s/o middle school hours, an actual day in our lives

[elegantlion]

From the Capt Uhura herself: That's why instead of posting # of hours, I wish people would post a day in the life....but I know that takes time and we are all short on time.

 

Here's my attempt.

 

Setting: The night before

 

Me (in a hopeful voice): We are going to start school on time tomorrow.

 

Z (son): Okay

 

The said son proceeds to stay up late with dh. Said son is growing and requires more sleep. I go to bed at 10pm.

 

Setting: Bright morning - school day

 

Me (who didn't sleep well again for the 200th day in a row): Grumble, me need coffee.

 

Dh always makes coffee, bless him.

 

at about 9am a door squeaks, a boy appears. He who did stay up too late with dad, he who did not sleep either. I get a hug. I'm a sucker.

 

me (who is still waking up): We'll start school 30 minutes later because you stayed up with dad. (me who thinks ultimately the late nights with dad are more important that the time we started school)

 

Z: grumble, what's for breakfast?

 

Me: same stuff as yesterday.

 

Boys emerges from kitchen with some breakfast and hides in his lair until almost school time. I shout up a few times as a warning.

 

me: 15 minutes! Please brush your teeth before school, you're 13 I shouldn't have to remind you. (if dh is home he will remind ds)

 

setting: school begins

 

We read-aloud for 30-45 minutes. Currently we are reading Alex Rider and getting lost in the story. I read until my throat hurts.

 

Z: groan. I didn't sleep well last night. (this is the preparation for him to try and get out of work)

 

me: me either.

 

Z (distracted by the dog - talks to the dog, who is like a toddler.)

 

me: we need to focus. Do you see all the things we haven't done this week.

 

Z: When's break?

 

me: (glare)

 

while we get to the next subject Z will probably get up and get something else to eat. The dog is always interested in the food.

 

Dog will be a distraction as we attempt to do Latin. We pause Ms. Karen Moore multiple times during a lesson.

 

Z (as we are attempting exercises): Mom, I can't concentrate, the dog is begging for my food.

 

me: put the food away then.

 

Z (gets up to put away food. Remembers he needs to use the bathroom, he now will brush his teeth. He will then make some random comment about his shirt):

 

resuming Latin

 

Z: Why is this like that in Latin?

 

me: Because

 

Z: I wish English were like this. (conversation devolves into a discussion of some of the silly rules of English)

 

[meanwhile Ms. Karen Moore is still paused, usually mid sentence]

 

after this fiasco we take a break. Of which this is supposed to be a lunch break. Z is apparently unaware of that information(even though we've covered it 300 times) as he will wait to get lunch until after the break. Meanwhile I am attempting to shake myself from an insomniac mid morning haze.

 

After lunch many subject ensue. Most often heard complaints:

 

Mom, I can't concentrate the dog is licking her paws.

Mom, I can't concentrate the dog is breathing.

[dog goes outside]

 

during algebra random unrelated comments will fly out of his mouth. Usually about fallacies in advertising.

 

I will inevitably hear the word why? or NO! at least five times during the course of the day.

 

By 3:30pm or 4pm, I am toast. The caffeine induced high is gone. the insomnia has encroached upon my sleep again, and I'm ready for a nap.

 

The boy will disappear into his lair again until dinner. Apparently there is a stop at the doorway to his room, because anything I tell him to do school related will be forgotten once he passes the threshold.

 

After dinner the whole routine starts again. I am always hopeful, one day, one day we will have the perfect day. It could be tomorrow, it could be.

[Dana]

 

during algebra random unrelated comments will fly out of his mouth. Usually about fallacies in advertising.

 

I will inevitably hear the word why? or NO! at least five times during the course of the day.

 

 

With us the comments are about video games.

 

Part of my problem is also that I have difficulty not answering the "why" questions. I'm still learning that often it's a delaying tactic because the answer is promptly forgotten. :glare:

[Melanie]

My sixth grader's day might look like this:

 

6:30 She wakes up, eats breakfast, and watches television on her iPod until I make her put it away and brush her teeth.

 

7:00 Algebra. She goes to the bathroom so many times during the next hour that I begin to worry about her health. She picks fights with her older brother (stop jiggling the table, tapping the table, touching the table, looking at her, breathing, blinking) until I put my scary face on and look at her with it.

 

8:00 By this time I'm irritated by how little algebra is actually getting done (seven problems in an hour? seriously?), so I tell her to move on to Latin. She's furious. She'll NEVER finish math NOW, I'm SO UNREASONABLE, I don't tell older brother what to do, blah, blah, blah. Scary face goes back on.

 

9:00 She has worked for a solid hour on Latin. She's happy. I'm happy. She moves on to Greek. She spends 15 minutes working, and 15 minutes discussing Greek grammar with her older brother, who should be doing his own Greek, but isn't. The chatter is at least academic, so I ignore them.

 

9:30 She watches a logic video and takes notes, then answers a few questions about the first section of the chapter.

 

10:00 It's time for English. She spends 15 minutes wandering around the house looking for her book, 10 minutes in the bathroom, and five minutes telling me how superior The Deluxe Transitive Vampire is to Rod & Staff English. Then she starts reading.

 

11:00 Piano practice.

 

12:00 She has practiced diligently for an hour, and it's time for lunch.

 

12:45 It's time for either history, literature, or science. I don't care which, so she chooses literature and reads To Kill a Mockingbird. Every few pages or so she updates older brother on her progress. They're talking too much, but I don't care because they're talking about a book.

 

1:45 She finishes her algebra lesson. I put the scary face on to head off any shenanigans, but I end up not needing it.

 

2:30 She's done for the day. She has a few hours to mess around before ballet class. She decides to bake a cake.

 

7:00 Dinner, then chores, then free time. She decides to work on her cookbook while she watches a movie.

 

10:00 Bed.

[kewb]

This is fun. Here is a day in the life of my middle schooler.

 

7 am the dog wakes me up to go out and be fed.

7:30: check my email, facebook, assorted forums.

8 am:shower and get ready to face the day.

8:30: Open blinds in boys room and nudge him. Then take dog for a walk.

9 am I wake up the boy with various grumblings and threats to get moving.

9:30: More "talking about his dawdling" and shouts of "lets get started" coupled with worst parenting move ever "Your sister has already eaten and is done with math."

9:35: The boy emerges, grabs his math book, and then realizes he needs to eat breakfast. He heads into the kitchen to make some eggs.

10:00: Boy sits down to do math. 3 problems later an innocuous question. Me asking if this is related to his math lesson. No, then get back to it.

10:15: I need help. Me: describe the problem. Him: Nevermind I figured it out.

10:30: 3 problems left and an announcement of I need to go to the bathroom. The boy departs.

10:50: In the middle of history lesson with dd I realize the boy has not returned. I go find out where he is and instruct him to finish his math.

11:00: He moves on to grammar, vocabulary, and literature.

11:20: What's for lunch?

12:00: He makes lunch.

1:00: You still need to finish history and science.

1:05: You are mean. I don't want to write this outline. Why do I have to write this outline. I hate writing outlines. Me: Just write the outline.

1:30: Can I do science instead? I want to write my paper on the Big Dipper. Me: Yes.

2:15: Me: Write the outline.

2:30: Writing the outline. Mom, can I ask you a question? It has something to the with the outline. He asks the question (which is totally unrelated to the outline). I grumble an answer and tell him to get back to work.

3:00: Call it a day and tell him to go play with the dog.

 

I make dinner, do some laundry, and then we head to swim practice.

Home, shower, and to bed.

Rinse and repeat.

[Daisy]

My 6th grade daughter's day looks like this...

 

6am - She is up and either reading a book or playing Legos with her brother.

 

7am - I start reminding the kids they have to be ready for school at 8am. Get dressed! Make your beds! Do your chores! Eat breakfast!

 

7:45am - If you don't eat breakfast before 8am, you are not getting any!

 

8am - Bible - We read together, do catechism, discussions, memory work, etc.

 

8:30am - She begins her rotation of courses. She usually starts with math, then English, spelling, copywork, writing, reading, etc.

 

10:30am - She usually pipes up and asks for a cup of hot tea and a snack. We all stop and enjoy a cup and chit-chat. If I finish first, I may read a chapter from Monks and Mystics. If someone else finishes first they may read to us.

 

Then she is back to work.

 

By 11:30 - 12pm - She is usually done with the basics and we return to group learning of science, poems, individual projects, read-alouds, etc.

 

12:30-1pm (ish) - Lunch and then play outside building forts, roller-blading, working in the garden, etc.

 

1:30 - We head in and do history & geography together. That takes us 40-60 minutes or so. It includes the history lesson, mapping, research, summaries, outlining, etc.

 

2:20 - Done with school. Kids usually run back outside and ride bikes until their Dad gets home at 3:40. If they are inside due to weather, she'll work on her story, read a book, draw, play with legos, etc. They get their afternoon chores done also.

 

3:45 - Hang out with Dad. He is usually doing yard work or puttering in the garage and they follow him around like lost puppies.

 

4:30 - Usually helps me with dinner.

 

5:30 - Dinner, family worship, Dad reads-aloud.

 

6:15 - Family walk, game, Awana club on Wednesdays.

 

7:30 - Showers, etc. Send to their rooms and read in bed for an hour.

 

8:30 - Lights out. If she is into a really great book we might let her stay up until 9pm but inevitably she is asleep before then. She falls asleep FAST.

 

And if we are going to have a melt-down it is going to be over math. In that case much of this schedule gets thrown out the window, because all her play time becomes math time.

Edited April 28, 2011 by Daisy

[Chava_Raizel]

A usual day for dd (6th grade):

 

7:00ish am-- She wakes up, eats some breakfast and gets herself ready for the day.

 

8:00 -- She watches the baby for a bit so I can eat, take a shower and get myself moving.

 

9:00 -- We start our school day. I read aloud a bible story, poetry (or we work on reciting a poem), and a chapter from whatever the current read aloud is--right now we're reading The Magician's Nephew.

 

9:45 -- Math, this can make or break our day. On a good day, she's finished by 10:30. On a bad day, she could still be working on math at dinner time. There's a lot of silliness and arguing with brothers that happens here, as well as far too many bathroom breaks.

 

10:30 -- Working on spelling, studying dictation, religion lesson, etc. She also usually has a snack around this time--something she can eat while working, so crackers or grapes.

 

11:30 -- If we're having a good day, she might be reading her history book or literature book right now.

 

12:00 -- Lunch break. After lunch, if everyone's been working nicely they an have an hour for free time (but no video games). If it's nice out, I send them outside.

 

1:00 -- Back to lessons. If her reading isn't finished, she reads. After reading, we discuss, or she writes a narration. She can also finish her math, if that's not done yet. This is also when I do history with my boys.

 

1:30 -- Depending on the day, we might do science now. We're currently doing a unit on Chemistry.

 

2:00 -- She is usually finishing up anything not completed. Currently, she's working on a research paper on Cleopatra, so she'll work on that for 30-40 min. or so.

 

Usually by then, she's finished. Unless it's been a bad day, and then she's still working on math. :glare:

[AmericanMom]

Typical school day for my 12yods begins with me having to wake him up and feeling sorry for him because he is so tired and maybe he needs more sleep because he is growing.

 

Typical Saturday for my 12yods begins with him waking me up at 7AM playing Rush on his electric guitar and me going down stairs groggy to see him dressed and teeth brushed, dog let out and fed, breakfast consumed, playing said guitar, and me saying, :glare: "If you can do this on a Saturday, you can do this on a Monday!" At which he replies, "But I'm more tired on school days!" :001_huh:

 

One day I will figure parenting out, then I can tell my kids how to do it, right? :lol:

[elegantlion]

I own the deluxe Transitive Vampire. :D It's like on the opposite spectrum from Rod & Staff.

 

Rod & Staff: Brother Bob bit into an apple.

 

Transitive Vampire: Brother Bob bit into the neck of his next victim. :lol:

 

And what happens to the brains of children as they do math? I'd seriously like to see a study of where all the synapses are firing, the strangest things come out of their mouths.

 

I don't know what to say about you early morning people. I glad you are that way, because the world might implode without morning people.

[Unicorn.]

From the Capt Uhura herself: That's why instead of posting # of hours, I wish people would post a day in the life....but I know that takes time and we are all short on time.

 

Here's my attempt.

 

Setting: The night before

 

Me (in a hopeful voice): We are going to start school on time tomorrow.

 

Z (son): Okay

 

The said son proceeds to stay up late with dh. Said son is growing and requires more sleep. I go to bed at 10pm.

 

Setting: Bright morning - school day

 

Me (who didn't sleep well again for the 200th day in a row): Grumble, me need coffee.

 

Dh always makes coffee, bless him.

 

at about 9am a door squeaks, a boy appears. He who did stay up too late with dad, he who did not sleep either. I get a hug. I'm a sucker.

 

me (who is still waking up): We'll start school 30 minutes later because you stayed up with dad. (me who thinks ultimately the late nights with dad are more important that the time we started school)

 

Z: grumble, what's for breakfast?

 

Me: same stuff as yesterday.

 

Boys emerges from kitchen with some breakfast and hides in his lair until almost school time. I shout up a few times as a warning.

 

me: 15 minutes! Please brush your teeth before school, you're 13 I shouldn't have to remind you. (if dh is home he will remind ds)

 

setting: school begins

 

We read-aloud for 30-45 minutes. Currently we are reading Alex Rider and getting lost in the story. I read until my throat hurts.

 

Z: groan. I didn't sleep well last night. (this is the preparation for him to try and get out of work)

 

me: me either.

 

Z (distracted by the dog - talks to the dog, who is like a toddler.)

 

me: we need to focus. Do you see all the things we haven't done this week.

 

Z: When's break?

 

me: (glare)

 

while we get to the next subject Z will probably get up and get something else to eat. The dog is always interested in the food.

 

Dog will be a distraction as we attempt to do Latin. We pause Ms. Karen Moore multiple times during a lesson.

 

Z (as we are attempting exercises): Mom, I can't concentrate, the dog is begging for my food.

 

me: put the food away then.

 

Z (gets up to put away food. Remembers he needs to use the bathroom, he now will brush his teeth. He will then make some random comment about his shirt):

 

resuming Latin

 

Z: Why is this like that in Latin?

 

me: Because

 

Z: I wish English were like this. (conversation devolves into a discussion of some of the silly rules of English)

 

[meanwhile Ms. Karen Moore is still paused, usually mid sentence]

 

after this fiasco we take a break. Of which this is supposed to be a lunch break. Z is apparently unaware of that information(even though we've covered it 300 times) as he will wait to get lunch until after the break. Meanwhile I am attempting to shake myself from an insomniac mid morning haze.

 

After lunch many subject ensue. Most often heard complaints:

 

Mom, I can't concentrate the dog is licking her paws.

Mom, I can't concentrate the dog is breathing.

[dog goes outside]

 

during algebra random unrelated comments will fly out of his mouth. Usually about fallacies in advertising.

 

I will inevitably hear the word why? or NO! at least five times during the course of the day.

 

By 3:30pm or 4pm, I am toast. The caffeine induced high is gone. the insomnia has encroached upon my sleep again, and I'm ready for a nap.

 

The boy will disappear into his lair again until dinner. Apparently there is a stop at the doorway to his room, because anything I tell him to do school related will be forgotten once he passes the threshold.

 

After dinner the whole routine starts again. I am always hopeful, one day, one day we will have the perfect day. It could be tomorrow, it could be.

 

This is my house. Only change boy to girl, and it's staying up reading, not spending time w/ dad.

[swimmermom3]

My sixth grader's day might look like this:

 

6:30 She wakes up, eats breakfast, and watches television on her iPod until I make her put it away and brush her teeth.

 

7:00 Algebra. She goes to the bathroom so many times during the next hour that I begin to worry about her health. She picks fights with her older brother (stop jiggling the table, tapping the table, touching the table, looking at her, breathing, blinking) until I put my scary face on and look at her with it.

 

8:00 By this time I'm irritated by how little algebra is actually getting done (seven problems in an hour? seriously?), so I tell her to move on to Latin. She's furious. She'll NEVER finish math NOW, I'm SO UNREASONABLE, I don't tell older brother what to do, blah, blah, blah. Scary face goes back on.

 

9:00 She has worked for a solid hour on Latin. She's happy. I'm happy. She moves on to Greek. She spends 15 minutes working, and 15 minutes discussing Greek grammar with her older brother, who should be doing his own Greek, but isn't. The chatter is at least academic, so I ignore them.

 

9:30 She watches a logic video and takes notes, then answers a few questions about the first section of the chapter.

 

10:00 It's time for English. She spends 15 minutes wandering around the house looking for her book, 10 minutes in the bathroom, and five minutes telling me how superior The Deluxe Transitive Vampire is to Rod & Staff English. Then she starts reading.

 

11:00 Piano practice.

 

12:00 She has practiced diligently for an hour, and it's time for lunch.

 

12:45 It's time for either history, literature, or science. I don't care which, so she chooses literature and reads To Kill a Mockingbird. Every few pages or so she updates older brother on her progress. They're talking too much, but I don't care because they're talking about a book.

 

1:45 She finishes her algebra lesson. I put the scary face on to head off any shenanigans, but I end up not needing it.

 

2:30 She's done for the day. She has a few hours to mess around before ballet class. She decides to bake a cake.

 

7:00 Dinner, then chores, then free time. She decides to work on her cookbook while she watches a movie.

 

10:00 Bed.

 

Melanie, I have followed your posts. I know you are one tough mama with hearty expectations. Can I just tell you how relieved I feel to see that even you have a 7-math-problems-an-hour child as well. And her response is classic - at least for my house.:tongue_smilie:

[Stacy in NJ]

My alarm goes off at 8:10. I hit the snooze and roll over. I manage to roll out of bed around 8:20. I poke my head into ds12 and ds14's room. They're both already up as is dh. This is unusual for ds14. He usually counts on me to shake him out of bed. I put on some yoga gear, wash may face, brush my teeth, and catch a wiff of coffee coming from the kitchen.

 

8:30 - I stumble into the family room/ kitchen. Ds12 has showered, eaten and dressed and is ready for the day. He has already fed the dogs and let them out. Ds14 is still in his pj's, rolled up in a blanket, and sleeping on the sofa. I remind him that he needs to be ready for school by 9 or his life as he knows it will end. ;) Dh is leaving for work.

 

Our hard rule is that everyone needs to be working by 9 or I loose the hounds of hell upon their heads. They are cooperative.

 

Ds14 pops a bagel into the microwave and toaster. He brushes his teeth while waiting for the bagel to heat up. He takes his bagel and begins school with grammar. I remind him he has an online class at 9:45.

 

Ds12 works on math then lit.

 

I throw in a load of laundry and empty the clean dishes out of the dishwasher.

 

Ds12 finishes reading a chapter and I ask him about his reading. I check his math and have him make corrections.

 

Around 10:30 I poke my head in Ds14's room and he's online in his science class. The class is for 90 minutes and live.

 

I head back to the kitchen. Ds12 is finishing his spelling workbook. I read aloud to him while he puts together a rather involved puzzle for geography.

 

Around 11:30 Ds12 breaks for a few minutes and plays outside with the dogs. Ds14 wanders out of his room. Class is over. He picks up his lit and reads a few chapters while I shower and fully beautify myself. Meanwhile, Ds12 has returned to work on an art project (drawing).

 

Around 12:30 we break for lunch. Ds14 quickly showers while I make sandwiches (ham & swiss on flat bread, apple slices, and fig newtons). We chat while eating and have a look at our checklist to see what remains to be done for the day. Ds14 has Math, History, and Spanish. Ds12 has Science, dictation, and free reading. Ds14 has an appointment for a haircut at 2:30, so we need to be done or nearly done by that time.

 

Around 1:00 I send DS14 off to work on Math. Ds12 and I work on dictation; then he reads.

 

I make some phone calls. We're in the middle of renovating a historic home, and I need to check on the contractor.

 

A little after 2:00 I tell Ds14 to stop working and get ready to leave. He's almost done with math, but hasn't completed his Spanish or History. I write a short note of things for Ds12 to complete while we're out. We have a short drive to the salon. We stop at our new house (which is nearby) before coming home.

 

We're back at home around 3:30. Ds12 has completed his Science assignment, a few chores and is done for the day. He heads outside to ride his bike and play. After a few minutes of trying to get his brother to admire his Justin Bieber-like hair cut, Ds14 heads back to work in his bedroom.

 

At 4:30 I peek my head in his door. He's done with Math and working on History.

 

I correct his math then waste some time online.

 

At 5:00 I collect both boys for the YMCA. Ds14 has guitar lessons and Ds12 has swimming. I drop them off at the YMCA and head over to do some food shopping. I begin dinner.

 

Dh calls at 6:00. He needs to fill in and teach an Aikido class tonight and won't be home for dinner. I drive back to the YMCA (it's 5 minutes from our house) and collect the boys.

 

Ds14 hasn't gotten to Spanish, although the rest of his school work was completed. I give him a pass on the Spanish. He'll have to make it up over the weekend.

 

6:30-7:30 is dinner. We all veg in front of the t.v. and than wander off to our individual screens.

 

At 9:30 I'll call bedtime and the boys will turn off their screens, shower, and head to their bedroom where they'll read, draw, play guitar, and/or chat to lights out at 11:00.

 

Dh will probably be home around 9:30. He and I will chat while he eats leftovers. I'll either take a bath and read in the tub or watch something on Hulu (maybe Red Eye - my favorite). Dh may visit with the boys for a few minutes. Both he and Ds14 play the guitar, so they may "jam" for a little while.

 

Everyone else is usually tucked away in bed with lights out (including dh) at around 11:00. I usually stay up to around midnight enjoying the quite. :001_smile:

 

 

In between all this activity is some bickering, arguing, joking, fighting, laughing, and conversing. I also do house chore randomly thoughout the day. A little here, a little there.

Edited April 29, 2011 by Stacy in NJ

[gingersmom]

6:30am I get up and feed cats, read email, print out list for DD of what she needs to do

 

7:00am-drink coffee, tiptoe around and wait for children to wake up

 

8:00am-wonder if children are ever going to get up and if not what time should I wake them

 

8:30am-just as I am about to wake them one will wake up which prompts me to wake the other

 

9:30am-my son is off reading, my daughter is stalling getting started, I am beginning to raise my voice at her, she is whining

 

10:15am-I ask son if he is really reading or is he just hanging out with the book

 

10:30am-son emerges victorious with book, daughter asks if its time for lunch, makes a huge production out of getting a snack (she skipped breakfast again)

 

11:30-everyone wants lunch, I say we have not gotten enough done, time for math

 

11:35am-I am about to yell at son if he does not pay attention to math, daughter has interrupted for 1000th time, not sure if she has gotten anything done, she can move at a snails pace

 

12:15-1pm-lunch

 

1-3 buckle down and get it done, daughter usually has something she has mysteriously forgotten to do which will be homework or done tomorrow

 

Rinse and repeat

[brownie]

Wow! Everyone's days sound so peaceful (seriously). The kids take a break to play with the dogs? they bake cakes in their free time? time spent putzing around in the garage with dad?

 

My oldest is going into 5th grade and we try to be done by 1:30...but Monday is piano lessons and library, tuesday is gymnastics, thursday is a homeschooling activity of some sort at least 50% of the time, friday morning is coop 2x a month. Add onto that your average of 5 other places we need to be in "after school" hours and saturdays spent at swim meets and soccer games. When I catch a free hour or 2, I'm just glad if the kids don't kill one another so I can get dinner made! I feel inefficient...I just don't know what to do about it!

 

I am looking forward to school being done in 2 weeks so I can enjoy some semi-educational free time with the kids!

 

Brownie

[mcconnellboys]

Okay, LOL, let's see if I can remember. I had threatened death if, upon awakening my thirteen year old, I heard AGAIN, today, "I just can't get up! I must have more sleep! I'll do school later; I don't care. Just let me sleep...." All this because he simply will not go to bed at the proscribed time....

 

So we did start more or less on time. (It was announced to me later in the day that it was "only" 7 minutes late. I rather think it was closer to a half hour....)

 

We missed algebra class last week because we were on a trip, so his teacher had a make-up on Tuesday afternoon this week. As a result, he has twice as much homework as usual, so as of today, he's still spending the first hour of the morning doing that math.

 

I laid out other work to be done today while he worked math. First was a reminder of the country he's praying for this month. ("I know that! I pray for them at night. I don't need you to lay out the prayer journal to remind me." Me: okay. Next day: "Did you pray for your country?" Son: "No, I forgot, why didn't you remind me?")

 

Next was his vocabulary book with a new section of words to be reviewed today and tomorrow. Then tomorrow we'll do any necessary corrections over the the exercises he's already completed. We're reviewing that work right now so that he gets another chance to look over the words and work with them a little more, discuss them with me, etc. You cannot imagine (and I cannot recreate) the funny things he comes up with regarding those words. Oh. My. Goodness. Boys. He sees how many of them he can string together into one sentence....

 

Now, you have to imagine that while this is going on, there's a domestic tiger lurking around under his desk just waiting for any excuse to leap onto stray toes or fingers, sinking her half inch long fangs to the root in them. And she did make a plunge at me as I unsuspectingly tried to pick up a bit lint off the carpet. She's lucky she didn't connect.... She's highly persnickety at the best of times; and a foul beast in the mornings before she's been fed.... (She's fat, too, so has no excuse....)

 

I got out the last several maps that we have not completed regarding SOTW chapters, and waited patiently for him to finish his math so we could do them. Then I waited patiently for him to get out his colored pencils, select colors, sharpen them, break the leads, resharpen them, knock things off the table..... oy.... We finally got those done, including talking about some topics of discussion that were raised in the activity guide, and I laid out a set of Spanish cards that contain phrases which can be used to make sentences. We worked through those and I was told they're boring (This is what he's doing in his outside class, too, so I thought it might help. Alas, everything is "boring" now that he is 13....)

 

I laid out his grammar, which was a continuation from what we did yesterday and he went over the oral portion of it with me when he was ready. I was sitting in the room with him recording books we've read so I could return them to the library.

 

I corrected the first 5 lessons from his Greek book and went over any problem areas with him, reviewing some of his vocab at the same time. He's finished with that book so we're reviewing it all now.

 

I gave him his last assignment in the geography book on Asia that he's been working through, a page of italics style copywork, and his portion of his lit/writing class assignment that he needed to work on today. He was also working through copying some info on the first 15 U.S. Presidents from an audio-visual game we own. He will be using this info for memory work. He kept hitting the power button all morning every time I tried to say something, which cues up a playing of "Hail to the Chief," along with some introductory comments, or a "Thank you, and good night," if powering down. OY.

 

I finally got away from him to do some of my morning tidying, which included hauling a bunch of stuff up out of the basement today. We were under tornado warnings most of the day yesterday and spent much of the day in the basement.

 

I've been making myself green smoothies every morning this week and, of course, because I am not offering them to him, he is intrigued. He actually came down and asked for some of today's concoction when he heard me making it. However, it wasn't nearly sweet enough for him and he quickly rejected it and returned to the classroom.

 

At some point, I discovered that he was not wearing his rubber bands on his braces (per usual) and a search for the headgear ensued from that because he insists that he must use the hook on them to get his rubber bands hooked up properly. After both of us had crawled all over and under his bed, I finally found the headgear (which would not be lost if it wasn't tossed off in the middle of the night) and the teeth were finally brushed and rubber-banded so that school could resume.

 

He knew full well that we didn't have anything out of the house we had to do today, so when he finished his written work he brought his book down to luxuriate with his (bad) cat and read a while still in his pj's before he finally got dressed at noon. I, too, finally managed to get dressed somewhere during this time period and we went out to lunch.

 

When we got back, we sat and read until about 3:30 and called it a day. He went to his room until time for his soccer practice (he's missed the last 5) because he'd aggravated, teased, picked at, and wrestled with me from lunch time until the end of school despite all my admonitions and I'd finally had it (despite the "I love you's" which are currently run out whenever he's in trouble)....

 

He has continued to argue, etc. right through until bedtime, so I'm not too hopeful about tomorrow. He is in bed, however (amazingly), so perhaps there's a tiny bit of hope, after all....

 

I am ready for school to be finished. I have no idea how people do this without a summer break....

[swellmomma]

Our day typically looks like this:

 

6 am I get up and go tell kids to get out of bed. I jump in shower, get out and again tell kids to get out of bed. GO get dressed and brush teeth. Check on kids, now shouting at them to get up and out of bed as we have 10 minutes until we leave for work.

 

7 am everyone pile in van, stop off at gas station for coffee and banana bread if they did not eat before we left the house.

 

7:30 am-9 am We are at work.

 

9am- head to gym, they can watch a short video or read while I work out.

 

9:30 am we hit the highway again, we always have an audio book on the go for commutes. The kids also like to work through logic puzzle books and mad libs in the car

 

10am, back home and time for mid morning snack

 

10:30am We start working through our work boxes

 

12pm lunch time. I usually try to have the first 6 boxes done by now but that does not always happen if they are bickering and fighting, and dragging it out

 

12:30 back to work on our workboxes

 

2pm leave for work again, they go with me, but Monday to Thursday starting next week they have swim team practice from 5-6:30

 

6:00 wor finished, feed littles picnic dinner in van

 

6:30 pm (Mondays and Wednesdays) drop off little ones at soccer and pick up middle schooler's from swim team.

 

8 pm all activities finally done, time to hit the highway back home

 

8:30 pm middle schoolers finish any boxes left while I do baths and bedtime snacks with littles

 

9pm littles in bed, bigs shower and have snacks

 

9:30 all kids are finally asleep, I am exhausted, but now it is time to refill the "workboxes" and prepare for the next day

 

Tuesday, Thursday and Friday there is no soccer so after swim team we head home and have dinner and start our other stuff earlier.

[happygrrl]

I own the deluxe Transitive Vampire. :D It's like on the opposite spectrum from Rod & Staff.

 

Rod & Staff: Brother Bob bit into an apple.

 

Transitive Vampire: Brother Bob bit into the neck of his next victim. :lol:

.

 

I am really sleepy and read "Transvest!te Vampire". I kept thinking, "Really? That is a curriculum choice?" while singing fragments of Rocky Horror.

Maybe I should go to bed. :D

[Mom22ns]

I thought if I did my day, you'd get the picture for both of my dc too.

 

5:50 get up, brush teeth, throw on sweats and crawl downstairs

6:00 stumbling into the basement, I find my ds (who has been up for an hour) reading his favorite computer forum and we begin math

7:00 wake up dd and have breakfast with both kids

7:30 dd starts math, ds reads

8:15 writing with both kids

9:00 Science with dd, ds works on list of independent work provided each Monday.

10:00 Science with ds, dd works on her list of independent work

11:00 SL history, poetry & read aloud

12:00 LUNCH

12:30 varies, logic, cooking or whatever needs my attention

1:00 I work out while the kids finish any subjects that didn't finish or their independent work

3:00 leave to take dd to gymnastics

 

This is a typical school day in our house. The only exception is Friday. Friday starts at the same time for math, but what we do after that is just whatever needs to be finished for the week. We leave for band/guitar classes at 9:30 and don't get home until 2:00. The kids read as I drive and we try to be finished with school by the time we get home. Dd leaves for gym at 2:50.

[elegantlion]

I am really sleepy and read "Transvest!te Vampire". I kept thinking, "Really? That is a curriculum choice?" while singing fragments of Rocky Horror.

Maybe I should go to bed. :D

 

:lol::lol: Now I have visions, oh the visions. And the songs! :lol::lol:

[tjarnold]

Thank you all so much for this thread! I've already found myself chuckling aloud while reading some of the posts, which is really helping to defuse my stress level.

 

Yesterday I actually heard myself tell my kids that if we didn't figure out how to make our homeschool work soon, I'd just give it up. (This would never happen, but I actually said it. BAD mom!) Between my two adolescents and my 5yo, I can't seem to get a break lately. Complain, whine, tell me it's not fair, ... ad nauseum. When they're not doing that, they're interrupting to ask a very important question about whether I can do writing with them -- even though it's obvious that I'm carrying a load of laundry and leading my 5yo to the bathroom, all while watching the next MUS DVD lesson out of the corner of my eye.

 

Anyway, thanks for reminding me that I'm not in this alone.

 

Tiffany

[BlsdMama]

DS' (6th grade)

 

7AM - Wake up call

Dressed and/or showered, room clean by 7:30

Breakfast

Clean-up

Bible Time (we try to be consistent on this one.)

School

*This is a bit random because he and his sister work out who is going to do what on the computer.

 

Approximately 45 minutes for math

Approximately 1-2 hours of reading lit & history assignments

About an hour of being outside just to RUN around and do his rabbit chores

We try to do Grammar in just before lunch.

 

Lunch

Clean-up

Latin with his sister

If he hasn't done grammar with me yet, this is when he does it.

Writing and/or Speech assignments

 

Reading (and leftover lit or free reading)

 

3:30-4:00 School is over.

 

Currently we aren't doing spelling or vocabulary but we're beginning when I settle on something. That slides into the morning slot. As far as science, he studies plants... It's kind of his "thing." We haven't done formal science with him but he does do vocabulary and experiments with Ana when she does her Apologia Biology. He also does science in co-op and we review his notes throughout the week.

 

My day?

 

My day is just pure juggle.

5:00 AM - Wake up with DH.

5:30 AM - Coffee with said DH. :)

6:00 AM - I TRY to be showered and spend my hour or so on the computer at this point.

7:00 - Big kids wake-up call

7:30-8:00 - Dress Little People

Breakfast (one of the Big Three prepares breakfast every AM.)

Clean-up

Bible Time

School

My part of school in the AM is this:

-Talk to Ana & okay her gameplan for the day

-Talk to CJ, find out when grammar is fitting in for him so I can block it off (30 minutes)

-Grammar with Elizabeth (30 minutes) & she'll do spelling & handwriting on her own

-Rebecca does handwriting/copywork on her own

-They'll do history &/or their reading assignment together w/narration to me later.

-Preschool readings, songs, or activities, etc. with Littles (30-60 minutes)

-Send them outside

-Some kind of discussion with Ana as to what she's been working on, reading, writing, etc. all AM, just a touch base kind of a deal

-Heat up a cup of tea. Somehow I NEVER drink it though. It will be reheated at least once more in the afternoon. Sigh.

-Change Baby 2-3 times

-TRY to get phonics lessons with little three, rarely succeed

-30 min of Leap Frog or Veggie Tales or whatever for Littles

-Switch Laundry 2-3 times

 

Lunch

Clean-up (Ideally)

Naptime

-Rotate between the three nappers (6yo, 4yo, almost 3yo) and do phonics/reading lesson

-Grammar with Christian if it hasn't already been done

-Grammar/Writing Instruction with Ana

-Assessment for what big kids need to work on or have accomplished so far.

-Writing with Rebecca & Elizabeth

-Switch laundry 1-2 times

- Free Time - I usually get about an hour-ish?

 

After naptime:

Little Kids outside

Big Kids finish up

Sort Laundry & everyone puts it away.

By 4:00-5:00 we're prepping dinner and the house is clean or in the process of being so. :)

Edited April 29, 2011 by BlsdMama

[Ann.without.an.e]

I love it! Much better than a "how much time do you spend" thread! I didn't think ya'll would actually be willing to post your schedules :001_smile:

 

Routine is not my strong suite. I am so ADD and can get distracted easily. This morning we got sidetracked watching the Royal Wedding and didn't even start school until 9:30 :001_huh:

 

My kids work independently until lunch. After lunch...History, geography, etc....anything we do together. I save it for while my youngest is napping. Once upon a time, pre-newborn/toddler days, I kept a pretty good schedule. Now, I am not as predictable.

[Ester Maria]

I allow my kids to self-schedule, and it varies greatly, and they do not do all subjects daily so it is hard to find a "representative sample", but for example's sake:

 

DD13 (7th/8th grade)

8.30 - 10 (with a few 5-min breaks): Math

10-10.30 Tea break, nudging the baby, Youtube, chatting with me, whatnot

10.30-11.15 History reading, w/ comprehension questions and some kind of outline / note-taking

11.15-12.15 English assigned reading for about an hour

12.15-1 pm Lunch break (helping to set out the table if we eat together, eating, some free time to just be around)

 

1-2.30 pm Science (reading and problems from regular textbook + reading and homework for her extra advanced science private class)

2.45 - 3.30 Latin with me (gets her work corrected, hands in what she had been working on, and then I give her context for her readings, go over some linguistically problematic stuff in translations with her, and ask her stuff to see how she is getting what she learns)

3.40-4.40 Italian assigned reading + a work from anthology with comprehension questions and paraphrasis

4.40-6 At this point she has worked for about 6 hours, so she goes out to vent, i.e. has a walk in the neighborhood, meets friends, whatnot, buys some groceries on the way back, chats with dad when she gets back

 

6-7 Hebrew with dad (reading out a text and discussing it, a dictation to help her with writing, spoken practice)

 

7 pm she is done, with 7 full hours. She goes to bed around 11, which makes for additional few free hours.

 

That same day, DD14 (8th/9th grade):

9-9.45 Finishing up ugly Math problems from yesterday first, handing it in

9.45-10 Tea with hurriedly going through neglected French before her tutor appears

10-11 French with tutor

11-12.15 Violin

12.15-1 Lunch break

 

1-2.30 Italian and literature with me (an actual lesson, with discussion, going over her paper, etc.)

2.30-3.30 Free time, this time she is reading something of her own, with one eye on the baby while I am with her sister

3.30-4 Solfeggio

4-5 Greek translation and reading, hands in translation for check

5-6 History and Geography (textbook work with some reading; she ties this partially to her previous Greek)

6-8 Free time (I make her go out, she gets back in half an hour, Skypes with friends abroad, tries to get away with dinner)

8-9.30 Judaics with dad

 

So, that was in total... 6.45 academics + 1.45 violin and solfeggio, making it a total of 8 and half hours. She goes to bed about between 11 and midnight.

 

They like to "piece" their days with breaks and free time in between stuff, rather than do it all at once. They prefer doing their subjects fewer times a week, but more intensely.

[Melanie]

I own the deluxe Transitive Vampire. :D It's like on the opposite spectrum from Rod & Staff.

 

Rod & Staff: Brother Bob bit into an apple.

 

Transitive Vampire: Brother Bob bit into the neck of his next victim. :lol:

 

:lol: She's really enjoying Transitive Vampire; it's a hoot to diagram those sentences! She was complaining about R&S, and since she is already doing book 8, I figured she has time to take a break. She'll read The New Well-Tempered Sentence next, then it's back to Brother Bob and his apple.

 

Melanie, I have followed your posts. I know you are one tough mama with hearty expectations. Can I just tell you how relieved I feel to see that even you have a 7-math-problems-an-hour child as well. And her response is classic - at least for my house.:tongue_smilie:

 

Doesn't every family have at least one? :tongue_smilie:

[Capt_Uhura]

Yesterday I actually heard myself tell my kids that if we didn't figure out how to make our homeschool work soon, I'd just give it up. (This would never happen, but I actually said it. BAD mom!) Between my two adolescents and my 5yo, I can't seem to get a break lately. Complain, whine, tell me it's not fair, ... ad nauseum. When they're not doing that, they're interrupting to ask a very important question about whether I can do writing with them -- even though it's obvious that I'm carrying a load of laundry and leading my 5yo to the bathroom, all while watching the next MUS DVD lesson out of the corner of my eye.

 

Anyway, thanks for reminding me that I'm not in this alone.

 

Tiffany

 

Yep, I had the same conversation with my DC. Not sure if I would actually do it, but they don't know that. ;)

[Capt_Uhura]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to post. It has been very helpful!!! We've been swamped this week w/ annual assessments, gone all day several days but I will get to posting mine this weekend.

[AuntPol]

6:00 I get up, make my bed, do my devotions

7:00 I wake up kids (they get up on first call), they dress, straighten room and come downstairs to give me kisses; bluebirds are singing in the background.

7:30 I walk with one child while other child does strength training exercises. I have close, personal discussions with child of the day.

8:00 I fix breakfast while kids do their morning chores and check blogs for current events; We listen to hymns, classical music, etc while we work.

8:30 We eat breakfast and have Bible Study and look at art. Kids put dishes in sink.

9:00-12:00: Langauge arts, math, science, Latin, Social Studies(economics, govt, etc), History; Meanwhile, I clean up kitchen and do my daily chores, popping in occasionally for discussions and an the occasional question asked in the most courteous and respectful manner. I fix lunch towards end of this cycle while they are reading.

12:00 Lunch -we sit and discuss lesson so far while we eat our healthy, organic lunch

12:30 Kids read and do composition while I straighten up and do my weekly chore of the day.

2:00 Kids get an hour to work on any personal projects while I stand back in awe of their intelligence

3:00 Tea Time and something like poetry, shakespeare, etc. We laugh and giggle and have a grand old time.

3:30 Everyone strightens up school room, practices music instruments

4:00 Free time

4:45 Prepare for evening activties (if any)

5:00 Depart for evening activities (if any))

5:30-7:00 Evening Activities -most days DH picks up so I can be at home cooking dinner. IF no activities, DH takes kids outside to play or if kids are playing with neighbors, he does the yard work, etc.

7:00 Dinner as a family at the table, great discussions. The kids are so excited to tell Dad all they learned that day

7:30- everyone cleans up kitchen and anything pulled out in evening

7:45 Family Time -maybe a move, a game, a read aloud

8:30 Kids go upstairs to shower, free read, and write in their journals. They each give me a hug and kiss and tell me how much they love me and appreciate the homeschooling I do.

9:15 Lights out and kids fall asleep immediately. DH and I have some together time. He massages my feet and shoulders, tells me how lucky he is to have a wife such as me.

10:00 I go to bed.

 

 

6:00 AM I am rudely awaken from the above dream...... I can't make bed because DH doesn't get up until 7:00. I have my coffee, open up my Bible for Bible Study, get distracted, chat with Capt Uhura and check the boards.

7:30 I yell for my kids to get up

8:30 Kids finally get up after multiple yelling up the stairs.

9:00 Time for school to start. I notice chores not done so I yell for them to do their chores.

9:30 DS remembers he hasn't eaten and is hungry. He demands his sister or I make him breakfast. They bicker back and forth. I try to ignore because I'm trying to get housework done but usually they keep at it until I scream to knock it off.

9:45 School actually starts

10:00 DS needs to use bathroom. I catch DD texting/chatting/surfing internet (Insert anything but studying). She has breakdown and wants to go back to public school.

10:30 I notice that DS hasn't returned from bathroom; He comes out and bickering between siblings continues.

11:00 DS yells that he needs help in math. I go to help him and he yells nevermind. Wash, rinse, repeat for 30 minutes

11:30 Kids are hungry. They can't concentrate. I go over what they've read, etc. DD has no idea of anything she just studied. I tell DD to start lunch while I finish up with DS.

12:00 Kids are on lunch but they are busy making a video.

12:30 Lunch time is supposed to be over but it's still "cooking" from over 45 minutes ago????

1:00 Kids eat lunch while I read aloud.

2:00 -4:00 Lessons continue, sibling bickering continues. Sometime in this timeframe, I am on the computer IMing Capt Uhura to just shoot me.

4:00 Kids are done. It doesn't matter if they are really done.

4:30 I tell kids to get ready to leave, we are leaving in 30 minutes.

5:00 I tell kids to get in car. Nobody is ready. DS can't find his shoes/Uniform, etc. DD has something on that was supposed to go in Goodwill bag because it is too small and I have to send her up the stairs to change.

5:00-8:00 I rush from activity to activity. DH works late. When he comes home, he plops in front of tv with laptop on his lap until dinner.

8:00 I rush in and try to get dinner done -usually some convenience food.

8:30 we eat dinner in front of tv

9:15 We send kids to bed and deal with multiple complaints (too hot, too cold, so and so is making weird noises or secretly reading, etc). DH and I watch tv or play on separate computers in silence.

10:30 DH and I go to bed. Usually DS is still up and secretly reading or playing DS (the game not himself lol)

 

**Somewhere in my day: the cats will pee on the laundry that I just took out of dryer but left in basket on floor or pee on a pillow that fell off bed OR they sit on laundry and get hair all over it OR throw up a hairball and someone steps in it OR DH calls and needs me to work in the office, bring him something, do something OR Someone stubs a toe or something and has a meltdown or the smoke alarm goes off because I walked away from cooking to help someone do something or the JW's/Salesperson etc knocks and can't get them to go away or Neighborhood kids are home and knock every 10 minutes despite me telling them (AND THEIR PARENTS) the kids can't play until OUR school day is over or we hae a field trip or event to work around. Something will happen to make my day even less serene (not that is serene to begin with).

Edited April 30, 2011 by AuntPol

[Capt_Uhura]

 

6:00 AM I am rudely awaken from the above dream......

:lol:

[Susie in CA]

Oh, Aunt Pol, you had me going there for a while! It sounded so beautiful and productive.

 

Susie

[angela in ohio]

My middle schooler is my just-turned-13-yo dd, technically a 7th grader. Her typical day:

 

Up by 6, sometimes earlier. (She doesn't sleep a lot.)

 

Makes breakfast for her siblings and dh. Eats breakfast (doesn't eat a lot either. :D)

 

Unloads the dishwasher, feeds the cat, etc. - whatever needs done.

 

Practices the piano for 45 min or so, and the clarinet for 20-30 min.

 

In between here somewhere, she gets dressed, gets her hair flattened some days, washes her face, makes her bed, etc.

 

She does Wii Fit and exercises for a half hour.

 

By now it is about 8:30 or 9:00. One day a week we are leaving for art and co-op classes. Another day, she leaves with dh at 8:00 a.m. to be dropped off at her voluneter position (I pick her up at 1:00.) The rest of the days, she starts her school work. Two days a week, 9:00 a.m. means I teach (I do a university-type schedule with the two oldest, where we meet 1-2 times a week per class.)

 

She has flexibility in what order she wants to complete work. When I teach, I give assignments, and they put them in their planners. They also have a syllabus for each subject, so they can see what needs to be done and plan it out for the week. She shares most subjects with her sister, so they plan together when they want to watch math or science lectures (together) and when they each want to read the various texts. I couldn't break it down by subject, because she does it when she wants, and it's done all day and night. (You can see what she does in my signature.) :001_smile:

 

Lunch is at 11:30 or 12:00. Oldest makes it for them. So she eats lunch, and we chat about projects and things they are working on, things they have read, things we need to do, etc.

 

She works on more school work until it is time to go to music lessons (two days a week) or to cook dinner. At some point during many afternoons, they all go outside and run around for a while or we go to the tennis courts. Chores (laundry, dishes, etc.) are done by anyone who is free when they have time. I give them freedom to manage it as they wish, and it all gets done.

 

We make dinner, usually together (two dd and I.) She likes to be in charge of the fruit and veggie dishes, and she usually sets the table. Sometimes older dd and I are busy or gone, and she makes it all herself.

 

After dinner, some nights she reads (assigned or otherwise,) often while we sit at a rehearsal for older dd or a practice or game for younger ds. After dinner, if we are staying home, we play a game as a family or they work on a project together (robots, ballistics, electronics, etc.)

 

That's about it. The story would have been a lot more entertaining a few years ago, as she was a very difficult child, but we fixed that ;) and now it's pretty easy times around here. She is academically driven, so she is either leaning, eating, or sleeping.

Edited May 1, 2011 by angela in ohio

[Leslie in TN]

6:00 AM I am rudely awaken from the above dream......

 

I'm dying over here! Thank you so much for making me laugh out loud tonight! :D

[Susie in CA]

That's about it. The story would have been a lot more entertaining a few years ago, as she was a very difficult child, but we fixed that and now it's pretty easy times around here. She is academically driven, so she is either leaning, eating, or sleeping.

 

 

Angela,

 

How in the world did you 'fix' your difficult child. I could use some help with that.

 

Susie

[Mom22ns]

6:00 I get up, make my bed, do my devotions

7:00 I wake up kids (they get up on first call), they dress, straighten room and come downstairs to give me kisses; bluebirds are singing in the background.

7:30 I walk with one child while other child does strength training exercises. I have close, personal discussions with child of the day.

8:00 I fix breakfast while kids do their morning chores and check blogs for current events; We listen to hymns, classical music, etc while we work.

8:30 We eat breakfast and have Bible Study and look at art. Kids put dishes in sink.

9:00-12:00: Langauge arts, math, science, Latin, Social Studies(economics, govt, etc), History; Meanwhile, I clean up kitchen and do my daily chores, popping in occasionally for discussions and an the occasional question asked in the most courteous and respectful manner. I fix lunch towards end of this cycle while they are reading.

12:00 Lunch -we sit and discuss lesson so far while we eat our healthy, organic lunch

12:30 Kids read and do composition while I straighten up and do my weekly chore of the day.

2:00 Kids get an hour to work on any personal projects while I stand back in awe of their intelligence

3:00 Tea Time and something like poetry, shakespeare, etc. We laugh and giggle and have a grand old time.

3:30 Everyone strightens up school room, practices music instruments

4:00 Free time

4:45 Prepare for evening activties (if any)

5:00 Depart for evening activities (if any))

5:30-7:00 Evening Activities -most days DH picks up so I can be at home cooking dinner. IF no activities, DH takes kids outside to play or if kids are playing with neighbors, he does the yard work, etc.

7:00 Dinner as a family at the table, great discussions. The kids are so excited to tell Dad all they learned that day

7:30- everyone cleans up kitchen and anything pulled out in evening

7:45 Family Time -maybe a move, a game, a read aloud

8:30 Kids go upstairs to shower, free read, and write in their journals. They each give me a hug and kiss and tell me how much they love me and appreciate the homeschooling I do.

9:15 Lights out and kids fall asleep immediately. DH and I have some together time. He massages my feet and shoulders, tells me how lucky he is to have a wife such as me.

10:00 I go to bed.

 

 

6:00 AM I am rudely awaken from the above dream......

:lol::lol::lol:

I think that is the most I've laughed in weeks, thanks!

[RegularMom]

She goes to the bathroom so many times during the next hour that I begin to worry about her health.

 

YES. THIS.

 

I totally needed this thread today. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. :)

[CanaryMelody]

6:00 AM I am rudely awaken from the above dream......

 

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Thank you for this! I needed the laugh today!

[rafiki]

.

[Michele B]

7-8am: Repeated attempts to drag dd10 out of bed. She takes 6 dance classes a week and gets home at 8:30 pm most nights, so I do want her to get as much sleep as possible.

 

"Do we have to do school today?"

 

Breakfast: Lots of "But we always have cereal! Can't you make waffles? Can't you makes biscuits?" (I do, as a matter of fact, often make a hot breakfast)

 

Mommie has coffee with Silk vanilla soy creamer and freshly grated nutmeg.

 

Girls unload dishwasher and feed pets all the while relating Star Wars trivia.

 

"Do we have to do school today?"

 

"How much school do we have to do?"

 

Girls practice piano ("Do you want to see me play it with my toes?") and dd10 does violin.

 

"Can't we just not do school?"

 

Mommie: "Down to the school room!"

 

"But I have to go to the bathroom/I'm still hungry - may I have Cheetos?/ I need to change - this is itchy/ What are we having for supper?/ I bet Luke Skywalker did not have to do Latin"

 

Mommie pours more Silk vanilla soy creamer in her coffee.

 

Down to the school room where the downstairs cat Dorothy, aka "Dorf" lives.

 

Many attempts at Latin, Math, Phonics, History, Science, Grammar etc interrupted by cat knocking over glasses of water, cat rubbing indiscretely on school books, children running screaming from the table because a ladybug has landed on the far side of the table.

 

"Do we have to do school today?"

 

Mommie - "Go outside and walk around the yard few times!"

 

Mommie seriously considers drinking Silk vanilla soy creamer straight from the carton.

 

dd10 "dd6 is distracting me; may I take my work upstairs?" translation - may I go to my room and write a Star Wars book, while listening to my iPod and eating cheez-its?"

 

Mommie brings down yogurt, cheese, and whole grain crackers. Cat sticks her face in yogurt and girls hoot hysterically as cat grooms her pink-coated whiskers.

 

dd6 whispers to the thin air beside her before she writes down each answer, because Luke Skywalker is telling her the answers.

 

Mommie suddenly realizes what time it is and hurries everyone up stairs, throws a bag of bread at dd10, and instructs her to make sandwiches. "We always have sandwiches! Can't we have ravioli or quesadillas?"

 

Mommie considers taking a shower, but settles for washing her face and applying concealer under her sleep-deprived eyes.

 

Mommie grabs a protein shake, loads the car with a laundry basket full of books, and heads to town. The girls take various music and dance classes, while mommie "carschools" the other. A mad dash home for supper or to the sub shop depending on the day.

 

Home: Mommie considers a cup of evening coffee to help her stay awake until bedtime, and settles for a swig or two of Silk vanilla soy creamer. Play recital pieces once more, recite Latin lesson to Daddy. Tell Daddy about Jabba the Hutt's son. Family Prayers, and we are done!

 

No, dd10 wakes up with growing pains. Dd6 is "lonely" and comes in to bed. We're all in the bed.

 

Then the alarm goes off, and we do it again.

Edited May 4, 2011 by Michele B

[butterfly113]

All I can muster to say at this point in THIS day is...

 

It has been a VERY LONG DAY!!! L.O.N.G.! it has been a while since it has been this long of a day... but LONG definitely descibes it! I SO NEEDED to read this thread...

 

Hugs to all of you!:grouphug:

[elegantlion]

I don't know about any of you, but I have a few certain people who read my blog. They will never know about our day-to-day struggles, so my blog is sanitized for my protection. I don't talk about the horrid days when grey hair grows while my patience is depleted. I keep those dirty little secrets here. So thank you all for sharing your interesting days as well.

[Oakblossoms]

How much school do we have to do:lol:

 

 

My kids like to make deals...

[elegantlion]

How much school do we have to do:lol:

 

 

My kids like to make deals...

 

:lol::lol:

 

I have been known to negotiate skipping a subject in exchange for a backrub.

[Oakblossoms]

Paula you are my hero. I am making a list.

[radiobrain]

If I actually wrote my typical day here, I think I would cry.

 

I prefer to keep my failings to myself (but I appreciate everyone ELSE being so honest :D).

 

Where does that period go? On the outside of the parentheses? Inside? I am all confused....:tongue_smilie:

[Luckymama]

Well, I was all set to do "a day in the life" for today...and then dd woke up with a fever. No one will want to read about the cleaning I get done today :D

[elegantlion]

 

Where does that period go? On the outside of the parentheses? Inside? I am all confused....:tongue_smilie:

 

Grammar confuses me. Do you own a copy of The Deluxe Transitive Vampire? It's a fun supplement for your own self-ed, putting the bite into grammar. :lol::lol:

[radiobrain]

Grammar confuses me. Do you own a copy of The Deluxe Transitive Vampire? It's a fun supplement for your own self-ed, putting the bite into grammar. :lol::lol:

 

I have it on my Amazon wish list, thanks to you. ;)

 

I said that a bit as a joke. But honestly, between this list and my curriculum, I am getting all scared and confused about where things go. All of a sudden I find myself putting commas in where I never would have... and forgetting where things really are supposed to go. It is rather irritating.

[lovemykids]

If I actually wrote my typical day here, I think I would cry.

 

I prefer to keep my failings to myself (but I appreciate everyone ELSE being so honest :D).

 

Where does that period go? On the outside of the parentheses? Inside? I am all confused....:tongue_smilie:

 

ME TOO! :D I would probably cry and then have a mini-mental breakdown. After that, I would try to look for the good in anything we accomplished during the day, and then pat myself on the back for being such a fantabulous unschooler. I would also then thank the Lord for giving me such creative, intelligent kids. Because they are so gifted in many areas, it does make it a little harder for me to completely screw up their education.

 

Oh wait; I already do this on a daily basis. Never mind. ;)

[jengjohnson]

6 am: I head out for a run or hop on the exercise bike.

7ish: call upstairs for girls to get up, get dressed and come for breakfast. I eat and take care of puppy.

7:30: call again, 6yo comes down in pajamas, 9yo comes down in pajamas, 11 yo comes dressed. They eat and look after puppy while I get a shower.

8:30: send youngers up to get dressed and older up to do the things she forgot.

8:45: Latin together

9:15: she does math, checks with me for her writing assignments and does it.

10:45: does grammar with me and moves on to spelling, logic and IEW poetry

11:45: she's done with her morning, usually earlier than this, and takes a break while I finish same subjects with her sisters

12ish: we eat lunch together, I often read aloud

1:30: science and history together

2:30: assigned reading

3:30: snack before we head off to soccer or swimming.

dinner happens between 6 and 8, depending on the night. they play outside with neighbors if it's a short sport night. I call them in between 8 and 8:30 for showers and they're in bed by 9, but often read or listen to an audio book until 10.

 

Friday we only do Latin and Math, possible catch up on science if we're behind, then use the afternoon for fun and errands.