Homeschooling Multiple Kids?

Homeschooling Multiple Kids? How on Earth Do We Stay Sane and Keep Our Speller Engaged?

Recently, in my Facebook group Homeschool Your Speller, I asked, “What’s your biggest struggle in homeschooling your speller?” The answers were heartfelt, honest, and oh-so-relatable. This post kicks off a series where I address the real challenges you’ve shared—and offer tips that are working for our family too!

One mom shared something I hear a lot:

“Biggest struggle: ‘dead time.’ I have 5 kids and homeschool them all... my struggle is unstructured time. When he’s finished with our spelling lesson, I don’t always know what to have him do next. It’s tough, so I usually play an audiobook or podcast so he’s still getting high cognitive input while I work with his siblings.”

I know that struggle well. I homeschool 4 kids, ages 5 through 11, and both my youngest and oldest are spellers. Keeping everyone learning, occupied, and connected (without losing your mind!) takes real planning—and flexibility. While we haven’t “arrived” at perfect, we’ve found a few things that help smooth out the chaos.

One key strategy that’s worked for us is having a daily rhythm—not a strict schedule, but a flow that everyone can count on. Each kid has a list of independent or semi-independent tasks to complete before TV time at 4:00 p.m. My older speller’s list includes:

• Watch mom-assigned YouTube videos (usually for math, history, and science lessons)

• Listen to one chapter of a read-aloud (on YouTube, Hoopla, Audible, etc.)

• One lesson of Touch-Type Read and Spell

• Go outside

• Play a game with a sibling (Uno is the current favorite!)

• Draw or do a craft (we love Art Hub for Kids)

• Build an obstacle course with siblings

• Do a movement video on youtube

If they need more ideas, we keep marble runs, Legos, art supplies, and other creative tools available. The big expectation: no TV between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. It took time for everyone to adjust, but now they thrive on this rhythm and love racing to finish their list before free time.

When it comes to direct teaching, I usually work with 1–2 kids at a time.
You’ve seen the dreamy photos—kids around a wooden table painting watercolors or doing a group science project. I love that image too, and about once every three months we actually make it happen. But let’s be real: doing everything together every day just isn’t realistic for us. That’s why, while some are working independently, I pull aside one or two for their “with Mom” lessons.

For my neurotypical kids, this time is often more like a “Mom check-in”—we go over what needs to be done, and they bring it back to me later. We may also do read-alouds together if it’s not available online, plus some language arts reading. It’s short and sweet.

But for my spellers, our time looks different. “With Mom” lessons include math, spelling, and often science or history. For my younger speller, lessons are split into 10-minute chunks throughout the day. My older speller usually works in two chunks: spelling and math first, followed by a break (usually his assigned YouTube videos or audiobook), and then we circle back later for the rest.

Sometimes I work with two kids at once—one doing something semi-independent (like a math sheet) while the other gets more hands-on support from me. It’s not always smooth, but it helps us move forward when we have a lot of bases to cover.

And above all—we hold it loosely.
Our spellers often need more support and direction, and that’s okay. I’ve learned to pivot our plans on the fly, offer extra structure when needed, and get creative. For example, I might give my speller Play-Doh or Legos to work with in the same room where I’m teaching another child. That way, he’s near me but still engaged. Most days, Zeke listens to an audiobook or podcast while building or drawing. This helps his body stay calm and his mind stay focused.

For even more ideas on supporting independence and structure, check out my previous post: Build Independence into Your Speller’s Daily Routine. You're not alone in this—keep showing up, trying new things, and giving yourself grace!

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