It often feels like life happens, and homeschooling happens, and we are just along for the ride.

If there’s one thing I have learned from 13 years of homeschooling it’s that it can’t really just happen. As the old saying goes, if we fail to plan, we plan to fail. We need to be intentional about it.

Homeschoolers, and even those using an use an unschooling model need to have some sort of planning framework laid out. It’s easy to choose books or subjects because they are the next on the list, but what are you wanting to see at the end? We have to be intentional about our children’s education.

Begin with the end in mind, and the end will probably come out looking at least somewhat like you planned.

The key is the planning. Relationships take time. Learning to care for yourself as an adult took time. Learning to drive responsibly takes time. Graduating from high school (or getting through long division) takes time.

None of these things just happen naturally without at least some advance planning. This is a process of planning and follow-through.

Ask yourself some questions about your kids:

• Do I want them doing this forever, or is it time to move along and advance some skills?
• Where do I want to see them in five years?
• What do we want our teenagers to be capable of doing?
• What was I not prepared for when I moved out, and how can I prepare my kids better than I was?

I see them living as productive human beings.

When I moved out at 18, I couldn’t cook beyond macaroni and cheese and ramen noodles.

Are you being intentional about what you teach, or are you just hitting the next thing on the Scope & Sequence?