The Perfect Homeschool Planner

It’s nearly the end of the school year, and my eyes wander wistfully from the calendar to the sunny sky to the calendar again. “It’s got to be over soon,” I sigh. Yep, I love homeschooling. But I also love sleeping in and laying in a pool and not homeschooling.

Why is it that when I want a break from homeschooling I tend to indulge in looking at homeschool materials? Is it a sickness, an obsession, an insanity? This week, I’ve been browsing teacher planners. And I’m drooling.

Now, to be honest, I didn’t use planners for years. Then I did. Then I didn’t. And right now, I’m in the “did” category. Planning my week helps me focus on what my younger children are struggling with and how I might tailor their lessons to their needs. It helps me see where we’ve come from and where we’re going. It gives me a chance to use stickers and color markers.

I’m using a planner right now that I really like. It’s big, it’s adaptable, it comes with lots of cool accessories, and it’s pink. What more could I want?

And yet.

I found a pretty planner online this week that I think I have to have. It’s not in stock yet for the next school year so I can’t look at it carefully. But I did find cool snap-in accessories and coordinating stickers so I’m in eager anticipation. It’s almost as bad as when my husband awaits a new superhero movie. I can’t wait to see the bonus extras and surprise washi-tape cameos.

So, in the meantime, I’m making a list of all the things a perfect planner should have. What does my homeschool day most need? What features would make a difference not only in my planning but also in my teaching and living and snacking? Here’s a few of the top items on my wish list:

1. Sticky notes. Snapped into the pages or stuck to one of the covers. I need to stick notes, and I don’t need to go looking for them. I need reminders for my mom-fog brain. I need to jot reading assignments for my son. I need to post appointments where everyone will ignore them. And I need them in color. Because pretty.

And there’s more things my planner needs. Several that I promise you didn’t think of. Find the whole list on the Homeschooling with Heart blog here.