What does the rest of your day look like?

[CookIslandsMommy]

Hi there,

 

I was wondering what your non homeschooling "time" in your house looks like.

 

What do you kids do when you are not homeschooling? Do you let them have completely free time to play, or is it structured? How much 1:1 time do you have with your children in the non homeschooling time of the day?

 

How and when do you get stuff done in your house that is apart from the children?

 

Do you feel guilty when you are doing things on your own (that aren't chores) that is not with your children?

 

Thanks

Sherid

[Cassy]

At the moment I have three children being homeschooled: DS5, DS7 and DS11. A lot of their 'school' is highly structured, one-to-one work, so I don't actually have a lot of time or energy to do structured one-to-one activities outside of schoolwork with them, and I don't feel that they really need it. The younger two can play wonderful imaginative games together for hours, sometimes dressing up and acting out dramas involving their favourite characters at the time, or playing with other toys or action figures. DS11 is more independent in his schoolwork, although I do spend quite a bit of time going through math and writing with him, and French, Latin, science and history all require my total involvement. He doesn't actually have an awful lot of spare time; as well as schoolwork he has cornet and piano practice, he walks the dog, and has outside activities at some part of almost everyday. For brief intervals during the day they will all mess about on the computers, although no video games are allowed during the week. No one ever asks for the television to be put on. When the weather is good they all spend a lot of time outside, and DS11 will go and and find neighbourhood friends to play with.

 

I often do more structured one-to-one activities with them during the weekend, although they're kept fairly busy then too, with tennis and swimming lessons, and church. They also spend quite a bit of time hanging out with DH at the weekend, in the garden if the weather's fine, or making things in his workshop.

 

I never feel guilty when I need time alone, I usually feel that I don't get enough time to myself, so every moment is savoured and thoroughly enjoyed :001_smile:.

[Melissa in Australia]

Hi there,

 

I was wondering what your non homeschooling "time" in your house looks like.

 

What do you kids do when you are not homeschooling? Do you let them have completely free time to play, or is it structured? How much 1:1 time do you have with your children in the non homeschooling time of the day?

 

How and when do you get stuff done in your house that is apart from the children?

 

Do you feel guilty when you are doing things on your own (that aren't chores) that is not with your children?

 

Thanks

Sherid

when I m not homeschooling, I am doing one of three things: housework, refereeing basketball, or studying.

If any of my children want some 1:1 time with me, they are free to assist me in housework.

I have devoted my at the moment life to my children. I referee basketball so they can play, I homeschool so they get educated, I do housework so they can eat (most of the housework is to do with the production of food). I don't feel guilty at all for studying in the evenings.

[Rosie_0801]

I was wondering what your non homeschooling "time" in your house looks like. What do you kids do when you are not homeschooling? Do you let them have completely free time to play, or is it structured?

 

The 3 1/2 year old runs around, climbs onto things he oughtn't and gets hauled off. When he's tired of that, he plays outside pulling flowers and seeds off any plant optimistic enough to have produced some or he sits on the couch reading, thinking or watching movies. The telly is on most of the time partly because I'm an introvert and a great deal for the language repetition. Dd's language disorder has her learning far more from dvds than anyone else. Neither of them sit and watch for hours in a row though. Ds watches less than dd. In dd's free time, which is pretty much all day since she's only 5, she bosses her brother around, climbs the clothesline or the tree, plays dolls, sometimes with blocks, sometimes with her brother's Mr Men books, fiddles with the piano keyboard and sings to herself, peels vegetables and lies in my bed thinking or something. This week she's been enthralled with Rosie's Cuisenaire rods dvds and has had the rods out several times a day.

 

How much 1:1 time do you have with your children in the non homeschooling time of the day?

Oh you know, cuddles on demand, wrestling when I have to. Dd likes to help cook and usually hangs out when I'm in the kitchen. Sometimes I'll go and read to her if she's sitting in my bed colouring in.

 

How and when do you get stuff done in your house that is apart from the children?

I rely heavily on the rare occasions I get enough sleep. Lots of housework gets done. Unfortunately, that then has to tide us over until I get sleep again. Dh takes the kids out for a few hours on Sunday mornings, so if I'm not too sleep deprived to think, I do some craft stuff or vacuum or both.

 

Do you feel guilty when you are doing things on your own (that aren't chores) that is not with your children?

Heck no. If they want Supermamma, they need to let me sleep through the night. Plus, they aren't the only ones in the world, as my mother used to remind me. My partner would probably retreat into his own fantasy world permanently if I didn't find an interesting idea to report every now and then.

 

Rosie

Edited June 29, 2012 by Rosie_0801

[hsmamainva]

This does get easier as your kids get older! My house was a wreck when my kids were younger. I just learned to deal with it and recognize that it was a phase.

 

My son, when he's not homeschooling, spends at least an hour (usually more) playing the piano. He also enjoys computer & video games. He helps his dad (who owns his own business and works from home). His best friend goes to public school so they often spend the weekends together and do whatever 12 & 13yo boys do -- which seems to involve lots of tree climbing with nerf guns. :D

 

My youngest has special needs so her afternoons are usually filled with speech & occupational therapy sessions. She also enjoys playing on the computer, playing outside in the backyard, and doing small chores around the house. She likes to draw in her free time, too.

 

I spend my afternoons doing exciting things like laundry. And I read whenever I find the time to do so.