Whether you?re new to homeschooling or you?ve been at it a while, you quickly discover while helping your kids learn that your tempos don?t always match.

What do I mean by this?

A little walking story:

Every morning I slip into my trail shoes, plug in my earbuds, and head out for a 2.5-mile walk around our homestead.

I have a lovely trail around the inside of the fence that goes

up and down modest hills,

through the woods,

around the orchard,

and past the chicken house,

It?s amazing.

I like listening to music on my walk.

After much searching, I found a couple of playlists I greatly enjoy under the tag ?walking music?.

Now, you?d think that songs gathered for walking would be generally the same tempo so you can hit your groove and make that hour fly by.

Not so.

I learned quickly I?d have to adjust my stride with every new tune that showed up under Shuffle Play.

At first, it was annoying!

Couldn?t someone find a metronome and only add songs with similar tempos?

Then, I realized three things.

First, it?s rather unrealistic to expect anyone to microfilter songs for my benefit.

Second, trying to match my stride to the constant changes in the music beats keeps the hour interesting.

Third, some of the song speeds are fast! And sometimes I need a slower tune to catch my breath.

I accepted the variations as a gift from the musical world and added a happy smile to my daily walking routine.

Of course, the whole tempo thing got me thinking about homeschool.

First, it?s not realistic to expect your teaching efforts and your child?s learning pace to always match.

Nor will the curriculum you choose always be a perfect fit.

Some days, you?ll both be gung-ho about the lessons at hand, whether they come from a book, a video, or a hands-on activity.

Some days, one or the other of you will mutter, ?I can?t even,? and the day will be a struggle to come together to learn something new.

And that?s okay.

Nowhere in the homeschool handbook (there?s not a handbook, but humor me) does it say all your days must be ideal or your every curriculum choice must be solid gold.

Second, matching your teaching stride to your child?s learning tempo keeps your homeschool adventure not only interesting, but effective.

And shuffling around different types of teaching materials keeps everything fresh and enjoyable.

Third, some homeschool days will be filled to the brim with ?things?. Fortunately, you don?t have to do all the things, and you can take rest days to catch your breath.

No curriculum required.

Alright, that?s enough metaphorical meandering.

How about some practical tempo tips for homeschooling?

Those days you?re up at dawn with a twinkle in your eyes and your child is right there with you at the breakfast table asking, ?What are we going to learn today?? ?

?are rare.

But they do happen. Savor them.

When you?re excited about the day, but your kiddo isn?t, back off the accelerator and coast for the day.

Or offer a different approach that has you both eager for the lesson.

Okay, you say, but what about those days the kids are bouncing off the walls and you just want to burrow under the couch cushions?

There will be days, sometimes many in a row, where you just don?t have the energy to be fully present in your homeschool day.

And that?s okay.

Your children will not fall behind. (Fall behind whom?)

Your children will not suffer academically.

Homeschool gives you the freedom to adjust your days to suit your entire family while still giving a solid education.

On those days, do what you can.

Tomorrow will be a brand new day often with a whole new tempo.

Homeschool curriculum choices...the struggle is real.

Chances are, you spent the summer researching a squillion curriculum options for the upcoming year.

Frankly, I thoroughly enjoyed the curriculum chase every year. Shiny new things!

However, we all know even the best teaching materials don?t always work in our homeschools.

Oh, the horror of realizing you?ve plunked down hard-earned money on something that simply won?t work!

Here?s where recognizing tempo and making suitable adjustments comes in handy.

If that gorgeous new textbook makes everyone?s eyes glaze over, or that boxed curriculum has you all scrambling to keep up with an over-the-top schedule...

...press pause.

It?s not the end of the world to realize something you chose didn?t turn out to be the best fit.

Sometimes, you can make small adjustments.

Use the sections in the textbook as a springboard to hands-on activities such as making a shoebox diorama or drawing out the concepts on a whiteboard with ALL the marker colors.

Ruthlessly eliminate redundant or irrelevant segments of an overly-aggressive lesson plan.

And, if you and your kids mutually agree that y?all ?can?t even? work with that fancy new curriculum you bought, there?s another option.

Hit skip.

You don?t have to listen to that song on your walk, and you don?t have to force-fit a curriculum that just won?t work.

Return it, sell it, give it away, or (as I did) keep it for a time when you realize your kids are finally ready for just that sort of educational tempo.

Homeschool is a symphony of styles, methods, and everyday epiphanies.

And every day can be like a delightful walk in the woods where, no matter how many times you?ve been around that trail, you see something new.