Hey homeschoolers! I am excited to be back with you after my month long vacation. I especially had a wonderful time meeting many of you at the great homeschool convention in St. Louis.
This week I am addressing a topic that I desperately need help with. That is, how to be a consistent homeschooler. As we consider the new homeschooling year, our thoughts inevitably turn to the days that follow those exciting back-to-school days. I'm going to share with you the tips that I'll be using to stay consistent this year.
Before we dive into that topic, however, I want to invite you to join me on the Psychowith6: Homeschool Sanity Facebook page on Friday, August 4 at 4 Eastern, 3 Central, 2 Mountain and 1 Pacific. I will be giving away five copies of The Organized Homeschool Life, the book that can not only help you be consistent but organize every aspect of your homeschool life in just 15 minutes a day. If you can't join me live for the flash giveaway, you can purchase the book for 50% off in honor of my 50th birthday, August 4th only.
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In thinking about consistency, I realized that it is highly related to personality. Those of you who have heard me speak about personality know that my typology of choice is that developed by Florence Littauer, author of Personality Plus. There are four basic personalities which can create combinations. But today I'm only going to review the four main personalities, so I can share tailor-made tips for helping you to become more consistent.
The solution to inconsistency for the popular sanguine personality lies in planning for a variety of fun activities throughout the school year.
To keep things exciting, you could even create a jar of fun ideas for your homeschool and choose one randomly. I created one for my family and you can steal it when you subscribe. Add your own ideas, too! Click the image below to download your copy.
Alternatively, you could ask your children to take turns planning fun days. Just do something to keep the homeschooling process exciting.
One of the best solutions for remaining consistent as a homeschooling mom who needs to have some control is to get regular feedback on what you're accomplishing. I did an interview with Deborah Bell about her Ultimate Homeschool Planner and how to plan your homeschool year that you will appreciate.
Another way to feel that you are more in control is to take a leadership position.
The Perfect Melancholy personality needs to adopt a new definition of consistency.
The other thing you can do as a Perfect Melancholy homeschooler is to communicate your needs to your family.
The Peaceful Phlegmatic homeschooler can be consistent this homeschool year by keeping the homeschooling routine and curriculum easy. What are some ways to make homeschooling easy? Listen to the podcast episode I did on how to homeschool in less time for ideas. If you need some recommendations for curriculum that is an alternative to what you have been using, please join our homeschooling support group– HomeschoolScopes.tv on Facebook. In that group you can ask any questions you have about curriculum and get an array of very helpful answers.
How to Achieve Homeschool Consistency Regardless of Personality
Now that I covered some basic tips for the various personality types, I have one major recommendation for you, regardless of your personality. That is to make your homeschooling a habit. Know that you can definitely be Spirit-led in your day-to-day homeschooling, but I believe the Lord would have us be consistent the majority of the time. Develop a morning routine, an afternoon routine, and an evening routine. I tell you how here and in The Organized Homeschool Life.
By following these steps, you can be a consistent homeschooler this year. I am very hopeful as I look forward to this upcoming homeschool year with these tips in mind.
