It’s back to school season and it’s definitely one like no other!

I mean I think it’s fair to say this is always a time where kids, moms, dads, everyone, feels a little anxious, excited, relieved, sad. This year those emotions are not only magnified but include so many questions, unknowns, and constant changes.

With things changing so often one thing was certain for us; we want as little disruption as possible for P’s schooling this year.

She’s going to four-year-old preschool and although it means that technically I do not have to send her at all, after seeing how much she benefited (mom & dad too), from being in preschool while two and three, this was the one year I really wanted to make sure she was able to experience.

Plus she LOVES it!

Her teachers, her school, her friends, the learning, activities… really everything about it.

Although as of today she will be going to school for her class we all know this year is full of unknowns and constant change. So we decided to plan and set up a little homeschool station just in case.

Plus like most kids, as they get older they become aware of more than we realize and she’s heard about homeschooling and somehow thinks it’s the coolest concept ever, so naturally, like any four year old with an imagination who loves pretend play, she wants to play school at home. Not only will we be ready in case overnight she can no longer go to school but maybe she’ll get the best of both worlds in the meantime.

So I thought I’d share our simple, little, homeschool space with all of you. We really only had a little space for it but I wanted it to feel special for her, while removing her from distractions, and making it work for all of us.

Although I hope these tips help you out, know that whatever you choose to do will be the right thing for you. Don’t feel pressured to create the perfect Pinterest classroom. After all, at this point in the year, I think we’re all feeling a little tired and just trying to do our best.

Keep it Simple

Or not.

It’s really up to you.

If you want to and can take your whole basement and turn it into a replica of the school they are used to, great! Go for it. And please share because we would all love the inspo. but without doing the work!

This little table and chair set has moved around our house a few times now and has landed in my office for our homeschool space. It will give me the chance to do some work while she works, at least that’s the plan for now. But it will also remove her from the distractions of the tv or little sis playing, though it looks like little p is going to want to join in on this fun.

We do not have a dining room and our kitchen is a busier part of our house so that eliminated the option of just keeping her at the kitchen table. It is not the biggest space but I added in a little art print for motivation and to help personalize it, plus maybe we’ll add a little more as time goes on. For now, it’s the perfect start.

Make School Supplies Work For You

It’s kind of nice if you do not need 28 dry erase markers right?

The caddies pictured above are my go-to for organizing supplies for activities, crafts, and now homeschool. They hold a lot, are portable, and the girls know they are their own. Fill them up with crayons, markers, colored pencils, scissors, glues sticks; all the main “go to’s” for school supplies. Let them decorate their own with stickers. Take them outside for an outdoor class on a nice day. It’s a simple easy way to keep supplies organized and easy to access. They will even hold paper and notebooks, they really are perfect!

Make It Fun, Make It Memorable

Take pictures. Allow them to help you create their space.

I know this year and so much that has come along with it has brought so many changes and with that comes adjustment and often stress.

We are making the impossible possible.

We are adjusting and adapting more than many of us have had to before.

All the while we are trying to be our best for our kids when a lot of days we are not quite sure how.

But this is also a time full of things that may never happen again. This might be the only time your kid’s homeschool. Imagine looking back ten, twenty years from now with them, and being like “oh yeah, we did that” and “we made it through that”.

So as crazy as it might sound or as hard as it might be some days; stop, take a deep breath, and soak in the moment because you are doing it. You are making it work, someway, somehow. And one day it will all be just another memory.

Next week I’ll be sharing our homeschool schedule (that we still do not need because she is going to school but she wants and might make things easier for us if things change like they have been this year…haha!). Sign up to be a pen pal and it’ll go straight to your inbox, then it’s one last thing you have to remember to come back and do.

See you soon!