It's the most magical time of year for homeschool moms. The smell of fresh notebooks, the of the laminator, and the thrill of brand new curriculum. It's like Christmas morning, but with lesson plans. And if you're anything like me, you're ready to dive in head first. Color coded chore charts, poetry tee times at the ready, and a perfectly planned schedule by day two.

Today's show is a conversation about how to start the school year feeling confident, calm, and connected with your kids, not overwhelmed, burnt out, and wondering why everything feels so hard by week two. In this episode, we're gonna cover three simple but powerful strategies to help you kick off your school year with intention and joy. Because I don't want you to risk turning your dream homeschool into a chaotic mess before you even get started. And, yes, even if your kids need structure, yes, even if you're bursting with excitement, And, yes, even if you're the type a mama like myself whose heart is already twitching. Let's talk about how to start your school year off right.

Before we get into this, hi. I'm Christy, author of Homeschool Rising, speaker and founder of Thrive Homeschool Community. Thrive Homeschool Community is a place I created because I saw so many of you guys out there homeschooling by trial and error. And it broke my heart because doom scrolling and internet searching is not an educational plan. So what do I do in there?

I help you build out a homeschool program for your family that is giving your kids the education they deserve. Enrollment for Thrive right now is open, but it will be closing soon. So hit that link in the bio if you want access to our proven system to set up all of your homeschool logistics, get access to world class experts both on live Zooms and in master classes, and save tons and tons of money. Yes. Money.

I've said this before, and I will say it again. This membership not only pays for itself in the headaches and the time it will save you, but it will also save you thousands of dollars on curriculum buying mistakes. Please don't homeschool by reinventing the wheel. You don't need to. We've made all the mistakes, so you don't have to, and we've taken the guesswork out of homeschooling.

So give us a shot, and we will transform you in ways that no Instagram influencer or coffee chat with a friend can because we're experts. I'll put a link in the show notes for you to check it out. Okay. Now let's get on with the show. We're covering three things today, so let's dive into the first right now, and that is expectation setting.

I know I know this part doesn't sound very fun, but please give me a hot minute for a sec here. I know no one's handing out gold stars for expectation setting. Well, I take that back. I will. Because here's the thing.

I want you to go into the school year realizing that things will not go as planned. And when this happens, I want you to know that it's not because you're failing or you're doing something wrong. It's because your kids are actually human, and so are you. I wish we were robots, but we're not. We gotta give our family time to let our summer brain defrost.

Setting realistic expectations now will save you from frustration later. So let's talk about how to do it in a way that will work for you and your family. Even if you're using the same curriculum as last year, it's expected to feel a little clunky at first. Your child forgot how to hold a pencil? Totally normal.

You forgot how to pronounce that ancient Mesopotamian word from that history read aloud? Join the club. When we start our homeschooling year, the goal isn't to have everything running at full speed by day three. The goal is to gently rebuild your rhythm. Because after a long break, everyone is a little rusty, including you.

And the point is for us to love this life. Right? So let's make sure we do. We know from child psychology and research that kids thrive on rhythm and predictability, not on overpacked days and parental panic. So if you are a mama, even if you're so excited, maybe you're kinda new at this and you have really high expectations for your first day of school or your first week of school, please don't expect perfection right out of the gate.

Take it from this imperfect mom here. I have set myself up for failure. I have had panic attacks on the first day of school more times than I like to admit. Please don't set yourself up for frustration. Think about how long something might take.

Expect that someone will cry in week two, and that person might be you. Give yourself margin. Build in that buffer time. Like I said earlier, double how long you think it will take to do a certain task. If you think it'll take you three weeks to ease into full school days, double it and give yourself six, and then add a snack.

Because the real win is when you start slow and keep your expectations realistic, your homeschool year becomes something that's sustainable. You're not sprinting. You're pacing for a marathon, and your future self around October will want to high five you for not losing your ever loving mind trying to do all of the subjects in the first week. And let me tell you, there's a reason why in the winter, we have these burnout refresh homeschool conferences. So set realistic expectations like limbo low expectations, and anything you accomplish beyond that will then be a victory.

The goal is to still want to be homeschooling on week six. Okay. So now that we've talked about how to give yourself and your kids some room to breathe, let's talk about how to build your school year without piling on everything at once. Because nothing says a bad idea like launching seven subjects before Labor Day, and we'll get into that right after this word from our sponsors. As a homeschool mom who values a family together approach and leans towards the classical and Charlotte Mason styles, I often struggle to bring my educational vision to life with my kids' diverse ages and learning needs.

With all our interests and super packed schedule, bridging that gap between the dreamy homeschool I want and reality, I gotta be honest. It's a challenge. Now, yes, I know perfection isn't the goal. But if you're listening and could use a little easing of your mental load in your day to day, I found a resource that has become the quiet hero of our routine and it could be a really great option for you too. BJU Press homeschool curriculum.

Now many think that BJU Press homeschool is solely an all in one option, and though it does excel in that role, did you know you can also opt for specific courses and tailor them to fit your family's needs just as I have? BJU Press Homeschool provides the perfect balance of structure and flexibility and easily complements my family's mixed age family together on the couch learning style. They are second to none in integrating a biblical worldview, stimulating critical thinking, and offering tons of hands on activities in the lessons. To find out how BJU Press Homeschool can come alongside you in your homeschooling goals too. Visit bjupresshomeschool.com or click the link in the show notes.

Think homeschooling means doing it all yourself? Let me stop you right there. If you're looking for a partner you can trust, one I trust with my own kids, check out True North Homeschool Academy. They're Cognia accredited and offer live online classes and flexible self paced options for grades six through 12. Your teen can pursue a dual degree track or a tech and trades diploma all with teachers who share your family values.

Small classes, college ready rigor, real world skills, and it all fits your schedule in a faith friendly environment. Ready to learn more? Head to truenorthhomeschool.academy or click the link in the show notes to explore courses and get started today. So here's the deal. Just because your curriculum has a 180 lessons doesn't mean that you need to look at those 180 lessons and plan backwards and put your kids on a militant schedule for the school year so that you complete all 180 of those lessons by the end of the school year.

That's how people end up curled in fetal position whispering, I regret everything by September. And it's also how to make your kids hate learning. Look. I used to write curriculum, and the worst thing you can do when you are writing curriculum is to underwrite curriculum. In fact, the best curriculum is overwritten.

Right? You don't want a curriculum to not be enough and then have a homeschool mom googling at night trying to add to what you've written that she's paid for. Right? Also, curriculum writers need to write for all different kids' abilities. So please take those lessons by a grain of salt.

Let me tell you something that I did last year. We are in a pretty rigorous writing program, and we were losing steam by the end of the year. And what I did is I looked at the table of contents, and I looked at the last five weeks in that curriculum. I looked if there was anything really important that we needed to cover that we hadn't covered previously. The answer was no.

And I looked at my twins and I said, guess what? We're done. Great job, girls. You did fantastic. Remember, the curriculum is not our master.

The curriculum is our tool. And if your kids are progressing and learning and growing, that is the goal. And that means you're doing a great job. I like to use the analogy of thinking about our homeschools like we're building a house. Right?

We don't start with the wallpaper, and we don't start with the furnishings. We start with the foundation. And in homeschooling, when we're starting our school year, that means slowly layering in our subjects instead of dumping all the subjects on our kids all at once like some chaotic potluck. So here's some tangible ideas that you can do, and then I'm gonna tell you how I'm starting my school year in a couple of days here. Number one, something you can consider is just starting with your core.

Maybe just reading and math the first week, and that's it. Master the rhythm of those. Then maybe in week two or maybe in week three, you can add in science or history. Week four or five is when you can add in some electives like arts, writing, or something fancy if you feel bold and caffeinated. There is a fancy word for this slow build, and it's called scaffolding.

And it's not just a cute metaphor. It's an actual teaching strategy rooted in educational psychology. And the idea is simple. It gives your kids time to adjust to new routines and new concepts while also giving your brain time to remember where you hid the pencil sharpener. Research shows that kids thrive when they feel a sense of control and competence.

These two feelings are like the secret sauce for motivation and learning. But when you toss your kids into a full subject load on day one with zero warm up, you kinda short circuit those feelings, and that's when you get resistance, frustration, and tears. So starting slow isn't just about easing into your routines. It's about giving your kids the space that they need to feel capable and in control. And something you can do is talk to your kids, tell them this plan, like, over the next five to six weeks, and then after a couple of days, you can ask them if they think they're ready to add in a new subject.

It's so good to involve our children in the conversations about their own education. So easing into the school year and layering in your subjects, it really helps your kids feel more confident. It helps awaken all those motor skills and those thinking skills and helps all of you settle into a really solid rhythm. And let's be honest, this approach isn't just for them. It's for you too.

Starting slow gives you time to adjust. It gives you time to troubleshoot, to rework the schedule, and find your groove without feeling like you're drowning in lesson plans. It gives you time to figure out if your math program is still gonna make sense, if your toddler will be able to cooperate this year during read alouds, if you gotta figure out another plan. And let's be honest, if your coffee pot can be legally classified as life support. And the answer is yes.

You should see how strong I make my pour over. Oh, man. Rocket fuel. It can't be healthy. Do we need an intervention?

Okay. Remember, you are not falling behind. You're laying a solid foundation. Starting everything all at once is like trying to train for a marathon by running 26 miles on the very first day. No.

Thank you. You want to still be upright this fall. So instead of just jumping right into everything and then just seeing what causes a meltdown, try scaffolding. It's not slacking. It's strategic.

And it's not soft. It's smart. Right? We don't wanna do things like the system. That's why we don't have our kids there.

And it's how you build a homeschool year that actually lasts longer than a pack of sidewalk chalk. Seriously, though, how do we run out of sidewalk chalk so fast? I think I'm on my fifth pack this summer. Hey. It's way cheaper than a summer camp.

And if you're still sitting here thinking, okay, Christy, this all sounds great, but how do I even figure out what I'm gonna do this year? Christy, I don't even have curriculum picked out. I get it. Planning a homeschool year is really overwhelming. That's exactly why I created the eight module fail safe homeschool setup only available in Thrive Homeschool Community.

It's a $350 value that you get instantly when you join the membership. And not only do you get instant access to that, but you get instant access to my eight step homeschool success framework because not only do I wanna teach you how to homeschool, but I also wanna deschool you and get you loving this life and for you to know your why because that's gonna get you through the hard days. And I often say Thrive Homeschool Community covers everything you need to know to build a successful homeschool. It literally does. It puts you on a path so you don't have to homeschool anymore with guesswork or trial and error or doom scrolling on the Internet.

We are experts. We give you a path, and we make sure your homeschool is successful because we care about you and we care about your kids. But listen. If Thrive feels too big of a step right now, that's totally okay too. We don't need to get married on the first date, especially if this is your first time listening to me.

Totally okay. If you're still kinda dipping your toes in the idea of homeschooling, I have tons of freebies for you on my website. I have a how to homeschool guide. I have a five minute homeschool style finder. I even have sample homeschooling schedules so you can get an idea of what your day will look like.

All that is free, and it's on my website. No pressure, just options. And keep listening to this show too. Alright. Now let's shift gears and talk about our last item of business, something just as important as your curriculum and your schedule.

And I've saved the best for last, and this is the secret sauce to how cool homeschooling can be, and I can't wait to talk about it right after the break. Before we continue, I wanna share with you a program that's been a game changer for our homeschool. At our center, we instructed and helped kids through pretty much every math program on the market and know firsthand just how important a solid math foundation is for our kids' futures. As a career educator with high standards, finding the right program that checked all the boxes felt like too tall of an order until one day I tried CTC Math. CTC Math is an online math curriculum for k to 12 students with motivating interactive lessons that allow kids to learn at their own pace.

It does all the teaching and grading so you don't have to and their adaptive lessons adjust so your child is progressing confidently. With CTC Math, your child is getting a top notch education and you just made your homeschool life easier. Visit ctcmath.com to start your free trial today or click the link in the show notes. I've got some news. There's a new reading curriculum that ditches workbooks and drills for fun and games.

If you're thinking fun and games sounds a little too good to be true, it's not. Ninety eight percent of children improved their reading test scores in just six weeks with the reading skill set by Love Every. It's a phonics based program that follows a science of reading, but makes learning to read fun, motivating, and confidence boosting because it happens by playing games and then practicing with just right skill level books. Kids love it and parent educators love it, and it works. Visit lovevery.com/christyfaith today and use code Christy 10 to get 10% off your purchase of the reading skill set by Lovevery.

That's lovevery.com/christyfaith. Look. Several years back, I didn't want my kids to dread the first day of school. I wanted them to be excited about it because this homeschooling life is pretty amazing. And I thought, well, I could start the school year with a dry workbook and some grumpy children, or I could kick things off with cinnamon rolls, silly signs, and a totally unnecessary but emotionally vital trip to get ice cream on the first day of school, of course.

That's a lot of sugar on the first day. Now, no, we don't do that much sugar on the first day. We always do one thing of sugar on the first day too, but let me tell you what we're doing this year. Our first day of school is coming up next week, and we are waking up. We're gonna dabble in our math.

We're gonna make some school supply lists so that the kids feel honored, and they tell me what they want for this school year in terms of school supplies. We're gonna take some cute pictures. Every August in Thrive Homeschool Community, we make a brand new set of back to school signs so you can take adorable pictures with your family. And then guess what we're doing? We're going to a water park.

Oh, yeah. We are. Do you know how excited my kids are right now for their first day of school? I'm excited for the first day of school. Now it doesn't have to be big and elaborate.

I've had years where it was just one subject, back to school pictures, and then a trip to seize candy. I've done something that simple, but the point is please make sure it's not a full school day. Please make sure you have fun. Please take those adorable pictures of your cutie pies. Bonus points if you tag me on social media.

Oh my goodness. I love seeing those. And have a blast. Maybe have conversations with your kids about what they wanna accomplish this year, the things that they wanna learn, activities that they wanna be involved in. Dream a little bit with your kids.

I have been homeschooling a very long time, and I coach hundreds of women in Thrive Homeschool Community. Please have fun for the first several weeks of school. Get in your rhythm, get organized, get your schedule set, and have a good time. Maybe it's special pancakes when they wake up or a back to school breakfast bash with everyone's favorite cereal. Maybe it's letting your kids wear funny hats to class, taking ridiculous first day silly photos.

It really doesn't matter. In fact, I'd love to hear your ideas of the crazy things and the fun things that you do on the first day of school to make it special for your Whatever it is though, the goal is simple. Make it magical. Make it feel like something worth remembering. Make it so the kids call the grandparents and say, guess what I did on my first day of school?

My kids have been telling everybody in the neighborhood that on their first day of school, they're going to a water park. Talk about a flex. I think we can all agree that intentionally building connection and joy into our routines will more than likely help us avoid burnout and stay the course for the long term. Magical memories and bonding moments matter just as much as lesson plans. Our kids grow up so fast.

I want each and every one of your kids to look back on their childhoods and feel like it was magical. And that doesn't mean sacrificing rigorous learning. It just means taking a hot minute to stop and say, hey. How can I really enjoy this life? Because it really is neat and fun.

Are we sacrificing their education for this? Absolutely not. I'm an academically rigorous homeschooler myself. You know what? I still wanna have some fun.

I want my kids to love their childhood. Also, brain science says that positive emotional experiences increase memory retention. So basically, that means that ice cream equals academic success. Now, don't quote me on that, but also maybe you should. And here's the secret.

Those simple rituals and routines and the sparkle that you add, they don't just make your kids feel seen and excited. They remind you why you chose this life in the first place. I don't want you to be that frazzled homeschool mom just trying to figure out curriculum and stressing all the time. I want you to build a life together. I want your kids to have a magical childhood and a great education, and it is possible.

So don't hesitate for one second to add a little bit of intentional sparkle to your days. Okay. So to recap our survival guide for starting your homeschool year off right. Number one, set your expectations low, and I'm talking really low. That way, you'll be pleasantly surprised when things go well.

Number two, scaffold your subjects like a wise builder, not a demolition crew. If you treat homeschooling like a race, you're gonna burn out. Isn't there a famous parable on this? Right? The tortoise and the hare?

It definitely applies to beginning your homeschool year. And most importantly, number three, make the first week special because those memories are the glue that hold it all together. In fact, this is so important that when I go to conferences and I teach my homeschool one zero one class, one of the things I tell those brand new moms is please whatever you do, if you hear nothing else, do one fun thing a week. And I do that because I know they're stressing out so much, but I want them to love this life. Homeschooling isn't a sprint or a race to the finish line.

It's a marathon of patience, laughter, and sometimes a really good cry in the pantry. And the best way to win is to pace yourself, keep it fun, and remember why you started this wild adventure in the first place. And, hey, really important, a quick favor before you go. If this episode made you laugh, think, or even just nod along while folding your laundry, would you mind hitting like and subscribe? I love delivering you guys amazing content every single week.

And those little clicks, they're not just virtual high fives to me. They tell those little robots behind the algorithm to push this show out to more moms like you. It is a free way that you can help other moms take the leap into their homeschooling journey, remain steadfast if they already are homeschooling, and revitalize their purpose. It only takes thirty seconds for you to engage in the show on whatever platform you're on, whether it's making a quick comment, hitting that like or subscribe, the heart button, whatever it is, I would very much appreciate it. And, hey, if you have a favorite first day tradition, I wanna hear about it.

I'm always looking for fresh ideas for my own homeschool. Drop those traditions in the comments and send me a message. Thanks for joining me today. Here's to a homeschool that's fun, flexible, and totally manageable. You can do this, and you can make it fantastic.

I'll see you next time.