Week 2: Maintaining Routine, a Math Assessment, and Learning to Be Flexible
Welcome back to The Homeschool Recap. Similarly to Week 1, Week 2 started again on Sunday for me — with my spreadsheet. Here's what Week 2 actually looked like: the math assessment, the curriculum that trickled in, and the distractions that taught me to loosen my grip on the 8–10 AM block.
Sunday Prep: Updating the Weekly Calendar
I opened up my spreadsheet and updated the date on the weekly calendar, and it automatically populates the days. That's the beauty of the system I built in Week 1 — the structure is already there, I just drop in the week.
At the beginning of Week 2, I received an email from the charter school about a math assessment test that my daughter was to take this week. She had all week to complete it, so I put the assessment test on the "to do list" of my spreadsheet. It was supposed to take 1–2 hours.
The Math Assessment Took All Week
She started it on Monday and did little chunks of the test throughout the day. We would take a break, do some schoolwork, then start the assessment again. It took her until Thursday to complete the assessment.
I noticed she only wanted to do it for short periods of time. We spent more time than I wanted each day on the assessment, so we had to fit in her actual work throughout different parts of the day.
Lesson learned: A 1–2 hour assessment doesn't have to happen in one sitting. Breaking it into chunks worked for us.
Week 2 Was About Consistency, Not Overhauling
Week 2 was about maintaining our routine and building consistency. After all, we are both new to homeschooling, I have to get used to it, as does she. We continued working through each subject workbook. Some of the curriculum started to trickle in, but I still don't have math yet.
If you're new here: our ordered curriculum didn't arrive in time for the start of school, so we've been leaning on workbooks while we wait. That's been a blessing in disguise, honestly.
Our Complete Week 2 Homeschool Breakdown
Here is a complete breakdown of everything we did this week, Monday through Friday.
ELA / Language Arts
Copy work into her journal from a book she read
Blackbird and Company 3rd Grade Curriculum
White board spelling word game
Cursive practice
Math
Beast Academy Math 3A
3rd Grade Daily Math by Evan Moor
Multiplication white board practice
Since the assessment this week was on math, she was pretty burned out on math, so we added math in small bursts throughout the week. It was more about listening for what she was in the mood for.
History / Social Studies
Geography 3rd Grade Daily Workbook by Evan Moor
Homeschool Pop YouTube Channel 3rd Grade Social Studies
Science
Science 3rd Grade Daily Workbook by Evan Moor
Homeschool Pop YouTube Channel 3rd Grade Science
Art
Art Hub YouTube Videos
This week she drew some fun stuff including a hammerhead shark and a waffle since one of the days this week was national waffle day.
I noticed she got really frustrated because her drawing wasn't just like the video she was watching. I told her that it isn't supposed to be, and that is the thing about art — everyone's drawing will look different.
Special Interests / PE / Life Skills
Evan Moor Financial Literacy Workbook
Walking, Yoga, Ballet, Riding Bikes
Notes From My Spreadsheet This Week
In my notes section, I noted that she watched videos on governments and how they run, goods and services, and she made a spur-of-the-moment mini book out of construction paper and scissors.
It's these unplanned projects that remind me why we're doing this.
What Worked in Week 2
Maintaining the routine. Week 2 wasn't about big changes — it was about showing up again.
Chunking the assessment. Short bursts kept her from burning out.
Following her energy. When math was a struggle, we did it in small doses instead of forcing a full block.
YouTube as a supplement. Homeschool Pop and Art Hub gave us options when a workbook wasn't the right fit.
What Didn't Work (and What I'm Adjusting)
This week was about continuing our routine, with a bit of math assessment sprinkled in. We had a good week. But I did note a few distractions:
If everyone except her and I weren't out of the house by 7:45, she didn't want to start school.The morning quiet matters more than I realized.
Work things came up during my set 8–10 AM homeschool hours. So our homeschool hours weren't 8–10 AM — they were when both her and I were available.
That second one was hard for me. I'm a planner. I like the schedule I built. But Week 2 taught me that the schedule serves us — not the other way around.
What I'm Learning as a Homeschool Parent
Flexibility is so important. Week 2 wasn't perfect; I am still getting to learn my daughters learning style and my teaching style. This week wasn't perfect but it was consistent. And right now, consistency is the goal.
What to Expect in Week 3
Week 3 is coming next — and I'll share whether our math curriculum finally arrived, how the routine held up, and what new distractions (and wins) showed up.
A Note for New Homeschoolers
If your week didn't go according to plan, you're in good company. For us, the 8–10 AM block is a goal, not a rule. Listen to your kid, stay flexible, and keep showing up. That's the whole job right now.
I will say I am tired this week, really tired, this is all new for me. Most days I'm not sure what I am doing but and this point it is what it is and we will continue on.
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