Let the Planning Begin

Maybe it seems insane. Perhaps it is. With just 2/3 of the current school year done, I have already started to look ahead to next year. I do it every year. With the hanging of a new calendar, I start to quietly look through curriculum. I assess. I watch for recommendations. I look for new-to-us materials. The process is time consuming, but I don't mind. It's over six months until I have to really make a firm decision. I've got time.

Why I start planning for next year now...

No rushed decisions. Time is not my enemy when I start finding ideas, brainstorming, and planning for next year now.

No pressure. If I change my mind in a month or so, I still have time.

No get something good now - which means no compromising.

"All that glitters is not gold" is true with curriculum too. Fancy, shiny curriculum may not be the best choice for my family. Starting to investigate options now means I have time to really research and see if a curriculum choice is a good fit.

Waiting for sales. If I make decisions earlier, I can shop the inevitable sales, both new and used book sales which always happen in May and June.

Getting it free. If I know what we need for next year, then I may just be able to borrow it from a friend or even get it for free.

Keep priorities and goals in mind. There doesn't have to be impulse buying when I have time to look and come back for a second look.

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Though all of these are true, perhaps the greatest benefit is that I can remember why we homeschool. At dinner the other night, we asked our children why we homeschool. I expected them all to answer the same and correctly. After all, didn't they all know we were on this journey because it was the path laid before us by the Lord? Apparently they weren't informed. They all had different answers. My personal favorite, "because you don't want to pay for something you can do." Yep, folks, we homeschool because we are cheap economical.

Regardless of our reasoning, planning for next year reminds me why we homeschool, which helps me finish the current year strong, even while I day dream about possibilities for next year.