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S/O 'homeschool is just too hard' --clean houses, schedules & homeschooling


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For years I have bought into the idea that it is most efficient for me to deal with household tasks throughout the school day as they arise--doing dishes while kids work at the table or throwing in wash b/t lessons, etc.  What i am finding is that this doesn't work well in our home.  Inevitably, I get sucked into doing just one more thing, or the Dc finish what they are doing and get sidetracked.  

 

Somewhere on these boards, possibly in that thread, I read at least one poster stating that once school hours start in her home, she does no housework.  That got me thinking about my approach and realizing that I am often choosing housework over school!  

 

I read through most of the resurrected thread and am currently reading  This Is Not How I Thought It Would Be - my latest thrift shop find.  The book explores the role of motherhood, what it means in our culture, the division of labor within the home, and how women feel about all of it.  I don't share many of the author's views, but the book and the old thread have me thinking.

 

As I consider our schedule for next year I am thinking I may have to compartmentalize housework time & school time so that I can give my undivided attention to each.  I think I may have discovered one of the major obstacles to a good schedule for us.  One of my biggest problems is that if I have the mindset of accomplishing housework during school, my brain is cluttered with a list of household chores and I am not able to switch gears into academics very easily b/c I'm thinking about the next chore I need to attend to.

 

Anyone else have this experience?  I realize not everyone is going to need time to pay careful attention to school, especially if you have independent students, but I teach many subjects, and I have one Dc who has some ADD tendencies and she needs guidance.

 

If you don't do housework during school hours, when & how do you get it done?  I've got a related question too, but I'm going to post that in another thread.

 

 

ETA: My Dh doesn't give a hoot about the state of the house.  I'm the one who gets a little crazy when things start to go beyond looking a little rough around the edges.  

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My cleaning system is similar to the Like Mother, Like Daughter blog. We have 30 minutes of chore time in the morning before school, a quick tidy at noon, and 30 minutes of chores in the evening after dinner. Since I deep clean the house during the summer, I'm able to keep on maintenance mode during the school year. It's not terribly involved, but it works.

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My cleaning system is similar to the Like Mother, Like Daughter blog. We have 30 minutes of chore time in the morning before school, a quick tidy at noon, and 30 minutes of chores in the evening after dinner. Since I deep clean the house during the summer, I'm able to keep on maintenance mode during the school year. It's not terribly involved, but it works.

I've tried this type of schedule and we ended up spending more than 30 minutes.  I'm contemplating going back to this anyway but being more realistic about what we can do in 30 minutes.  So what types of chores are on your lists?

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During school time the only thing I do is lesson planning and organizing the school work. I am right near DS and I can easily stop what I am doing to help him or move on to the next subject.

 

As for the rest of the house DS does, say laundry, while I do the dishes. Or he might vacuum while I am dusting. Or something like that. I do not have a set time of day though it is usually around dinner time.

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If you don't do housework during school hours, when & how do you get it done?

 

What housework?

I do stuff before leaving for work in the morning, or in the evening, and some on weekends. Laundry can be in the washing machine while we have breakfast; then I just need ten minutes to hang it out on the clothesline. The dishwasher usually runs after dinner and gets emptied while I wait for the breakfast coffee to brew.  I clean as needed, not on a schedule; it does not really take that long. Swiffing the living room, sweeping the kitchen, scrubbing a toilet, wiping down a hand basin - all 5 minute tasks that can fit into the nooks and crannies of a day. I do not do large scale deep-clean-the-entire-house-at-once actions, but prefer to maintain a constant level of acceptable cleanliness by keeping on top of things.

The kids are in charge of cleaning their own rooms and their bathroom and help with emptying dishwasher, setting table; DD likes to cook.

 

ETA: I find housework less overwhelming since I once did an experiment: I cleaned the entire house (except kids bedrooms), vacuumed all carpets, mopped kitchen and bathroom floors, cleaned 3.5 bathrooms including toilets and tubs in one concentrated action and timed myself. It only took 2.5 hours. What made housework seem to take so long was being unfocused and distracted. Now knowing that this is the maximum of time it would take to do a thorough cleaning of everything, I am very relaxed ;-)

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I've tried this type of schedule and we ended up spending more than 30 minutes.  I'm contemplating going back to this anyway but being more realistic about what we can do in 30 minutes.  So what types of chores are on your lists?

 

After dinner is simply clean the kitchen, pick up all the toys, and sweep & vacuum the living areas.

 

Before school is more involved, but the kitchen needs to be clean, beds made, rooms tidy, and 1 area of the house cleaned - meaning checking for items out of place, cleaning windows, dusting, and vacuuming or mopping the floors. Laundry is my bugaroo. I prefer to have it done before school starts, but often end up dealing with it in the afternoon. With 6 kids, if I skip a day Mt. Laundry starts to develop. :lol:

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What housework?

I do stuff before leaving for work in the morning, or in the evening, and some on weekends. Laundry can be in the washing machine while we have breakfast; then I just need ten minutes to hang it out on the clothesline. The dishwasher usually runs after dinner and gets emptied while I wait for the breakfast coffee to brew.  I clean as needed, not on a schedule; it does not really take that long. The kids are in charge of cleaning their own rooms and their bathroom.

 

 

LOL.....I think that is the difference is that your kids are older and there are only 4 of you!   Laundry is a continual daily battle in our household (as in if we don't stay on top of it, it will beat us!  ;)  )  Little ones make lots of messes that they are too young to clean up.   Meals are huge part of our planning b/c last minute food decisions tend to more costly than pre-planned ones.   (and our food/cleaning supply budget rivals our mortgage payment.  ;) )

 

Sorry, Shanvan, I have no answers for you.   I do do things during the day b/c I can't stand not to.  

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I've tried this type of schedule and we ended up spending more than 30 minutes.  I'm contemplating going back to this anyway but being more realistic about what we can do in 30 minutes.  So what types of chores are on your lists?

 

Set a timer and end at 30 minutes even if you aren't finished. The unfinished chores cycle to the top for the next chore round.

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LOL.....I think that is the difference is that your kids are older and there are only 4 of you!   Laundry is a continual daily battle in our household (as in if we don't stay on top of it, it will beat us!  ;)  )  Little ones make lots of messes that they are too young to clean up.   Meals are huge part of our planning b/c last minute food decisions tend to more costly than pre-planned ones.   (and our food/cleaning supply budget rivals our mortgage payment.  ;) )

 

Oh, I completely understand it would be very different in your large family with little ones!

 

But the OP is in a more comparable situation to ours, since she has two kids, ages 11 and 15, so i felt my perspective might be helpful.

 

I would never have presumed to offer advice for the running of a large household such as yours.

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Bigger blocks seem to work better for me. Kids do chores before breakfast, while I'm doing all the little stuff for the day (changing babies, putting out any last-minute stuff for school, checking the weather, making breakfast, etc.), and then I take a while after breakfast to do dishes, switch laundry, wipe the bathroom, vacuum, etc. while the kids start their reading. Sometimes. Sometimes we're having a slow morning, and I skip those things and do them later. But once I sit down with the kids to do schoolwork, the only household thing I really do is switch laundry (because it would never get done otherwise). Sometimes we do a bit of a tidy around lunchtime, just kind of depending on what's out and how much it's bothering me. Then there's another block in the late afternoon when the kids pick up the house, and I do more little stuff. But I have never been a "pick it up as you go" sort of person; that's just never really worked for me, especially with small kids, because these days, for instance, the 2 and 4yo's play with the Duplo pieces and the train pieces continually, most of the day, so picking them up once a day is sufficient for me (occasionally twice if I want to vacuum a particular room). In fact, if we pick up the toys at 4 pm, it's entirely likely that the schoolroom will be scattered in Duplo pieces by the time the 2yo goes to bed anyway. (But he's happy! He LOVES the interchangeable truck and car pieces and is SO proud when me brings me a creation and says, "Mama, more truck!" And that is worth far more to me than a perfectly clean house.)

 

But school hours for school. They're not the hours for vacuuming, or Legos, or non-emergent phone calls.

 

ETA: I don't generally do housework in the evenings. Evenings are filled with doing the dinner dishes, supervising baths, nursing babies, putting jammies on toddlers, reading books, tucking into bed, laying out schoolwork for the next day, and recharging my batteries, not to mention actually seeing my husband. Vacuuming, bills, folding laundry, mopping, etc. are for the afternoons if I don't get to them right after breakfast. (Although sometimes the clean laundry piles up -- rarely the dirty -- and I take a few hours and a TV show or two on the weekend and fold a bunch of it.)

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I'm interested in this, too.  While I love the fact that our schoolroom/playroom is in the center of our home and connected to the kitchen, I often find that I'm distracted by household chores.  I would really like to establish a better routine for school and housework.  Here's my plan:

 

before school - 

make bed (DC make their own)

swish and swipe bathroom

unload dishwasher

put a load of laundry in washer

breakfast dishes in dishwasher

 

around lunchtime -

put laundry in dryer

quick tidy of schoolroom/playroom

lunch dishes in dishwasher

 

afternoon -

fold load of laundry

put another load in if necessary

quick tidy again before DH gets home

 

after dinner - 

dinner dishes in dishwasher (run if necessary)

wipe down counters, etc

 

I would also like to establish a schedule for other cleaning tasks but I haven't gotten that far yet :) . 

 

 

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Well my boys are 10 and 13, they have chores to do each day along with schoolwork.  We usually clean one morning on the weekends as a family. This takes about an hour if everyone helps.  Laundry is done as needed throughout the week. 

 

I do have some health issues that flare up occasionally, when that happens the cleaning and laundry build up and it requires a good catch up cleaning to get it back to easily managed. For some reason DH and boys don't just pick up the slack. :glare:

 

I am not meticulous, I don't need a pristine house. Things are scrubbed, mopped, disinfected as needed. But I am okay if our house looks lived in. After all, we live here.  And I refuse to be the maid, so everyone in this house helps.

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Oh, I completely understand it would be very different in your large family with little ones!

 

But the OP is in a more comparable situation to ours, since she has two kids, ages 11 and 15, so i felt my perspective might be helpful.

 

I would never have presumed to offer advice for the running of a large household such as yours.

Unless you have 2 dogs who contribute to the household mess and need to be groomed, then I don't think our situation is comparable.  (Also see Jean's tackle thread from yesterday to read about the lovely throw up cats and dogs contribute to the household!  :ack2: ) I'm sure there are other variables too.  I'm glad you have a plan that works for you.  I am using the same sort of plan currently (fitting things in here and there) and it is not working, which is why I posted. 

 

There is no way my house could be throughly cleaned in 2.5 hours, no matter how focused I am.  Maybe we have different definitions of a 'thorough cleaning'?  If I scrub my bathroom thoroughly I can spend a good hour and it is the smallest room in the house!   I have an older home with small rooms and 2 dogs can bring in quite a bit of dirt.  

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I probably should try and dedicate specific time every day to household chores. I'd be more inclined to do that if we were organized as a household. But every time I suggest that, the other adults in the household knock down the idea on either the: "If everyone cleans up after themselves the house would be clean" or the "but we never know what everyones' schedules are so how could we make it fair?" theories.

 

DH has been putting more energy and effort into keeping the house, especially the kitchen, living room, and master bedroom. The schoolroom is pretty much my undisputed "turf" so I'm on my own with keeping it clean. DW#2 habitually picks up after herself and keeps her own space clean, as does BIL who lives with us.

 

I do know that studying "with" my DD results in not a whole lot being accomplished. She gets frustrated that I'm not paying attention to her, and I get frustrated that she won't work independently if I'm in the room. So I don't even try to do that any more. I can get some chores done interspersed with schoolwork--if DD complains about that, I just have her help me with the chore.

 

Organized we are NOT. But schoolwork is a higher priority for us--both DD's and mine and DH's (I'm a law student, DH is coming up on his last semester as an undergrad). DW#2 works on her feet at a full time job, and understandably doesn't want to come home and have to clean up after everyone making messes when she isn't even home.

 

I think maybe we need a third wife around here...one who likes doing housework. But we don't have room. My plan is to hire a housekeeper to come in every week or two as soon as I'm employed full time. I'd rather pay for that than have satellite/cable TV again.

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Unless you have 2 dogs who contribute to the household mess and need to be groomed, then I don't think our situation is comparable.  (Also see Jean's tackle thread from yesterday to read about the lovely throw up cats and dogs contribute to the household!  :ack2: ) I'm sure there are other variables too.  I'm glad you have a plan that works for you.  I am using the same sort of plan currently (fitting things in here and there) and it is not working, which is why I posted. 

 

There is no way my house could be throughly cleaned in 2.5 hours, no matter how focused I am.  Maybe we have different definitions of a 'thorough cleaning'?  If I scrub my bathroom thoroughly I can spend a good hour and it is the smallest room in the house!   I have an older home with small rooms and 2 dogs can bring in quite a bit of dirt.  

 

No dogs, only a cat (that does throw up occasionally, and that currently sheds awfully. So I can sympathize.). We wear no shoes in the house, and eating is confined to the dining table, so no dirt or crumbs throughout the house.

It may well be that my idea of "clean" is not the same as yours; my standard is simply whether I can have guests drop in unannounced at any time and not be embarrassed. Since I work 25-30 hours a week, my time is limited and housework ranks at the bottom of the priority list.

 

I understood your post to mean that the issue was doing chores during school time, not fitting chores in somewhere in the day, outside of school time. I am sorry my contribution was not helpful to you.

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Last year I cleaned until 9:30-10.  Then we focused on school until 4 or so.  I saved bigger projects, vacuuming, laundry, etc. for the weekends (which is what a working mother would be doing anyway).  The problem I ran into was when we had weekend activities...gymnastics meets, visiting relatives, or we wanted to get out of the house for awhile.  Then I spent the week playing catch-up.  

 

My cleaning standards are also fairly low (not Hoarders by any means though) ;) ...our house is fairly cluttered, but if we have clean floors, clean dishes, and clean laundry, I'm pretty happy.

 

ETA:  Another thing I do is follow the "cleaning zones" from Large Family Logistics.  Each day I have a different area of the house to focus on: dining room/entryways, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, living/formal dining and schoolroom.  This is the actual cleaning...we have to pick up more often than once a week!  

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No dogs, only a cat (that does throw up occasionally, and that currently sheds awfully. So I can sympathize.). We wear no shoes in the house, and eating is confined to the dining table, so no dirt or crumbs throughout the house.

It may well be that my idea of "clean" is not the same as yours; my standard is simply whether I can have guests drop in unannounced at any time and not be embarrassed. Since I work 30 hours a week, my time is limited and housework ranks at the bottom of the priority list.

 

I am sorry my contribution was not helpful to you.

No, no.   The conversation is helpful.  Maybe I only think I adjusted my priorities.  I was thinking, if I left the house in the morning to go to work, I'd be forced to do what I can and call it good.  That is what I need to do even though I am not leaving the house for work.  And, quite possibly I am going overboard if I spend an hour on bathroom cleaning when I could be using that time for something else!  Clearly I do need to rethink priorities.

 

I also need to consider the reality of the situation.  We have dogs.  The kids are heavily involved in dog sports and 4H.  At times it dictates our schedules.  Unless I become a slave to the housework I will not be able to keep my home clean in the same way as a person who does not have the same situation, so I need to stop comparing.  

 

My health issues get in the way too, just like another poster mentioned.

 

I suspect I might be embarrassed by things that would not bother you.  Also suspect that you are not keeping my MILs expectations in the back of your mind!  (Yet another thing I need to clear from my thoughts)

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How often are you spending an hour cleaning the bathroom? Weekly? I have 3 of them.... that would be 3 hours alone on bathrooms. 

I am trying to figure out a schedule, but I am drawn to the doing nothing else during school time. That tends to lead toward longer days for us - because we ALL get sidetracked.

 

Thanks all for given me stuff to ponder - I shall keep reading!

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How often are you spending an hour cleaning the bathroom? Weekly? I have 3 of them.... that would be 3 hours alone on bathrooms. 

 

I am trying to figure out a schedule, but I am drawn to the doing nothing else during school time. That tends to lead toward longer days for us - because we ALL get sidetracked.

 

Thanks all for given me stuff to ponder - I shall keep reading!

The 1 hour cleaning is only once a month or sometimes, once every 2 months and it is a deep cleaning that includes walls, light fixtures, the door, closet, etc.   Definitely not that often.  I mentioned that in reference to Regentrude's finding that 2.5 hours is enough time to thoroughly clean her entire house.  That wouldn't be enough time for me.  Of course, the time needed depends on what is meant by a thorough cleaning, how fast the person cleaning can work, the method used to clean, how much dirt is brought into the home daily, how much clutter is present in the rooms being cleaned, how well the rooms are kept up b/t deep cleanings, and many other variables I'm sure I'm forgetting.

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If you don't do housework during school hours, when & how do you get it done?  I've got a related question too, but I'm going to post that in another thread.

 

 

I make my bed first thing in the morning, as soon as my feet hit the floor. I clean the kitchen the instant we are finished with a meal, and there are no between-meal shenanigans going on. I do all the major stuff on Fridays--all the laundry, move the furniture and vacuum, dust everything, clean the bathrooms...the whole darn thing. Other maintenance happens when needed to keep things manageable during the day.

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.  Of course, the time needed depends on what is meant by a thorough cleaning, how fast the person cleaning can work, the method used to clean, how much dirt is brought into the home daily, how much clutter is present in the rooms being cleaned, how well the rooms are kept up b/t deep cleanings, and many other variables I'm sure I'm forgetting.

 

Absolutely.

I found that the amount of clutter is THE determining factor for the time it takes to clean. If I have to move items around and clear surfaces and floors before I can start, that greatly increases the time. So for us, having a clutter free home is the crucial thing that allows us to get by with so little time for cleaning.

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 That tends to lead toward longer days for us - because we ALL get sidetracked.

 

I think you have hit on something here.  I complain about Dd getting sidetracked, but it's a problem for me too b/c once I decide to 'just get this one cleaning task done'  I can find many more and before you know it I am cleaning instead of keeping track of schoolwork, teaching, or grading.

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Absolutely.

I found that the amount of clutter is THE determining factor for the time it takes to clean. If I have to move items around and clear surfaces and floors before I can start, that greatly increases the time. So for us, having a clutter free home is the crucial thing that allows us to get by with so little time for cleaning.

Definitely!  We have reduced our clutter a lot, but there are still things that get in the way.  I vacillate b/t clearing out and accepting the reality that we've got hobbies and pursuits that require specific tools, and a small house without a lot of storage and I have to do the best I can.  I leave the dog grooming table out and assembled now b/c I got tired of folding it up and taking it back out and we use it too often.  I could groom in the basement, but I hate it down there and it's so dark I can't see well.  Just one example of 'clutter' that gets in the way when cleaning.  I just leave the table out.  Grooming tools have a home in the kitchen closet and are put away after use.  

 

I've reduced our books quite a bit this summer and am still working on that.  Even furniture can be clutter!  I'm contemplating getting rid of some extra chairs in our living room.  They get used only for company, though one I use to pile donations on and the other library books since it is in an out of the way corner.  The furniture arrangement and the size of our family room is a huge obstacle to cleaning.  With a few thousand dollars we could fix it, but no money for that currently.  We are stuck with a difficult room to clean and it is the room dogs spend the most time in which makes the dust and dirt in there worse than the rest of the house.

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I don't do much during school hours either.

 

In the morning, we eat breakfast and while the kitchen is being cleaned up, everyone else is doing some chore or other. We usually switch out some laundry then too.

 

Before we leave the house or eat lunch, I usually give a shout out to pick up and come eat/load up. Switch out another load of laundry.

 

Repeat at dinner time. In addition to switching out laundry, all the days laundry is sorted and out away.

 

I think the key is maintence and minimalism. Everything has a place and we don't wait for it to be a huge ordeal to put it there. Once a week, we do a deeper clean and I or Dh inspect that things are as they should be. Someone always slacks a bit or lacks the ability to see messes on any given day. It's just an annoying part of dealing with child labor. ;) But daily efforts and a weekly inspection keep it from turning into the land of Mordor upstairs.

 

I'm also less persnickety about their rooms than the rest of the house. We need the relaxation of being able to have someone over at any moment without being embarrassed. But their rooms are upstairs out of company view. So once a week inspection and reminders to pick up are enough for us.

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I don't spend very much time homeschooling per se (notice my children's ages) but I do not clean during the day and I have three very messy children, sometimes 1-2 "extras", and two dogs...so my schedule might be useful.

 

I make my bed as soon as I stand up and empty the dishwasher while my coffee is percolating. Straight after breakfast everyone rinses and places their own dish in the dishwasher, any pans that require hand washing get put in the sink (I hate this, but it was a necessary lowering of expectations for me), and the table is quickly wiped down. I repeat this routine for lunch-time and dinner. After dinner I start the dishwasher, sweep the floors, and clean all the hand washing for the day. When I brush my teeth before bed I give the bathroom a wipe down and the toilet a swish. That is the extent of my daily cleaning because...

 

I do ALL the housework on Friday. The kids are expected to help (within reason) and to stay out of my hair when not helping (within reason). I've found giving them a job every time they argue with each other a great way of ensuring peace ;) I have a fairly small home but working nonstop with no distractions I can get everything done in 3-4 hours. I am always distracted atleast a bit (baby) but I can still get it done by the end of the day. I have the washing machine going that entire day nonstop- clothes, sheets, towels. 10 loads at least, I try not to count :). At the end of the day my husband and I watch a movie together while we fold the huge laundry mountain.

 

Granted my house is only ever "company clean" on the weekend :). I'm sure my mother would be shocked by my only mopping once a week. And "emergencies" do happen, those extra loafs of laundry or very dirty tub after playing in the mud can't be avoided. But I really value not always having a running list of things that need to get done in the back of my head. For a very single-minded person like me, this plan works great.

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I'm working on tweaking our schedule now that we are starting the new year and as the kids are one grade older the time spent schooling is of course increased. Previously we started about 9 and then we would work on some chores before hand but I'm starting us at 8am now so it doesn't work as well.

 

I've been getting up between 5-6am, have a bit of time on the internet- I aim to be off no later than 6am. I've been putting a load of clothes to wash when I go to bed and then as soon as I get up I throw them in the dryer. I generally try to start the day's chores with sweeping the floor. Then onto unloading the dishwasher, it is ran every night at bedtime and folding the clothes in the dryer. Those are the basics I do in the am, if the kids get up in time they will have a chore to do, ie bathrooms, trash, vacumming or mopping.

 

I start *cooking breakfast at about 7am- so it is ready by 7:30 and do little odds and ends while doing that- like making my bed, getting dressed, etc- assuming the baby is up, which she usually is around this time. *The kids have been taking on breakfast cooking a lot these days but I obviously have to be there for supervision and to help dd6 read.

 

If we eat breakfast on time, 7:30, there is usually a bit of time before 8 to do a few things as well and this is usually when the kids get dressed, make their bed, put up their clothes, and straighten rooms if needed.

 

We are schooling from about 8:00-12:30 ish, most of that time I am engaged in teaching or supervision as mine as so young. I might have about 15 min or so if I have them play a learning game together or both take a break at the same time.

 

Then it is onto lunch, watching a short show- educational, reading books and quiet time. I have to have this time in the afternoon to take it easy right now as the baby needs a big nursing session in the afternoon.

 

After quiet time then we do a pick-up around the house and whatever chores need to be done that weren't already. I try to clean as I cook and dishes and counters are taken care of after we eat with everyone pitching in to help. With this schedule I am able to keep the floors, laundry and dishes taken care of, which are the main chores that need done. I also have pick-up time and as I constantly work on decluttering and such it is generally fairly quick to do tasks.

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I clean for 30 minutes from 830 to 9 am: any leftover dishes, breakfast foods, quick tidy around house. Boys make their beds, pick up clothes and empty dishwasher. I fold laundry and do paperwork or other "not moving around much" stuff so i can be close at hand during school. Clean up after lunch, kids might do a chore. Then after school assuming i don't have work i will clean. Saturdays I clean for 2 hours.

 

We JUST hired a house leaner but IMO, she doesn't do a great job. I am going to talk to her, but in the meanwhile, I still do a fair amt of cleaning. Se doesn't do laundry or dishes or sheets or vacuuming under furniture or....you get the idea.

 

Oh, and we have two dogs and a cat.

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Ironically, I found it easier to keep the house clean when my Dc were younger.  We did not have serious extracurriculars, schoolwork was easier and did not take up as much time.  Ds did not take outside classes.  We did not have dog shows on weekends, dogs did not need fussy grooming.  I also did not have health issues to deal with.

 

I'm realizing I just need to do the housework in the mornings, evenings, and some on weekends when I can, and I need to come up with a realistic minimum.  Evenings are hard for me b/c we have 4h meetings or dog classes some nights and I like to use evenings for a family read a loud, planning and grading. I do fold laundry after dinner some nights.  I have a different approach to laundry than many of you.  I like it done all at once.  I am considering having each Dc do their own wash this year.  That would cut down on a lot for me.  Right now they just assist.

 

I also like the idea of picking a day of the week for a more intense cleaning.  I don't think I could do that weekly, but maybe every other week.

 

I think I need to sit down and list our weekly activities and how long I anticipate school work will take and then come up with a plan-- though nothing too rigid or I might rebel (I've been know to rebel against my own schedules!  :lol: )   That means i have to make some decisions about curriculum.  Also need to finish decluttering books.  I think I'll be busy this afternoon..... :leaving: 

 

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First thing in the am, I start the coffee, pop in a load of laundry and unload the dishwasher.  Last thing before going to bed, I fold any unfolded laundry and load any stray dishes and hit "start."

 

 

In between, the kids each have an area to clean.  The expectations are in line with their ages/abilities.  They are able to keep things looking presentable, and having an area keeps them aware of picking up after themselves.  Their rooms are a mess right now.  We are working on keeping common areas respectable.

 

 

On Saturday, I do those things that kids just can't do well enough. 

 

 

I have too much going on during school to multi-task too much.  Bare minimum is all that gets done during the day.

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May I just say how horrid it has been since my dishwasher quit working in November??????

Words cannot even begin to express how horrible it is...... 

(and yes, I realize that a lot of people do not have them and survive, this is the first time in my whole 44 years I have been without.... I even had one during my college years! :p )

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After breakfast we have about 45 min until school starts. By the time school starts everyone is dressed, beds made, personal hygiene taken care of, breakfast dishes done, table/counters wiped, kitchen/dining room swept, piano practice done, laundry started, plus my job of the day: M~main bathroom, T~vacuum, W~my bathroom and bedroom, Th~I listen to piano lessons. I have taught my kids well. ;)

 

After afternoon snack, I do dishes, clean the counters (since the day's schoolwork tends to overflow there), fold laundry, and another "job of the day": M~bills, T~tea time, W~piano lessons/library, Th~meal plan/grocery list.

 

Friday is a cleaning / bread baking day and a shorter school day.

 

We school 5-6 weeks on, 1 off. The off week is when I clean windows, vacuum under furniture, etc. My house is not spotless, but it is almost always presentable. That is as much as I can expect of myself with 5 kids and a dog living here.

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I haven't read the other replies yet, but wanted to quickly post this before I forget... lol!  Talk about being distracted...

 

This article talks about how multi-tasking really brings down our ability to do anything well- including multitask!  I think it really applies to OP's original question of whether or not to mix housework and schoolwork in together- Switch Off Static and Turn On Your Mind

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Get some good mats. I followed Don Aslett's recommendations about exterior and interior mats and it cut the dirt on the floors down a lot. Good mats reduce the amount of dirt tracked in even if people, or dogs, forget to wipe their feet or take off their shoes.

 

For my oldest's 4th birthday, I bought him a little Dirt Devil stick vacuum for $20. (It was his idea!) At the time, he couldn't sweep and this gave him the ability to clean up his own crumbs when he made a mess.

 

My 7 year old does his and the 4 year old's laundry. I buy the premeasured laundry detergent packs so I don't have to worry about him using too much. Yes, they cost more, but it's worth it to have the kids' laundry be someone else's problem. (I buy regular detergent for the laundry I do.) Now if my oldest tosses his clean clothes in with the dirty because he doesn't feel like putting them away, it's his problem and not mine. If he wants to wash them again instead of putting them away, so be it.

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I came to that conclusion for this school year. Being teacher (and mom) is my job right now, so that's what we are going to do when it's time for school. We need to learn to quit trying to multitask! My dh doesn't care what the house looks like either, I think that's something to be grateful for as then there are no expectations! I just try to keep the school area clean for my sanity! I'm assuming that once we do what is priority, the rest will fall into place... right? Or Saturday will be family clean-up day.

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Speaking of mats, we just bought these mats from LL Bean--4 of them, in fact. One for the front door, one for the door out to the pool, one for the door into the garage, and one for the door into the school room (it has an exterior entrance as well as an interior entrance.) They are really great. One night there was a terrible storm, and I woke in teh middle of the night because the school room door is not a tight seal and water can get in during heavy rains. I ran down to check and the mat had soaked up ALL the water coming in, which I knew had to have been a fair amount.

 

Plus, they help with the doggie feet too. 

 

ETA: we got them on sale, 40% off. Might be worth waiting for a sale as they aren't cheap. 

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Thank you for the mat suggestions, but that was taken care of years ago.  For anyone who hasn't done it, I also recommend the LL Bean mats.  We have them at both the front and back doors.  Out front (dogs do not use this door regularly) they do a tremendous job.    Not such a great job out back near the sliding doors.  We've got dogs with long hair and dirt clings to it (so do roots, sticks, and whatever else they get into outside).  There are other reasons why dirt gets in the back door too, and without spending a ton of money to revamp the patio & landscaping, there really isn't much I can do about it. 

 

My kids do vacuum, clean bathrooms, help with wash, take care of their own rooms, etc.  

 

My issue isn't so much with how to clean or get the kids involved, it's more about the idea of multitasking not working for me.  And, even though the kids do their share, we need time to get it all done.  They are older and more capable, but their schoolwork is harder and more time consuming.  Ditto with extracurriculars.  Ds has a job now too.  It is becoming harder for us to find enough time to do what needs to be done.  Hence my attempts to try to mix it into the school day.

 

Monica's post is more along the lines of what I was thinking.  I have read articles about the failure of multitasking and I have nodded my head in agreement.  I just didn't realize that's what I was trying to do by adding bits of housework into the day!   

 

 

 

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I came to that conclusion for this school year. Being teacher (and mom) is my job right now, so that's what we are going to do when it's time for school. We need to learn to quit trying to multitask! My dh doesn't care what the house looks like either, I think that's something to be grateful for as then there are no expectations! I just try to keep the school area clean for my sanity! I'm assuming that once we do what is priority, the rest will fall into place... right? Or Saturday will be family clean-up day.

 

Yes, I think I need to see school as my job and ignore whatever else I think *needs* to get done, or find a way to deal with it at another time.  You are right, I and grateful that I don't have a husband demanding I keep the house ready for a magazine photo shoot!

 

After breakfast we have about 45 min until school starts. By the time school starts everyone is dressed, beds made, personal hygiene taken care of, breakfast dishes done, table/counters wiped, kitchen/dining room swept, piano practice done, laundry started, plus my job of the day: M~main bathroom, T~vacuum, W~my bathroom and bedroom, Th~I listen to piano lessons. I have taught my kids well. ;)

 

After afternoon snack, I do dishes, clean the counters (since the day's schoolwork tends to overflow there), fold laundry, and another "job of the day": M~bills, T~tea time, W~piano lessons/library, Th~meal plan/grocery list.

 

Friday is a cleaning / bread baking day and a shorter school day.

 

We school 5-6 weeks on, 1 off. The off week is when I clean windows, vacuum under furniture, etc. My house is not spotless, but it is almost always presentable. That is as much as I can expect of myself with 5 kids and a dog living here.

 

Thank you for reminding me.  I like the 5 weeks on one off idea and I'm toying with using it this year.  That might be a good solution for me to do the more intensive cleaning during that week off.

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I haven't read the other replies yet, but wanted to quickly post this before I forget... lol!  Talk about being distracted...

 

This article talks about how multi-tasking really brings down our ability to do anything well- including multitask!  I think it really applies to OP's original question of whether or not to mix housework and schoolwork in together- Switch Off Static and Turn On Your Mind

 

I'm not suggesting that others **need** to multi-task, but there are somethings I have to do as a homeschool mom that would drive me to distraction if I couldn't be doing something else at the same time (I cannot do these day in and day out w/complete attention  ;) )  For example, calling out spelling words.   I can easily fold laundry or unload the dishwasher while calling out spelling words.  Neither one requires full attention, so 1/2 attention on each is perfectly not one taking away from the other.  If all I could do was sit still and call out spelling words......I would literally go nuts.

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This is a great thread!  I was *just* discussing with DH about setting school hours and STOPPING housework because I tend to have a running list throughout the day as well.  And, yes, I often choose housework over schoolwork.   :huh:

 

For me, I need to be more realistic about what can be done around the house.  My children are mostly small, my house is big, old, and dusty.  No dog right now (whew!) but a cat and some adorable, messy children.  And did I mention husband?  Sometimes the husbands are the hardest since I can't really seem to "train" mine like I have the children. ;)

 

This is what I've been doing:  I have a job (or 4!) of the day, like a PP, and daily maintenance with Sat. morning being a time to try to get to anything I've missed, or work on my "zone" ala Flylady.  My plan is to do these same sorts of things, but just setting a stop time/start time for housework/schoolwork, so I don't feel guilty and can focus. :)

 

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I haven't read the other replies yet, but wanted to quickly post this before I forget... lol!  Talk about being distracted...

 

This article talks about how multi-tasking really brings down our ability to do anything well- including multitask!  I think it really applies to OP's original question of whether or not to mix housework and schoolwork in together- Switch Off Static and Turn On Your Mind

I think we like to tell ourselves we are multitasking when really we are just constantly switching gears/being interrupted. It's inefficient. I'm trying to purposely do less of it.

 

My first step has been to move the computer further from the kitchen.

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Shannon,

 

I didn't read the resurrected thread (probably won't because frankly I have little time).  And I haven't read any of the responses you've gotten so far (though I may skim them after I do what I really came over here for). 

 

But why do you have enough chores to even half fill a day, much less a week?  Seriously, when I had two preteens (your youngest is 11?), my house was near spotless.  Almost every chore was done daily.  And it was all done before 9, my turn into a pumpkin time "because someone might stop by."  

 

So yes, I think you may need to change your standards and priorities a little.  But moreso, I think you may need to change the division of labor.  

 

The only reason housework takes me any real length of time now is training my 3 and 4 yr olds who are both significantly developmentally delayed and been here only three months.  We are not naturally neat or clean people; so it is something I stress about.  I think the real possibility that someone may stop by helps, no doubt.  But really, family works together.  THAT is my secret.  Even with my young adult children slacking (something about college classes and working full time <bah!>), we focus on working together.  

 

Obviously, I could be completely wrong.  That was just my first idea as I read your post.  Do it at night.  Or do it in the morning.  But if you did it all together early in the day, it'd be done so you can focus on school the rest of the day. 

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Yes, I think I need to see school as my job and ignore whatever else I think *needs* to get done, or find a way to deal with it at another time.  

 

The day I realized that school took priority over housework was a good one for our family.  We do school if there are dishes in the sink, if the floor needs to be swept or vacuumed, or if I could be doing those things while teaching.  School is my job.  I don't do it well when doing housework.  Realizing that was liberating, and good for school in our home.

 

I have health issues, too, and because of those we've hired weekly help.  DH wants my limited energy to go to school, and some days I don't have enough energy for both.  I know not everyone can hire help.  But one thing that I've learned is that when we have our cleaning help coming - we prepare.  We get "maid ready."  The whole family pitches in, and it's done quickly (because we've worked hard on reducing clutter and making sure everything has a home).   We do basic maintenance all week, then a big "maid ready" on Thurs before the cleaners come on Fri.  Maybe a schedule something like that would help you release the housework till the designated day?

 

Totally agree with you about multi-tasking.  

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I am looking forward to this school year because it will be the first in many that I won't have things that must be done at certain times which prevent me from separating school time from other life time. (Sheesh, forgive my run on, hope it made sense!)

 

Circumstances around the daily activities I've had in the past couple of years have changed, leaving me much freer during traditional school hours. I really do best when I have a specific, large chunk of my daily hours devoted to schooling.

 

Regarding scheduling - I just want to throw out that if you go that route of planning down to specific subjects at specific times, to be generous with your time allotments. I find I plan too much to squeeze in (my fault but something I recognize about myself). On the flip side, I always have some ideas tucked away for what to do with lag time (ie, an activity or task that doesn't take long but that keeps my student focused on something and thus not wandering off and getting involved in something else).

 

Of course, now that I am down to just one, I can be more flexible. You have quite an age span there and busy little minds and bodies to keep track of! Be realistic in what you expect of yourself in this season of your life and schooling.

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The day I realized that school took priority over housework was a good one for our family.  We do school if there are dishes in the sink, if the floor needs to be swept or vacuumed, or if I could be doing those things while teaching.  School is my job.  I don't do it well when doing housework.  Realizing that was liberating, and good for school in our home.

 

Maybe a schedule something like that would help you release the housework till the designated day?

Same here. My job is homeschooling and our days improved significantly when I learned to mentally "leave the house" and "go to work" every day. These days, I don't do housework of any kind during school hours. I used to, and I think I was actually pretty good at weaving it in. But with three kids getting older, the days getting longer, and the material getting meatier, it became counterproductive. I just felt like I was never completely focusing on any one thing. So during school hours, I am the teacher and I am at school. I do a round of chores in the morning and another round after school each day. With all chores scheduled and the kids pitching in, this is enough to keep the house in order.

 

There are times during school when the kids are busy working and don't need me, periods I could do this, that, or the other. But I don't leave school. I use that time to plan, read, or study ahead (or putz around here). Those things have to be done anyway and if I do them during school then I do not have to do them outside of school. So chores are not bleeding into school and school is not bleeding (quite so much) into my off-time. It's been a win-win here.

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