Non-Traditional Schedules

When do you get to most of your schoolwork? One of the greatest benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility it affords us.

Even those of us who do most of our schoolwork during ordinary school hours appreciate the freedom to go on a family vacation during the off-season, or spend a rainy spring break hitting the books so that we can take time off when the weather’s nice.

There are other ways to utilize the flexible nature of home education on an everyday basis, however, and many homeschoolers sing the praises of making the most of off-beat schedules.

Would a non-traditional schedule work for you?

Maybe your husband is a firefighter or a pilot, maybe you work a full- or part-time job outside the home, or maybe your family’s circumstances involve out-of-state travel or swing shifts.

I set a schedule for my family’s school year, but I’m rethinking it (already!) (and we haven’t even started yet!). I wonder if trying to fit our schoolwork into traditional hours isn’t the best idea for us in this season of life, with three toddlers underfoot.

Perhaps we should save some of our work for after the babies go to bed in the evening, or for the weekends when my husband is here to help with the madness.

I love this quote: We always have time enough, if we will but use it aright.  -Goethe

It reminds me that one time is not as good as another to do a particular work.

If I take some time to think about when it will work best for my family to read aloud, focus on math, or take a nature walk, we will not only get to it more often, but the work done will be of higher quality.