The in-home schooling mentioned in this site’s articles are the foundation of a typical home education plan, but aren’t all that is needed in a child’s discipleship. Other important activities include weekly trips to the library, music lessons, daily music practice, chores, church activities such as choirs or AWANA-type programs, speech and debate, sports, drama, dance, and so on.
In the monthly lesson plans, each weekly schedule assumes you will have 2 or 3 other activities outside the home. You should adjust your daily lesson schedule accordingly. If an afternoon is full of music lessons and a church activity, that day should have a lighter lesson schedule that can be finished in the morning. Conversely, days spent at home can have a heavier lesson requirement that may take until late afternoon to complete.
Having children regularly assist with household chores is important and should be part of the daily schedule. Lesson plans should accomodate this. You should also allow ample, unstructured play time, especially for younger children. Older children should have time for hobbies such as sewing, gardening, or woodworking. If a child is “bored” and continually turning to the television or videogames, their lesson or chore requirements should be increased.
The goal is a balanced life with a variety of challenging, fruitful activities for the student. Our monthly lesson plans are only one component of this balance. We aim for about 4 hours a day, on average, of lessons. We’ve found this allows steady academic progress along with the development of other important skills and worthwhile interests. If your schedule is crowded and you are running constantly and away from home more that at home, you should drop some of your actvities. Remember your lifestyle is a powerful “teacher” to your children. Rushing in a frantic pace does not teach the proper balance essential to a healthy lifestyle.