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Last year as I was thinking toward the future, planning, and preparing to be a mom of four, I was excited to be sending my two oldest off to school in the fall. It was the perfect plan; our oldest two would be in school and I would have our youngest two at home with me. Life would be in perfect balance.
Fast forward to now. Well, those dreams are just that, dreams. Instead, I am preparing to be a mom of four AND teaching my oldest two from home. I know I’m not the only one who feels like life’s balance has been thrown off kilter. It’s been a real struggle for so many of us.
Embracing the chaos has been my new motto, and honesty, having that mindset has helped tame my anxiety and stay focused on what really matters, the safety and happiness of my family.
As I was preparing to start the school year, I had been seeing so many moms share these amazing school rooms they had created in their homes. I wanted that too. But the reality is that our house can barely fit the 5 of us and we are adding a 6th real soon. There is absolutely no place for a whole room devoted to just school. So instead, I started planning how to successfully live and learn in our home.
I started by thinking about that space we do have. Most of the learning will be taking place at our dinning room table or kitchen island countertop. So I really tried to focus on that area.
We have a small corner across from our dinner room table with an easel for the kids already, so that’s where I started. I didn’t want to buy anything new, so I shopped out house for a small table or shelf to use as storage. Luckily, I had just rearranged our bedroom and one of our nightstands was no longer needed. That came downstairs and now is our virtual learning organization station.
I definitely recommend having an organization station to keep all of your school work and supplies on one place. For us, it’s and unused night stand with a basket and organization containers. I have also seen many homeschool moms use this amazing cart on wheels that you can hideaway when not using it.
What do I keep on my storage shelf?
I like to keep a folder for each kid with their worksheets, sight words, letter titles, and any other materials, including games in the basket on top of our shelf. That way I have everything I need for the week at my finger tips.
Additionally, each child has their own storage bin filled with notebooks, workbooks, dry erase board and magna board. All items that we use on a regular basis.
These are all items I already had at home, so shop your home first before you head over to Amazon and click checkout! Maybe you have an old magazine holder or an empty storage bin you can use. If all else fails, you can cut a cereal box to make a homemade book storage bin. A piece of laminated paper or a thicker page protector work well as a dry erase board. Try to be creative and not break the bank as you start setting up and gathering supplies! And don’t forget to checkout what the school provides. Many school districts are supplying students with essential learning tools.
As you can see, we don’t have a special learning table or desk area for the kids. They work right in the dinning room or on the floor. I think that’s ok! Older kids may want a special spot in their room, but preK-5th grade students especially should be working near an adult for help and also to monitor their progress and productivity.
Now, you may be wondering, where is everything else? All the pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, stickers, all of the stuff!!! Don’t worry we have that all too. I like to keep that all out of sight for a few reasons.
Since my kids are pretty young, I keep those items hidden away in a closet. Otherwise I fear that my walls would be colorful, my plants would have cut up leaves, and my floors would be covered in stickers.
On a more educational note, I also think having the school space be less cluttered is beneficial. It helps my children to stay focused on the task at had rather than all of the fun supplies that they may not be using at that very moment. Each morning, I take out only the supplies we will need for the day.
No matter how organized you may be, there will be days where virtual school will go off without a hitch. There will also be days that just don’t go… at all!
Give Yourself Grace!
Not everyday will be perfect. THAT’S OK!
Quick Tips for Success
- Get organized.
- Declutter the work space.
- Stop when your child feels frustrated. Take a small break and try again.
- Provide snacks during learning time.
- Allow for movement.
- Communicate with your child’s teacher on a regular basis.
Checkout these school related blog posts.
Virtual Learning; A Parent’s Guide to Success
Tips for Combating Summer Slide
As always, feel free to email me for specific questions snugglesandsnacks@gmail.com and follow me on Instagram to keep up to date on daily happenings and tips.
