Deciding to homeschool is wonderful and challenging at the same time. There are so many things to figure out when it comes to homeschooling. What will you teach your child/children? What will be your daily schedule? Should you devote a room to homeschooling, and if so, how will you 
organize it? These are just a few of the questions that go through a parents mind once they have decided to homeschool their child/children.I believe determining what you are going to teach is the hardest part of homeschooling. The next hardest part about homeschooling is developing a routine. Today I will focus on developing a daily routine. There is a reason you have decided to homeschool. When you are developing a schedule, do not forget to incorporate the things that are most important to you. Yes, you will teach your child/children the core subjects, but what else do you want to teach them? Remember, homeschooling is about so much more than academics! This is your opportunity to pour into your children everything your family values!
Before you can come up with a routine you must first make a list of all the things you would like to accomplish each day. A sample list may have the following items:
- Wake up routine- (shower, brush teeth, get dressed)
- Breakfast
- Devotional- (pray, praise& worship, read the bible)
- Lesson time- core subjects and special subjects (divided into sessions- morning and afternoon)
- Lunch, recess, snacksAfter you make your list, pray and ask God to help you develop a routine that works. Also ask him to reveal anything to you that you need to add or take off of your daily routine. Without the Lords involvement, our plans cannot prosper. We are reminded of this in Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Here is a sample schedule:
After you make your list, pray and ask God to help you develop a routine that works. Also ask him to reveal anything to you that you need to add or take off of your daily routine. Without the Lords involvement, our plans cannot prosper. We are reminded of this in Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Here is a sample schedule.
6:30-7:00- Wake up routine (my kids are earlier risers)
7:00-7:30- Breakfast
7:30-8:30- devotional
8:30-9:15- Math
9:15-9:45- Language Arts
9:45- 10:00 snack
10:45-11:30- Special (Art, Music, or Health)
11:30-12:00- lunch prep/ break
12:00-1:00 lunch/ Recess (Physical Education)
1:00-1:45- Social Studies
1:45-2:30- Science
If you have small children I would recommend limiting your instructional time. Designate a room and create learning centers that touch on each subject. Avoid having a set schedule for every subject. Set aside one time block for instructional time. I have found that children learn best by exploring. Set up centers and allow your child/children to explore for most of the time. In addition to the learning centers, buy an age appropriate workbook that teaches each subject. Complete one page from each subject each day. Some kids may be able to sit still and focus until all the pages are done, while others may need a break. Pay attention to the signs your kid is giving you and respond accordingly.
If you are homeschooling older children, I recommend splitting the classes into morning and afternoon sessions. Maybe you can complete Math and Language Arts in the morning and Science and Social Studies in the afternoon along with any special classes. Try not to overwhelm your child/children with too many classes, assign a different special to each day. For example: Music on Monday, Art on Wednesday, Physical Education on Tuesday and Thursday, and Health on Friday.
www.Christianhomeschoolhq.com Challenge: Make a list of all the things you would like to accomplish with your child/children each day. What time do you want your day to begin? What time do you want the school day to end?