m0mmaBuck Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I just wrote our schedule out on paper and I don't like it: Monday- I teach. Walking/nature group for older kids in p.m. (usually 1-3 or 2-4) Library time BSA evenings (6-8) Tuesday- I work. DH teaches. Home all day Wednesday- I teach. AHG 3-5 Thursday- I teach. Thursday has traditionally been our field trip day because many venues have free admission. DD has art class from 4-6 DH/DS play D&D at our house from 7-10 I play volleyball in a league in the evenings Friday- I work. DH teaches Home all day It just seems like everything out of the house ended up on my days to teach (which are our most productive days with regard to academics). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I am not sure what the problem is. The scheduled activities - with exception of the nature walk on Mondays - are all in the later afternoon, by which time academic work should be completed, considering the kids' ages. I'd much rather take my kids to an activity after a day of teaching at home than after a day of working outside the house and rushing home in order to get them to their activity on time. You might reconsider doing do a walking/nature activity that early in the day during a school day, though, and maybe move it to a later time, or to a weekend - or to a later day of the week. We used to have one regular daytime activity during the week, our homeschool group meetings, so that day was half a school day. But again, at your kids' ages, one half day sounds perfectly fine to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 You are home in the mornings though, correct? I would just be on the ball about getting up and getting work done those days you need to be out of the house earlier in the afternoons. And schedule larger projects for the days you are home longer. Maybe work with your DH to be in charge of some of that stuff. Do you feel like your kids are benefiting from the extras? Sometimes I think my kids get at least as much out of stuff we do out of the house in a different format than they get from in house stuff. Plus working on team work, social skills, follow through, etc. I would be embarrassed to post the calendar my newly 10 and 13 year old have going this fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I don't see anything I would cut, but can you move the library outing to one of your DH's teaching days and/or switch a day with him altogether? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I don't know what I would change. Knowing absolutely nothing other than the OP, if DH's teaching days aren't as productive academically, can they take care of the house and meals those days? Maybe that could include getting supper ready for the next day (slow cooker, or just ready to go into the oven)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Agreeing with the PPs. I wouldn't cut anything. I'd be organized about menu planning. Use the crockpot, prepare freezer meals every couple of months to be thrown into rotation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I agree that you still have plenty of time during the days to get work done, but if I needed to cut something out of that particular schedule, it would probably be AHG, because it's the only thing on that day, and otherwise, I could get all the outings into two days a week. Or I would do fewer field trips so that we were home most of the day most Thursdays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 It doesn't look to bad to me as long as you're starting at a reasonable hour. It seems you only have one activity during the actual school day. Just give DH the library trip or move it to after AHG and do some school after the walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 My big problem would be BSA for two hours. It interferes with supper hour, dh doesn't even get home until 6:15, I correct a lot of the work in the evenings while winding down, and all of my kids when they were that age were also getting ready for bedtime, slowing down for the night, etc. That would not have worked for us at all. Otherwise, I think it looks okay but you do have to be disciplined to start at a decent time in the morning so that everything is done before the afternoon activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I just wrote our schedule out on paper and I don't like it: Monday- I teach. Walking/nature group for older kids in p.m. (usually 1-3 or 2-4) Library time BSA evenings (6-8) Tuesday- I work. DH teaches. Home all day Wednesday- I teach. AHG 3-5 Thursday- I teach. Thursday has traditionally been our field trip day because many venues have free admission. DD has art class from 4-6 DH/DS play D&D at our house from 7-10 I play volleyball in a league in the evenings Friday- I work. DH teaches Home all day It just seems like everything out of the house ended up on my days to teach (which are our most productive days with regard to academics). How many days at home do you want? How does your family handle an active schedule? Some people thrive and others wilt with an active schedule, so you'll need to judge where your family falls on this issue. If you want one day at home - you're not running around, I'd remove AHG on Wednesday. That one shift would give you a dedicated day at home before you spend Thursday out and about. My second change would be to empty Monday, but then you'd have to move the library time to either Thursday, the weekend, or have dh take them. Thursday sounds like a family fun day between D&D, art, volleyball, and field trips. My preference would be to leave it alone, especially as it comes towards the end of the week. If the family is happy with the schedule, how is your weekend schedule? Could you use Saturday or Sunday to catch up on any loose ends from the previous week? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Well it all looks like too much to me...but I'm accustomed to all my kids doing same sport at same time and doing co-op same time...your schedule exhausts me and we wouldn't function well with leaving the house soooo much. I'd personally want to eliminate it all but I do see value in those activities as well LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 It seems to me that having a change of scene after a really meaty chunk of academics would be the best thing. At least for my kids, it would be. If you feel the days your husband teaches are too light, perhaps you could assign some homework or other independent work to be completed on those days in preparation for the courses you teach. He could probably also do library time, unless there is something I'm missing. I wouldn't cut anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 When do you normally start school? Are the activities far away, so that there's a ton of travel time to take into account that's not reflected above? Do all of them require your active involvement or are they drop-off? Can you utilize time in the car/waiting for a sibling for independent work for the other children? We did a lot of books on audio in the car that would otherwise have been read-alouds, pausing to discuss as we went. How often do you do field trips on Thursdays, and at what times? Could you cut those back to once a month or combine a field trip in the morning/afternoon with schoolwork in the other time slot? Is the walking/nature group an organized thing or just your family? If just your family, can you move it to one of your husband's days? If an organized group, can the 22 yo take the 12 yo to walking group while you work with the 8 yo (assuming that's what you meant by "older kids"), then meet at the library, and then you can do more with the boys while your daughter is at AHG on Wednesday? Switch library time to one of your husband's days so that the 22 yo can take the 12 yo to walking and you have nothing outside until 6p, so can really focus on your 8 yo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I don't think we can help you decide, because only you know which of these activities are important to your family. Is there anything that is particularly stressful for you, or that your kids whine about having to do? Those might be things you can eliminate without depriving anyone of anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I think your schedule is very reasonable as is...... the only thing I might change is library time to one of your dh's teaching days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0mmaBuck Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 I guess it stresses me because last year we had AHG and BSA on Monday nights and then we were done with that for the week. Art class was on Tuesday so DH dealt with that. But this year everything is sprawled out throughout the week, and I don't have a single day without an outside obligation. I'm sure it will be fine. I just really enjoyed having a lot of flexibility on Weds and Thurs last year, and this year I don't have much at all. I know I just have to suck it up. Scouts and AHG are very important to DH. DS loves BSA. DD could take or leave AHG. But we are a scouting family. DH and I are leaders. So that can't be dropped. DD LOVES her art class. I don't have the heart to take that away. DSS22 lives on the other side of the country so using him is not an option. The nature walk is with a group. We started doing it because it seemed that everything the group did was geared toward younger kids and we wanted an activity that brought the older group together (middle and high school). DH works from home so the academic load is very light on his days. Many days, the kids do their assignments independently or without much interaction from him because he is working. I might be able to get him to do the library trip, or at least pick up books that are on hold. Weekends are family time. And they are MY days off. I really don't want to do school on those days too. I was also considering adding music lessons of some sort for both kids.... So ... hmmm... I guess maybe I need to really look at our academics and figure out more things the kids can do independently on DH's days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Okay, admittedly, I was repeatedly told I was crazy the last couple of years my kids were home in terms of how much we were out running around, but this schedule actually looks light to me. The way I see it, your kids are home with time available to do schoolwork most of the day four days a week? The extracurriculars look worthwhile. I wouldn't cut anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 OK, I see now. I read "group for older kids" as meaning the youngest of your children did not participate and there were only the three in the sig. Is the nature walk only for middle and up or primarily for your 12 yo and perhaps it could be a drop off situation while you work with the 8 yo? Then switch over and do drop off for art and work with the 12 yo on Thursday? Given the additional info, yes, more independent work if possible and,you may definitely want to schedule all independent work/video/individual reading for the days your husband is in charge, or that your son can do while you and the 8yo are at AHG. That way you can focus your teaching time on things where they need direct interaction with you. I might make library time once a month for physically going as a group and otherwise put things on hold to just be picked up in a quick trip without the kids. We put things on hold and my husband picks them up on his way home from work, for instance. I'd also look at streamlining field trips to once a month or once a quarter, if I needed more instructional time. I'd really consider the time music lessons would take from your day, since it doesn't sound like your husband can handle them if he's working from home. Music lessons will also add in daily practice, which will further eat into your available time. Maybe see how things go this semester and look at whether you can add them after the holidays if there's room? It may also be different if you have a teacher who will come to your house vs having to go out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I'd drop the nature group, the BSA, and AHG, and sign them both up for 4-H which is co-ed so you can get the group enrichment out of the way all at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Really, that is only one outside activity for the DS, two activities for the DD (and I have an artist DD so I get not wanting to drop the art class, while I imagine AHG satisfies a need for more communal activity). Plus a nature walk, which is a great break from traditional academics. That is not a lot for each kid. Your list looks longer because you list when you work and teach. LOL Plus, including your volleyball and D&D (which is at home so I guess doesn't negatively affect the schedule too much?) just makes it looks like the kids are doing more than they actually are. These days I am out of the house five days a week (although all after school, including tea time!). If you would have told me that would be my life a few years ago, I would have said no way. But it is what it is, and the activities my kids are involved in are extremely valuable for their growth and social lives. Still, I would ask DH do the library outing in your shoes. I do it here every week because I am it M-F, but it is also part of school (research for current writing and projects). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Your schedule looks doable. I would just make sure to really block out those days that you are home. Don't let other appointments creep in. Also, you might just do less field trips this year. Our schedule was more stacked last year and we just didn't do a whole lot in the field trip department. The only thing that looks movable is the Library. I would also strongly encourage your nature group to shoot for a later start time. And maybe go every other week? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0mmaBuck Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 Thank you. Your responses have offered me some perspective. My kids do have a few other monthly activities (game days, field trips with our homeschool groups, etc) but maybe I will just cut out the nature walks on those weeks to lend some balance to the schedule. I can probably get DH to pick up books on hold from the library weekly and take the kids to the library once/month to do research for papers and/or peruse the stacks for leisure reading. I will miss having days where I have no outside obligations, but I can't see a way to make that happen this fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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