Hello! I've been a homeschool mom for 13 years, and I'd love to share a glimpse into a typical day in our life with multiple kids of varying ages and grades.
Let’s start with our magnetic door, which is a simple but effective tool. I got the folders and magnets from Dollar Tree, and it displays what each child needs to accomplish for the day.
Now, let me show you what the kids are up to. Here’s my high schooler. She has a list of four chores: laundry, kitchen, bathroom, and her room. Completing these chores earns her screen time at the end of the day, so she manages her own schedule to get them done.
Her independent work includes a writing journal, a workbook tailored to her age group, her daily Duolingo practice, and some used high school textbooks we found on eBay.
This year, she’s focusing on Japanese history and physics. She also incorporates daily exercise, whether that’s a walk, a bike ride, or a YouTube workout.
At lunchtime, we enjoy the "Crash Course" series, which offers fantastic free content for K-12 on PBS. (https://youtube.com/@crashcourse?si=EeIa_ZriF4UkNqRi ) After lunch, I help her with math (she's currently studying geometry) and biology. (We use this biology book https://amzn.to/4e5dKTF and this geometry book: https://amzn.to/3Z8fR4U
For downtime, she has a variety of options to choose from when she's bored. She can read, play board games with her siblings, get creative with crafts, or engage with science build boxes from Mark Robert (www.crunch and.com or www.kiwico.com . She also has access to learning apps like Elevate, which includes daily challenges. (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/elevate-brain-training-games/id875063456)
On a typical day, each child knows their checklist and what they can accomplish independently. I check in with them throughout the day to see if they have any questions or need resources like a dictionary or atlas. I spend about an hour with each child, answering questions and working through their workbooks before moving on to the next.
When I’m with one child, the others can engage in their independent learning, crafts, chores, or whatever they like to do. We usually wrap up our school day around 1:00 PM. We start around 8:00 AM with a mix of exercise, reading, and board games to wake up our brains. After finishing schoolwork, we might go for a hike, visit the library, or run errands for our small business.
By 3:00 or 4:00 PM, I’m preparing dinner while they enjoy their screen time. We often sit down together as a family, or participate in our afternoon activities, whether it’s baseball, jiu-jitsu, or whatever else is on the agenda for the season.
If you have any questions about homeschooling, feel free to comment below! I've been doing this for quite a while, and I’m happy to share my experiences. Much love to you all—have a fantastic year!
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