For the past few weeks, we’ve been following a very loose “schedule” inside, outside and all around the homestead.
I’ve spent a lot of time searching for that perfect curriculum, that perfect home school planner and that perfect schedule.
And you know what I discovered? There isn’t one that meets my specific needs or, more accurately, my boys’ specific needs.
I was trying to force an unrealistic and rigid schedule. We were all frustrated.
I’ve done it before. I’ve blogged about it before. And,g just like before, I’ve lost sight of how we work as a family.
So. I came across a list of objectives by age and created my own schedule using said list.
On Sunday night, I sit with the list and pull activities from Pinterest or just come up with my own. I base all of this on what I know the boys are interested in.
I print worksheets and templates and organize them in file folders so that everything I have planned is ready to go.
We’ve spent mornings work booking, experimenting and playing games.
Sight Word Candyland
Tracing numbers
Completing patterns: AB, ABA, AAB
Sink or Float: Hypothesis and Result
Sorting by color
Matching lowercase and uppercase letters
We’ve spent afternoons adventuring to museums, playing at the gym, learning the proper grip when playing golf, learning how to swim and somersaulting at gymnastics.
Golf lessons
Open Gym
We’ve read books, done chores, started seeds and practiced patience (sort of).
That said, I don’t sweat, freak out or break down if we get off schedule.
Sometimes, PE is in the morning while I’m working out at the gym.
Sometimes, we spend most of our day at a museum, zoo, nature center or store because the boys asked a question about how stuff works, what does a zebra eat, what can I buy with a dollar and so on.
Sometimes we play games, build forts, play house or pretend we’re superheros because the boys just have too many wiggles to sit and workbook.
Even though we’re not keeping to our schedule exactly, I feel more organized and less stressed for having it as a checklist of sorts.
I don’t worry about curriculum. I’ve created my own and for now…that’s ok.
Field trips to the zoo
With my little crew
At home, at work and at play
What will we learn today?
a pinch of homestead 
I love that homeschooling takes only 2-3 hours a day while going to public school is a grueling 8 hour day. I wish I had been home schooled. I would have had time to learn other things instead of just being exhausted at the end of the day from dealing with people and ridiculous rules.
The flexibility homeschooling offers was one of the pros we listed when making the decision. I have seen exhausted kids come home, sit down and do homework for a couple hours.
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