Getting Ready for a New School Year

My morning devotional reminded me that the same God who made life from emptiness—light from darkness—is the One who still speaks order into chaos. He invites us to pause in the midst of the storm and look for the beauty within it. This week, I’ve been gently challenging myself to slow down and notice the beautiful blessings woven into my days. I spent part of the morning in the garden, letting my thoughts settle as I pulled weeds and watched the light stretch across the soil. Now I'm back inside, soaking in the Word of the Lord over a cup of coffee.

I’ve felt a little emotional lately as I plan the final details of our upcoming school year. We’re entering a new season—one I’m excited for, but also grieving a bit as we leave behind the early years of homeschooling. While sorting through our supplies, I noticed we no longer need the basket of picture books by the fireplace—we’ve moved on to chapter books. The little wooden tray that once held large beeswax crayons? Their fingers aren’t so little anymore.

As we enter our ninth year of homeschooling, we’ve moved from quiet afternoons of read-alouds and tea to a season filled with practice schedules, church, and friends. I pause here again, because while I feel the bittersweet tug of time, I am deeply grateful for all these years I’ve had to homeschool my girls. Motherhood may bring seasons of chaos, but it has been such a beautiful experience thus far.

This year, our homeschool will look a little different. My oldest is entering seventh grade—how are we already nearing the tipping point toward high school? I want to use these middle school years to prepare her well for higher education. Our local college offers dual enrollment starting in eleventh grade, which we plan to take advantage of. So this year, she’ll be taking a few classes outside our home. For the first time, I won’t be teaching her literature, but I think the experience will be great for her. She’ll also be taking Spanish and Chemistry at our local Christian homeschool center.

My youngest is entering fourth grade, and while her sister is in class, I’m looking forward to the one-on-one time I’ll have teaching her.

As I continue planning our school year, I wanted to share a free printable on my blog called the “School Planner.” When I first began homeschooling, I would write lessons out by the exact date. But I quickly realized how frustrating it was when we fell behind. That kind of rigid planning left no room for the best parts of homeschooling—like spontaneous field trips to dive deeper into something we’d been learning, or a surprise coffee date with friends.

So I shifted to writing a weekly rhythm for each of my children, and then created one final copy that combines both schedules. This year, I’ll include class times for my oldest and her practice schedule. For my youngest, I’ll note that we’ll be having class at a coffee shop while her sister is in another class. I will jot down reminders about which curriculums to order or review, days we’ll need to pack lunches, and even notes like “crockpot/quick meal” for busy evenings.

Creating a simple rhythm for school, life, and home helps me stay prepared and keeps our days running more smoothly and with less stress.

If you’d like me to share more about our “morning time” routine or our curriculum choices, let me know!