A Day in Our Homeschool Life (Homeschooling Kids with Bipolar Disorder)

It's hard to say what a day in our homeschool life is like.

It's not very consistent anymore. Unlike previous years, when I had it all together with a schedule, it rarely works that way these days. I've had to adjust and readjust many times.

Special needs and homeschooling

While dyslexia and Asperger's play a big part in Alexis' life, it is the bipolar disorder that keeps us all struggling. Both of the children have it and it touches every facet of our lives, including homeschool.

No one ever said raising kids with bipolar disorder was easy. In fact, no one ever said anything about raising kids with bipolar disorder. I just find my way through each day, learning as I go.

Over the last couple of years, life has changed a lot. 

My girls developed the sleep problems inherent to bipolar disorder. I've had to come to grips with my reality and accept that only sometimes will we have days that feel 'normal.'

How bipolar disorder affects my day

My day usually runs with some normalcy, no matter their sleeping habits. I get up in the morning, have coffee and work. Fortunately, being self-employed as a blogger/writer/social media marketer, I'm free to do what I need to whenever I can. I do a lot in the early part of the day while the girls are sleeping.

If the girls are having a 'good day' (meaning they are awake in the day), then I work at night. If they're awake, I try to make their day as normal as possible. We try to enjoy those occasions.

How we homeschool with bipolar disorder

As I said last year, I have an ideal schedule that I tweak to our reality. 

This year the schedule itself looks different because I've created individual curriculum plans for each of the girls rather than teaching them together.

The girls must each start their day according to when they wake up, whether that is 7 a.m. or 3 p.m. Also, I don't hold them to finishing everything at one go. They can do a bit here and there throughout the day and evening if that's what works best for them. This may change day to day.

All of that said, here is what our new schedule, based on independent learning, looks like.

      (click to enlarge)

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Michelle