Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a terribly disorganized person (I think I’ve mentioned this here before, too). Whatever gene it is that gets people in a tizzy over day planners and storage bins and orderly desks, I just don’t have it. Not that I haven’t tried, I do! I have multiple calendars and day planners to make my feeble attempts at organization. I’ve got a filing cabinet, though if you’re one of those Type A people, I wouldn’t suggest looking in it. I do try to make sure my obligations and responsibilities are met, but sometimes they, get away from me (like getting this article posted on time!)
So when my sister in law, a veteran homeschooler, suggested I sit down and schedule in time off for our school year, I hesitated. In theory it was a sound idea; make sure we got in the number of days our state requires while having some penciled in “breaks” to help stave off burn out. I thought maybe this could be an opportunity to help push me to be a more organized person, so I went out and bought yet another day planner.
First of all, if you’re a brand new homeschooler and you’re disorganized like I am, I don’t suggest using pen (like I did). I ended up filling in a lot of boxes just by marking out and re-writing (and marking out and re-writing, and…) over and over because I was unsure. I probably spent half an hour doing this, going back and forth between the planner and my church’s calendar (that has holidays and Holy Days of Obligation marked), writing in days off only to cross them out and write them in again.
In the end, I simply marked down the days of obligation and other holidays, shoved the planner in my purse, and realized I would just have to accept that I’m just not that kind of person. We’ve been homeschooling now for 3.5 months and I’ve found it much easier for our family to just do days (or a week!) off as it comes, around our schedule, when it’s necessary or when we seem to need time off. This week, for example, was our “fall break.” Last week I realized I had a ton to do between Halloween, our parish baked steak dinner, and our homeschool group’s All Saints party, so we took the whole week off.
The great thing about homeschooling is that it lets our kids work with their unique personalities instead of against it. But that should apply to mom, too! If you enjoy planning everything out, then that’s great! But if you’re like me and you don’t, that’s okay, too. Just like with our kids, homeschooling should work with mom’s personality and not against it.
Katie blogs at Just Another Catholic Mom and is looking forward to getting a break from her busy “Fall Break”!
Photo by Pragmagraphr
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Fabulous, Katie! I love how honest and real this is.
I know things have been very hectic for you lately, sweetie. I’m sorry for that. Things seem to be moving at the speed of light for us lately too.
I appreciate you sharing this. Really, I do. I think it will be nice for Moms that aren’t so organized. I think that we all get this idea that all of the other homeschooling Moms are so put together. It’s nice for someone to say, “Hey — I’m not.”
(((HUGS)))
I’m a “routine” person, not necessarily a “schedule” one, though I do try to schedule out our school year, at the beginning, to make sure we’re getting all our days in. We usually stick by this pretty well.
This year, however, I did not schedule a fall break for us. Last week, I realized…WE NEEDED ONE! Not just me, but everyone. So, we took last week off. It was just what we needed.
Even though of us who may be a tad (just a tad) more “schedule-y” than your family need to remember that a schedule is just a guide…and it’s not written in stone.
I am very organized, love making lists, and keep a tight calendar. But this fall I have been working on the last semester of my EMBA with multiple meetings for the semester project in addition to normal homework and study group. And I started homeschooling my 14-year old nephew while working from home. Our school day takes place in between my work/conference calls.
I tried to come up with a calendar but realized I just didn’t know enough about how it was all going to work out. So far this semester he has done schoolwork in the hospital while I visited my dad, then took a few days off when my dad died, plus has taken off the teacher work days that his brother has so he can spend time at home with him. This week he’s got 2 days off because I’m going to the beach with some friends.
Of course, none of that was on our calendar but I’m feeling pretty good about the progress we are both making.
I do think it is important that so many homeschooling veterans warn us newbies that we will need time off. That has helped me be more flexible in taking the time when necessary.