Help with schedule/routine

[MyLittleWonders]

I know what I want to do each day/week, and I'm working on making loose plans ahead of time (I don't like anything concrete because I get all frustrated when we don't accomplish what I planned; I do write everything down as they do it in a grid I made). I'm still trying to figure out how I want it to look day-to-day. My goal is to try and get most things done by lunch, with only having reading (their reading - usually 10-15 minutes each) and one subject left (history or science/nature activity). We do four full days (Wednesdays are PE and park day, so we do our "core" in the morning and that is all). My questions are:

 

1. Do you take breaks between subjects? Between hours? At all?

2. If you take breaks, how do you get the kids back to the table/school area to start again?

3. Do you stick to a clock? (Begin at "x" hour and go for so long before switching?) Or, do you go more with the flow of the house and therefore start at different times each day?

 

Here's what we tend to do on a regular day (if I'm on top of things!):

-breakfast, where I will usually try to either read history or science to them, or review Latin vocabulary/songs

-"core" subjects: spelling/phonics (AAS or ETC), writing (CW or WWE), penmenship (HWOT), and math (Miquon)

-some days we fit in some history or science/nature after core (a map or coloring page, or activity for science)

-break/free time

-lunch

-reading/read aloud/narration

-hopefully do anything we didn't get done in the morning

 

We try and get the boys in bed by 9:30 so they are up around 8:30 or so. I would love to get started with breakfast right away, but that never seems to happen (except for the youngest, who loves to eat when he first wakes, the other two seem to resist breakfast). Then, they start playing before I can reign anyone in, and our morning starts to get away from me. And, there's no organization for chores (which also get resistance).

 

I really am looking for help getting more structure and predictability here. I'm not sure how to do it and how to keep them from resisting.

 

Our "core" gets done 5x a week. History is hopefully Monday and Tuesday. Science and Nature are Thursday and Friday. I would love Latin to be 3x a week at least (we are using SSL, so it's mostly oral review, Monkey Match memory, and/or singing the songs). Art is hopefully Friday afternoons (and 1x a month we do an art coop with our friends). How do I implement it all?

 

Does anyone else have more resisting type of children who have successful instituted routine and schedules where everyone gets what they need and things get done and there's time for freedom? Help! :D

[pageta]

We do school in the morning right now (when DS3 was taking naps, we did it in the afternoon).

 

We start out with "storytime" which is the carrot I offer. I read a story for DS3 and then one for DS6, who is homeschooled. Then we move on and do our core

 

Reading aloud

Spelling (my bribe for reading aloud, which isn't his favorite)

Handwriting

Math (his favorite)

 

After this, we do our secondary subjects as we are able/have energy/aren't interrupted by the toddler or the baby. So:

 

Poetry

History

Science

Bible

Music

Art

 

We start generally by 9:00 and are done by 11:00.

 

Right now I'd like to add Tea Time in the afternoon where we do fun read-alouds. I've gotten to where we are now by implementing one thing at a time and making small adjustments where necessary. I find it's easier to find a good flow if you fall into it one thing at a time rather than coming up with an arbitrary schedule. Just my experience.

[J'etudie]

1. Do you take breaks between subjects? Between hours? At all?

2. If you take breaks, how do you get the kids back to the table/school area to start again?

3. Do you stick to a clock? (Begin at "x" hour and go for so long before switching?) Or, do you go more with the flow of the house and therefore start at different times each day?

 

Our academic schedule sounds similar to yours; most subjects are done before lunch and it's just Spanish and one other subject (it changes daily) to do after lunch...usually. I have 8:30 as a mental must-start time, but lately I've been getting a jump start on that by having the boys start one or two independent tasks before then while I'm finishing up in the kitchen and getting baby and/or preschooler ready for the day. We break for lunch somewhere between 11 and 12. Afternoon lessons generally begin at 1pm so the faster they eat, the more time they have to play.

 

I'd love to start lessons at 8 every day and work straight through, but my boys would rebel so we do take breaks during the morning. They are not rigid times, though. I use breaks to motivate them to finish certain tasks, when I see them beginning to wilt, or when a diaper needs changing :D. Sometimes I use a timer. Sometimes it's more: "Okay, you may have a break while I do math with your brother. When I'm done, we'll do your copywork." I never give a break without mentioning what we'll be doing next and an approximate time that it will happen. I usually follow that up with, "And when the timer beeps and Mom says, 'Time for Spanish,' what do you say?" There are two acceptable answers in our house: 1) "Yes, Mommy!" or "Yeah, Spanish!" (or fill in the blank with the appropriate subject). They don't really like the second answer but I'm keeping it up as a running joke for myself. They may laugh someday. :lol:

[J'etudie]

Right now I'd like to add Tea Time in the afternoon where we do fun read-alouds. I've gotten to where we are now by implementing one thing at a time and making small adjustments where necessary. I find it's easier to find a good flow if you fall into it one thing at a time rather than coming up with an arbitrary schedule. Just my experience.

 

We have Special Story Time once a week with juice (not a regular beverage in our house) and a cookie. I buy the themed party cups and napkins and they get to choose one. I'd love to turn it into afternoon tea someday. :)

[shukriyya]

Our day begins with circle time which gets us active and engages the body as a nice preparation for the mental work. Perhaps that would help.

[thowell]

We start our day with bible study and a nature page in their notebooks outside. I have found that this seems to calm and focus them. I have a lesson plan made out for each day but I am learning that this is just a guideline. Write everyhting in PENCIL! After bible we move to math. This is about 30 minutes. The rest of our day is in our unit study AWOA, this takes us up to lunch. They get a 15 minute break at 10:30 to walk the dogs and then an hour for lunch. We finish anything that is left after lunch which is normally just reading. We are normally finished sometime around 1:30 - 2:00.

[claire up north]

We have a similar schedule to yours.

 

We start each day at 9:00. I wake the kids up no later than 8:00 so they have time to eat & goof around a bit.

 

Today my 11yo whined and moped before school because he was "so tired." Tomorrow I'll get him up a bit earlier so he has a bit more time to really wake up before school.

 

BTW, it sounds like you're doing a lot already. Remember: there's always something more that *could* be done.;)

[thowell]

Oh, I almost forgot we made chore charts with seperate pockets for morning lunch and evening. One for each child. They have to pull their own cards at each point in the day and make sure all are done by the end of the day. That is working really well. If your little ones do not read well I saw where another mom used pictures on her chore cards.

[MyLittleWonders]

Wow! I run off to Staples and you all responded! :D Thank you so much. I love the ideas; I am going to chew on them and probably change things a little bit (I really want to try a little break - 15 minutes or so - in the middle of our "core" so that we can get through our things more easily). And thank you Claire for the reminding me that there is always something else that *can* be added. ;) Sometimes I feel like we should be doing more (I think because I'm an academic at heart, so it is my favorite thing to do!). I have to remember they are young and we are already learning so much.

 

Oh, I almost forgot we made chore charts with seperate pockets for morning lunch and evening. One for each child. They have to pull their own cards at each point in the day and make sure all are done by the end of the day. That is working really well. If your little ones do not read well I saw where another mom used pictures on her chore cards.

This sounds interesting ... so do you write their chores on index cards or something and then put them in three different pockets (what are the pockets made of?). I like the physical-ness of checking a pocket and pulling cards as one finishes.

[thowell]

I took a poster board for each child. The pockets are made from a color poster board cut just a little bigger than an index card and then taped on with an opening on the top to slip the cards in and out. There are three rows titled - Morning - lunch - evening. There are two pockets for each time of day. One says "to do" and next to it the other says "done". They pull their cards which are made from index cards with each individual chore written on them, each time period and move them to the "done" pocket once they are completed. Does that make since?

[MyLittleWonders]

It does. Thanks! :)