Making a Homeschool Rhythm

Hey Loves!

Can I share something with you? I had no idea what a homeschool rhythm was. Not one. Not a clue. 

If you don’t know what something is, you have no idea how the benefits of it flow through your home.

So, once I found out about this gem and did a little digging, I was able to apply it so my family could thrive with it and not be bound to a schedule.

What’s the difference between a schedule and rhythms, you ask? Simply put, freedom and grace. A schedule is pass/fail. You either do the thing, complete the task or you don’t. A rhythm allows for grace to maybe kinder complete the task and the grace to either skip it or try it a different way.

Here is how I organize our homeschool rhythm every year:

Survey our life- That sounds very technical but basically I compile our activities, plans and ideals-like downtime, family time and things like church, chores and meal prep. 

Be realistic- I am definitely team “go hard or go home” but I have learned, albeit the hard way, that actually we can do way more when we do a little and are intentional with our time. 

Prep and plan- So, taking the two items above, I plan out our days. This includes not just the activities and ideals, but I have to be realistic and include traffic, prep time, travel time between destinations, etc. 

Put it all together- This is the last step. Think of the items above like puzzle pieces or Jenga blocks. I piece each item together in the little matrix of our lives and then, this is the key, I structure what lessons we do on what day so we can get into our rhythm.

I’ve said this before but I honestly can’t stress enough that the emphasis of homeschooling is on the home, not the opening  or closing of a curriculum at a certain time.
If you would like a printable to organize your own homeschool rhythm you can grab it here.

First-Time Scout Mom Tips

Hey Loves!

We are heading into our second year of scouting! Yes, we, not just my kids, my entire family. Heading into our second year, not only am I excited, I feel way more competent and confident going into year 2. Here is what I wish I knew a year ago.

If you are new to this, it is going to be overwhelming. There are so many terms and signs and historical knowledge that just immediately hit you in the face, proverbially of course. You will not know everything. You will search lots of terms and resources.

Budget Well-  I had no idea how much supplies and uniforms cost! Books, national dues, troop dues, etc. The financial commitment is real!

Find the Right Troop-  This is the key. Truthfully we started with a horrendous troop. Like, if I see the leader today, she might still catch hands for what my kids went through. Thankfully, my research skills remain top-tier and I was able to find a historically Black troop in our area. Not only did the tropp have a solid past, they had so many members invested in the future of the tropp’s longevity. The pass down supplies and uniforms, supplies and knowledge! 

Get Involved- The right troop will thrive with parental involvement so you won’t be the only one present or involved. The right troop will use your strengths, train you on new skills, and communicate effectively.

Stay Involved- This part should be easy if you find the right troop. You will want to be around. You will enjoy your time watching your littles thrive and connecting with other families.

How We Use Digital Learning

Hey Loves!

I understand that seeing all of our resources and/or eclectic approach to homeschool can be a little overwhelming. I need you to know we take our time and we utilize games and digital learning platforms.

I am far from a screen-free mama. In fact, we changed our Internet provider because we have so many devices running. I truly believe these can be used effectively and add to the educational experiences. 

Here is a snippet of what we use and how we use it.

Podcasts: History, character, cooperative work and more are explained and can be applied all through various podcasts! It is honestly kind of crazy the amount of information that is available in podcasts. We also use them to reinforce lessons, particularly in Spanish.

BrainPop: This app is a  deep and rich well of information spanning a multitude of subjects and ideas. They have two levels and we have been very happy with them both.

Epic: It;s only been a year since I was even introduced to this app but WOW! My love for books definitely passed down because my kids can  get lost for hours in their vast catalog of books. They have everything from comic books, audiobooks, read-to-me, and absolutely everything in between. They have resource books, story books and original book series. 

Kindle Unlimited: Again, more books, I know. We honestly can’t get enough of them. Kindle unlimited offers us a great amount of reading material, while it does have a cap, we have been able to take our time and read lots of books for one low fee instead of who knows how much.

Hoopla: This comes with our library card and admittedly, I use it more than my kids! They have so many audiobooks as well as ebooks,movies and music!

Khan Academy Kids: This was one of the very first apps my kids use and we still love it! It is engaging, fun and somehow never gets old!

Are there some others I must try?

Why We Use Games in Homeschool

Hey Loves!

It really wasn’t until I began homeschooling that I realized how many skills are used during games and how much one can learn. It was easy to add games to our learning shelves, especially when my kids get them as gifts or I grab them at a fraction of the retail cost by shopping consignment. 

You can see our math games here and our literacy games here. Here is how we use them.

One-on-One parenting time- We regularly connect with our children individually through a game. It is incredibly simple to execute- all you need is  game, a little time and intentionality. The result is fun time and filled love tanks. It is a win-win if I ever saw one!

Brain breaks- My babies are Nuero-diverse and that means we have to break up our learning time and lessons for their brains and bodies to get proper proprioceptive and vestibular input. Those are fancy words for they need movement. Games provide that in a fun and engaging way. Sometimes we can even review while playing games.

Individual activities- I can often split my attention between the two and stay on top of their needs but sometimes they require more of my focus and when that happens, one can play a game while the other works with me more intently. This happens so regularly, I keep learning games all around our house for this purpose.

Homeschool Parent Teacher Gifts

Hey Loves!

So, I felt I needed to follow up my previous post with one for the homeschool parents. 

Listen, while I know the position we have to choose to teach our kids from our home or wherever is a privilege, that privilege doesn’t detract the mental and physical work that you put in. It most certainly does not detract from you deserving to been and shown gratitude. 

Thus, I’ve compiled a short list of gifts that I feel are an investment in you and will enhance your ability to wear the five million hats per day that you do, every day. 

Spa Day- I know, I know. You do your own manicures, pedicures, eye brows and whatever else in the few minutes you can a day. Maybe go get an actual manicure, invest in the at-home gel set you’ve been wanting, buy some skin care. The point here is to invest time in your body that is just for you. 

Books- I am incredibly guilty of spending an insane amount of money on books for my kids but will wait 12-16 weeks for a book for me from the library. Sad, I know. I know I’m not the only one. I’m legit considering finally getting an audible membership. It is so hard for me to commit to spending that on me per month for books!!!! But I loooove them!

Teacher supplies- I mean, you desce your own pens, scissors, journal, notebook…

Hydration station- this is personal for me as I need a travel coffee tumble and a new water bottle. I’ve needed them for a while and have yet to invest in me for the two things I look forward to every day-coffee and water (most times in that order.)

So, the best gift to you is to invest in you and then make investing in you a habit. 

Until next time

An Apple for The Teacher

Hey Loves!

If you are new here, you should know I Stan a teacher, coach, leader, instructor, etc. I am team, “If you love and nurture my babies”, you get a token of appreciation.

You should also know that a themed gift and custom gift tag make my heart sing. They truly delight me.

So, all of my OG friends would not be shocked to know I did exactly that for all of the teachers/leaders, etc in our lives. Here’s how!

For context, I watch lots of manicure and pedicure videos for design inspiration and it occurred to me that people really don’t care for their appendages as they should. Not on my watch! Armed creativity and a mission, I grabbed some cute 5-piece pedicure sets. I also grabbed some apple cases from Target in the Bullseye Playground. I couldn’t resist grabbing notepads, pens and binder clips. Did I mention I also love practical gifts? 

Then, I went to work. Using my cricut, I was able to easily personalize them. I also used the cricut to cut some adorable cards. 

I grabbed some yarn and ribbon to attach the gift tag and add some flare.

Homeschool Parent Must-Haves

Hey Loves!

I get asked this a lot. I also sometimes feel like I am sometimes missing things to ensure I am prepared to educate my kids. Then I remember that God qualifies the called  and I have the must-haves. Also, if I run out they are a couple clicks away.

Here is what I always have on hand. 

Stationary: Call me snob but great pens of all colors, post-its, and note pads are essential for me. I take notes, highlight and mark pages. 

Planner/Organizer: I am what they call, “type A” and I like to see our days and rhythms all laid out. This year I opted to create my own personal and lesson planner. 

Network: Near or far, the support, encouragement and collective sharing of resources and ideas is critical. I can’t know all the things, I’m not supposed to. My network helps me and I help them. I honestly receive way more than I give. Our network breathes life into our homeschool.

Library Access: Friends, it is no secret I am addicted to books. I adore them. The library not only provides a multitude of audio and hard copy books but they have amazing programs and activities as well.


This list is just a start but these are the only way I make it year after year.

Homeschool Parent Self-Care Ideas

Hey Loves!

I recently returned from a much needed momcation which you can read all about here, here and here.

With that, I want to share some things I do and plan to do that will sustain me mentally, physically and emotionally until I can get away again. Listen, it isn’t easy being a parent doing most everything and when you add educator, curriculum director, researcher and administrator, it compounds monumentally. 

We all need breaks. There is no glory in masochistically running yourself into the ground. I’ve learned there needs to be very regular maintenance of myself to continue being what’s needed for my family. Here they are.

The Bare Essentials: Food and Water- It sounds crazy but you won’t believe how many days I have not fed myself and/or hydrated properly.  Sometimes I get so dehydrated, I get headaches. That’s not cute. To curb this, I keep filled cups and water bottles all around and keep cans of sparkling water handy. I will also prepare meals and snacks that are easy to assemble or grab to make sure eating is easy.

Endorphins: Look, exercise is a need mentally and emotionally, not just physically. The endorphins I get from a good ride or fitness class set up my day or days for absolute success.

Connection: I get it, we have separated from one another and had to take very real and necessary precautions to stay safe but isolating is not going to help us. Connect with others however you can! Date nights, GNOs, zoom chats, and checking in via zoom are weekly, sometimes daily for me.

Planning and Reflection: For me, being prepared and competent in our schedule, activities and lessons is soothing for my mind and my heart. It also eases my children’s anxiety knowing expectations and what is coming up. I also have comfort when bags are packed and items are prepped for whatever we are doing outside the home?

How are you practicing self care?.