“We’ll only homeschool one year,” I told myself while desperately grasping onto any resource that helped me set up a home and school for three children in a two-bedroom New York City apartment. Along the way, countless doubts swirled along with a few tears and desperate prayers.

Sixteen years later, we still rely on many of the same rhythms, now that we are homeschooling teenagers. While experience has deepened some of these, I pray they offer you hope and help on your schooling journey, for however long you choose.

1. Prioritize time in God’s Word first.

Erase whatever picture is in your mind about time, circling a candle, singing a hymn, without distraction, each morning. In reality, we all know that scene occurs few and far between the chaotic moments of wrangling little ones and spilled Cheerios. Yet, time in God’s Word remains the most important rhythm for a reason.

Your time in God’s Word is paramount because it not only models priorities for our children but also shapes our hearts as parents for the day ahead. However, simplicity is key. Allow a child on your knee to look at their picture Bible while you’re reading a quick five-minute devotional. Consider having a child write a verse, discuss its meaning and application, then pray over it together. As your children grow, they are better positioned to develop a non-negotiable start to their day in scripture as well.

2. Remember what you love and decide what you want to learn.

Often in parenting, the activities that fall by the wayside are the very things we enjoy in place of what is expected. If anything, our homeschooling journey offers space to pursue what we loved before having children, but in a different way. If you enjoy nature, then implement a nature walk each week. If you love a game, then teach your children how to play so that you can play together.

A few activities we now enjoy as a family started because they interested me first, such as tennis, cooking, watercolor painting, and hiking. As you intentionally implement what you love into your homeschooling rhythms, you will discover renewing joy along the way.

3. Make space for quiet.

Don’t laugh. If you are a parent in any capacity, you understand that quiet is a scarce resource, yet that’s why it is one of the most important rhythms for your sanity and long-term endurance. How can you find quiet in your day between the morning tantrum, math lesson, sibling squabble and pre-dinner meltdowns? I’m glad you asked.

In small increments, try setting aside time on a blanket, in a sleeping bag, or in their rooms for quiet-time activities. It may look like reading a book, taking a nap, building with Lego, or coloring while listening to an audiobook. The activity may change over the years, but prioritizing quiet time for you and your children is crucial in the long term. If anything, this becomes even more critical in the teenage and young adult years, but the rhythms of prioritizing downtime start early.

4. Venture outside once a day.

I’ll never forget when I said goodbye to my mom after my first child was born. Dread formed a pit in my post-baby stomach while I questioned, “What now? What am I going to do all day?” My mom’s lifesaving advice sustains me even to this day: venture outside at least once a day.

This doesn’t have to be a grand outing. It can be as simple as a slow trek to the mailbox, a walk around the block, or a fun field trip to adventure somewhere new. I’ve even been known to explore a new grocery store just because! Not only does an outing once a day provide a change of scenery, but it also breaks up routines to support your sanity, offers fresh air and involves a physical activity that matters for your mental and physical health.

5. Pray often. Pray with others.

We are commanded not to rely on our own wisdom and understanding, and that applies to parenting. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Prayer looks different depending on the day and circumstance, but find a way to pray with your children and for your children. Don’t know what to pray? Identify one scripture to pray over the school year that can direct your heart toward the Lord and inform your priorities as a family.

About seven years ago, I also started praying every other week with two women over the phone. We covered everything from family needs to personal struggles and larger issues affecting our communities. To say this has been an incredible blessing over the years is an understatement. Prayer in intercession is powerful. Pray with your spouse or pray with a friend. Text your needs and voice your requests to a trusted heart who you know will lift you up to a Heavenly Father who listens and is actively working for your good.

6. Pursue connection time in the community and one-on-one with each child.

Healthy homeschooling is not possible in isolation. Community is messy, but so is walking through this life alone. It doesn’t have to look any one way, but seek out a larger group through your church, a homeschool co-op, or a child’s activity to do life with and raise children together. Our communities, over the years and across various states and seasons, remain among our greatest treasures and lifelines as a homeschooling family.

Another paramount connection is ensuring you also make time to spend one-on-one with a child. Whether it’s a periodic breakfast or night out, or simply a bedtime routine that offers individual attention, this is one way to foster a relationship with your child and create space for conversations that might not take place amid day-to-day demands.

7. Keep order in your home as well as your heart.

We don’t need Pinterest-worthy school rooms to have a successful homeschooling journey. My first “school room” was simply a corner in my living room with a second-hand IKEA table, a stained rug, and some bookshelves. Today, the area we use most, as my now-four children have grown older, is our kitchen table. Books and papers are strewn about daily, so pausing before dinner or evening commitments to tidy up helps sustain our rhythms and order in our home.

Having a place for each thing, even if it’s a drawer acting as a catch-all for miscellaneous items, helps create life-giving days rather than life-draining ones. I’ve also discovered that cleaning off the countertops and emptying the sink before the next day will do wonders to help you feel ready for the next busy day. Making your bed each day helps, as well as assigning laundry days for each child.

Despite ups and downs, remember the God who called you to this worthwhile endeavor is faithful to provide what you need each day. These rhythms are not magical formulas for a pain-free life, but they offer life-giving habits to increase joy and foster peace. And we could all use a little more of those!