There is a misconception that homeschooling takes over your life and your home. Many people assume that homeschooling is a 24/7 job and involves endless days of planning, prepping, scheduling and teaching.
This doesn’t haven’t to be the case and many homeschooling families share that they actually have more time and flexibility after adopting an efficient homeschooling schedule by making use of an online school like CambriLearn.
In this article, we will explain how online schooling allows families more free time and flexibility and we will look at ways to improve your homeschooling schedule to give you, the parent, a little bit of free time.
The freedom and flexibility of online schooling
A typical morning for parents with children who attend a traditional school usually involves waking up to an alarm clock then rushing about to get the kids ready and dropping them off at school on time with a healthy packed lunch and a freshly washed sports kit, whilst navigating morning traffic and… OOPS don’t forget to pack the science experiment, U-turn!
The school bell rings and the child spends the next six to eight hours moving from lesson to assembly to break time to after-school sports. Whilst this schedule might be favoured by many families, many others are starting to feel that this daily schedule is putting too much pressure on children (and parents).
It may sound somewhat surprising, but homeschooling can lessen some of the pressure on parents. There is far less time wasted on mundane routines, like assemblies and drive time etc. This means that you can better invest that time in actual learning.
On the one hand, it is true that homeschooling requires parents to be at home with the child and focus on their education, which can be pretty time-consuming, but on the other hand, it lessens the unnecessary pressure put on parents to assist with deadline-driven projects, tests, homework and compulsory extra-mural activities.
Online schooling provides parents with all the learning material and lessons to ensure that their children are receiving an internationally accredited education without endless hours of planning and preparation.
An online school, like CambriLearn, is a great tool to help homeschooling families gain access to structured coursework and professionally trained teachers. The pre-planned, self-guided course content allows students to learn independently and at their own pace. In the long run, your daily routine can be far better optimised with this kind of learning.
How to maximise your daily schedule
If you are a homeschooling parent and are looking for ways to maximise your daily schedule and give yourself a little bit of me (free) time, then here are a few tips to incorporate into your day;
- Schedule me-time: Since self-care is a highly individual practice, there’s no set prescription for how or when to do it. Make sure to set aside time in your schedule for free time, this will help to relieve stress and boost morale. Let the children do a puzzle, play video games, read a book or listen to music whilst you take time as a parent to recharge your batteries.
- Time in nature: Online learning doesn’t mean being stuck behind a screen all day. Research indicates that time spent in nature is connected to improved cognitive and mental health, as well as improvements in mood and emotional well-being. Incorporate time in nature into your daily schedule and lessons. Go for a walk, meditate or get your hands dirty by creating a learning garden.
- Get physical: As a parent, you understand the benefits of developing gross motor skills through physical exercise. Don’t forget to take time to focus on your own physical development. Once your child has understood a task and has settled in to complete the set work, leave them to work independently and follow an online exercise routine or go for a run.
- Join a playgroup: Connect with other homeschooling families through community groups and join a playgroup. Set a weekly playdate with other parents and meet at a park or the beach. A great idea to get some much-needed alone time is to set up a roster that gives one parent time out each week – the others can supervise or oversees the kids’ free play. Use the time for a hairdresser appointment, have a manicure or a pedicure (or indulge in both), enjoy a relaxing massage or go shopping.
- Hire a tutor: Consider hiring a tutor or joining a local learning pod to assist one or two afternoons a week. Take a regular afternoon off and catch up on some reading or meet a friend for lunch. Spend the time out relaxing.
One of the major benefits of online homeschooling is that it gives you the freedom to plan your schedule and keep it flexible. If you are busy in the morning, you can arrange to teach your child in the evening. Your schedule is entirely up to you to decide. It also means that you can finally take that family holiday without the guilt of racking up days absent or missing out on key topics.
