With a new year right around the corner, it really is the perfect time to start thinking about how you want your homeschool to go. This is a time to focus on areas that need work, and get caught up if this is the case. Many at first are stuck in the mindset that we have to still follow the public school way of doing things. For some this could mean waking your child up with the sun so that they can start school by eight. For others they may even start earlier. However, many homeschooling families are learning that their children can be very different and not all of them are early risers or work at the same pace. So how can you make sure that your child is working with the right schedule for them.
When to start your school day
Let’s face it some kids have no problems getting up early, and others struggle with getting up by ten. As a homeschooling family you really need to set up a start time and stick with it. The first thing you will want to do is find out which category your child fits in. For example you will want to see if your child can easily wake up in the morning on their own, or if you have to wake them up. If you have to wake them up are they motivated and ready to work? Or perhaps it takes them another hour or two in order to get motivated to work. As you watch and study your child’s habits eventually you will be able to tell what time best suits them.
Evaluate their work
Take the time to evaluate their work closely. For example you can give them tests in the morning, on one day, and then another day, give them a test in the afternoon. Take a look at the test scores, and see when they do their best work. You may be surprised to see the difference. When you determine which time of day is best for them try to cater their school work to this time. Keep in mind that when you first start out with the new schedule it may take them some time to get used to. So be sure to pace yourself. Give them time to adjust.
A job that suits their needs
If your child is going to be starting on the high school level next year, than you may want to focus their education a bit more. Understandably there are some parents who are concerned about their children being ready for the work field when they are older. Some feel that by allowing their children to sleep later in the day, they are actually asking for trouble when they try to find the job. What you may not realize is that many individuals can look for a job in their chosen field that fits within their time frame. Nowadays there are plenty of jobs and different shifts available that may suit some better than others.
Ability to push themselves
Even though some kids are not early risers, some of them have learned to push themselves for the sake of completing their work early. You may see them slack off during the teenage years, but as they begin to mature and see goals that they want to reach this may change.