen counters, wiping kitchen sink, pet foods/water, taking dog out, straightening room, loading and emptying dishwasher, emptying trash, making beds, hygiene stuff.

Weekly chores include: mopping kitchen, dusting, laundry – they start load, fold and put away, mopping bathrooms.

7. How do you keep from burning out without a longer break? 
Honestly, I get MORE frustrated and irritable when my kids are on NO routine and running like mad through the house for days on end. 🙂 On a totally different note, I have a WONDERFUL husband who helps a LOT, lets me scrapbook, go out to coffee with friends, etc. I fairly regularly get out of the house by myself and appreciate this time SO MUCH. I admit, I do have times where I’m burnt out or just plain overwhelmed…I think we alll do. And on those days, I take the kids to the park or to Chick-Fil-A or meet up with a friend.

8. How do the kids like it?
Well, this is the first year they have been complaining about not getting a summer break. With more friends on the street to play with, they know that soon they will be out all day everyday. I am trying to point out the positives…and once they see a lighter schedule and lots of pool days I think they will be fine. 🙂 We are also flexible enough to play it by ear…if a few weeks into summer it isn’t going well, we can change it up again!

I want to share one last thing about homeschooling.

Homeschooling my children is a sacrifice on my part. Homeschooling your children is a huge sacrifice on your part. It should be treated as such. It is a huge responsibility. Have I ever complained that I don’t get a break like my public school mom friends get? YES. Have I ever questioned myself and why we are doing this? YES. During times of despression, especially.

But, I want to make it very clear that I believe homeschooling is God’s best at this point for our family. I believe it with all my heart. When I feel like I can’t go on another day…I spend some time praying and God reminds me that I am doing what is best for my kids. I don’t do it because I’m good at it. I don’t do it because I think *I* am a great teacher. I don’t do it because I dislike public schools. I do it because I feel like it’s God’s best. And it’s God’s grace – plain and simple – that gets me through each difficult day and grants me the wonderful moments I will cherish forever. 

{I do not believe it is right for every family…I just think it is what we are supposed to be doing now. Us. Our family. 🙂 You will hear no condemnation from me if you don’t want to homeschool or aren’t able to or whatever. I’m just sharing our leading.}


So, there you have it!! Anymore thoughts on these questions? Anymore questions? Feel free to ask away…and if you are a homeschooler, I’d love to hear your answers to these questions, too!!