There are seasons in our homeschool. Some years it’s a project season. Other years it’s an unschooling season. Most years, it’s a little of both.
When you’ve homeschooled as long as I have, you start to see the patterns. Let’s chat about the seasons in our homeschool, and why I’ve stopped fighting them.
But first, you need to know this about me:
- I haven’t always homeschooled.
- I haven’t always scheduled six months of formal studies.
- Of course, I haven’t always radically unschooled.
- I haven’t always used Charlotte Mason principles.
- Nor have I held continuously to Susan Wise Bauer’s classical homeschool principles.
Before We Talk About Seasons in Our Homeschool, You Should Know This About Me
I have not ALWAYS done any of these things. But I have done ALL of them at different times.
Each one was its own season in our homeschool.
There are no remarkable changes from one grade to the next for each of my children. They are given additional responsibilities and challenges as they continue to inch towards adult independence.
The seasons in our homeschool have changed with the calendar, but they’ve also changed more often, less often, and sometimes without warning. It seems they’re always shifting.
The Seasons in Our Homeschool, One by One
The Deschooling Season
After a couple years traditionally homeschooling, we entered a season of deschooling.
We watched our kids learn and gradually shifted towards a more child-directed learning approach. Eventually, we gravitated to doing things our family’s way.
We could wear PJs all day, not wake the kids till after the bus drove past, plan extracurricular activities during weekdays, not plan a routine at all, not pay attention to what school kids were doing, follow our interests, and follow our kids’ natural learning opportunities.
The Radical Unschooling Season
Because I read books by John Taylor Gatto and John Holt, we entered the season of Radical Unschooling.
I want to occupy my children’s time in meaningful ways, but I can see that traditional subject exploration has its place, but unschooling principles help me recognize culture’s overemphasis on performance and production.
Because I don’t have to set time aside to do science, social studies, math, or language arts to learn many things from these subjects. Rather, we can go on a nature hunt, visit the local post office, weigh things in the grocer’s produce section, and write a letter to Grandma. We’ll learn languages as we travel and read them a bunch of second-language books.
There are so many ways to get learning opportunities and this season in our homeschool taught me to notice them.
The Charlotte Mason Season
I read a book from Charlotte Mason and decided that since we’re doing all that reading anyway, I would enter the season of Charlotte Mason schooling.
We would incorporate dictation and narration and a whole lot of nature study and drawing. Therefore, we would read living books, not textbooks, and mostly biographies. We read the Sonlight collection for American history and World history and Donna Ward’s selections for Canadian history. Of course, we read science books for science, found storybooks for geometry and novels to teach writing, and read children’s books for art.
The Classical Season
With all that reading and all this time to do whatever we pleased, we also incorporated a little Latin, Logic, and Languages.
There are some specific things I want my kids to know.
Nothing says a solid education than learning a little Greek, Latin, a romantic language or two, art history, and logic games. We might sit down and cover the basics of French phrases or practice declining Latin nouns, build licorice DNA strands, and memorize the states of the pre-Civil War Deep South. Then there were extracurriculars: piano practice, choirs, tennis, soccer, dance, gymnastics, theatre, and playdates can be fit in after the formal stuff.
The Burnout Season
Then right on cue, the season of burnout.
This season might not need to be explained, but for those not familiar with the rigors of a Classically Trained Education, a solid season of this education can include a desperate cry for help: “Stop the yellow bus and let my kids on!”
Alas, my kids aren’t out of their final phase of REM at ten to 8 each morning, so surely there is another way to tackle this season.
This is the season in our homeschool where I let go so I could recapture myself. I’ve been lost in the busyness of routine, children’s demands, and my own unrealistic expectations.
I need to allow my burned-out soul to regrow. I need to stop my own bus.
If this is your season right now, these posts may help:
- How to Create a Homeschool Routine That Works for You
- How to Create an Energizing Homeschool Morning Routine
- How to Take Care of the Homeschool Mama: Morning Journaling Routine
- A Practical Plan for Self-Care for Homeschool Mama So You Can Thrive
- The Truth About Finding Your Homeschool Rhythm
The Summer Break Season
Then summer break…
Schooled moms wonder what they’re gonna do with their brood for two full months of companionship. This homeschool mama decided that summer break is the season to sign up my kids to every camp available in a thirty-mile radius. Mom will take her stack of summer reads and sit by the pool.
My meditative mantra: ‘Summer Camp Summer Camp Summer Camp’ becomes my soothing reprieve…
Until…
The Fresh-Start Season
Next September, when I implement a new schedule, a new plan, and a new excitement about the upcoming year.
When asked how I’ll be approaching my next year, I’ll carefully and wisely answer: Eclectic. Eclectic, that catchall definition that means: whatever works for me this week, this year, this season of our homeschooled lives.
I’ll take a little of this and a little of that, watch how my kids interact with it, how I like it, or decide on the spur of the moment if we need to take a field trip day or don’t do anything at all.
Which Season Is Your Homeschool In Right Now?
Every homeschool has seasons. Naming yours is the first step to working with it instead of against it.
In a few minutes, you’ll discover what your homeschool needs most in this season, and where to start.
Ready to Reimagine Your Homeschool Season?
Whether you’re coming out of burnout, stuck in an eclectic muddle, or ready for a fresh start, you don’t have to figure out your next season alone.
Reimagine Your Homeschool Mini-Course
The Reimagine Your Homeschool Mini-Course walks you through reflecting on what’s working, letting go of what isn’t, and designing a homeschool that fits this season of your family’s life. [Join the mini-course →
Book a Free Aligned Homeschool Reset Session
If you’d rather talk it through, I’d love to meet you. The Aligned Homeschool Reset is a free, no-pressure conversation about what’s really going on beneath the overwhelm, and what your next season could look like. Book your free Aligned Homeschool Reset
People also ask:
- two seasons in our homeschool: formal studies and unschooling
- How do I capture my charmed homeschool?
- how to incorporate play into your homeschool day
- Do you offer one-on-one coaching? Why, yes I do!
- What does the classical homeschool method look like in a real homeschool?
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Originally published March 24, 2022. Revised October 9, 2026.
could you school my kids! Lol it’s only Oct and I’m in burnout… I guess I could look at it as I am ahead of schedule as usually I don’t have burnout till Feb! Haha thank you
Yep, you know you’re an overachiever when you’re burned out before February. Sure, Send them my way;) what would you say your season is?
Nice. It sounds like a logical progression bases on children’s ages growing into more rigorous and then of course like any circle in life circling back to the beginning. Makes sense to me. We take it just a day at a time for now and have no plans as to what’s to come next. The best part it sound like in your story is that you all passionately enjoyed the journey and did it TOGETHER!
Wow! From radical unschooling to classical? That’s quite a stretch! We are relaxed classical here, so no burn out (YET!)
Started out unschooling and ended up eclectic, which is exactly how you phrased it! It works for me because I’m a go-with-the-flow kind of mom.
Started 13 years ago with too much structure, eased up on that, then worked into convincing my three that learning was their responsibility – my eldest, a daughter was handling all her lessons and grading by 8th grade, the two boys took longer, pretty much by 10th, they could go it alone. The youngest graduated in May – officially retired from home education. Never regretted a moment, although it could be extremely challenging at times. Loved the flexibility.
Yes, my kiddos are pretty independent at gr. 7 & 9. My two younger less so. Super helpful my presence of mind…oh, and helping them learn how to learn. How many years have you been doing it?
Ahhh, I see you answered that already. 13 years, wow! What started you and what kept you going?
Well, in a tiny nutshell, what started it was my daughter, who was in the 4th grade, asked if we could homeschool. A couple of her close friends did and she was tired of the social drama in the public school. I did not want to homeschool – didn’t know the first thing about it. But, I agreed to prayerfully consider it. Within a few months, all three had issues with faith and learning in the govt (public) school scene which set us on the path of exploration. My husband was against it, but once I’d decided it was right, unbeknowst to anyone, I began fasting. Within 2 weeks, he agreed to give it a go and asked what needed to be done. Of course, I already had the letter of withdrawal written up and ready to send! In Missouri, that is the only requirement. We are truly blessed to live in a state which honors the parent’s choice of education without onerous regulations. What kept us going? Simply that we liked the fact that we could structure our time, curriculum, and learning styles around our family’s interests. We were committed. It was not easy, we had shouting fests some days and I’m not happy with that – i could have done better and been more patient, but all three have excelled academically, spiritually, and morally. My husband and I are blessed far more than we deserve. Shalom!
Thank you for sharing! That is so encouraging. Early on I thought this lifestyle/educational approach would be perfect. Umm nope. Expectation dashed as our humanity entered in. Hard work I signed up for. And huge reward we reap! (And way many more unhelpful reactive moments in our house too–but more time to learn to work through them;) it means a lot to me that you would share that.
thank you, i hope to be an encouragement – having the children with me was the best. We’ve been able to travel, sometimes a month at a time, to far away places (my husband stays home; he does not like to travel) Upon our return, people ask ‘wow! how do you spend so much time together with your children and not go crazy?’ Then, they stop themselves and remember “oh, yeah, you spend everyday, all day with your children.” They shake their heads in amazement. But, i don’t really think it’s a bid deal. What better people to spend the majority of your time with? But, you are spot on – it’s far from perfect, but i suspect it’s about as close as you can get.
what season am I in? trying to change a somewhat relaxed schooling way to a more … let’s do a few more things schooling. Finding our way yet… though we’ve been home educating since the start…
Good for you! I didn’t tap into homeschooling till our oldest was Gr. 2. How many years are you into it?
I love, love, love this post. It shows one of the greatest advantages of homeschooling–changing the program whenever and however you want! I love that about homeschooling. You do not have to consult the teacher, the principal, the district, the school board, the senator, the house representative, the U.S. President, David Coleman or anyone else, to make a change. You just do it!
I do not have a clue what season I am in. It really changes from day to day depending on my mood. Lol. Yesterday, the kids were just doing whatever they wanted most of the day, which included a multiplication computer game, a “Princess Bride” computer game, reading, trimming a bush (for fun), an “about me” poster for a church activity.
The second half of the day, I realized my son needed to memorize the Articles of Faith and complete his Faith in God for Boys (LDS Church program) requirements, so for the second half of the day, the other kids continued to do what they wanted. I told my son about the requirements which he needed to complete and he grudgingly (but not forced) at first, then enthusiastically, began memorizing each article of Faith and doing each of the other (very simple) requirements.
So that is one “day in the life,” but every day is different! I just go with the flow of my moods. The kids participate or don’t, when I plan things. They usually participate because they like the variety, which I am full of for sure.
I think I have ADD but have never been diagnosed. I use it as part of homeschool and my kids love the unpredictable life. I have been told many times while in the homeschool journey that kids need predictability and a schedule. I can see now that such a belief is a myth that is spread all over our culture and is not true. My kids have an unpredictable mom and an unpredictable homeschool. They love it and roll with it and they are happy and healthy. They are as well-educated as they are happy and healthy.
Crazy, eh?
Yes I am with you: total freedom to teach our children the way we choose. This assumes the parents are authorities in their homes, which they are and should be–not the government. It’s a great life to flow with the activities and interests that our children are curious about, and us too. How much I’ve learned over these past nine years. So thankful for the education I’ve had, and definitely the wonderful memories with my kiddos.