What do you do with your time?

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

I always see posts from people who say they don't have enough time for school. Then they say it takes 2-3 hours! I don't understand. :confused:

[hsmom]

I also wonder this one.

 

I have read on other forums that people use the excuse they homeschool as why their houses are dirty. Which I don't understand either.

[Tammy]

cleaning freaks on this board (you know....those that have to clean their houses all day long, and do about 5 loads of laundry each day, LOL). Fortunately....I am not one of those people, LOL!

 

No offense to you cleaning freaks.....I just wish I was more of one, LOL!

 

.

[Halcyon]

Hmmm. Let's see...I wake up at 8 am. I drink coffee and read the NYTimes for 30 minutes. Then I shower and tidy the kitchen (boys have hopefully been fed by Dad). Then the week works as follows:

 

Monday

School from 9-1 pm, then lunch. Then we go on a playdate usually or have some activity til 3:30 (usually takes 20 m to get wherever we're going). 4 pm we go to the YMCA where I run for 40 minutes. 5 pm we head to my oldest's TKD class. 645 we're home from that. Dinner and bed by 8.

 

Tuesdays

School from 9-11, then off to the YMCA for a homeschool fitness class from 11:30 to 12:30. Then home for lunch. Then yoga for my youngest from 3-4 pm. Then home to make dinner and clean house while the boys do their chores or read books. I go to yoga from 6-7:30 if the hubby gets home early enough.

 

Wednesdays:

School from 9-1. Then we clean the house from 2-4, the boys do science experiments, reading, projects, or play with friends from the neighbourhood. This is also a big crafting day for us. 4-5 pm we go the YMCA where I run. 5:15 to 6:45 we are at TKD.

 

Thurdays:

School from 9-11:15. Homeschool Fitness class from 11:45 to 12:45 for older, and younger goes to Drama class from 12-2 (yes, I'm in 2 places at once :)) After that, we usually go home and relax, cook, read, while I clean and do laundry. I go to yoga from 6 to 7:30.

Fridays:

School from 9-1 and catch up on any missed work or projects. Usually have a homeschool outing in the afternoon. Also at some point we get to the Ymca so I can run.

 

 

So there's our week. All the gaps are filled in with laundry, cleaning, reading, craft projects, library visits, and science projects. I f eel busy but not overwhelmed. :001_smile:

Edited November 4, 2010 by Halcyon

[Gwenhwyfar]

I always see posts from people who say they don't have enough time for school. Then they say it takes 2-3 hours! I don't understand. :confused:

 

where do you "always see" these posts?

[ColoradoMom]

I'd be tired just listing what I do all day. Homeschooling is the least of my workload.

 

I was up at 3:30 this morning, worked out at 4:30, wrote an inspection report for my "day-job", sent a few "day-job" emails, sent a few home biz e-mails, wrote a chapter for my chemistry book, created a custom periodic table, took a shower, woke up DS for school, make bacon, eggs, and toast for breakfast, ate breakfast, and now I'm waiting for 60 bales of hay to be delivered so I can stack it in the barn, then feed the animals (we are out of hay and the donkeys are NOT happy) and then take another shower because the hay got all over me.

 

That's all before noon.

 

We won't even get to homeschool until after the hay delivery - but Thursdays are writing days - so just vocabulary, essay writing, a few math worksheets, and reading for today.

 

Oh, and my house is ALWAYS dirty. :D I can't do everything.

[myfatherslily]

I always see posts from people who say they don't have enough time for school. Then they say it takes 2-3 hours! I don't understand. :confused:

 

I have read on other forums that people use the excuse they homeschool as why their houses are dirty. Which I don't understand either.

 

Perhaps instead of wondering how some of us could be so deficient, you could post suggestions?? And while, yes, I am saying the first part with some snark:tongue_smilie:, I really could use suggestions! I feel very stressed... though I don't say that my house is a mess because I homeschool. It was a mess before that, too!!

[missmoe]

Well my house is usually a mess not because I homeschool, but because I have 5 kids. Homeschooling the three younger ones and having the two older ones in school and running kids to activities in afternoons, church responabilities, volunteering for two different schools, and being a wife take up much of my time. I always make time for homeschooling and for interacting with my older kids. I make time to spend with my husband. I just don't make time to have a shiny spic and span house. I'm okay with that for now.

 

Different people will make different choices. I'm okay with that. I'm not worried about what others do with their kids or homes at this point in my life!:tongue_smilie:

[Crissy]

I always see posts from people who say they don't have enough time for school. Then they say it takes 2-3 hours! I don't understand. :confused:

 

You're certain these are the same posters saying they 'don't have time' and that school takes 2-3?

 

Some folks do take only 2-3 hours. Others--probably those with older students--take much more time than that.

 

There are also families with greater age ranges. They are homeschooling the younger and the older students.

Some have part-time (or full-time!) jobs away from home. Some run home businesses, family farms, or have aging or sick parents for whom they are responsible. Some have tremendous health issues of their own.

[Mejane]

Perhaps instead of wondering how some of us could be so deficient, you could post suggestions?? And while, yes, I am saying the first part with some snark:tongue_smilie:, I really could use suggestions! I feel very stressed... though I don't say that my house is a mess because I homeschool. It was a mess before that, too!!

 

Here's what works for me:

 

1. Declutter. Toss or pack away anything you don't use regularly.

2. Do a thorough cleaning. Spend a weekend deep cleaning the whole house (get the family involved.)

3. Maintain. Spend an hour a day keeping the house clean (get the kids involved.)

4. Keep meals simple. If you can't cook it or put it together for the crockpot in twenty minutes, don't eat it.

5. Do laundry everyday. Throw a load in first thing in the morning and process it throughout the day; your laundry will never accumulate.

6. Combine outings. Schedule and map your errands and do them in one day. Plan menus and shop every other week if you can.

7. Simplify paperwork. Sort the mail over the recycling bin. Pay bills twice a month: use your online banking service if you have one, and schedule e-bills to be paid as they come in or use recurring payment.

 

Hth!

[myfatherslily]

Here's what works for me:

 

1. Declutter. Toss or pack away anything you don't use regularly.

2. Do a thorough cleaning. Spend a weekend deep cleaning the whole house (get the family involved.)

3. Maintain. Spend an hour a day keeping the house clean (get the kids involved.)

4. Keep meals simple. If you can't cook it or put it together for the crockpot in twenty minutes, don't eat it.

5. Do laundry everyday. Throw a load in first thing in the morning and process it throughout the day; your laundry will never accumulate.

6. Combine outings. Schedule and map your errands and do them in one day. Plan menus and shop every other week if you can.

7. Simplify paperwork. Sort the mail over the recycling bin. Pay bills twice a month: use your online banking service if you have one, and schedule e-bills to be paid as they come in or use recurring payment.

 

Hth!

 

Thank you!:) (Getting my tush off the computer chair to get back to cleaning the livingroom while the kids are outside!)

[hsmom]

see I understand when people say well mine was dirty before, but I have heard many people say that theirs is dirty because they homeschool they no longer have time to clean, but in the same breath state it only takes a few hours a day to homeschool.

 

Now I am not saying my house is perfect, but it is not dirty either.

 

You want suggestions for managing your time is a schedule or outline to follow daily.

 

To make my day less stressful I make sure I go to bed with a clean house. So, when I wake up that is one less stress or thing to worry about. We all have to pitch in. Like my youngest takes out the trash, the oldest loads the dishwasher. Then I vacuum, sweep, mop and pick up anything laying around, and tidy up the bathroom. Laundry is done through out the day to keep up on it. I don't allow it to get backed up or it becomes yet another stress and throws everything out of whack. All the evening things are done after dinner. Life is so much easier for me if my house is clean.

 

Then for the rest of the day we get up bathe, get dressed, eat, take care of the animals and such. Take all the towels and dirty clothes from that morning and night before and throw them in the wash. Dishes throughout the day are put in the dishwasher so it can be started when full. We get school done. Now during school anything that is brought out gets put away as soon as we are done with it which helps on the mess and confusion. By now it is only noon or so and we have the rest of the day to do whatever we want. The house is clean, school is done, and it frees up time for outside activities. Also we do not plan any outside events during morning/early afternoon hours, this helps a lot of cutting down on the confusion and mess of running here and there.

 

It really is all about getting what needs to be done all the time. Little things add up to big ones super fast. Like morning dishes in the sink not done, turn into more and more and by the time anyone gets to them it has turned a 5 min task into a 30 min job.

 

Now this is just us..

[Susan in TN]

My typical day:

get up 5:50 - take walk or ride bike w/dh

get home, get dressed, get kids up, put away laundry, help get breakfast ready, check email

 

7:00 breakfast, family devotion

 

7:30 clean-up, morning chores, help various kids with things

 

8:00 therapy activities w/5yo, rest of kids doing school work or other table activities

 

8:30 - 10:30 various lessons with 5yo, 7yo, 12yo, tend to littles, snack

 

10:30 various chores, laundry, bills, scheduling issues, put out fires, help older kids with lessons as needed, make lunch

 

11:30 lunch

 

12:00 do stuff on computer :), check email, help littles with chores, dinner prep if needed

 

12:30 poetry/story time

 

1:15 - 4:00ish littles in for nap, various lessons and discussion times w/7yo, 12yo, 15yo, art 1x per week, sometimes a bit of free-time depending on the day, more therapy activities w/5yo

 

4:00 - 5:30 outside activities some days, help 15yo w/lessons, take care of littles, laundry, make dinner

 

5:30-6:15 dinner, clean-up

 

6:15 - 9:30 - various scout, dance, orchestra, band, church activities, kids' bedtime, etc.

 

As far as keeping the house clean, well, we all pitch in, of course. But anyone under the age of 6 is making more mess than they are actually helping, so things are still going to get cluttered around here. Unless, of course, I keep them all leashed to me and don't let them touch anything during the day. ;) Remember that the Flylady (as wonderful as her methods are) has no children at home taking everything down in her pantry or closets while she is changing a diaper or taking care of her 4yo who drew all over the bathroom with a marker and then clogged the toilet with it.

Edited November 4, 2010 by Susan in TN

[nono]

boys have hopefully been fed by Dad

 

 

And there's the word (I bolded) that can completely send my schedule careening off a cliff!

 

So, what do I do with my day? I pick up the pieces from a well-planned schedule sent astray. :tongue_smilie:

 

Oh, and I train for, and run, marathons. (It'll be 5 in this calendar year).

Edited November 4, 2010 by nono

[Soror]

Well, my house is currently a disaster, it was just clean, like 2 days ago. Usually, it is fairly tidy and clean but to keep it that way I have to stay constantly on top of it. I don't get a break for the day until 1:30-2: pm or so when the olders have quiet time. If I am lucky the baby will nap at the same time but that is fairly rare. Usually she clusterfeeds during that time.

 

During the day it is

get up around 6:30 that is my quiet time( I go to bed at the same time as the kids)

7am kids get up we start on getting dressed, breakfast, making beds etc.

8am bfast(I make a hot meal 6 days a week)- clean up dishes and then read a bit to the kids, brush teeth etc.

9am- we start our day- singing, lit, take a walk

10am- start our other subjects - that usually goes until

10:30am break for a snack- 15 min or so

10:45- 11:30 or so more schooling

11:30 Project time- art- history- or nature

12-12:30 lunch- leftovers if I have them, snack tray or something hot

12:30/1-1:30/2p- Reading time

1:30p/2p-3:30- quiet time

 

Dh usually gets home at 3:30p, then I start to try and pick the house back together. Often we take long family walks/hikes- that is 1-2hrs. Supper is almost always a hot meal that takes 30-1hr hands on time. At night we play games, cards, read, maybe watch a short movie before bed and go to bed at 8:30-9:30 with the kids.

 

I have an 11m.o. who still nurses a lot, 3.5 yo and 6 yo that make lots of messes fast and can help clean up only some. I spend almost all of our school time, directly with them- except for 5-10 min maybe for writing sometimes. I don't generally use tv as a by babysitter and I practice attachment parenting w/ the baby and kids. I nurse on demand- I figure it is more my job to be available to the kids than have a perfect house. I also feel it much more important to have homemade from scratch meals as well.

 

I am fairly organized and declutter like mad but there are times things are a mess still. I am however realizing that as time goes on and the kids get older I am getting the hang of it more thankfully as every year goes by I have less time.