The BEST way to Sabotage your Homeschool Day

I work an early morning part-time job now, but before I had a job that woke me up before the roosters, my morning routine looked very different.

Back then, my homeschool mornings were leisurely. They started with Savannah Guthrie, a hot cup of coffee, and an unspoken rule: no one talked to me until that last sip was gone—preferably with my favorite partially hydrogenated creamer. Savannah and I were basically besties, and my kids knew better than to interrupt.

Ahhh. It was the good life.

That is… until I decided I wanted to start school at 9:00.

By that point, the kids had fully settled in. Someone was cozied up watching Wild Kratts, while someone else was deeply committed to a competitive round of “Who Can Annoy Their Sibling the Most.” Interrupting these very important activities with something as trivial as school did not go over well.

There were protests.

There were negotiations.

There was a lot of me repeating, “Yes, we are doing school today. Yes, even though it’s Tuesday.” For what felt like the 34,784th time.

Eventually, I realized something had to give.

So I made the hard choice. I broke up with Hoda Kotb. I either had to get up earlier… or learn how to drink my coffee on the go.

Enter the mourning period.

Why Your Homeschool Morning Routine Matters More Than You Think

Let’s be honest—homeschool mornings can be hard. Not “I forgot my coffee” hard, but everyone-needs-something-at-the-same-time-and-someone-is-already-crying hard. If your mornings feel chaotic, you’re not doing anything wrong—you’re homeschooling real kids in a real house. And if you already feel exhausted before the day even starts, that’s often a sign of homeschool burnout creeping in, not a lack of motivation or discipline. The truth is, the way we start our day affects everything that follows: attitudes, focus, cooperation, and how much momentum we’re able to build once school actually begins.

A rushed or scattered morning can make even simple lessons feel like an uphill battle, while a gentle, intentional start (even an imperfect one) can set the tone for a smoother day. That’s why having a workable homeschool routine—one that fits your family instead of fighting it—matters so much. And no, this doesn’t mean a strict schedule or waking up at dawn. There are realistic ways to start your homeschool days more peacefully, and I’ll share some simple ideas as we go.

1. Give them TV or Computer/gaming time before you start school.  Don’t worry I’m sure your grammar lesson will be just as enthralling as that Minecraft game.

2. Allow everyone to start school at their own times.

3. Stay up late the night before binge watching shows on Netflix. After all it’s the only “you” time you get.

4. Wing it. Planning is for the weak.  You know exactly what you are doing and where you are going. 

5. Check your email before you start the day.  You have an uncle in Nigeria that left you an inheritance. Congrats!

6. Deciding that you have to have EVERYTHING cleaned up before you begin school.  That tub isn’t going to scrub itself. 

7. Sleeping in.  Your kids are completely self-motivated, they barely need you anymore.  

8. Forgetting to spend time with Jesus before you begin.  Eh, who needs patience anyway.

9. Checking  all your social media sites right after you wake up. You have a few hours right?

10. Let your kids sleep in as late as they want. They are homeschooled after all.

How to Protect Your Homeschool Morning

Protecting your homeschool morning doesn’t require a 5 a.m. alarm, color-coded schedules, or a personality transplant. It starts with a few simple choices that guard your time and attention before the day gets away from you- especially when you’re trying to get back into a school routine after a break or a rough season.

Small shifts—like delaying screens, setting a loose start time everyone can expect, choosing one easy “starter” activity, and giving yourself a few quiet minutes before the kids need you—can make a surprising difference in behavior and focus. The goal isn’t a perfect morning; it’s momentum. When mornings feel calmer and more predictable, kids transition into learning more easily and parents feel less frazzled before breakfast. These aren’t rigid rules, just gentle guardrails that help your homeschool day begin with a little more peace and a lot more grace.