Judy asked,

“How much time do homeschoolers spend actually doing academics? Those of us with kids in school feel almost like we have to keep them engaged for the same number of hours they would normally be in school. How much time should we spend on academics??”

Thanks for the question, Judy.

I understand that struggle and often wonder the same thing myself! 🙂

In this YouTube video, I share some thoughts to help you take a big sigh of relief about how much time your child is spending on academics. In the middle of the video, I do answer the question and share the general plan for our homeschool day, but more than that, I want you to hear this:

These are extraordinary times and all “should’s” are out the window.

Every day comes with its own challenges and opportunities. We’re all taking this one moment at a time. My best days are those that begin with prayer, asking God to guide me as I love and raise my kids.

The amount of time that your child spends on academics is up to you.

I don’t want to speak on behalf of your particular school’s expectations, but as far as homeschooling goes, every parent gets to decide how much time their child spends on academics. As long as we are meeting our state requirements, homeschoolers have the freedom to define “academics” and to map out a course of study that is most beneficial for their child. Every home is different. If you visited our homeschool, you’d probably say that we work on “academics” from 8:30 – 3:30 with an hour break for lunch and recess.

I encourage you to prioritize sleep and wellness.

One of the most important lessons we are learning is that we need rest, time, friendship, purpose, and grace. We’re learning how to care for ourselves which takes time, attention, and energy. We’re learning to care for one another. It takes time and energy to care for the people in our family, church, neighborhood, and world. Living this out is an education that no book or academic assignment could teach quite as well.

Consider the difference between a schedule vs. a rhythm .

Instead of logging time down to the minute, most homeschoolers keep a general “rhythm” to their day. For example, tackling “book work” between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., guides our day, but also gives us flexibility.

These resources will help you to plan a great day for you and your child:

I’ve written some posts to help you map out a plan for your days at home.

Check out these suggestions for how to plan each day’s lessons.

Here are suggestions for how to structure your day so that your kids are occupied all day.

And, here are sample schedules for each age-range .

If you’re new to homeschooling and would like more practical help like this, click here:

What are your questions?

Leave your question in the comment section or email me at [email protected].

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting helpful tips for new homeschoolers and I don’t want you to miss them! I’m not actively on social media, so email is the best way for me to let you know what’s happening at LauraBooz.com. I cherish your trust and I’ll work hard to respect your time and attention. 🙂