I find it so hard to get back into schoolwork after lunch....

[GVD22]

I'm thinking of switching the kids' independent work(math, language...) to the afternoon so I can be more enthused about science, history and other things when I'm most energetic. Anyone else have this problem?:glare:

[sarao]

We have the same problem, but when I tried to switch they we all too tired to do math.

[m4given]

I'm thinking of switching the kids' independent work(math, language...) to the afternoon so I can be more enthused about science, history and other things when I'm most energetic. Anyone else have this problem?:glare:

 

I've been thinking about this too. What I started to do is to tell dd that at a certain time we'll have our meet-ups & then she is to complete Independent Work in between those times. The earlier she gets up and at, the earlier she'll get done with her work.

 

We do meet-ups for each subject. Those meet-ups consist of follow-up from previous assignments, review of old material as needed, instruction of new material, and my dd's concerns of material covered. This approach seems to help us.

 

We're still figuring out what works smoothly around here & have lots of work to do that way.

 

Best wishes!

[Amber in AUS]

Maybe instead of getting back to it right after lunch you could have a quiet time and start again a little later in the afternoon when everyone is feeling a little fresher. Or if you did a really short lunch, maybe lunch boxes you could eat on the run and keep going. Especially if you made lunch the night before or at breakfast like you would for PS.

[dragons in the flower bed]

I'm going to make lunch part of school this year by putting on a mandatory documentary for them to watch while they eat. We did this one year, kind of; I read aloud while they ate. This year I want to eat too. Hopefully, if we never get out of an academic headspace, we won't have to struggle to get back into it.

[GVD22]

I'm going to make lunch part of school this year by putting on a mandatory documentary for them to watch while they eat. We did this one year, kind of; I read aloud while they ate. This year I want to eat too. Hopefully, if we never get out of an academic headspace, we won't have to struggle to get back into it.

That's a good idea.:)

[Susie in CA]

We have the same problem. That's why I try to get everything done before lunch. I'd like to have only piano, free reading, typing, and puzzle books left to do in the afternoon/evenling.

 

Susie

[m0mmaBuck]

I'm going to make lunch part of school this year by putting on a mandatory documentary for them to watch while they eat. We did this one year, kind of; I read aloud while they ate. This year I want to eat too. Hopefully, if we never get out of an academic headspace, we won't have to struggle to get back into it.

 

This is what I do. I try to have a handful of educational videos from the library in addition to our own Schoolhouse Rocks. I pop it in when I start making lunch (because the smell of food is too distracting for my children). When the video is done, we are usually done eating, clean up, and go back to work.

 

I *need* to be done with school before their older brother gets home from PS because his mere presence makes DS8 want to act out (act like he doesn't know stuff or worse yet be a mouthy little know-it-all) to look "cool" to his older brother. If this weren't the case, I might allow a longer break/play time at lunch and finish school later in the afternoon.

[kewb]

We get up early and work through all morning so we can be done by lunch. It is next to impossible for any of us to be inspired to do schoolwork in the afternoon. I save documentaries and the like for the afternoon.

[Jen in PA]

I'm going to make lunch part of school this year by putting on a mandatory documentary for them to watch while they eat. We did this one year, kind of; I read aloud while they ate. This year I want to eat too. Hopefully, if we never get out of an academic headspace, we won't have to struggle to get back into it.

 

:iagree: That is exactly what I am planning once we get back to doing school in July. I'm going to try to cover history read-alouds or science dvds during the lunch break so that we stay in school mode and finish a bit earlier. We don't have a very long school day currently, but looking ahead I see things getting long enough to induce grumbling.

[GVD22]

So what time are you all starting your school day?

[melissel]

I'm going to make lunch part of school this year by putting on a mandatory documentary for them to watch while they eat. We did this one year, kind of; I read aloud while they ate. This year I want to eat too. Hopefully, if we never get out of an academic headspace, we won't have to struggle to get back into it.

 

That IS a great idea! I'm :bigear: because we have the same problem.

[melissel]

So what time are you all starting your school day?

 

We don't start until 9:30 or 10, because that's when we're done with all our morning stuff. However, we eat a relatively late lunch. My problem isn't so much lunch--it's more the break we have after DD7 finishes the "less exciting" subjects (grammar, WWE, math, spelling) that derails us. We've been breaking at that point because DD's attention has been exhausted (it's about an hour and a half worth of work), and DD4's ability to keep herself completely occupied has also been exhausted. They go off and get sucked into playing something while I check in here or start some chore and lunch prep, and by then, as Rose said, we're all out of the school headspace, and my history/science plans for the afternoon are kaput. Her method will be especially appealing here because I recently eliminated TV during the school week. To get even documentaries back will be a huge bonus for them!

[boymama]

I give mine an hour first thing in the morning to do math while I do some work with the younger ones. Then we all gather for history, Bible, any other read alouds and spanish. Then after lunch, the each have a checkoff chart that has the weeks work on it and they can pick the order that they do independent stuff. They check off what is complete and on I keep a check on their progress throught he week to see what they need to work on before Friday. Works well. There are some days when enthusiasm is nonexistent. We tough it out. I have a warm weather rule. No school, No Pool!!! that is a motivator for a few months!!

[LibraryLover]

Have you not read WTM? After lunch is two hour nap time. :) I wish I could remember to do it!

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

Maybe instead of getting back to it right after lunch you could have a quiet time and start again a little later in the afternoon when everyone is feeling a little fresher. Or if you did a really short lunch, maybe lunch boxes you could eat on the run and keep going. Especially if you made lunch the night before or at breakfast like you would for PS.

 

I think this is a great Idea! Thanks for sharing. It would almost be like School at Home, for the kids who miss not going to school. I also have these divided trays like served in a lunch room, I could have them go through the line picking out food I have laid out and then file down into the schoolroom to eat there.

[GVD22]

Have you not read WTM? After lunch is two hour nap time. :) I wish I could remember to do it!

 

 

LOL. We actually have a two hour quiet time but that doesn't start until 2pm. Hmmm, maybe I should move it up. Maybe I'll be more motivated after our new addition arrives.

Edited May 22, 2010 by GVD22

[yvonne]

I have the same problem. If it isn't done by lunch, it probably won't get done, not because the children run out of energy, but because I do.

 

The past two weeks, though, I've found that if we have lunch, then a couple of hours break ("nap time" for me!), I can pick up some things after the break. Nothing so grand as a whole history or science period, but things like R&S English, math/other corrections, history review, Spelling, Latin vocab/chant review... Anything that doesn't take a whole lot of (ok, any) creative energy on my part. I've been surprised how much we can actually get done in the later afternoon after that long break in the middle. I hope it lasts!

[truebluexf]

I need a new schedule for the fall too. I putter around in the morning and NEVER get motivated lately lol. My goal will really be to get it ALL done before lunch, is that doable for 1st and 3rd grade? Maybe. LOL

[silliness7]

During the school year I made a 30 minute playlist to listen to during lunch. When the playlist is over, it is time to get back to school. It starts and ends with a short peppy selection from the composer of the term. I also have Bible & catechism songs, geography songs some Latina Angelica, and grammar songs from FLL. I change some things half-way through the term and some I keep for the full 6 weeks. I used to include some poetry from IEW but found that got lost in the lunch craziness. So I put the poems somewhere else and we stick to just music at lunch. The end of the music is a good cue to get back to work and the content of the music keeps us conscious that school is still in session.

 

I would love to be done at lunch but it takes all morning (starting at 7:30) to get through the 3R's for 5 students all at 5 different levels (and Latin for the older 2). I enjoy afternoon school because the babies are out of our hair and we're altogether for history, science, geography, and read-aloud (not everything every day) It's a much more wonderful, relaxed feel and I look forward to it as long as I stay in the school mind-set. If I get in the housework, computer, catalog-flipping mindset...I'm no good for the rest of the afternoon. :D

Edited May 22, 2010 by silliness7

[truebluexf]

I really like your music track idea, silliness. Also a great way to make sure we get some classical music into the mix!!

 

I try to use the baby's nap time, but she started fighting naps and became unpredicatable so it got harder. I also think I need some recharge time so I'm hoping to get quiet time going....oh to have quiet time....lol.

[Tonia]

I made a 30 minute playlist to listen to during lunch. When the playlist is over, it is time to get back to school. It starts and ends with a short peppy selection from the composer of the term. I also have Bible & catechism songs, geography songs some Latina Angelica, and grammar songs from FLL. I change some things half-way through the term and some I keep for the full 6 weeks. I used to include some poetry from IEW but found that got lost in the lunch craziness. So I put the poems somewhere else and we stick to just music at lunch. The end of the music is a good cue to get back to work and the content of the music keeps us conscious that school is still in session.

 

Ohh! I love this idea, Silliness! You've inspired me to pull out all our CDs and start making a playlist. Wonderful idea!

[Suzannah]

We work through lunch most of the time. Either I eat before or after the kids so I can read aloud (history, science, French stories, etc.) or we listen to something in audio format (SOTW CD, French CD, etc.) We've done a few videos at lunch, but if I bring it to the table, everyone crowds around the portable DVD player and complains that they can't see it. If we go to one of the TVs/computer screens elsewhere in the house, I lose them. They never want to come back to the table.

[Angel]

I rarely school after lunch with my younger dd. I like having some time in the afternoon to get things done or catch a little rest. I also like time for dd to just play, read, use her imagination, etc. Dd last year averaged around 3.5 hours of school time (3rd grade). That amount of work is easily accomplished before lunch ;)

[robsiew]

I'm going to make lunch part of school this year by putting on a mandatory documentary for them to watch while they eat. We did this one year, kind of; I read aloud while they ate. This year I want to eat too. Hopefully, if we never get out of an academic headspace, we won't have to struggle to get back into it.

 

We do this... at first I read aloud (same problem as you, didn't get lunch) so now we listen to an audio book during lunch. I usually just save one subject for after lunch... usually science. We do history in the morning. If they have any independent work to finish they do that after science.

[naturelovinmama]

We too seem to need to be done before lunch or not much gets done. I save read-alouds for bedtime (or actually do them the night before), so that's one less thing we need to do the next day.

 

Jackie

[nikkinic]

Ok - this might sound kind of mean... but it works for us. We were having the same after lunch problem. Neither of us felt like going back to school work after breaking for lunch. So, I've found that if we don't really stop for lunch it works out much better for us. Believe me, if someone would've told me this when I first started homeschooling I would've thought they were crazy slave drivers, but it works for us. He will usually do some independent work while I make lunch or I'll grab some coldcuts, cheese and fruit really quickly while he's working on something and we just munch as we work. We get done a little earlier this way too - so he still has plenty on free/relaxing time but it's just all at once instead of little breaks through out the day.

[babysparkler]

I have the same problem. If it isn't done by lunch, it probably won't get done, not because the children run out of energy, but because I do.

 

 

This is ME! I am changing the schedule for next school year. I think I will do history & science before lunch (we do this all together) and save the more independent work (and meet-ups) for the older kids to work on in the afternoon while the younger ones and I do nap/quiet-time.

[justamouse]

Ugh, I know exactly what you mean. I've been reading to them while we eat, Lamb's Shakespeare for Children and that's going VERY well. (Although I'm schooling all year and through the summer I'm going to be stopping after lunch.)

[Abbysfriend]

I tried this too but it seems that we need to get Math done as early as possible...so no good solutions from us...we have the same after lunch crash at our house! In better weather we sometimes take the oral and reading exercises outdoors and do them in the glider...seems to bring the life back into our day :-)

[hsmamainva]

We do our seat work (English, Math, etc.) before lunch, so that after lunch, it's history / read aloud books, if any, followed by science and art.

 

It's easier to get them back to the table for "fun subjects" like history, science, and art.