The Rhythm of Flexible Organization
A man’s heart plans his way,
but the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
I homeschooled both of my children. When we started our homeschool journey, I was determined to dot every “I” and cross every “T”. So I purchased a curriculum that told me what to do with each hour of my school day, every day of the week. I was tied to this schedule so much that there were times we would homeschool longer than most kids were in public school. I was so determined to be organized that I had no flexibility to my daily schedule. Within the first few months of homeschooling, I was exhausted and so were my children.
To find some encouragement in this tiring endeavor I was committed to, I joined a homeschool support group that had park days once a week in the afternoon. But I was so tied to my schedule that if we did not have every box checked, we wouldn’t go to the park. Something had to change! One day I decided to be a little flexible and join the park group. Best decision of my homeschool life up to that point! I met so many moms who been homeschooling much longer than I had and were great mentors to me: moms who were very scheduled, moms who used a flexible schedule, and moms who did not care about the schedule at all!
As I talked to them on a weekly basis, I began to realize that I could have a schedule, but I also needed flexibility to allow my children to have an outlet to play and be around other kids. I also realized that each family was different in how they approached their daily organization. And that’s OK. So I set out to make our family a new plan.
My plan was to have a flexible organization to my day. I chose the three most crucial subjects (reading, writing, and arithmetic) and did not compromise on teaching them daily. Then I scheduled in our park days so the children would have a physical outlet and I could get some mentoring from the more experienced moms. I realized that being organized is a good thing, but (for us) having some flexibility in that organization made for a much happier home. When the kids finished their crucial subjects, they then could explore other interests. This could be learning a new language, doing science experiments, or being creative with art and/or building. They added those extra interests to their day. A day that was organized but allowed for some flexibility also gave them a chance to show that they could make good choices with their extra time.
A long time ago, I heard a saying,
“Set your plans in sand but your goals in concrete.”
Our goal of homeschooling our children never changed, but our daily plans and how we got it done could and would change. Take some time to evaluate your family’s daily schedule. Do you need to add some flexibility in there? Do you need more organization and scheduling in your life? Either way, as a parent you will know the best plan for your family. If you are struggling, seek out mentors to help you. There are plenty of moms that are willing to listen and help right here on this blog. You can connect with someone here.
Don’t parent alone. Reach out to a mentor that is willing to help you with organizing your day.
Cynthia Schrock was born in Ohio but grew up on the mission field with her parents in Quito, Ecuador. She married her wonderful husband Eric in 1990. They have two adult children: Ashley and Matthew. In 2016 Cynthia completed a 13 year long journey of homeschooling. Eric and Cynthia have been involved in marriage and parenting ministry over 20 years. Cynthia is a Contact Mom, helping moms with solutions in their daily parenting struggles. She has also authored a book on celebrating others called The Ultimate Gift of a Birthday.