As a homeschooling mom, when I first started, I thought I needed the perfect set up. They needed a little space they knew was for school and that work could get done simply, messily (they were 5 and 3), and then be quickly picked up and we could move on. *Wishful thinking* I worked for weeks on painting their play room and setting everything up just so. I had everything I thought I would need including a smaller table and chairs set that was easy for them to sit at. I had a cute bookshelf I had redone and a rug for a reading nook. I had space for art work to go and everything was set up so cute.

Within weeks it deteriorated into chaos. There was stuff everywhere, we rarely used it, the toys in the playroom were a huge distraction for them and I found it easier to sit on the floor and work with Monkey on reading and math. Plus, we also (after time) realized there were some major allergies to the carpet in this room and so they actually NEVER went in it because they would start coughing and wheezing every time they did. (That has since been fixed and now they are actually about to move into this room as their bedroom)

But as I said chaos still reigned so I was still trying to find a solution. I “needed” a school room. I felt like I wasn’t really doing this if I didn’t have a room. So I tried again in a different area that was more accessible to us and them and I actually used this space for 2 years in various set ups.

This space worked so well for us that from about halfway through Monkey’s Kinder year through his 3rd grade year, this is where we were. The stuff changed as they learned about new stuff and toys were added, furniture moved. But overall this was our “School Room”.

However these days it is the play room. With a TV for video games and kid shows/movies, a couch, a bookshelf, and a toy shelf. There isn’t much in the way of school there. But that is because over time I have realized I don’t need a room. I just need storage and to minimize. So I got rid of all the extra tables, maps, and such. I now use our dining room table. The boys both focus so much better there than anywhere else and it is big enough to fit all the kids plus their school stuff and not be cramped. Our dining room is also attached to a sitting room area that we have their computer in, their gecko in, a desk (just in case) and the shelf that holds all of our school stuff. It holds all of our curriculum and resource books. It hold projects, my “teacher” stuff, activity books, and extra supplies like glue and pencils. The bottom of it even has cabinets so I can close the doors on some of the mess and keep it contained. All of our art stuff is on a 3 tiered cart that is easily accessible and they can use when ever they want. The trick with this room is that other than a wall map and a couple cute school-ish type signs for decor, it is completely functional as something other than a school room. It also has sitting chairs, a fire place, a beautiful window to look out, and a peaceful feeling.

I guess what I want to say to the new homeschooling mom who gets jealous of all the beautiful spaces they see on Pinterest and Instagram, “Don’t worry, your children will learn just as well curled up on a chair, or sitting at your dining room table, or out back on the ground as they will in a special room just for school.” You don’t need a room, you just need you, your child, and the love and will to teach them from your home and heart.