A Homeschool Student Planner Built for Real Teens | About Our Struggle With Executive Dysfunction
Inside: Looking for a homeschool student planner that works for gifted or ADHD teens? See how we built one for real-life use with daily priorities, deadline tracking, and flexibility that supports executive functioning.
Some kids are natural planners.
They color-code their notebooks, remember every deadline, and turn in assignments early “just in case.”
Marc is not one of those kids.
He’s smart. Curious. Funny. Incredibly capable when he wants to be. But executive functioning? That’s a whole other story.
He’ll write just enough to get by, turn things in late without blinking, and genuinely doesn’t feel time the way most people do. I’ve spent years reminding, nudging, planning for him only to watch him still miss a deadline and not really stress about it. And while part of me wants to scream into the void every time I see a 0 next to “late submission,” another part of me knows: this is how he is.
This past year, we leaned more into natural consequences. I let him take the hit when his homework was late for his online classes. I didn’t rescue him. And for the first time, he noticed. It annoyed him. He didn’t like seeing that 0 on his writing assignment. And I feel it nudged him toward taking a little more ownership.
As homeschool moms, we wear a lot of hats: teacher, coach, scheduler, support system. And no matter how much freedom homeschooling gives us, the planning part can still feel overwhelming.
We tried all sorts of planners and systems from desk planners to online homeschool planners, and while I loved parts from all of them, I couldn’t make any system stick with him to encourage more independence. So I decided to create a simple homeschool planner that actually supports my teen’s unique needs during these high school years, without needing me to hover over every part of his day.
Something that builds executive function without turning into another thing I have to nag about.
It’s not full of stickers or quotes.
It’s not a mom planner in disguise.
It’s a minimalist, teen-ready homeschool student planner for the entire year with space for his top 3 priorities, a clear deadlines row for each day, and just enough structure to help him take one step closer to independence.
Because that’s really what high school is about for us:
Slowly transferring the responsibility while still standing close.
Also… this post has ONE giveaway and a freebie HOP so make sure you read it from top to bottom!
🎁 FREEBIES Hop – ONLY for this week!
Make sure you grab them all before they’re gone!
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Why Planning Doesn’t Come Naturally to Every Teen (Especially Twice-Exceptional Ones)
If your teen is anything like mine, they might be brilliant with ideas, full of creative solutions, and able to hold an intense amount of information in their head, but still forget where they left their pencil five minutes ago.
This isn’t laziness. It’s not lack of motivation.
It’s the reality of a neurodivergent brain, one that’s wired for depth, pattern recognition, and fast thinking… but struggles to initiate, organize, and prioritize consistently.
Marc is what most would call twice-exceptional (2e). He grasps complex concepts quickly, especially in math and science, and thrives when he’s emotionally invested. But when it comes to getting started, managing time, or juggling multiple assignments, or breaking bigger projects into smaller tasks, everything feels heavier. He’s not always aware of what’s urgent. He can’t always predict how long something will take. And unless the pressure is immediate and external, it often doesn’t feel real to him.
That’s executive dysfunction. And it’s incredibly common in gifted, ADHD, and otherwise neurodivergent teens.
So what helps?
- Clarity (What do I actually need to do today?)
- Visual Structure (Can I see my day, not just write a list?)
- Flexibility (Can I miss a day without feeling like I failed?)
- Low overwhelm (No clutter. Just space to think.)
- Ownership (This is my system, my own planner, not something mom hovers over.)
That’s what I kept in mind while designing Marc’s new planner. Not to fix him. Not to force him to plan like me. But to give him tools that match the way his brain works.
That’s why any planner should be a tool that adapts to your family’s needs, especially when your child isn’t wired to follow a rigid weekly schedule or write out detailed plans every day.
What’s Inside Our Homeschool Student Planner (and Why It Works)
When I sat down to create this weekly homeschool planner for Marc, I knew I didn’t want to just recreate what already exists. I wasn’t interested in another overly detailed system that would fall apart by week three. I needed something simple, structured, and realistic. A student planner that actually worked for a teen who processes the world a little differently.
Here’s what I included (and why):
📆 Monthly Calendars Overview
Neurodivergent teen brains often struggle with filtering. They don’t always intuitively know what matters most, what’s urgent, or how all the moving pieces fit together. When everything looks equally important, or when there’s too much visual clutter, it’s easy for them to freeze or hyperfocus on the wrong thing.
That’s why having a clear monthly overview—without distractions—is so helpful. It creates structure without overwhelm. They can see the overall shape of the month: what’s coming, what’s due, and where the pressure points are. It builds a kind of mental timeline that helps them prepare, not just react.
It also gives them space to learn time estimation, a skill many gifted or ADHD learners need to build. When they can look ahead and see how their tasks spread across a few weeks, it’s easier to pace themselves and make better choices.
And for kids who often get stuck in the weeds of their day-to-day, that map makes all the difference.
How we do it:
This page is where we zoom out. I wanted Marc to have one clear place where he could see the entire month at a glance.
To keep it clean and still functional, we decided to color-code different areas of his life:
- 🟠 Online classes + deadlines (like homework submissions or project due dates)
- 🟢 Personal events (birthdays, travel, family stuff)
- 🟣 Appointments + outside activities (doctor visits, that upcoming chess tournament…)
At the bottom of the page, we even added a little legend so it’s easy to remember which color is which. Marc chose the colors—and he even stuck one of his favorite cat stickers on there because it made the page feel more “his” and less like something I gave him.
We don’t write every single assignment here, just the big stuff that helps shape the week. This is where he gets the big picture for his homeschool planning.
What We Used on This Page
- ✏️ Frixion erasable gel pens – These are our favorite for daily planning because they don’t bleed through and you can erase and move things around without leaving a mess.
- 🟡 No-bleed markers – Perfect for highlighting deadlines or important dates on the calendar without ghosting through the page.
- 🐈 Black cat stickers – Marc’s pick. He loves cats and these were subtle enough not to clutter the page, but still gave it a bit of personality.
- 🖊️ Muji gel pens – These are my personal go-to. They’re smooth, permanent, and write cleanly without bleeding through.
- 🔢 Date dots – If you don’t want to write in the monthly dates yourself.
- 🗓️ Monthly tabs – For quick navigation between months.
🗓️ Weekly Planning Pages (Monday–Sunday)
The weekly spread is loosely inspired by the Japanese Jibun Techo style, which is a vertical layout with gentle hourly prompts that don’t demand perfection. It’s structured enough for time-blocking, but open enough for minimalists, neurodivergent teens, or just busy homeschool families juggling live classes, appointments, and life.
I chose a Monday start to keep the week centered around school days, but I still included space for Saturday and Sunday, because sometimes things spill over. The layout runs from 6AM to midnight, in quiet, unobtrusive hourly blocks. But honestly? Time isn’t the focus here.
The hours are printed in small, light font, so it doesn’t feel like you have to plan every hour. You can treat it as a time-blocking layout or just a clean vertical list. It’s flexible.
Each week gives plenty of space to:
- Write in live classes and appointments
- Block off travel or screen-free time
- Break big lessons into smaller chunks
- Add reminders or prep steps under the main tasks
- Track deadlines separately at the top
It’s also got those same 10 blank circles at the bottom of each day, which we use as Pomodoro trackers (more on that below), but you can use them for habits, focus sprints, daily check-ins… whatever works for your teen.
How we do it:
In this spread, you can see Marc’s week at a glance:
- He blocked out our trip
- Used black to mark self-paced courses which are flexible (Mr. D Math, Chemistry, CodeHS)
- Highlighted the LA homework due date across multiple days as a reminder (and managed to split the task into smaller steps even if he doesn’t know yet what the homework will be since the class hasn’t started yet)
- Added the Chess Tournament on Sunday, so it didn’t sneak up on him
We’re not aiming for perfection, just a gentle rhythm and a way to make school feel less like chaos. This layout helps us do that.
What We Used on This Page
- 🖊️ Frixion erasable gel pens – Zero bleed, and perfect for shifting plans without mess
- 🟧 No bleed markers – Great for color-coding subjects and events
- 🖋️ Muji gel pens – Smooth, permanent writing for classes or appointments
- 🐱 Black cat stickers – Because Marc loves cats and these are simple and fun
- 🔢 Color number stickers – To label days in the undated planner without handwriting fatigue
🎯 “Top 3 Priorities” + Deadlines for Each Day
This is based on a strategy called the Rule of 3, used in productivity systems like Zen to Done and Getting Results the Agile Way. The idea is simple: you only plan three key tasks for each day, the most important ones that absolutely need to get done, no matter how the day unfolds.
And for a teen with executive function challenges? This is gold.
Kids like Marc often can’t filter importance from noise. Every task feels the same until it’s too late. They tend to:
- either freeze from overwhelm,
- or do what’s most interesting or easiest,
- and leave the truly important things unfinished.
This “Top 3 for today” section gives them a clear anchor point. These aren’t always urgent, but they are important. For example, this year Marc is prepping for AP Computer Science A. So instead of just writing “AP prep,” he’ll write “Read pages 23–40 from Barron’s”.
These are smaller, focused steps toward larger outcomes. And by only choosing three, he’s learning to prioritize without freezing, and to build consistency without overload. It’s a small change with a big mental shift. This is where I see Marc learning how to break tasks down, not just for now, but for next year, and all the years that follow.
Here’s why it works:
- Reduces cognitive overload — They don’t have to scan a messy to-do list or remember ten things at once.
- Builds prioritization skills — Choosing what matters becomes a daily habit.
- Improves task initiation — Narrowing down tasks makes it easier to start.
- Encourages consistency — Three clear goals every day builds rhythm.
For Marc, this one section alone has made the biggest difference. It’s helping him see what’s essential.
It’s helping me let go and trust he has a plan, even if it’s a small one.
Daily “Deadlines” Row
Each day has 2 dedicated spaces in green to write in any deadlines or due dates. Because kids like Marc don’t feel time pressure naturally, they need to see the deadline every day to start internalizing it.
This is where Marc writes down anything that has to be submitted that day. No flexibility. No “I’ll do it tomorrow.” These are the non-negotiables,things like:
- ✅ Homework due for his live class
- ✅ A quiz that locks at midnight
- ✅ Submitting a lab report by the portal deadline
He used to forget these even when he had them written down because they were buried in a sea of other tasks and daily checklists, along with more flexible subjects. But now, they sit at the top of the column, in their own row. It’s the first thing he sees when he opens the planner.
This gives him a visual red flag. It says: “This cannot be lost in the noise of the day.”
Deadlines vs. Priorities — Why Both Matter (and Why They’re Separate)
If you’ve ever had a teen who just… forgets to turn something in — even after spending hours on it — you know how important this is.
That’s exactly why I split “Deadlines” and “Top 3 Priorities” into two separate spaces on the planner.
They’re not the same thing because if the day gets hectic, you can just focus on the deadlines and it’s still a win. And for a 2e or ADHD teen, that distinction matters.
By separating deadlines from daily priorities, Marc is starting to understand the difference between:
- What’s urgent vs. what’s important vs. daily work/checklists
- What’s scheduled by someone else vs. what I need to pace myself through
- What has external consequences vs. what I’m building toward
This kind of mental separation is huge for teens who struggle with time blindness, initiation, and planning. And honestly? It’s helping me step back, too, because the system is doing part of the reminding for me.
Habit Circles — Building Consistency (or Time Tracking) One Dot at a Time
At the bottom of each daily column, I added 10 small blank circles. No labels. No instructions. Just ten quiet prompts. They’re simple, but they can be used in different ways depending on your teen:
- ✅ Daily habit tracking (hydration, reading, vitamins, etc.)
- ✅ Recurring tasks (checking email, uploading assignments, reviewing flashcards)
- ✅ Self-care reminders (stretch, break, outdoor time)
- ✅ Even just… “check the planner” (because yes, that’s a habit too)
But the real change for us? We started using them as Pomodoro trackers.
The Pomodoro Method (and Why It Works for Teens)
If you’re not familiar with it, the Pomodoro technique is a time management method where you work in focused bursts (usually 25 minutes), followed by short breaks. It helps with task initiation, reduces distraction, and boosts overall productivity, especially for people with ADHD or executive dysfunction.
Each circle in the planner can represent one Pomodoro.
So Marc can mark off how many “focused sprints” we complete in a day — whether it’s three or eight, it’s a small way to see progress without micromanaging.
I’ve personally found this method super helpful in my own work too. I use a free app called FocusPomo on my phone. I love it because it’s simple, visual, adjustable, there’s no clutter, and it blocks access to your other phone apps so you don’t get lost scrolling.
I’m still gently easing Marc into using it, but even just tracking one or two Pomodoros a day is helping him get used to the rhythm of focused work time, followed by breaks. And for a teen who can hyperfocus or completely zone out, that’s a big step forward.
⭐️ Extra Pages — Minimal but Purposeful
I didn’t want to overload this planner with fluff or filler. Just a few clean pages that support real planning, nothing more, nothing less.
Here’s what’s included:
Title + Mission Page: Right at the front, there’s space for your teen to write their name and set an intention for the year. It includes a motivational quote and a spot for their personal mission.
It’s a small thing, but it helps make the planner feel like it belongs to them, not just another school supply.
Flexible Dot Grid Planning Page: Right after the title, there’s a simple two-page spread with dotted grids. You can use this space however you like. These can be used to print and stick a particular year’s calendar, list classes or add whatever important information you feel your teen needs.
We chose to skip the “year at a glance” and instead used it to list:
- All Marc’s live classes
- Their days/times
- Weekly homework deadlines
- Office hours
- Class-specific info for each subject
It’s our one-stop homeschool schedule reference, and it’s way easier than flipping through multiple systems.
Password Tracker: A dedicated space to store logins and class portals. It’s a simple clear layout so teens can finally stop asking, “What’s my CodeHS login again?”
Monthly Extras (Built into Each Month): After each monthly calendar, I added:
- A blank dot grid page for notes, sketches, checklists, or study plans
- A Monthly Deadlines page which is just two simple columns with checklist bullets where they can track assignments, projects, or anything due that month
About the “This Week in the Universe” High School Homeschool Planner (Marc’s Edition)
Marc’s personal planner — the one we call “This Week in the Universe” — has printed month names from August to June, making it a straightforward fit for a traditional homeschool year. It’s the version I built specifically for him, with an academic rhythm in mind and 11 months of weekly and monthly pages.
But not everyone follows the same calendar. Some families homeschool year-round. Some start in January. Others take long breaks or use block scheduling.
That’s why the other versions I’m working on will be completely undated — no printed month names — and they’ll include a full 12-month layout for maximum flexibility. You’ll be able to start whenever you want and use it in a way that actually fits your homeschool rhythm.
Same structure. Same executive function support. Just more room to personalize.
How We Personalize Our Homeschool Planner
I came to really love the simple, undated planners because they are very flexible and persoanlizable. We add monthly tabs and daily sticers to ours so we don’t have to fill every date by hand and I love this system. I use it for my own minimalist planner too.
- Monthly tabs – We use stick-on tabs to label each month so flipping between them is fast and easy. You can buy these pre-labeled or blank to write in yourself.
- Writing in the Dates – For undated layouts, we just handwrite the monthly dates in the top row. It takes two minutes and works great.
- Color number stickers – We add small numbered stickers and this year I found fun colorful ones. It’ a quick and fun way of “dating” an undated planner.
We also use no bleed highlighters, colored erasable gel pens and sticky notes.
Who This Student Weekly Planner Is For
This isn’t a generic planner with motivational quotes and random boxes. It’s for real teens. And real homeschool days. The messy, nonlinear, unpredictable kind.
It’s especially a good fit if your teen:
✅ Is in middle or high school (6th grade and up)
✅ Needs help managing time, deadlines, or executive functioning
✅ Is gifted, ADHD, or just doesn’t “think in order”
✅ Is starting to take more independence in their learning
✅ Needs a visual structure without being overwhelmed by clutter
✅ Gets lost in to-do lists or forgets to submit things on time
✅ Isn’t motivated by cutesy layouts or chore charts
If your homeschool doesn’t look like the boxed curriculum version and your teen needs more support with follow-through than with understanding, this planner might be exactly what helps both of you breathe a little easier.
🎁 Planner Giveaway + Free Bonus Template
As I work on new designs and flexible versions of this planner, I’d love to hear from you.
What kind of cover would your teen actually want to use? Forest theme? Mythology? Studio Ghibli? Something sarcastic?
Leave a comment on this blog post with your teen’s dream planner theme and MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON MY E-MAIL LIST (that part is important, only subscribers are eligible), and you’ll be entered to win a copy (of choice) of one of my newest planners — delivered straight to your door from my Amazon shop. ✨
🗓️ Giveaway open until September 30th, WORLDWIDE (wherever Amazon delivers)
I’ll randomly choose a winner from the comments and notify you by email.
Want to Try a Free Version First?
You can download a similar-style daily schedule template that I created, totally free. It’s a digital planner PDF version for adults and older teens, not homeschool-specific, but built with the same structure in mind:
🟠 Top 3 priorities
🟢 Daily time blocking
🔺 One clear deadline
🍅 Pomodoro tracking
🗒️ Bonus: master task and task breakdown lists
If you or your teen want a flexible way to test these planning principles before committing to the full planner, these free weekly planner pages are a great way to start.
🎥 Want to see exactly how this planner works in our homeschool?
I recorded a quick video where I flip through the whole thing, explain the key sections, and share why I designed it this way for my gifted, twice-exceptional, and executive-functioning-challenged teen.
You’ll see how we use it week by week, plus some of the small customizations that made the biggest difference for him.
▶️ Watch the full video below and if you’re short on time, skip to the part where I show the monthly layout and our top 3 priorities section (those are the most important featured for us).
Final Thoughts
This isn’t just about a planner. It’s about giving our teens the tools they need to see themselves succeeding. Not perfectly, but gradually, intentionally, and with more confidence each week.
If you’ve been searching for a system that feels realistic, flexible, and made for how your teen actually works, I hope this gave you some clarity or at least a spark of inspiration.
Because at the end of the day, we’re not just teaching them math or science or writing. We’re teaching them how to manage time, navigate expectations, and slowly take charge of their own learning.
And if a minimalist, flexible homeschool planner helps nudge that along — one prioritized task, one met deadline, one checked box at a time — I’ll take it.
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thank you for the giveaway. I think my teen would love one . she love horses , axolotls,frogs , corgi and cats. I am so happy I came across your email.
Oh! I’ll definitely make one with cats and one with dogs. Axolotls are so cool! I’d love to have one as a pet (only Marc would have to care for it because I don’t know if I’m brave enough to touch it)
Excited about the give away. My teen would love sports themed planner.
Hi Megan,
Any sports? That’s a good suggestion!
Please please please make a dog design 😍
Not a specific breed, but a broad theme 😁
Hugs!
Dogs will come right up! I know cats and dogs are very popular.
Mine would love space or cats… or cats in space… he’s not picky 😹🌌
I’d love to have my son try out your teen planner! He loves building, cooking/baking, Minecraft, mountain bikes, coding, Mario kart, and Greek mythology.
That sounds cool! Mine loves mythology, too. He’s reading Rick Riordan – which seems never-ending. Every time he finishes one series another one shows up.
Haha space cats! That’s a good one. Mine loves cats too! We have 4.
Thank you for the gift and for all the incredible things you do for homeschoolers.:)
❤️ Thank you for all the support and for the kind words.
My teen would love one with ballerinas or Narnia theme 🙂
Oh, I love the idea of ballerinas!
Hi Laura – We’d love a planner that has more rows for each day, so we can add specific details or account for additional curriculum items to be done in that day. Also, more space for Sundays to help with homeschool on the weekends sometimes.
Thanks for your thoughtful planning and color coding, etc. ideas!!
Hi Jen,
I have other planners, but I’m happy to talk more about what you need, just e-mail me at hello@monkeyandmom.com if you have a specific layout in mind and I can create a custom one for you!
My teen would love an animal theme, especially a cover with reptiles.
Oh! Mine would love a reptiles one too! He’s suggestiong often that be get a pet snake… but no, thank you. Hahah
What a great blog! So happy I stumbled upon your page via a Google search! My teen would love a daily planner with a cover filled with wildflowers or succulents.
Welcome! I’m so happy you did, too! That’s a great cover idea. I’ll sit down in the following days to design more covers. I got so many nice suggestions.
This planner seems like an answer to prayer for my 16 year old. To be honest, we both struggle with executive function! I think a forest cover would be nice, but maybe doing a classic novel or artist type theme of cover could be pretty as well.
I struggle with it, too. So I know exactly how an overwhelmed brain responds to pressure by procrastination. This is a planner I developed over the past 3 years for both myself and my teen and after trying so many systems, this week-at-a-glance but simple layout worked the best. This is the version I’m using daily for the past 8 months: https://amzn.to/4mwqUxg
I’m attaching a very messy photo 🙂 I really just scribble any TO DOs in it so it’s not the neatest one but it works for my brain.
This planner was made for my daughter. She has ADHD, Dyslexia, and High Functioning Autism. She is a visual person and requires structure. She needs habit cues and help managing time.
I know, managing time and breaking bigger tasks into smaller chunks are our struggles, too.
My 15 yo ADHD son would probably just like it plain. He tends to want to keep things simple and streamlined. My 13 year old daughter would love anything pretty, she loves anything beautiful, especially ocean and plant themes.
Oh! Ocean themed and plain sound good! I’ll definitely make plain ones that canbe customized with stickers too!
I have a Teen and soon to be teen. My teen loves mermaids, but not the cutsie cartoon types. More real life. And my soon to be teen loves chess!
Oh, mermaids are such a fun theme! I love the suggestion
Please let me know when other versions are available for purchase. I would really like to get one, and we are starting school on Monday. My 17, 15, and 13 year old would be interested in a cover without any art that they could put stickers on themselves.
Hi Shannon,
I’ll make sure to e-mail you when the undated, 12 months planners go live. I’m juggling a lot with the start of high school here so I’m a bit slower with the process. But the blank idea is genius! I’ll definitely create one like that! Any background color? Or white?
Thank you so much! I think a black background cover would probably pop the vinyl stickers the most, but it wouldn’t matter much as long as the cover was a fairly neutral color.
I really like this idea and planner layout. I think my 13 year old (turning 14 soon 🫣) would really benefit from one of these planners.
Thank you! It took a few years to perfect it into something mine would actually use.
I have a couple of teens that would enjoy using the planner. Any cover really. Thanks for the giveaway.
You’re welcome! And good luck!
My almost 16 yr old daughter would LOVE a coffee theme planner. She is going to have a coffee bus or trailer to travel with, so coffee is a big theme in our house. As well as highland (fluffy) cows😊
Oh that sounds so cute…fluffy cows and coffee
This planner looks like something I need to help manage my household!
I made an “adult” version” for myself. I will come back with the links once I manage to publish it.
I like the idea a lot, we’ll see if the teenagers also like it…. My kids are deep into fantasy books so they’d love anything that incorporated dragons or elves or the creatures of dungeons and dragons.
My daughter loves chickens and lots of colors. Ostriches are another favorite animal.
Oooh chickens are a great idea!
Mine would be all over cats. Realistic cats, cartoon cats, any cat is a good cat in her eyes.
I’ll definitely make one with cats! I have so many requests for it!
This is wonderful! My daughter loves nature. So anything to do with plants, bugs, wildlife, etc would all be something she’d enjoy.
My son loves nature too! And he has a pet praying mantis 🙂 So I’ll probably make a bug-themed one too
My teen would love a planner with a Greek mythology theme! She is all about the Percy Jackson books!
Looks like this would be very helpful for my teen & tween ADHD kiddos. They both love the outdoors, trees, camping, archery. Younger one also loves otters, axolotls, chickens, realistic cats. My teen definitely needs a way to see what has to be done each day and check it off. Thank you for the chance to win one of your planners.
Looks like this would be very helpful for my teen & tween ADHD kiddos. They both love the outdoors, trees, camping, archery. Younger one also loves otters, axolotls, chickens, realistic cats. My teen definitely needs a way to see what has to be done each day and check it off. Thank you for the chance to win one of your planners.
I don’t know what just happened to my comment – but what type of paper does your planner have?? I know you mentioned similarities with a Japanese planner but for me I’m very picky about paper so sometimes I’m better off buying a printable.. do you have plans to offer this as a printable possibly??
Thanks,
Tina
Hi Tina,
I love Japanese paper. Unfortunately, my planners are printed by Amazon, so I cannot guarantee a Japanese paper quality. I don’t currently offer these as printables.