Homeschooling at the Speed of Life by Marilyn Rockett

Reviewed by Janice Campbell

As you wrap up the school year and start planning the next, there’s one thing you can do to make your next school year run more smoothly — read Homeschooling at the Speed of Life by Marilyn Rockett. An organizer extraordinaire, Rockett is also the graduated homeschool mom of four sons. I can tell you from personal experience that four sons will hyper-test every organizational theory that mom can dream up!

Homeschooling at the Speed of Life is the book I wish I had been able to read when I started homeschooling nearly two decades ago. In ten carefully crafted chapters, Rockett establishes the foundational principles for organization, and gently leads the reader step-by-step through the process of creating a serene, well-managed home.

She addresses crucial areas such as

• Daily home management
• Dealing with clutter and paper piles
• Teaching children life skills
• Record-keeping
• Family life
• Hospitality

Each chapter closes with a “Stop, Look, Think” section, which includes a question section, “Direction — Where Are You Going?” and a devotional section, “Devotion — What Are You Thinking?,” plus a page for personal notes.

Realistic, hands-on organizing help

This isn’t a book to skim through and put on the bookshelf. It is designed to be actively used, written in, and applied. Rockett’s hands-on organizing approach is enlivened by anecdotes (the exploding spaghetti sauce story is memorable, to say the least!), and she is completely practical in her advice. She talks about “functional neatness” as opposed to perfection, and reminds her readers that people and relationships are the most important things we work with each day. Virtually every chapter includes ways to train children in important life skills, even as you are learning alongside them. Inspirational quotes throughout provide extra food for thought.

At the end of the book is a CD full of useful organizational tools. Rockett has provided a system of forms covering home, school, and personal needs, organizing everything from chores and field trips to library checkouts, menus, and student evaluations.

My favorite page on the CD is the Weekly Works form, which provides a one-sheet week-at-a-glance overview of meals, goals, appointments, and pretty much everything I need to track. It’s ideal for posting by the chair where I have my morning coffee, as it quickly reminds me of what my day will hold. The CD isn’t entirely necessary for success with this book, so a used copy of the book works just fine.

Homeschooling at the Speed of Life is a book I’ll share with many homeschool friends. It is a book that offers help, along with a spirit of hope and a sense of calm that comes from the author’s experience in the trenches. No matter where you are in the homeschool journey, Homeschooling at the Speed of Life contains ideas and tools that can smooth your way. I recommend it!

Available in print and ebook formats.

If you’d like to read another review about Homeschooling at the Speed of Life, visit Cathy Duffy Reviews.

NOTE: I review only books and products I truly love and believe to be beneficial (though that doesn’t mean I dislike something if there’s not a review for it), and any links that lead to Amazon or other purchase opportunities are affiliate links. This is a microbusiness, after all! You can the full disclosure at the bottom of the page.