Confessions of an ADD Homeschool Mom

I will be the first to admit. I am normally a bit unorganized. I have suffered from Attention Deficit Disorder since I was child. This can make it difficult to remain focused as a homeschooling parent; but a homeschool environment is still achievable. Luckily, my children are only preschool and kindergarten age, so it gives me time to find out what works for our family. Here are my confessions of an ADD homeschool mom.

Last year, I thought I could just use bits and pieces for teaching my kids. I ordered a math book and manipulatives, several anthologies of classic literature, and a set of workbooks. I planned to use books from the library to supplement for science and social studies. Shortly after our school year began, I realized that creating my own curriculum wasn’t going to work. I did not have anything to use as reference. This year, we decided to enroll our son in a virtual school as a way to keep me on track with lesson plans. I admit that the lesson plans are nice; but the pace and quality of the lessons are a bit daunting for a five year old. Next year, we will go with something that allows us to go at a more appropriate pace but with lesson plans.

As I said earlier, I am normally unorganized. When we began homeschooling a year ago, I had books and supplies stacked everywhere: on top of the fridge, in cabinets, and under the stairs. There was no method to it; this year, I decided to designate two cabinets for homeschooling supplies. I began labeling everything, even the cabinet shelves which I organized by subject. This put me in the frame of mind to work on a schedule, which is the most important part in keeping me on track. I started a binder in which I have three sections: schedules, materials, and objectives. All of these together give me an idea of the direction we should be going in. Of course, it is all adaptable to our needs.

Practicing these methods while the children are still young will help us establish a routine for school. By the time they are at higher grade levels, they will be able to find their own methods for organizing their schoolwork. But for now, I am more than happy to do all the planning.

Head Ant writes the blog Let’s Go on a Picnic! She is married to a wonderful man who shares her passion for homeschooling their two children. In her spare time, she wrangles their two cats, writes creatively, experiments in the kitchen, and reads a lot of books. She also likes picnics, even on rainy days. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.