Easy Ways To Finish Your Homeschool Year Strong!

Ahhh….the end of the school year! As homeschool moms we tend to look at this as the finish line of a race. But what if we changed our perspective a little bit? In this blog post, we’re looking at easy ways to finish your homeschool year strong, WITHOUT feeling like you’ve run a marathon!

Let’s Back It Up A Little bit….

Remember the beginning of the school year when you had all kinds of great ideas, and things you wanted to accomplish with your kiddos? Do you remember feeling motivated and excited for the coming school year? That feeling doesn’t have to disappear just because you’re approaching the end of your current school year!

I know, you’re probably rolling your eyes and thinking I’m about to give you a motivational speech about enjoying every day to the fullest, right? Well don’t worry, that’s not what I’m going to do. 

I’m a real homeschool mom just like you, and I know exactly how tiring the school days can be. I know what it’s like to reach the end of the year and feel like you’re crawling towards the finish line, gripping the ground and dragging your legs behind you. (Ok…that may be a bit exaggerated, but you know what I mean.)

What I want to tell you, is that it doesn’t have to feel that way! The end of the homeschool year can actually feel peaceful and you CAN feel good about what you’ve accomplished. Let’s talk about how!

>>Read Also: Our Fun And Relaxed Summer Homeschool Routine

Don’t Mimic Public School

Being in the homeschool community, you probably already know that public school is very different from homeschool. But so many homeschool moms still treat the last day of school like public school!

If you’re like us and don’t do year-round homeschooling, you will have an approximate “end” in mind before you officially kick off summer break! Perhaps you’ve chosen a specific date on the calendar as your last day, or you just know you want to be done around a certain time. 

As the end of the year approaches, try not to feel stressed if you haven’t completed everything in your homeschool curriculum. In public school, when a student finishes one grade they automatically move on to the next grade in the upcoming year whether they are ready to or not. That doesn’t have to be how it works for your homeschooling years!

If it’s time for everyone to have a break for the summer, but your child isn’t quite ready to move on to next year’s curriculum come the fall, don’t worry about it! Take your break, then pick up right where you left off. Once your child has mastered the concepts he or she is working on, introduce the new curriculum, 

It’s ok to go from grade level to grade level smack dab in the middle of a school year! The end of your homeschool year doesn’t mean your kids have to finish and master every little thing. It just means you’re taking a break, and will resume all schooling in the fall. Simple! 

Know Your Goals

Another way to finish your homeschool year strong, is to stay focused on the goals you and your children have. Homeschool families have the opportunity to spend extra time on any areas they want, or need to. Also, we are able to focus on specific goals with our kids and make plans to see them through. 

These goals don’t need to have a start and end date! They don’t disappear in June just because the school work gets put away for a while. 

For example, let’s say one of your kids is struggling with reading.  At the beginning of the school year, you set a goal to spend more time reading with your child. If the current year of homeschooling comes to an end and you feel like your child still needs a bit of extra help during the summer months, that’s ok! Stick to your original plan of spending time reading together, even in the summer. This doesn’t mean pulling out your entire language arts curriculum and going full force. Just take a rainy summer day and curl up together for 20 minutes while your child reads to you. 

Goals don’t need to be a slave to the calendar. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to have every goal accomplished by June. The start and finish of each new homeschool year can be more fluid. The best thing about homeschooling is the freedom it provides for meeting your kids where they’re at, and helping them learn at their own pace. 

If you’re needing a little extra encouragement with your homeschooling journey, check out this blog post by Durenda Wilson. It is sure to bless you!

Some Important Things To Remember

If you want to finish your homeschool year strong, here are a few great tips to keep in mind:

• Remember the big picture! Don’t become too micro focused on the little things and keep the big picture in mind. Your children are learning all the time, and all the hard work will be worth it in the end!
• Taking time to do some proper homeschool planning really helps remove some extra stress. Make it a point to hone in on your homeschool plans for the coming year so you feel less frazzled and more in control. Choosing the right curriculum is a huge part of this, but can be tricky sometimes. If you need a little help with that, check out my blog post on how to choose the best curriculum for your homeschool.
• Don’t inadvertently turn the end of your homeschool year into an idol. It’s not this massive thing that should take all of your energy and focus. It’s ok to put a bit of extra work into finishing something if you really want to, but don’t over do it JUST because the end of the year is approaching. The end of the year is NOT the “be all end all”. Do what you can, and resume in the fall.
• In my opinion, the month of June is best used as a wind down month. By this time, the whole family is ready for a break so it’s not the time to force too much “school time”. Assess where your kids are at, be sure to complete any paperwork required by your provincial or state laws, tie up your loose ends and enjoy the break!
• The most important thing to remember when it comes to finishing your homeschool year is your WHY. Why are you homeschooling? Has your why been leading you throughout this past homeschool year? Are you focusing on your why now? Let your why lead you and help you re-center yourself in your homeschool goals and priorities. It’s not about the history book or the unfinished art projects – it’s about your why. My why is the relationship between myself and my children, so that’s what I fall back on. Knowing your why and prioritizing it is one of the best ways to feel at peace as you finish your homeschool year. 

​You Can Do This!

Ok friends, I hope this has encouraged you! There is no reason you need to feel stress and pressure when it comes to finishing the homeschool year. I truly believe that homeschooling IS a better way, and the freedom it provides is so empowering. 

Lean into that freedom and enjoy a much deserved summer break with your family! Remember to cherish this time you get to spend with your kids and enjoy your summer with them. 

And remember, taking a few extra weeks for homeschool planning so that you are prepared for your following year will really build your confidence as a homeschool mom! 

You’ve got this mamma…..now go enjoy the summer with your kids! 

Blessings!

~Maryann