What’s The Best Homeschool Planner for Working Moms?
When it comes to the best homeschool planner for working moms, ideally, you want one that includes pages for homeschool planning as well as home and work responsibilities.
This can be tough, especially when looking for the perfect planner that combines the two seamlessly. If you have more than three or four kids or run several businesses/sites as I do, it’s really hard to fit everything into one planner. So what is a working mom to do? Keep reading to find out that and more!
This post is part of my Help for Homeschool Mompreneurs Series of 10 posts full of
valuable resources and tips for working homeschool moms.
Why Use a Homeschool Planner
There are a number of reasons why I recommend a homeschool planner, but the most important is to help you stay organized.
When you’re simply homeschooling, that’s one thing. However, when you’re managing a full working homeschool mom’s schedule, you’ve just added the potential to be extra stressed and overwhelmed. Planners were put in place for that very reason… to minimize being unorganized.
Another reason you should consider using a homeschool planner is to help you become (and stay) consistent with educating your children.
I can’t tell you how many times my planner has helped me stay consistent with lesson plans. It’s easy to get off track, and maybe even a little lazy, but when you take the time to plan out your days, weeks, and months ahead, it becomes easier to follow through.
Last but not least, homeschool planners help you (and your children) be productive and meet your homeschooling goals.
This goes hand in hand with being consistent but takes it a step further. If you get into the habit of writing out your children’s lesson plans, things needed to make it happen, and so on, you’ll find yourself getting it all done.
Digital or Paper Planner?
Before the surge in our technologically advanced society, there wasn’t even such a thing as a digital planner beyond the calendar that came on cell phones.
Yet you can purchase digital planners that are compatible with most tablets and cell phones. You can customize almost every aspect of your digital planner to make it fit your unique needs and reuse the same templates over and over.
Paper planners are perfect for people who like to write things down. And this includes people who might live with ADHD.
I just so happen to be a paper planner user, and I love having something physical to refer to. Having something to decorate, doodle on, and carry around physically is also nice. However, I’m likely older than you (I’m in my mid-fifties) so I could be a bit old-school.
As for which option is best for you, you’ll have to decide which you prefer.
Some moms are techie people, so it works best if they can get a digital planner. Other moms are pen-and-paper people, so having a paper planner would best suit their needs.
What to Look for in a Homeschool Planner When You Work from Home
I use two different planners and have for years. One organizes our homeschool and one organizes my businesses.
I love The Well-Planned Day planner for our homeschool. In addition to my “mom” homeschool planner, I also get two copies of the student Well-Planned Day planner for my youngest daughters, now in the 4th and 7th grades.
My work planner has a master calendar that includes dates for both. It also has all of our family and household dates.
Perhaps you’d like to use two planners as well. Regardless of how you plan to go on your planner route, there are a few key things to look for in your homeschool planner.
A layout you love.
As a recovering planner addict, my first advice is do not settle.
Ensure your planner includes a layout you love and can easily work with. If you write big, consider getting a layout with tons of writing space. If you prefer a mix of lines, boxes, sections for dooling, adding sticky notes, etc., then look for those options.
Spreads that offer months at a glance.
With a month-at-a-glance spread, you can jot down everything for the upcoming month in one place.
This is also a great place to merge any important work-related appointments, tasks, and projects so you don’t overbook yourself (or your family).
Lesson planning pages are a must.
Even if you use a boxed curriculum that comes with done-for-you plans, you’ll enjoy having space to write down your lesson plans.
These don’t always have to be super detailed. It’s just nice having the space to write down supplies needed for a certain project, a field trip plan, or simply page numbers for quick reference in a book.
Homeschool specific forms.
Think about your children’s age, grade, and stage of homeschooling. If you have a high schooler, grade-keeping is probably at the top of your to-do list.
If you have a child approaching high school, then consider getting a four-year high school planner. Perhaps you need to keep up with attendance to comply with homeschooling laws. Look for these specific forms as you’re looking for the perfect homeschool planner.
5 Best Homeschool Planners for Working Moms
After reading why you need a homeschool planner and what to look for in one, I’m sure you’re wondering about some of your options. Below are five of the best homeschool planners I’ve found, especially for working moms:
- Erin Condren’s Happy Planner: can be customized to homeschool student planners or homeschool teacher planners, stickers, accessories and more to build your homeschool schedule, lesson plans and much more.
- Well-Planned Day Planner from the Well-Planned Gal: fully dated planner, beginning July 1 and running through June 30, with each weekly spread including space for the weekly menu plan, to-do list, and weekend activities right alongside your lesson planning.
- Homeschool Planet: an easy, flexible, full-featured online homeschool planner that doesn’t take hours to learn.
- A Simple Plan, Homeschool Planner by Mardel: Each 12-month dated planner features durable spiral coils, comprehensive covers with deep built-in pockets, labeled tab dividers and large spaces to write in. Plus, inspiring words and scripture!
- Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus 7-Step Curriculum Planner: a paper planner you design from cover to cover and everything in between.
In conclusion, the best homeschool planner for you, a working mom, will accommodate all the different facets of your schooling and working life.
Be sure to look into all the characteristics that planners offer and go with the one that best suits your needs. And remember, DON’T SETTLE!
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