A frantic schedule does not make you a better homeschool mom
Welcome back, baby!
Back to school. Back to this newsletter (finally! I've missed you!). Back to having quiet 10 AM hours now that school's starting back up.
I went into this season feeling ridiculously confident and good about our homeschool. I was ready. But while I was busy putting everything I teach into motion (recalibrating, moving tech behind the scenes, and putting the finishing touches on The Ten AM Method which I told you about in July and is coming back BETTER THAN EVER soon), everything else (namely, this newsletter!) completely went out the window.
I haven’t written to you in over a month. To begin with, I felt a little embarrassed for vanishing right as the back-to-school momentum was ramping up. But I’ve been deep in my own planning hole, doing the quiet, unglamorous work of staring at our life and asking: Is this schedule serving us, or are we just running on a treadmill because it feels like what we "should" be doing?
Our schedule last year was good, but to be honest, it was a little too much. This year, I was on track to do the same thing to us — sprinting through school to get to the next fun thing. So I started making cuts.
We pulled out of jiujitsu that was really just there to get the kids moving midday, and switched to one that is now making them excited to compete. (Bonus: we just got back from our very first wrestling tournament where my boys placed 1st, 4th, and 5th in their divisions… so I guess I am officially a wrestling mom now?!)
Almost overnight, my 5th grader announced he has BIG plans for where he wants to wrestle at the collegiate level. Those big-picture dreams have fueled him forward with a clarity about his physical goals that I’ve never seen in him before. Now, I just need to get that same drive to translate into his math curriculum—but hey, we’re working on it.
We also walked away from a co-op that had become more of a calendar item than a life-giving group. Sure, the people there were nice, but none of us loved it. Instead, I chose to lean into one co-op — the one where we're seeing real friendships form. I also did my usual Kimberly thing and signed up to help with anything they'd let me help with. This year, that means leading unit studies, big events, and PE. It’s been a juggle as the new year comes together, but it's been so fun to welcome new faces and reconnect with budding friendships!
We still love our freedom. We still love our time and space. We still love not being frantically rushed out the door at 7:30 AM. But I'm down for the extra commitment and support because, in order to squeeze real, lasting friendships out of a community setting, showing up is a requirement. And when you get a say in shaping what that looks like? That’s where the real freedom comes in.
And as for how we spend our academic days… there is the schedule I write down on paper, and there is the actual reality of raising different human beings under one roof.
For the first time ever, my boys are doing two entirely different types of curriculum this year. I noticed that what worked seamlessly for one of my kids in math and language arts no longer worked for the other. To see that, I had to actually be present. I had to stop running through a frantic daily checklist and pay attention. We’re dropping the screens, going back to classic pencil and paper, and I couldn't be happier.
There’s no gold star or report card for the parent who notices when a curriculum isn't landing anymore and has the courage to pivot. But after this month in the trenches, here’s what I know for sure:
The most meaningful work we will ever do with our kids happens in the unscripted observations and tiny adjustments nobody else will ever see.
As we step into this school year, give yourself permission to do less, better. Burn the frantic master schedule that leaves everyone exhausted by Thursday afternoon.
A frantic schedule does not make you a better educator. Being present does.
Moving forward, I’ll be back in your inbox every week with real talk, zero-fluff homeschool strategy, and simple support for navigating this homeschool life without losing your sanity.
Quick question before I go: What is one thing on your schedule right now that you just need permission to cut loose? Hit reply and let me know!
