I belong to a local homeschool group and as much as we chat about our days, most homeschool parents only have a vague idea of what goes on in someone else's home. I know in the begining I was desperate to know what a normal day looked like. I would search online and talk to other parents, but the answers were always vague. I understand it now. No two days are alike, so what is average? Parents tend to speak more in ideals, what does their ideal day look like. The challenge here for newcomers is that this can make homeschool seem pretty intimidating and their own "normal" days seem like disasters.
We use a weekly planner despite the fact it has never been exactly followed. It is like my menu plan, which I have trouble following as well. It has suggested meals that I have all the ingredients for, but if something comes up, we're having something else for dinner. Our weekly planner allows me so see what we need to get in and how far we are from reaching our goals, but it allows me to react to the world around us and learn from challenges and changes. Something I want my kids to know how to do. So, as usual in homeschool, everything turns into a lesson. It also helps me to not go too far off track, my goal is always in sight.
So here is what this weeks ideal plan looks like now, on Monday, fresh and lovely. Most things will be accomplished and the general timeline will be used, but things will happen, changes will be made. Most important of all, learning will occur.
So then, what does a normal day look like? It is real, flawed, chaotic and sometimes beautiful. Sometimes the kids dawdle, my house looks like a tornado passed through, I wonder if they're learning, everyone gets frustrated, all the sudden it's time for lunch and no "learning" has occurred, a discovery is made, kindness is shown, family is strengthened, someone finds their passion, a difficult lesson is learned...
