Homeschool Bedtime
Since we homeschool we are asked many different parenting questions. Recently I was in a deep conversation with a friend. She was telling me how hard it was to get her children up in the morning for school.
“Well, you don’t know, but it’s hard to drag them out of bed. Then we rush to throw breakfast at them as we run out the door” she explained.
We don’t have to catch a bus or beat the first period bell, so she assumed my boys stay up late and wake up late. She was shocked to learn my boys went to bed earlier than her public school boys. When is a good homeschool bedtime?
As with almost everything … bedtime falls into the category of WWBFY. What Works Best For You.
* If your children are miserable when they wake up – make them go to bed earlier.
* If your children have a hard time falling asleep even after a long day of activity – let them stay up longer.
* If your children are not exhausted by the end of the day – get them active to do something that will make them tired.
Yes we homeschool, but my boys are expected to get up out of bed! We do not stay home so they can be lazy. We homeschool, but college is not forgiving. Jobs and bosses are not lenient toward laziness. I want to raise strong men of character, not happy nappers.
Of course, if we travel or stay out late I allow my children to sleep-in and get rest. Even if they want to be cool and brag about a midnight bedtime, growing teenage boys need rest. Allowing your children to stay up later, sleep in longer, and neglecting responsibility is not a healthy option. It will eventually catch up.
I am a wife. I want to have quiet time with my husband without the interruption of children. We have a rule that children are to be in bed with their lights out at least an hour before I go to bed myself. I like a nice quiet house before I turn off lights and go to bed myself.
If you are looking to find the perfect bedtime try out different times. Keep in mind the daily activity and the attitude of how each child wakes up in the morning. Adjust little one’s bedtime by 15 minutes and older children by 30 minutes.
Need help creating Healthy Bedtime Habits, check out my post at The Marathon Mom!
Read MoreFree Lesson Plans!
I appreciate great companies offering educators help. Some days as a homeschool mom – I need all the help I can get! Pinterest offers such great ideas, but there are days I’d like a little hand holding.
With just a few searches I can usually find exactly what we need. I found these 10 companies who offer Free Lesson Plans and couldn’t wait to share them with you!
Free Lesson Plans:
* Smithsonian – after just getting back from an amazing trip to DC, I love the Smithsonian offers lesson plans.
* Crayola – check out their “educator section” and use their lesson plans.
* Magic Tree House – such great adventure stories with real facts and easy to find in your local library!
* Magic School Bus – “The Frizz” makes science fun with these activities.
* Wild Kratts – teach your young animal lovers with these wild lesson plans.
* Liberty Kids – these activities are perfect for hands-on history time.
*Wikki Stix – I still can’t believe how many great lesson plans are offered here.
* NASA – just a few but still too cool to say you’re using NASA lesson plans.
*The Met – Make art fun with The Metropolitan Museum of Art lesson plans.
* DK Find Out – sign up for free to compile your own lesson plan with DK Eyewitness’ resources.
Wonder if your favorite company offers lesson plans? Simply google “{your company’s name} lesson plans” or “teacher activities”. You might be surprised what you find. Happy planning!
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Planning Back to School
While you are enjoying your summer break you might have seen some “back to school” banners creep into the grocery store. Maybe a few clothing stores are promoting their upcoming back to school sales. You might have already been asked a dozen times “when do you start back to school”.
back to school … back to school … back to school
The chant is starting low, can you hear it? It will become loud as each relaxing summer day ends. Are you ready to start planning back to school? You might want to prepare a bit better than I did one year. Tired of lazy days and endless television shows, I grabbed books and declared it was the first day of school.
You would think I announced we were moving to China. The boys did not respond well to the abrupt change in their summer. We had no supplies, no schedule, and it all fizzled out before the week finished. Rather than spring the first day of school on any child and yourself, start planning back to school before it happens.
Planning Back to School:
1. Pick a date to start. If you go along with your county school schedule, plan around a family vacation, or just ready to get back to the books – pick a start date. If you have ever trained for a race you know the day of the race. You are well prepared and anticipating it. 5k or 26 miles – you know your start date.
2. Announce your start date. Let your students know when school is starting. Everyone should be prepared for the first day of a new start ~ you included! Every time I leave the dentist office they give me a “reminder card”, there are no surprises come cleaning day.
3. Be prepared. Gather the things you need to know before you start. It sounds funny but sure doesn’t feel funny when you have to end a science lab in the middle of the experiment because you have to run to Walgreens for materials. {now is the time to keep an eye on curriculum, crayola, paper products, and other sales}.
4. Be a Show-Off. As each Amazon box arrived we excitedly opened them together checking out the new homeschool supplies. The boys saw what the new school year would include. “Yes, you’ll be using this microscope this year.” Guess who wanted to start school before I was ready?
5. Celebrate. Plan to do something fun to kick off the new year. A change in breakfast {first day of school donuts are a hit here}, picnic with other homeschool friends, or a Redbox movie for the afternoon ~ plan some new school year fun. Rather than wear yourself down with hosting a presidential event; keep it small and meaningful (unless it’s your first year or last year homeschooling. Then make a big deal out of it).
6. Schedule a break. Pick out your rest stops before you start this journey. Everyone appreciates the highway sign “last rest stop for 32 miles”. Be flexible with your breaks, but plan on having them.
Enjoy your summer but be mindful to start planning for the new school year. With all of that planning be sure to plan in some flexibility. We all need a bit of room to breathe and be prepared for the unexpected.
Keeping track of your child’s homeschool work for you!