Most states require you homeschool a total of 900 hours per year. I am not aware of any state requiring those hours being used in a certain time frame. Please always be sure to check your state laws concerning homeschooling before following advice or directions from an article or person. If your state does not require hours of school to be used in a particular time frame either by hours or months of year, then please do not feel confined to follow the traditional school year or school hours.
During my eight years of homeschooling my lifestyle has changed and a traditional school calendar was not always a good fit for my family. Currently with a husband on second shift our day does not begin at 8:00am with math or science but with “daddy time”. If school is conducted during the time my husband is home it is because he is teaching a subject or helping out with a project. Our day is in reverse of a traditional day as my husband is home in the mornings and working in the evenings. To adjust to this our school day is also flip flopped to accommodate having time as a family. When my husband’s day off was Monday and he worked Saturday we also had the same day on and off. We also adjust our vacation schedule to match my husband’s vacation schedule.
Another helpful tip is to plan your year as it fits your lifestyle. For instance, if December is particularly busy for you due to holidays, take the entire month off. Make up for those weeks by having a shorter summer or spring break. Maybe you don’t need an entire week or two off for Christmas but would like a longer spring break, Easter break, summer or need a long Memorial Day weekend. If you have an unpredictable lifestyle than plan your year but not all your vacations up front to accommodate last minute visits from grandma and grandpa or three day vacations.
This is your homeschool and it should reflect your family’s lifestyle. If you try to insert a schedule that places stress on your family you will end up frazzled and possibly not finishing your school year on a high note. Always remember that when unexpected events occur you have 12 months to work out your school year not the traditional 9 months. Relax and plan a year that suits your family’s needs to increase your ability to have a successful school year.
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The Case for Following a Traditional School Schedule