I am hoping to find a good rhythm for us soon considering we started school something like 6 or 7 weeks ago. Seriously, we are enjoying the new curriculum and all the new fun activities but we are still adjusting our schedule. But, having said that I do have an ideal plan in mind and over the next couple of weeks I see us completely getting into the groove of things. Isn't that an adorable little screen shot of a FABULOUS app?!? I love this app. I love it way better than the $40 one I purchased. This iPad app is going to help keep me sane. I am hopeful anyway.
First of all, this year is completely different but you knew that already because of
this post. We are all adjusting to the new type of curriculum and the work that goes with it. We love it, it's just new and we are having to reprogram our brains. Especially me, my brain doesn't reprogram as easy as theirs! Ha!
Second: as usual, every year brings its own special, new challenges and changes and this year it is Kindergarten for the baby. ~Tear~ I can't believe my 'baby' is in Kindergarten, but I can whine about that later. He is my different child. A good kind of different, but different nonetheless. He doesn't learn like any of the other children and he picked up so much just through being here and listening the last five years he is further along than I thought. So I am having to change up what I thought would be a simple progression through his curriculum because he knows way more than anyone realized. And because I am a mama that loves order (you must go in sequence, you must or I tend to wince a lot) it's killing me to basically tear apart the order of curriculum and just go with the flow. I'm getting there and fortunately since eclectic seems to be the best way for him to learn, he is loving the crazy diversity. Me, well, like I said, I'm getting there. ~Smile, wince, smile~
Third: in two weeks we will begin something else that is new. . . .once per week co-op. So Tuesday won't look like any other day. I'm good with that and even excited, but it will look different from every other day.
So, whew, having rambled through all that, here is my ideal day:
6 am: Mommy up~morning mama devotion in the quiet and exercise (these are critical for me and can't be skipped)
7:30 am: Prep Hubs breakfast (if eating at home) and if needed, get kids up (on days we need the van)
8 am: Morning Meeting (this is breakfast, kids devotion and daily agenda laid out)
8:30-9 am: Spic and Span Cleaning Crew Morning Clean Up
9 am: School begins (each child has a specific schedule of work)
10:10-10:30 am: Break and snack
10:30-Noon: School Work, Work with Mom, and iff completed work Lego or Play Doh Time
Noon-1 pm: Lunch and Quick clean up (lunch messes)
1-2 pm: Finish up core work, if finished then onto non-core, mama's office work
2-3:15 pm: Non-core activities, mama's office work
3:15 SCHOOL IS OFFICIALLY DISMISSED
3:15-4 pm: Quiet Play, everyone benefits from very quiet time. . .especially the mama
4-4:45 pm: Spic and Span Cleaning Time, dinner prep (and pick up dad if we have the van)
Free time before and after dinner.
Our evening routine is rarely routine because of various evening activities, but when we are home this is what it will and for the most part does look like (summer bedtimes are still slightly in play but that is changing):
7:30 pm: Bedtime routine begins (on nights not at church)
8:30 pm: Younger boys must be in bed
9:15 pm: Lights out for Makiah
Monday:
Sunday around here is an ALL DAY EVENT and on Monday we all tend to be slightly exhausted. So Monday is known as Lite Day. We still work, but we don't usually start until 10 and we dismiss a little early. We always do Math, Language Arts and either science or social studies and a non core (something fun and easy going).
Tuesday:
9-10:30 am: Library time
11-3 pm: Co-op
Friday:
Our Friday schedule will not follow these specific times because Friday around here is known as Finish Up Friday! We use Friday to catch up on any lessons that we may have lagged behind on or needed extra help with, lapbooking for the boys, art projects that need completing, etc. The only actual lesson that is scheduled for everyone is Math. If, and that's a
big if, there is nothing to finish up, then I will go ahead and add a couple of lessons or we will do review sheets. Also, one Friday per month our homeschool group has a field trip. So Friday will always be a full day, it just may not look exactly like the schedule above.
So as you can see, with the exception of Wednesday and Thursday, our days vary greatly! But that's good. . . .I'm hoping it will keep boredom and burn out far, far away. ~Wink~
I love the way we are homeschooling this year. The kids love it too. We have joy in homeschooling again and all of us had lost our joyful homeschooling spunk. So while our schedules are zany and different almost everyday, we are learning and having fun doing it!
This shall be my motto for the year. . . . .
To hopefully avoid looking like this. . .
. . . . well, not everyday anyway!! Ha!
Praying we have a most fantastic year!! Thankfully God helps us everyday, even on the days when we are zany, crazy!