Gel Pen Learning

November through January is the Bermuda Triangle of homeschooling. Between birthdays (at our house at least), Thanksgiving, church events, holiday markets, cookie season, travel, and the annual “did we buy too many gifts?” panic…your homeschooling rhythm doesn’t just go sideways—it smashes right into the tree.

But here’s the good news.

You can get through the holidays without falling behind. You just need a schedule that respects reality instead of fighting it.

Not pushing through.

Not “just staying consistent.”

Not pretending the holidays don’t exist.

This is about planning strategically so you’re not drowning in January.

I’m going to break down how I do it, and why it works every single year.

Accept that November-January Is Never Normal

My daughter’s birthday is mid-November. Thanksgiving is a floating holiday. Some years, her birthday is Thanksgiving; other years it’s the same week. And we always let our kids take off for their birthdays.

So yes…sometimes we accidentally take the entire week of Thanksgiving off. This year we had two half-weeks and honestly, that’s way worse than taking the whole week off.

Instead of pretending that somehow it will magically be different “this year,” I build my calendar around this truth:

The holidays disrupt everything.

Plan for it. Don’t fight it.

The Golden Rule of Holiday Weeks: Skip the Core Subjects

Short weeks are not “start new units” weeks. If you can’t wrap up what you already started in the time allotted, don’t even try.

This is where so many homesechoolers sabotage themselves. They try to wedge math, science, and history into chopped-up schedules, and then wonder why everyone is cranky and behind.

The problem isn’t you.

It’s continuity.

Math is sequential.

Science is sequential.

History is sequential.

ELA often builds on a spiral from previous lessons.

Short weeks are just not supportive of sequenced learning.

So here’s my rule:

No core subjects on half weeks.

Instead: reading, writing, art, music, life skills, light learning, documentaries.

This keeps you consistent but not overwhelmed. Plus it protects the quarter without punishing anyone for the holiday schedule.

Backwards Planning: The Secret That Saves the Quarter

Here’s the part I always have to remind myself:

January 30 shows up on schedule, even when we aren’t ready.

So instead of planning forward from November, I plan backward from January.

Step 1: Identify your curriculum targets

If a subject has 180 lessons, you need to be at lesson 90 by the second-quarter deadline. But we’re working minimums so 80% is Lesson 72.

Step 2: Set your buffer

In Q2, the holidays already act like a buffer, so I usually only add:

• 2-3 extra days
• sometimes 5
• sometimes none, if the calendar is tight

Step 3: Decide when you realistically will resume school in January

We always start back on the Monday after the 1^st.

I hate half weeks. We will double or triple up, and do school on Saturday, before I willingly do more half-weeks.

That’s just us. You do you.

This year we go back on January 5.

Step 4: Work backward.

January 30 to January 5

January 5 to Post-Thanksgiving break

Add in:

• holiday breaks
• birthdays
• travel
• church events
• co-op closures
• sick days
• realistic “we’re not doing school today” days

When you account for all of this, something magical happens:

You see exactly how many lessons won’t fit.

That’s your 80% rule showing itself. Now you’re not guessing; you’re planning with real numbers.

It will feel hopeless and you will want to scream into a pillow. It’s fine. I got you.

Step 5: Anything that doesn’t fit goes into the November sprint

If the backwards calendar shows that we are short on time, then mid-to-end November and early December are your push months.

Not a miserable grind, but a strategic sprint before the chaos hits.

Now before I explain the November productivity sprint, I’m going to be so for real right now.

You need to get the kids on board.

The way that I do it is I say:

“Hi, we have a ton of school to do. BUT, the sooner you get it done, the quicker we are on break. The length of break depends on you.”

The November Productivity Sprint

Late November is where we:

• double up on the subject we are most prone to falling behind
• finish units that we know won’t fit in December
• batch reading and writing assignments
• knock out tests and assessments
• reduce activities
• tighten routines for these weeks only

This buys me peace during the holiday break and keeps me from drinking in January.

The reason it works?

Momentum.

Momentum before interruption is easier than trying to regain the momentum after the interruption.

The Strategy Almost No One Considers: Batching

I’m going to say the quiet part out loud.

We batch the big stuff. And it saves the whole system.

Batching works because some subjects require setup, supplies, and emotional energy that you do not have on random weekdays.

Example?

Science experiments.

The Pinterest fantasy says “Every Friday is Science Day!”

Reality says:

• there’s no vinegar in the house
• a kid is sick
• the kitchen exploded
• the dog ate the measuring cups
• someone ate the candy you bought for the experiment
• you’re exhausted

So instead of pretending we’re going to execute weekly, we batch.

I set up:

• multiple stations
• instruction cards
• trays and towels
• labeled supplies
• everything prepped

Then we do an entire quarter’s worth of science experiments in a single afternoon.

Four hours. Done. Compliant. No drama. One mess to clean.

Batching also works for:

• Art
• history projects
• book reports
• “messy subjects”

Batching protects the weekly routine while hitting all the obligations.

Why This Works: The 80% Rule

The 80% rule is the backbone of holiday planning.

• 80% of lessons
• 80% of the plan

You can hit 80% and still check the New York compliant box.

Planning backward, skipping core subjects on half-weeks, and batching the messy stuff builds the 80% rule into your calendar.

The Real Secret: Holiday Scheduling Isn’t About “Doing It All”

No one is doing it all. Not employees. Not teachers. Not students. Not parents. We’re all running around burning up our energy pretending to do it all, but no one is.

Working with reality means utilizing what’s available on your calendar, respecting your family’s natural flow, and planning with the chaos instead of against it.

This is how you survive without burning out, falling behind, or drinking your way into a January bender.

What are your secret sauce tips to getting it done?

Let me know in the comments!