Hello Reader,

It's been a busy week around here, and sometimes that means there are things left undone. Try not to be discouraged when this happens. Life is unpredictable. We can't plan for sickness or injuries during the course of lesson planning. We can't predict the emergency maintenance on the car, or the family member who needs help.

Planning is very helpful for establishing a direction, and for identifying progress towards goals, but it's important to recognize that it isn't "failure" to have things left undone at the end of the week. Sometimes those things just need to be added to the next week and schedules adjusted.
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There are also a lot of "successes" that don't show up in a planner- making a meal for a family in need, taking the time to talk with an emotionally anguished child, saving money on insurance because of a little extra research. So, in your day to day, don't get so bogged down by the "undones" that you fail to notice the triumphs, as well. Homeschooling, and intentional parenting, are demanding in every possible way. Not everyone can do it. It is absolutely worth it, but one has to go into it recognizing that it never goes according to plan.
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I recently got this planner for myself, and I love it because it not only has weekly and monthly views for each month, but lots of places to write notes in the margins or on pages throughout. I encourage you to fill your notes and margins with examples of the unexpected things that came up throughout the week so you can look back and remember the reasons why you didn't finish everything you'd hoped to, and the triumphs you had that don't usually get written down.
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If you use your planner this way, it can become a sort of journal for you, as well, documenting the events of the year and everything you accomplished or overcame. I also like using different colored pens as I'm writing in my planner. It makes it seem less tedious to have bright colors throughout. These are some great ones.
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Understand, that a planner shouldn't be something-else-that-you-have-to-do, but a tool to use to help you move forward and to remind you of the small victories you experience along the way. This way, you are more motivated to continue on, even on the hard days.
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All that said, here are some additional resources that can help you navigate your homeschool journey:
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​Recommended books on homeschooling (the first one comes free as a welcome gift when you join our community, or you can buy it here.)
​Online homeschool program options
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In addition to:
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​Tips for juggling multiple grades at once, and
​Practical self-care ideas for homeschool moms​
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Because, at the end of the day, we are important, too. And, in many ways, we are the "glue" that holds our families together, which means the worst thing we can do is allow ourselves to get burned out.
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Give yourself permission to rest when needed, even at the expense of unchecked items on your planner. Life will go on without those checkmarks, but it will struggle much more without you.
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Have a restful weekend!
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Kristy Crandall
COO Little Lions Learn
(480) 382-1488
​www.littlelionslearn.com​
kristycrandall@littlelionslearn.com

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