The "Homeschooling Success Sandwich"

Have you ever had a “homeschooling sandwich?” While it’s not as delicious as a PB and jelly, a gourmet pesto and chicken paninni, or a veggie sub with hot peppers, it’s what can make a homeschooling schedule more palatable. Seriously! That’s why it’s awesome you’re here.

Ever encounter a parenting day when you lose your patience, humour, and perspective—all of ‘em—maybe before breakfast? Me too. It could be a variety of things that set you off. Sometimes your child’ll get mad, will wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or really NOT like their teacher (and BTW that pretty lady is you). Humbling… right?

But, have you ever lost your patience and then felt heaps of mom-guilt later on? Yup, it doesn’t tickle, does it?

This is the beauty of a homeschooling sandwich.

Basically, it curbs the mom-guilt that comes from being impatient, snippy, nagging, or even yelling. You see, I’ve found that if I mindfully start our day off right AND then end our day right the stuff in between sorts itself out. Even if the middle of our homeschooling day’s messy, totally challenging, if we start on a high and end on a high… well, it’s still a worthwhile day.

Get it?

It’s kinda like making a sandwich with the best bread you can imagine, fresh and hot right out of the oven. When the bread’s THAT good… the filling is simply bonus and, no matter what, satisfies everyone.

Now before we go, let me also give you another homeschooling tip that’ll support making the middle part of your “homeschooling sandwich” that much more satisfying.

I invite you to use a circular schedule. Some homeschoolers call it a “looping schedule.” This means listing your subjects, but not scheduling specific times for each one. Instead, start with the first and work down your list, circling back to the first, but only once you complete the last. This helps curb over scheduling, decreases the homeschooling mom pressure and helps ensure there’s some navel-gazing time, too.

Some moms find that inserting a daily short session of math (or the subject their child most needs help with) is useful, but I’ve found that the most successful homeschooling moms are the ones who use also include some healthy flexibility. Using home learner parenting tips, like as a looping schedule can keep the days balanced and at a healthy pace of learning.

So how can you create your own customized “homeschooling sandwich?” How can you start and end your homeschooling day on a high? What would rock it for you? Family meditation, a bike ride, cuddling in bed with a good book, afternoon tea, a sit-down yummy meal together, or a hot bubble bath?

By the way, if you really wanna have fun with this, consider celebrating your “Homeschooling Sandwich” commitment by eating your kid’s favourite sandwiches at breakfast, lunch, or dinner—or all of them—to celebrate the day you start.

So whaddya think about the idea of a homeschooling sandwich? Would it work for you and yours? Do you already use parts of this, or all of it? I’d love to know. Also, if you have a mom friend who’d appreciate some positive homeschooling parenting tips, do her a favour and share this now.

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