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You may have stumbled across our home schooling updates and see what we get up to each month and if you are a regular reader then you will know that I work from home doing freelance work alongside my blog. It may all sound quite ideal and lovely, but truth be told it’s bloody hard work!
I love giving the kids the opportunity to learn freely and be home schooled, it originally started because my eldest was being bullied and we chose to educate him at home. Since then he has come along so well, it was the best decision we could ever have made! But it’s hard work when you have two children at home that are 9 and 4 years of age.
It’s imperative that I have some kind of organisation in my life or our home would be chaotic! Here’s what I do to try and keep my head above water and make things run as smoothly as possible.
To-Do Lists Are Great For Staying Organised
First and foremost is to-do lists. I live and breath these things! I have lots of list pads on my desk and fill these out the night before with all of the jobs I need to attack the next day. I find it quite satisfying when I work my way through the list and see all the ticks against the completed tasks.
A Tidy Desk
I like to know where everything is so a tidy desk is a must for me! I like my desk to be quite roomy, that’s why I have a rather wide desk like those bench desks that you see. It homes my never-ending collection of notebooks, receipts folders, files and everything else that I need for work. The boys also use it as part of their home schooling, especially if they are looking at Powerpoints or using some of our learning resource subscriptions.
Time Blocking My Work
Obviously, home schooling comes before everything else, so when I do my work I time block. This allows me to know which job I’m doing and how long I will be working on it. This makes sure that not only do I make enough time for the boys’ education but it ensures we all get enough family time together! Which we all know is so precious.
I think anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Some things just need a little forward planning. I would only get bored if I wasn’t so busy!
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You are so organized. Time blocking makes sense. Often wondered how people fit home ed and working from home, in together. We are just reorganizing the study area for our house, as we need to fit in more desk space. #MMBC
I can achieve so much more this way Cheryl. Good luck with the study. I think it’s so much easier when you have more space, especially if like me, you have lots of things that clutter it up! đŸ™‚
You are so organised! I am one for making lists too and always have a couple on the go.
They are so useful. I live by my to-do lists!
Lists :- Yes, I agree lists can help.
It seems that you have a variety of Aspects / Responsible Roles :- You ” Wear a Variety of Hats”. Do people know what your priority is at a particular time / day? So that they can interact appropriately, rather than distract you from your priority (time blocked Responsible Role for that present moment). As we do not live, work, etc in isolation. Teamwork can be beneficial.
Also Home Schooling :- Do you have to Register? Are you :- Supervise. Overseen, Managed, Assessed, Examined, Graded, Certificated? As it seems important that Children receive appropriate Education, at an Appropriate level, Have Opportunities, Can Reach Their Potential, Are Safe, Are Healthy in Body and Mind.
I believe that there have been reports in the media tha unfortunately some children are somehow “Lost” due to no Reister, no NEED that child be SEEN and Accounted for, etc. Maybe the Minority. Though surely Every Child MATTERS.
It’s lovely to see people taking an interest in home education so thank you for your comment Rachel. You do not need to register to home educate. If your child has started school, you need to declare that you will be home educating. The local education authority arranges a visit that suits both parties and discusses how you intend to educate your child. You make a perfectly valid point that every child matters. I am sure that many teachers in the UK want the very best for their pupils. I can guarantee though that no one wants more for their children than their parents. We want our children to have the best education possible, which is why we made the decision to home educate. Our lessons are only for our children (a one to one basis) so they are always appropriate for their abilities. We can also ensure that our children are safe, reach their potential, are healthy in body and mind and exceptionally content.
School is a choice for some and that’s OK, however, home education is our preferred path and that is OK too.
I love lists and find great satisfaction check items off. I think home schooling must be very satisfying for you too. #MMBC PS I found the MMBC post today easily which made me very happy after the 2 week absence.
Time blocking really does work. I need to put home ed as the priority but hard when juggling with making money to maintain the family too #MMBC
I can’t cope without a list, it helps make me feel in control and know what is happening X #mmbc
I am totally in awe of home schooling parents, despite being a teacher I can’t imagine doing it all myself. I also write lots of lists but unlike you I really struggle to keep my desk tidy!!
#MMBC
Lists keep me sane! I’ve also started time blocking, which helps with all the juggling, I think!
I love to-do lists, I have loads of them too!
#MMBC
I use To Do lists all the time as well. I never complete them when I intend to though!
Some great organisational tips
I need my lists – id be totally lost without them