5 Ways to be Present in your Homeschool Day

Have you ever felt like the homeschool day was over and you missed something? Here are some tips to help us be more present in our homeschool day.

Have you ever felt like the homeschool day was over and you missed something? Like you spent the day running to and fro but never really connected?

One thing we have to realize is that even though we homeschool, we can still be absent from our children’s lives. This absentness comes in the form of distraction, busyness, and laziness.  It can happen to the best of us, and if we don’t watch it, we can miss out on some precious moments.

So, here are five ways to be more present in your homeschool day.

• Leave the phone in the other room-Out of sight and out of mind can make you less distracted and more focused on the task at hand.
• Keep school hours-Don’t answer the phone, the door, or make plans during a set time each day. We all know how easy it is to get sucked into a phone call, only to realize an hour has passed. Set hours for school and keep it!
• Make eye contact-Each and every time you speak to your children make a point to make eye contact. Take your eyes off the task you are doing and look at your child when speaking. This eye contact speaks volumes to a child!
• Take a snapshot-But not with a camera! Take a mental picture of what you are doing. Imagine your children sharing this moment with their children. What memories do you want them to have of your homeschool days?
• Make a choice-The best way to be present in your homeschool day is to CHOOSE to be there. Choose to be intentional with your time and energy. Too often we get sucked into social media, text messages, or our to-do list. Put down the outside distractions and make a choice to be present.

As my oldest enters into her middle school years I am realizing how quickly the time really does fly by. I am looking back at lost moments, lost lessons, and lost memories. I am realizing that just like many other moms I have been lost in distractions. Moving forward I am going to make the choice be more present. Will you join me?

Misty Bailey is a Christian wife and work at home homeschool, mom. She resides with her family in Southern Ohio.  She shares her struggles with time management, becoming unglued, homeschooling and finding joy in the everyday moments on her blog Joy in the Journey.  You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.