Having been a public school educator for over forty years and a mother of three, I certainly understand how frustrating it can be to work with your children on schooling at home. I personally was not very effective with my own children: one (at age 5) told me that I wasn't doing it right; one feigned helplessness; and one just plain resisted. So I get it! I have always marveled at those who successfully have homeschooled, knowing how much more cooperative my own were in a school setting than at home. However, with this new reality upon us, here are some suggestions: 1. Use a schedule. The one pictured here seems quite reasonable. Children will likely stick with something longer, when they can see the end in sight. 2. Intersperse harder things with more enjoyable ones: For instance, if writing is not a favorite thing to do, tell your child that he/she has fifteen minutes to write, and then, can play (an educational) computer game. 3. READ to your children EVERY DAY! Research has shown us that being read to is the single most positive impact on reading success. Even older children like being read to (don't you like audible?). If this is the only thing that happens in a day, know you have given the best learning opportunity there is! 4. Find joy in the small things. One great thing about not having to rush here and there with normal activities is that we have time to really look for the best in everything around us. It's always there when we take the time to actually look! 5. Welcome the opportunity to build family cohesiveness. The one greatest demise in our culture has been the fragility of family units. We now have a forced-opportunity to work on this. It is no accident that you have the children that you do. Pray into what gifts each of your children bring to the world. 6. Look for ways to be a blessing to others -- What a great opportunity to help this generation get out of the me-first attitude by helping others. It might be writing notes and drawing pictures for those in nursing homes who now have no visitors. It might be baking cookies for the neighbor. But allow your children the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. 7. Give yourself grace. Teaching children is not a recipe. If one lesson doesn't go well, it doesn't mean you can't do this. It just means a lesson didn't go well. That happens to the best of teachers. Great teachers reflect on those failures to make it better for the next time. I'm here if you need some more ideas!