Decreasing Your Stress in the New Homeschool Year

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I began this Facebook Q&A Feature a few weeks ago with a question about tips for saving money on the grocery bill. I had such a great response, I thought I’d try again. This week on my Facebook page, I posed this question:

I’d like to do a blog post with a collection of tips for starting the new year with the least amount of stress as possible.

What’s your #1 tip?

I received some great responses, so I thought I would share some of tips that were left. If you have any others, I’d love to hear them. Feel free to share in the conversation by leaving a comment!

From Briggs — Schedule regular alone time for yourself even an hour per week. Truly time of your choice not catch up on housework or bills time. A nap, a guilty pleasure or treat, a book, whatever but give yourself space! Secondly, nurture your marriage regularly. Thirdly, schedule down time with and for your kids. Everyone needs a break.

From Sarah — Ease into it!

From Michelle — Start slow. Don’t add in all the subjects at once. We started with half of our planned subjects the first two weeks, and just did one week in two. It makes a huge difference, giving everyone time to get back into the routine.

From Stacie — Make sure you set aside some time for you during your day.

From Jennifer — Set realistic goals!!

From Diana — Take out all the unnecessary things from the routine/schedule so you can properly evaluate time needs. No internet in the middle of the day. No outside commitments. Start with the basics and build up based on priority.

From Carrie — I was thinking of only concentrating on the 3 Rs in the beginning.

From Yvana — I agree with starting out slow and having a (flexible) plan/schedule.

From Robin — Pray!!

From Karen — When you start to plan your new year start with prayer. Seek what God wants your child to study. Then start each day of the school year off with prayer.

From Carey — Start with a reduced schedule and build up. We followed this advice last year, and it was a much better start to things.

From Leah — Plan ahead. I plan throughout the summer so that it isn’t all staring me in the face right before we start back.

From Eunice — Make a flexible schedule and stick to it. If I’m at least feeling organized, our school day goes so much easier. It also allows my son to see it’s not that bad. Don’t be rigid though as that will cause undue stress if you start getting behind.

From Carrie — Not to offend any online communities or bloggers, but I tend to disconnect from the Internet. While the information is helpful, it can be overwhelming

From Noel — Start your school year on a Wed. It eases everyone back into a schedule and works out the potholes of new curriculum.

From Strategic Shopping — Start early enough so you can ease into the school year.

From Vicky — Don’t let what others says against home school, including your family deter you from doing what you feel in your heart is the best for your child!

From Pamela — Along with books, supplies and clothes shopping, don’t forget to have fun and find inspiration. And of course pray.

From Hpss Hopes — I celebrate not being a public schooler by sticking to the first week of September as a start date and watching the back to school madness roll on by.

From Mara — Get up before the kids! I usually am up 1-2 hours before everyone and I give to ME first, that way I have something to pour into my kids. I drink my coffee in peace, read my bible or do my Good Morning Girls study, and get a little bit of exercise. If the kids are up before our 7am wake up time, I send them back to their rooms where they can read or rest quietly.

From Becca — Prep for the year by getting enough sleep in the few weeks before your start date. We are prompt about our start time, but it’s at 10a and we ease into our day with 30 minutes of quiet reading. Those help everyone’s attitudes.

If you have any questions you would like answered by my awesome Facebook fans, feel free to leave them in the comments!

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