You know that feeling? Sitting at the top of the first roller coaster drop?

[Jenny in Florida]

That's pretty much how I feel right now.

 

"School" officially started last week, but my son has been placed/activated into only one of the two online classes he's taking. While his (increased-from-last-year) dance classes started last Monday, choir doesn't kick in until this week. And two of his three dual enrollment courses start tomorrow.

 

Meanwhile, over the summer, I've started working two part-time jobs. One is outside the house, and I work typically three days a week, for a total of 16 - 18 hours. The other is online, and thus far I've managed only five or so hours a week, but I'm hoping that will increase.

 

So, after a whole summer of planning and discussion and coordinating of schedules and crossing my fingers hoping it all works, we start full-on tomorrow with me taking him to the community college for classes beginning at 8:30. Because of his age, I have to remain on campus with him until his second class is over at 12:45. After that, we'll have to make the 20-mile drive out to collect my daughter from work before we can go home. At that point, we'll have about two hours during which my son needs to he eat lunch, pack up for phase two of the schedule and, if all goes well, maybe do some work on his FLVS class(es). We'll leave again shortly after 4:00 to take him to choir, and I will head home to get in an hour or so of work for my online job. At 6:30, I'll grab him from choir, toss a snack in his general direction for him to eat while I drive, and take him to the dance studio for two and a half hours of class there.

 

We should make it home by about 10:00pm.

 

Tuesday is similar, except that his on-campus class is over at 11:00 and he has no choir but five hours of dance, instead. Oh, and we should be home about an hour earlier.

 

Wednesday and Thursday more or less repeat Monday and Tuesday, with minor variations in the specific locations/activities but similar outlines and outside-the-house committments.

 

Normally, I work the away-from-home job Thursday, Friday and Saturday. This Friday, though, my son and I are scheduled to be on the road doing some quick college visits and then taking him to a dance event. We'll drive back late Sunday and get ready to start week two of the semester bright and early the next morning.

 

I'm sure it will be fine once we get into the swing of it, but right here, at this moment, waiting for the laundry I didn't have a chance to finish before now to dry so that I have clean clothes and my son has dancewear for tomorrow morning, I can't actually imagine keeping up with all of this for the next four months, let alone all the way through May.

 

It is what it is. There are good reasons why we need to do things this way. I'm not asking for advice or idea for how to change or adjust. I just kind of needed to say/type it all, because otherwise it keeps swirling around in my head.

 

Anyone else have a ridiculous schedule this year and want to make me feel puny and useless for worrying about mine?

[maize]

Yep, I'm schooling three kids, going to school myself, juggling multiple activities...somehow it's all going to work out, right?

 

ETA posting from my phone so I'm not going to try to type out our whole schedule.

[BlsdMama]

Oh. My. Goodness. 

 

That's just how I feel tonight. :(  Bordering on nauseous actually.  DD - piece of cake.  She always wanted to be homeschooled.  The boy?  We just don't know what to do with him.

[8filltheheart]

Wow, Jenny, that is some schedule. I would crush under that pace.......of course, I won't ride roller coasters any more!!!

 

Could you do your online work while you are on campus waiting for your ds to allow you some down time in the afternoon?

 

I wish you the best in juggling it all. I'm sure your ds will be fine. Kids seem to be able to do it all and then some. Make sure you take care of yourself. If you can't work while your ds is in class, is there a gym or some where you could go walking? I'm thinking that exercise to reduce the effects of stress might be in order.

[Parrothead]

Yes, we will have that ridiculous schedule soon.

 

Monday and Wednesday will be local dance classes

Tuesday and Thursday will be dance classes an hour away

Friday right now is guitar and piano, but may change to accommodate drama club

 

 

I am starting a full schedule of school myself in September. Dd is starting high school today. With luck I'll have a part time job this time Wednesday. It is only a handful ofhours a week, but we need the money.

 

It is going to get crazy. I'm looking forward to it. Beats being bored.

[Jenny in Florida]

Wow, Jenny, that is some schedule. I would crush under that pace.......of course, I won't ride roller coasters any more!!!

 

Could you do your online work while you are on campus waiting for your ds to allow you some down time in the afternoon?

 

I wish you the best in juggling it all. I'm sure your ds will be fine. Kids seem to be able to do it all and then some. Make sure you take care of yourself. If you can't work while your ds is in class, is there a gym or some where you could go walking? I'm thinking that exercise to reduce the effects of stress might be in order.

Thanks for the kind thoughts.

 

Ultimately, I do hope to be able to do some work while he's in class. However, I have to schedule my hours the week in advance and don't always have a lot of options. (Two weeks ago, the only hours I could find to schedule were at 1:00 and 4:00 am.) Also, until I verify a reliable internet connection, I can't safely schedule myself for those on-campus hours. Students do have access to wi-fi, but I am not a student. And my internet provider has a "hot spot" on or near the campus, but I haven't had a chance to do a trial run with it yet. So, that may ease the situation in the long-ish term, and I'm looking forward to that.

 

The on-campus gym is students only. Walking is a possibility, although I don't think there's much of anywhere to go. I do plan to investigate that possibility, though.

 

Again, thank you.

[Melissa B]

I'm sorry you have to stay on campus, that seems like a silly rule.  

 

We are still waiting on a FLVS class as well - Earth/Space science.  We were assigned the other two classes over a week ago.  I'm trying to decide whether or not it is worth my time to try and call them today.

[Jenny in Florida]

I'm sorry you have to stay on campus, that seems like a silly rule.  

 

We are still waiting on a FLVS class as well - Earth/Space science.  We were assigned the other two classes over a week ago.  I'm trying to decide whether or not it is worth my time to try and call them today.

I e-mailed FLVS last night asking if there was any estimate of when he might be activated. If we don't hear something soon, I might need to consider other options. Our schedule for this year is too tight to allow for a lot of flexibility in start date.

[swellmomma]

My schedule is likely going to be easier this year than last which is a relief.  Ds14 quit his job (though his boss said if he wants to come back later this year even if just to do 1 shift a week she would hire him back no problem) and the girls won't be dancing this year, I just can't afford it. I have 2 jobs as well but both are at home, one is running my home daycare, and the other is the new writing position.

 

What our first semester looks like right now

 

M-F home daycare children here, the number of which and exact hours to still be determined after this week's interviews

dd14 has a job interview tomorrow, it is for a library page position so that would be 4-7 Thursdays, and 11-5 Saturdays in the town 25km down the highway.

Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 845-945am dd14 has online lating class

Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10-1130am both teens have history of drama online class

Wednesday 11-1230 ds14 has lord of the rings online lit class and 2-330pm both teens have modern classics online lit class

 

Sunday nights is TKD

Monday nights dd5 has sparks

Tuesday nights 630-930 the teens have cadets

Wednesday night they may be attending a new youth group

Thursday nights the teens have youth group 7-930, and every other Thursday is single moms support group 1 hour from home (includes dinner, organized kid activities based on age and a speaker or activity for the moms-missed attending last year due to dance, can't wait to start again this year)

 

Waiting on the days for homeschool swim lessons the kids are going to be in.  And as a family we are joining the nordic ski club so that is usually saturdays for the group runs, and then whenever we choose to head out on our own. 

And of course church on Sundays, now that ds won't be working anymore we can start attending again.

 

I am trying to set aside time every evening to work on my writing job after the home daycare kids have gone home and my littles have gone to bed, and the pet care is done for the night.

The teens have some other online classes but they are not set times, they are simply do them when you do them classes, so those get fit into our regular school schedule.

2nd term things change, new online classes (except latin, that one is the whole year), ski club ends 1/2 way through and soccer/baseball seasons start.  As does the busiest time of year for cadets.

Oh and I have until April to create 200 swag bags for the firemen's challenge, which I am learning is like having a 3rd job without pay, because I have to spend time writing letters to solicit donations from businesses etc.