5 Tips for a Peaceful Start to the Homeschool Day {with a video}

The first ten minutes of a homeschool morning really can set the course for the rest of the day. Chances are, if you stumble out of the gate in sluggish lethargy instead of launching out with purpose and a plan, you are dooming your day before it has even begun.

You don't have to stand idly by and watch as all your well-laid plans get derailed. You don't have to end the day in frustration or with feelings of failure. 

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By creating a peaceful start to each homeschool day and beginning with the things that REALLY MATTER, you can stand prepared for all the rest knowing that your day has been pointed in the right direction. (But, of course, this holds true for every area of your life, not just homeschooling. I've been reading quite a bit about starting the day out right in THIS BOOK.  But, I digress...)

Here are my top 5 tips for a PEACEFUL start to the homeschool day. 

Show notes and links:

1.  How I Start My Homeschool Day on the Right Foot 

2.  Good Morning Board

In years past, I inserted one more item on our Good Morning Board. At the very end of the list, I used to have "watch one or two shows on Netflix". We don't have a television hooked up, but Netflix was a great GO-TO motivator during the years that I had a nursing baby or toddler. It allowed me to have a few quiet moments with the baby, read my Bible, or take a shower in peace. But, since my youngest is three now and can feed and dress himself, I no longer need that 30-minute babysitter. I can enjoy my own Bible study time and get dressed with sanity while my kids are doing their BIG FIVE.

I mention this because I hope it will be an encouragement to other mommas of Lots-of-Littles. While I'm not a big fan of screen time, I'm always a huuuuuge fan of momma sanity savers. During certain seasons of homeschooling, their morning date with Curious George or Reading Rainbow was a lifeline for me. No guilt!

3.  Our Start-the-Day-Together-Basket

Morning time is for purposeful reading and recitation and relationships.

4.  Our Call-to-Worship song

"10,000 Reasons" by Matt Redman
For more thoughts on morning time, I'd highly recommend the Your Morning Basket podcast hosted by Pam Barnhill of Ed Snapshots.

5.  Silent Reading

While I play our call-to-worship song, my children know to grab their current just-for-fun book on their way to the living room. After morning time, I set a timer and we all spread out to read for 15 minutes. Even my three-year-old knows to grab a few pictures from our library crate. When the timer goes off, we each read a bit more until we can get to a natural stopping place in the story, put our books away, and head off in our own directions to face the rest of the homeschool day. Everyone reads during this time, including ME! It's been a great way for me to get in a few moments of personal reading time and an outlet with which to show my kids a clear example of what a life-long reading habit looks like.