Would you mind sharing your school day routine?

[shellbelle]

I have been homeschooling for 5 years and am still struggling to find a routine that works for our family! I have children in 5th grade, 2nd grade and Kindergarten.

 

My children are up and raring to go at 7 a.m. It seems that I am the only non-morning person in our home. I really believe our day would flow much better if I could wake at say, 6 a.m., shower and exercise before the kids are up. I've been able to do this on occasion, but it never lasts for very long. I'm an introvert AND a night owl and usually stay up too late to make early rising a possibility. I just love the quiet time when everyone is asleep and have a hard time going to bed at a decent time. Anyone else struggle with this?

 

We have considered public school for the next year. I really do not feel it will be a good fit. One child has Tourette Syndrome and one is an accelerated learner who would likely struggle with not being challenged enough. I want to make homeschoooling work for us, but I am feeling quite overwhelmed!

 

So, how do you all educate your children, maintain your home and also take care of yourselves in the process? :bigear:

[Mavy]

I have been struggling with the same thing! I love staying up late to get things done, but then it is sooooo hard to get going in the morning. I try to get up at six to have "myself time". When I do that we get our chores and responsibilities done and school started by 8:30. That way we could finish by early afternoon. Sue Patricks workbox book really helped me to get a game plan. Now I just have to follow through!

[Critterfixer]

So, how do you all educate your children, maintain your home and also take care of yourselves in the process?

 

I keep several schedules used for different times of the year to account for the weather.

I first determined the time I needed for myself-1.5 to 2 hours for exercise (I run longer distances) and I wanted 1 hr a day for self-education.

Then I worked up my school subjects to determine how long of a day we needed and came up with about 6-7 hours on average. That is including breaks and the hour of free reading as suggested in WTM.

Then I cleaned several rooms in the house and timed myself. I came up with the finding that 2 hours a day I could clean the whole house in three days, four if I wanted to include outside work, which I did.

Then I decided how much time I needed to have to get the day started and the day ended, including the bedtime story. That worked out to 30 minutes in the morning, and 1 hr at night for ample time reading.

Lunch and Dinner got an hour for each.

 

Then I laid that all out on a day by day basis. That works pretty well for me. Our day starts between 5:30 and 6:00 and concludes by 9-9:30 every day. And everything gets done.

 

As far as turning yourself into a morning person, it can be done. I did it. It certainly required some adjustment on my part though. I had to start thinking of sleep as more important to my well being than enjoying "quiet time" and to think of my exercise time as the time to be alone with myself. I also had to train my boys to not jabber at me when I went running. I run here at the house, so they have access to me. It probably took a month before they began to accept that Mom really couldn't talk or tend to anything except a dire emergency after about two miles. No breath you see. :tongue_smilie:(they run about a mile with me now, so now THEY SEE!)

 

If you want to see a sample schedule I'll post one, but really, I think it is better to make your own based on the time YOU need. Not everybody needs two hours for exercise, some will feel that six to seven hours blocked off for "school" would be torture, and some people really would prefer longer for their own personal time. Make it work for you, don't let it work you, as the saying goes.

[whitestavern]

I usually wake up around 6:30 and have to wake my kids (9 & 12) around 7:00. We have breakfast and try to start school at 8:00. We are successful about 90% of the time. We first do our "together" subjects, history, science, electives, then I take turns working individually with each child. After, they do their own work. We usually break around noon for lunch and we're hopefully done for the day by mid afternoon. The kids also have one chore and instrument practice daily. Once I am done with teaching, I work on straightening up the house. When everyone is done, I can run errands or outside the home activities. My house is fairly presentable at any moment, but it could be cleaner. And I don't have much time for myself at all (mostly after the kids are in bed) but it's the best routine we've come up with.

[myfunnybunch]

As another non-morning person, lol, I get it. :)

 

I do get up before 7 to exercise with ds11, but it is a challenge.

 

I divided my boys' schoolwork into independent subjects and lessons with Mom. They can do the independent subjects (ex: handwriting/cursive; memory work) without me. Would it work to have a basket or folder of independent subjects for the kids to start on while you get yourself going in the morning? Then breakfast and chores, then lessons with you. Something like that, anyway. :)

 

Our morning schedule:

 

7ish, exercise.

8:00 Breakfast, followed by chores and self-care (teeth, hair, make bed, etc.)

9:00 Start school

 

The past few years we've done individual subjects in the morning and free reading, music practice, and subjects together (science, history, music, art) after lunch. :)

 

Cat

[Dolphin]

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Edited June 28, 2012 by Northwest_Mama

[Mrs.Gregg]

Pretty typical homeschooling day,

 

DD1 (10) up at 6-6:45 a.m., She is a morning person. I wake up about 7-7:15 and hop on the elliptical/workout til 8am. At some point DD2 wakes up. Between 8-9am we all have breakfast, get dressed (I shower), make beds, do our hair, get a load of laundry going and unload the dishwasher.

 

9am we start homeschooling. I usually get DD1 going on some work and then work with DD2 (age 6) with reading and Math. Then get her going on some copy work and check in with DD1 to see how she is doing. Usually she's at a stopping point and takes a break. I go re-load the dishwasher, and clean the bathrooms. DD2 takes a break and I check work. We come back together and work on a joint area of study. Then DD 2 works on Readingeggs.com and DD1 and I work on grammar/math/writing etc. Have lunch, Kids clean up the table and sweep and I switch out laundry. They put their clothes away and from 2:15-3:15 we have reading/quite time. I usually check facebook :glare: and watch interesting videos on youtube about canning or random home crafts. Girls come back together at 3:15 to help with chores, play out side, and I start on dinner .

[shellbelle]

Thank you all for taking the time to share! I love all of the great ideas.

 

I will have to look into workboxes. I've heard of them in the past, but never really understood how it all worked.

 

It looks as if we will continue homeschooling. Especially since I ordered ALL of our new materials in the spring! I think I'm just experiencing a bit of "mommy burnout". I am looking forward to enjoying a nice break and recharging my batteries!

 

Thanks again!