Why Homeschooling Is the Best: Peaceful Morning Routines

I absolutely don't miss the struggles and stresses I faced when I had to get my kids to school each day. That's why I think one of the greatest benefits of home education has to be peaceful mornings.

The morning often dictates how the rest of your day is going to pan out. So a positive start to the day can mean success, harmony, and, of course, learning. If you can ease into the day with gentle activities, rather than frantically rushing around, you can create a soothing learning environment for your kids and a less stressful day for you. 

1. Kids Start Off on the Right Foot

When our kids used to go to school, their mornings bordered on traumatic. We had to get them into class so early they barely had time to eat, let alone wake up properly or get dressed.

Going to school became a daily battle, with the effects felt for hours afterwards. My twins have special needs, so they need time to calibrate from one state to the next. It's not possible for them to jump from one activity to another without melting down or even shutting down. I think this is true, to some extent, for most kids. (And adults too!)

As you can imagine, the hectic of start to each day was not conducive to happy children or successful learning.

Now our homeschool morning time gives them enough breathing space to start off on the right foot.

A large part of our homeschool morning involves eating breakfast. Don't underestimate the power a decent breakfast has to set up a child for a good day. There may be many diet fads that recommend you don't eat breakfast. I may be guilty of following such trends at times, but my kids definitely need a solid breakfast.

They tend to eat very slowly, so a calm morning gives them the time to eat in peace before tackling the day. I'm also hoping that a leisurely breakfast will set them up to have a better relationship with food than I have. I still shudder when thinking about the sloppy oatmeal I had to wolf down before school as a kid.

2. Family Bonding While Learning

If you don’t have to rush like mad to get out of the door in the morning, then it’s possible to use the time to bond as a family and delight your kids with child-led learning at the same time. Rather than depositing the kids at school, where they might have to do dry busy work or learn boring facts by heart, you could try a morning basket, filled with books that interest them.

I love how you can add themed books for each season or holiday. And the morning basket can be extended to include any number of extra activities such as storytelling, pronunciation practice, grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension. In this way, you can seamlessly transition from your morning time into your school time, without your kids even noticing. And they can also acquire a lot of knowledge and skills in a way that is interesting to them.

There is a feeling of coziness and closeness when you start the day with a Read-Aloud or by talking about the day's goals. It's a time to be present and to be together. And this is another fantastic benefit of homeschool. You get to know your kids, spend time with them, and grow with them. 

3. Bye Bye, Morning Stress for Parents

And last, but definitely not least, homeschool mornings erase much of the morning stress for grown-ups. There is no need to

• pack lunches
• find and sign permission slips
• fight with kids who don't want to get out of bed
• hunt for school uniforms
• sit in traffic or carline

As parents, avoiding burnout is vital. We have so many plates spinning in the air. I know that for myself, I have had to be mindful of my mental health, and health in general, as a mother. So I have had to prioritize self-care.

Having a peaceful start to the day is actually a necessity, rather than a luxury. I am able to order my thoughts, get into the right frame of mind, and then give my kids what they need and deserve. 

If your morning routine is chaotic and stressful, and you feel there has to be a better way, then consider homeschooling. It really is wonderful to ease into the day by finding a routine that suits you and your family best. To learn more about getting started with homeschooling, request this free guide. And then I hope you decide to take the first steps towards ensuring a peaceful morning time for your family.

About the Author

Charlotte Jones is a multi-tasking mom who works from home. She spends her days blogging at My Little Home School, homeschooling her twins, and teaching English online.

Her home is a small house in a quaint little town on the coast of South Africa. You can often find her swimming in the lagoon or hiking in the forest with her husband, special needs twins, and furbaby.

She loves her family, spending time in nature, running, red lipstick, and drinking too much coffee.