Favorite Homeschool Tool {link up}

 I thought I'd join the lovely Dwija today for her Favorite Homeschool Tool Link Up.

When I read her post I found myself struggling with what to post as my FAVORITE tool that gets me through and declares me as best.homeschool.mom.ever.

At first, I came up with this:

  

But then I decided that a good cup of coffee isn't absolutely necessary for homeschooling. 

Or is it?

Although my shelves are lined with numerous helps and books and my schoolroom and house are adequately filled with supplies and manipulatives stuff, I have one thing that I have used the last two years and love.

It makes me run a bit more efficiently and with a simple click I can see exactly what needs to be attacked each day by my students.

Ready for it?

I found Homeschool Tracker last school year and I find it very useful for me. As a bit of a perfectionist/OCD/planner homeschool mom this is a huge help for me in lesson planning. I use curriculum from a few different places and I used to hand write my lesson plans. It just wasn't working for me. 

With Homeschool Tracker I can adjust and change my lesson plans as needed and it keeps track of everything I need for each child. Just recently (clearly, I'm still a student and still learning too) I realized that I could print off my kids' plans for the week. I now do that and post them in the schoolroom so each student can begin their work without me there. You know, because sometimes the teacher is otherwise detained with other siblings and such.

I only use the original, FREE Basic edition that is downloaded on my laptop. They do have another version you can buy (still a great value) and now offer an online version that can be accessed from iPad, tablet, whatever and wherever. I just haven't splurged for that one yet.

There you go. My favorite homeschool helper/tool.

Do you homeschool? What is your favorite?

Don't forget to stop by the Link Up to check out the other favorites or add your own!