Five Keys to Long-Term Homeschool Success

Every year is different, and you have to adjust to your homeschool's changing conditions, whether those changes are new babies, new teens, new jobs, or new activities.      That said, some things are timeless, and Ginny and Mary Ellen devote this episode to bringing it all together into five key habits that will help you have long-term success in homeschooling. And the Five Keys are different from what you would think!    Program Notes   1. Stop Overthinking.  Prayerfully and with your husband's input, choose a curriculum or a method and stick with it. "Do not ask your friends on social media to suggest better options. You will get 100 suggestions from people more confused than you already are."   2. Have the Children do Chores Every Day.   Your house will be clean enough if your children pick up after themselves and do some basic chores every day.    3. Make a menu plan.  Making a menu plan for a week/month saves money and time. Ask your family for their favorite meals. These meals will be your framework.  All the kids should have basic cooking skills.   4. Get dressed. It sounds silly, but it helps.  Put on a nice outfit, whatever you feel good wearing, do your hair, and put on a little lip gloss, and you will feel much more pulled together and able to face the day.    5. Write down Your Plan  Writing something down imparts a little magic to it. It's a promise that it will happen. Write down lesson plans, lists for shopping, a family calendar, and everything that needs to be organized. Make sure you look at it.   Summary Doing these five things will not guarantee a perfect homeschool experience, but it will put you on the right track to cope when things feel like they are spiraling in the wrong direction.