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Feeling unorganized


Mtngrace
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I feel like I am too unorganized to homeschool but I don't want to give up. I feel like as soon as I organize I can I organize so fast! I tend to be messy and kind of add type. I am just feeling overwhelmed. I want to get more organized and be a neater person but don't know how to stay that way. Can ADD unorganized moms homeschool?

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I am a very organized person by nature. In fact, I LOVE organizing. Does organization make our day flow a little more smoothly/quickly? Yes. But it is not my organizational skills that make me a good teacher.

 

Part of being organized is finding a *system* that works for you. But I most definitely think unorganized moms can homeschool and be successful.

Edited by MyLife
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:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

 

You may need to have someone help you set up external supports and routines for staying organized.  If you and a partner (DH, your mom, a sister, whomever) agreed to read a couple of books (ADD Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life and Smart but Scattered) and work through the things from those books you might be able to implement, it could help.  You will almost certainly need a partner to help you.  Once the systems are in place you may not need that person to help so much (or at all) but getting things in place can be hard without some external support initially.

 

Mainly, you need to set up supports that don't require you to remember independently from moment to moment what you need to be doing/focusing on.  For instance, I use a smart phone with about a zillion alarms on it.  So does my daughter.  It helps us to be ready and out the door on time.  I have warnings for getting ready to go that give us at least an hour, then warnings for getting closer to time and warnings for 5 minutes, then LEAVE RIGHT NOW.  It helps to have so many alarms.  It prevents us from getting distracted and being late.

 

For school stuff I use Homeschool Planet.  I took several days to enter all of our classes and to learn the system.  I had to be patient and commit to doing so but the system is pretty easy to learn.  Then once I had things set up I was able to make a master list of things each of us needs to do every day.  I check that list carefully the night before we need it, then I print it out so the next day we already have our list for the day.  Throughout the day we each check our paper lists frequently to make sure we are staying on track.  That list includes academics, house chores, activities or appointments outside the house, etc.  As we finish things I check them off from the paper list and so do the kids.  In the afternoon I take all of our lists and check them off on-line, then review what may need to be adjusted for the next day.  Every weekend I commit to taking a bit of time to review the next week's requirements so it is fresh in my mind.  Because everything is in the system it is easy to get the bigger picture, too, as well as keeping track of the daily stuff.  When I committed to doing the lists and updating daily and printing out every night we did much better with staying organized.  

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I have that one add book. My husband is critical of me and even ran me down to the kids the other day using me as the bad example because I have a messy car and pick at my fingers. I did confront him and he feels bad now. I told him to look at the huge plank in his own eye!! No one is perfect!!

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Absolutely you can still homeschool. You've just got to find what works for you - homeschool 'your' kids in the way that suits you and your kids - not in the same way that someone else does it, as idyllic as it may seem from the outside looking in. Your unique personality and skillset will bring something individual and wonderful to your homeschool that maybe a super organised person wouldn't.

 

So, super organization is not essential. A routine of some sort is good but there can be so much flexibly within a routine depending on how you want things to function.

 

Also, if you want to work on organization, my advice would be to choose just one small thing or aspect of your house or day or school that bugs you and start there. Just work on that one thing until you have it where you want it. Then choose another small thing. If you look at everything that you feel is disorganized then you'll panic, shut down and feel inadequate. Ask me how I know....

 

So take baby steps and just be YOU to your kids.

 

â¤ðŸ‘

Edited by LindaOz
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Something that helps me is making a list of what topics I want/need to teach and.then which currics I'm using for those. Then, all the junk and books and gear and anything that doesn't accomplish those goals and go with said currics goes to the basement or further away. ;)

 

Streamlines what I see and have to "deal with" in a day. Also, Homeschool Planet is easy to use and keeps the actual schoolwork schedule organized. Worth the $60/year for me.

 

ETA: I try to do this list and declutter per semester and especially yearly.

Edited by momacacia
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