macmacmoo Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? When do you get up? When do the kids get up? When does school start? Any tips on starting school on time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 7.5 and 5 years oldWhen do you get up? Between 5am and 5:30amWhen do the kids get up? Around 5:30am When does school start? I start breakfast around 8am and we start school when I read aloud while they are eating breakfast. Any tips on starting school on time? I am big on routine. Start a routine and stick with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RkyMtnMom Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 7, 8, 11 I get up with Dh at 5. Sometimes i will go back to bed until around 8, sometimes i stay up. They usually get up around 7-7:30 School usually starts around 8:30, but no later than 9:30 i think when you have littles, you just have to go with the flow. If they sleep in, or breakfast is taking longer, you start later. If things are going smoothly and moving along quick, then start early. Sorry not much help, i know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 7, 9, 11 When do you get up? 5:30 When do the kids get up? 7:00 When does school start? 8:00 Any tips on starting school on time? If I don't get up on time it will throw the whole day off. So I need to be self-disciplined enough to get myself up and moving; if I do that, then my kids follow suit. And if they deliberately dawdle or play instead of getting ready for the day, I take the time out of their mid-morning break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 5, 3.5, and 1When do you get up? between 8 and 9When do the kids get up? 7:30When does school start? If I make breakfast the day start while I'm making it. Ds 5(only one doing school) reads to me while I'm making breakfast. If my dh makes breakfast than ds either reads to me in bed before breakfast or right after breakfast.Any tips on starting school on time? Not sure what starting on time means. I make a list each day for ds to accomplish. We do it throughout the morning with many fun play breaks in between. A typical day looks like this. Ds reads to me, breakfast, 15 minutes of playing, ds does math between 15 and 30 minutes, more play, ds does phonics, more play, lunch, dd does phonics if she wants, relax time/end of school day (usually by 1 or 2.) Knowing what needs to get done and just doing it works for me. Starting at a specific time would never work for us because I don't want to interrupt the kids in the middle of playing nicely together, making creative forts, drawing, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 6, 8 (almost 7, 9) When do you get up? too late :blush: When do the kids get up? 7ish When does school start? 8ish Any tips on starting school on time? I loved starting at 9. That was a great morning. However, this year with more work and more afternoon commitments, I set out to start at 8:30. I've noticed recently that I've been pushing 8am. We used to do chores before school, but lately I've been saying to get dressed, brush your teeth, make your bed, open your blinds, and come down to school! (With breakfast, of course.) Chores have been getting pushed to afternoons, before privileges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 8, 11, almost 13When do you get up? 8ishWhen do the kids get up? the boys get up between 6 and 7, DD gets up as late as possibleWhen does school start? 9 amAny tips on starting school on time? I just have to do it. When they were little I used to go with the flow more, but now that all three are doing schoolwork and are older I have to make myself start on time. It took us a while to get into that routine, but now it is just what we do. If we start late it throws my whole day off. The kids and I have our flow to our day. We always start with the same subjects and that keeps us on track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 I have a 6 y.o. and a 9 y.o. I get up between 8:30 and 9, but I have gotten up earlier as needed. They get up around 8, watch one PBS show, eat, and are supposed to be ready at 9. We start at 9. (I often shower late in the day or at night unless we have to go somewhere. I find it irritating to have lots of personal things that need attention before starting my day, so I try to do that stuff at night.) We have good weeks and bad weeks. The kids simply make excuses if they are not ready by 9, and we try to find fitting consequences (this is hard because they usually handicap us as much as the kids). We try to get most of school finished by lunch (noon-ish) so that we have just one subject after lunch. I think a routine is better than a schedule. I sometimes leave directions on a white board (one board for each of them), and we are probably going to switch to laminated checklists. ***ETA: these boards are propped against the cupboards in the AM to give them direction. We have exceptionalities to deal with, and my older son is often a train wreck. Today is one of those days. I literally had to send him outside so that my 6 y.o. could finish his work in peace. He's really irritating today to be frank. I try to start the day alternating things that they can be independent with or need help with. Unfortunately, it doesn't come out even (longer assignments and less ability to be independent with the 9 y.o.). I let the 6 y.o. take five minute breaks between subjects and try to free him as early as possible. The older is lucky to get breaks--he is impossible to get back into the groove if he takes a break. We are working through Smart but Scattered for more ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Ivy Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 2 through 9 When do you get up? 6:00 When do the kids get up? 6:30 When does school start? 8:00 Any tips on starting school on time? go to bed early.... allow for naps if needed in the afternoon.... this is how I know when to start school:Start from your kids' bedtime and add 12 hours. Then make a list of everything you want to get done in the morning, adding up the time it should take. Double this amount of time and add it to the 12 hours after bedtime. That's the time we can start school! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 16 When do you get up? 7:30 - 8 When do the kids get up? noon -ish When does school start? 1pm Any tips on starting school on time? We are decidedly not operating like most people. Neither of us are morning people. I do my college work while he's still sleeping, then transition to his time. He's a night owl and focuses better when he's allowed to start later. We've never started before 9:30. One thing we've used successfully to transition to school time is starting with read aloud. We've done that for years, and yes even at 16 we have read aloud time. It allows us both to acclimate to each other and then focus. Granted we are generally finishing up between 6pm or 7pm or later. I'm a single parent and don't have to worry about a traditional dinner time with a spouse coming home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TianXiaXueXiao Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids?10 and almost 3 When do you get up? Sometime between 8 & 10am When do the kids get up? between 9 & 10:30 When does school start? It ranges but usually by 10:30 Any tips on starting school on time? I don't have any tips. We definitely go with the flow. We have a daily checklist and as long as we accomplish all our work for the day and fit in our outside activities/ commitments, we are happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? - 8, 8, 5 When do you get up? - 6-6:30 When do the kids get up? - 7:30-8 When does school start? - 9 Any tips on starting school on time? Even if I'm feeling sluggish, they are so habituated that they often show up at the table on their own. I also have a weekly schedule of topics, so I can glance at the appropriate day and pull out books without having to make any decisions or do much thinking. When we finish a lesson I do any prep necessary for the next time we do that topic. Lastly, steady stream of coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 7, 9, 14, 17 and 3 off to college When do you get up? widely varies but most typically 7:15 a.m. When do the kids get up? ds9 6:30 and the rest by 7:30 only b/c they have to, not because of any internal clock When does school start? 8:00 a.m. Chores are done, breakfast eaten, teeth brushed, beds made, and should be at the table by 8:00 a.m. Any tips on starting school on time? Go to bed at a very decent hour -- both you and the kids. Enjoy getting done by early afternoon more than you enjoy staying up late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco_Clark Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 6, 4, 1.5 When do you get up? 7:30 When do the kids get up? 6:30 (4 yr old) and 8 (6 and 1 yr old) When does school start? 9 Any tips on starting school on time? Set an alarm. We have an alarm for 8:45 (15 minute warning for morning reading) and another alarm for 12:30 (time for lunch, which is directly followed by table work). It reminds us, and also puts it outside of me. Not my fault kids, its the alarm! For us its important to start off with something slow and pleasant. I know its common to begin with math, but that's the sort of thinking our brains need time to build up to. We are a groggy morning family (except that pesky 4 year old). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanikit Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 My DDs are 6 and 3 I get up anywhere between 5am and 7:30am - usually depends when the kids get up and when DH needs to leave (very variable) The kids get up between 5am and 7am, though the youngest has on occassion slept til 8:30 - we leave her be. School starts anytime between 8am and 9:30am depending on the above Well not having a time for starting school helps me start on time - I can never really be starting late. If I work in the mornings which happens for about 1 week pout of every month then school can start at 15:00 and it still will not be late. I usually get out everything (plus some) that I plan to do with my children and then when we get going my elder chooses one thing and then I choose what is next and we keep going til it is done or time runs out - but I know which days there will be less time and then set out fewer subjects and I know what is bare minimum that must get done no matter what. On a day when I am home all day and not working, I find things run better if I start at 8am, but even then it doesn't always happen - and often just as I am getting ready to start the youngest will need a drink, or will need a change (still potty training) or the eldest will find a dead animal outside and we need to bury it or whatever - that is just life. I try to get my children changed and at least have eaten something before we start with school but if things are running later then I might put on a youtube video (songs, or science or a story) something school related and let them watch it while they eat breakfast - that helps me see things are moving and makes the transition to school time easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamindy Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 7, 6, 4, 2, 8mos When do you get up? I try to get up at 7. I used to be much better about getting up early, but I currently have a night-nurser that is also up when I get up… This is our season. When do the kids get up? They could get up as early as 7am, usually closer to 7:30. I don't let them come downstairs until 8:00. When does school start? We have chores after breakfast, and school starts when baby takes her first nap, around 9:30. Any tips on starting school on time? I wish. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? When do you get up? When do the kids get up? When does school start? Any tips on starting school on time? He's 6 and in kindergarten. I get up at 6:45. DH is already up and makes me coffee. DS is allowed to get up at 6:45 also, but is usually awake by around 6:30. Compared to most people, I'm a morning person, but not compared to those two. I do *not* wake DS if he sleeps late. I don't think he's ever slept past 7:30 or so unless he was sick. We actually don't start school until 9 or 9:30, after we've fed the cat, DH and I have showered & dressed, DS has dressed, I've started laundry, the dishwasher is unloaded, breakfast eaten by all, dishwasher reloaded, etc. I don't hurry unless we have somewhere to be at a certain time. To start school on time, make sure everyone knows what constitutes "on time" and what can be done before school and what can't. I let DS play while I get some things going, but I do not allow screen time. Start with the best part of school. Last year we started each day with our song of the week--he loves music. Next year we'll have more subjects to get through and may need to start a bit earlier, but I'm planning to start most days with gardening--another thing DS will enjoy and be eager to start. If he resists getting dressed or starting school, I usually mention having something planned for afterward (like going to a park) that he will want to get to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 5 and 7 When do you get up? Whenever someone opens my bedroom door to let the dog out (so just a few minutes after kids wake) When do the kids get up? ​They have to stay in their rooms until 7 -- I don't know what time my oldest wakes, she's in her room. They come out usually between 7 and 7:20. When does school start? Sometime between 9 and 10. Any tips on starting school on time? We're pretty relaxed about starting in the a.m. The kids get up, feed the dog. I stumble out after them, a few minutes later. We watch some cartoons and eat breakfast. Sometimes I exercise and shower... sometimes I don't. If I shower, we start school close to 10... if not, closer to 9 (and I shower when we finish up.) My kids beg to go ahead and start school -- because they get iPad play time when they've done they're work for the day. :D Most mornings, I'm like "wait wait, I haven't made my coffee yet..." ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamindy Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 go to bed early.... allow for naps if needed in the afternoon.... this is how I know when to start school: Start from your kids' bedtime and add 12 hours. Then make a list of everything you want to get done in the morning, adding up the time it should take. Double this amount of time and add it to the 12 hours after bedtime. That's the time we can start school! Do you have a formula or something… :confused1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItoLina Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 4 and 6 When do you get up? Between 7 and 8am When do the kids get up? The same, they usually crawl into bed with me sometime after 5 am and go back to sleep and we all get us and snuggle in bed for a bit before we get up together :-) I love this time of the day. When does school start? Right after breakfast, usually around 9:00. Any tips on starting school on time? We have to go straight from breakfast to school, if they get going playing then they day is lost, or I am in for a battle to get school going. So, that is just the routine now, we all get up and dressed, eat, brush teeth and head to the straight to the school room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 My son is a naturally early riser... he is usually up by 6. My daughters wake up around 7. My husband leaves with the younger two at about 8:15, to take them to preschool on his way to work, and we start school when they leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Ivy Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Do you have a formula or something… :confused1: Yeah that's my formula, haha... I know it sound funny but that's how I figured out a reasonable time to start school for our family so I don't over-schedule the kids and stress myself out. I know it *should* take them 15 minutes to get dressed, but if I plan on 30, I don't get stressed out if something happens. Or it *should* take 15 minutes to eat breakfast...but I plan on 30. I plan a full 12 hours for the kids to sleep, althouh they don't all sleep that long. Then if they get to bed late one night, it doesn't throw school off the next day. I had 6 kids in 7 years so I had to schedule for a lifestyle that can't really be scheduled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 8, 11, 12, 12, 14When do you get up? 6:30-7 amWhen do the kids get up? 7amWhen does school start? 7amAny tips on starting school on time? Make it a habit, a routine, and stick to it. We school until school is done. This year my children are taking instrument lessons (band/jazz band), chorale, and have made the leads in the middle school play. That is every day, and it takes out a big block of our time. We school until about 12:30, they have lunch, walk to the school, and are either back home at 3 pm or 5 pm. If it's 3 pm, we keep schooling until 5. If it's 5 pm, it's very hard for them to put the school caps back on--some days it's possible and that's a day to day decision. the 8 yo obviously is done FAR before the older 3, and the 11 yo normally is done by 2/3 pm. I take that break of the olders being out to really focus on the youngers. ETA that the coffee is started in the morning by Dad, and we spend from 7-8 am every morning reading out literature and drinking coffee. Even the 8 yo puts in 20 minutes and a cup of coffee most mornings. Then we break for breakfast around 10 am, but by then, we've done lit, copy work, penmanship (we just started a great French penmanship), maths, grammar/writing, and 14 yo gets either history/logic/latin in there by then, also. Then, when they get home we do history, poetry and Latin. Every day is subject to change on how much I am needed and with who, but that's normally how it works out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 as kids, we figured out that the sooner we got school done the sooner we could do our own thing. as a result it wasn't unusual for mum to wake up at 7:30 to find one or more children, even the 1st or 2nd grader, finished with their independent work lol. as a high schooler I regularly did language arts in bed before getting up for breakfast. aside from big fun projects, schoolwork after lunch is schoolwork which doesn't get done around here. times are flexible with little ones and pregnancy but I generally begin our bible time while we eat breakfast. I need a nap more than anyone so I can't utilize afternoon naptime for school in this season of my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 13, 11, 9 When do you get up? I get up around 7. When do the kids get up? Between 7-8. Breakfast at 8, then chores. When does school start? 9:00 Any tips on starting school on time? Routine! And leaving a little extra wiggle room in the morning routine. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3girls Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 7, 9, 12 When do you get up? Between 7:30-8 When do the kids get up? Between 8-8:30 When does school start? Between 9:30-10 Any tips on starting school on time? Nope... I'm flexible so there is no on time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 6 and 8, K and 3rd. When do you get up? Between 6 and 7. When do the kids get up? Between 6 an 7:30. When does school start? Between 8 and 8:30 Any tips on starting school on time? Nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? 10, 7 and 4 When do you get up? Between 5 am and 6 am When do the kids get up? Usually by 8 am, usually not before 6:30 When does school start? Usually by 9 am Any tips on starting school on time? Routine, just treat it like an appointment or anything else you need to do at a certain time. When my kids were the age of yours I didn't worry about what time we started. I found that having a general routine was more important than a schedule. So we'd get up and have breakfast and then "do school". We typically start with some kind of tablework and then at that age, he'd have a break and then we'd do more, etc. But sometimes it might start at 8 am, sometimes 10:30. Kids don't really watch the clock so they don't know at that age if they are late or time. My son at that age didn't really care if we were still "doing school" at 5 pm because it was all just part of the daily routine. Now, we have a whole lot more outside commitments and they do watch the clock more. They want to have more time in the afternoons, they want to have more free time and they are more things like sports in the afternoons. So it has become more important to try and have good solid mornings of getting work done. My goal is to roughly start around 9 am and usually we do. It's just become routine, like if they knew they had to be ready for the school bus, they know to eat breakfast, get dressed and mosy on over to where we keep the school stuff and get started. I do think getting up early myself helps a lot. I have to get up early for work most days and dh is the one that does the morning routine and breakfast with them. But on the days when I can sleep in, it makes a big difference for me to get up and be ready myself when they are getting up. As an introvert and NOT a morning person, I need some time in the morning to walk or read the Bible or eat breakfast reading the newspaper or check my email or just get ready mentally for the school day. I find that if I don't get up, I think I can fit all those things in before school begins and then we end up rushed or I feel grumpy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 My children are 9, 8, 3, and 10 months. I want to get up early, but honestly it's usually between 6:30 & 7:00. My girls (8 & 9) get up between 7 & 7:30. The 3 year old sleeps in a bit, usually until about 8:00, but not always. The baby is the wild card. :-). I aim to start school at 8:30, but it's usually closer to 9:00. The girls have chores, piano practice, and Bible study to finish before lessons start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 When my kids were small they got up early and we started school by 8:30 every day without fail.We had the same routine everyday. It was just perfect for me because I get up early and I love routines. But then hormones hit and my dd's needed more sleep. As the years went by I realized it wasn't worth fighting over. Actually, it was really a sleep specialist who helped me change my thinking when he gave my oldest a dx of "delayed sleep phase disorder". I noticed that when I let my dd's sleep late if they needed to, they were much more pleasant to be with and the same amount of work got done, just on a different schedule. It was a hard adjustment for me mentally but it did improve *my* quality of life. My teen dd will probably be working to 7 pm tonight. Sometimes she works much later, to 9 or 10, but she doesn't expect my input in the late hours. My youngest is different than my others were and she needs to get in the right mindset to work and that can take awhile. It means she might read, write, play, or do other worthwhile things but she just won't do what she thinks of as school. If I try to push it, it will be miserable for both of us, so I just give her time. I worried so much about how my oldest would manage at college since she was really on her own schedule, but she adjusted immediately without a problem. Now she's up very early for her classes five days a week. But she still doesn't go to sleep early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 How old are your kids? When do you get up? When do the kids get up? When does school start? Any tips on starting school on time? I only have one kid at home right now, so it's not too difficult for us. We adults wake up at 6, do a short exercise session and a superquick conversation about what's happening for the day. We start dragging the kids out of bed at 6.30. He wrangles the 10yo and 8yo while I supervise the 5yo's music practice. We all eat together at around 7.15. After breakfast, the two girls get into school uniforms, pack bags, deal with any last minute things they need for school and set off at 8-ish to walk to school. Then the three of us (dh, 10yo and me) clean up, hang out washing, feed pets, have a cuppa and we'll start school somewhere between 9 and 10 - usually more like 9 but later if I have phone calls or whatever I want to tackle first. My son is diagnosed with Aspergers, but I suspect he may have some ADHD as well because it is incredibly tough to keep him focussed on anything. I generally have to sit him at a table with nothing except his book and pencil within reach, and stand over him until he gets started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
journey00 Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Mine are 14, 10, and 8. I get up between 8 and 9. Kids get up a little before me. Lately, By the time I walk out of my bedroom, they are dressed and some have started their independent work. :) Starts anywhere from 9 to 10am. We have many outside activities. So, once we start school there is no stopping and I keep everyone on task. Limited break times and short lunch. We are done by 2pm and off we go to: soccer, basketball, TKD, tumbling, play practice, choir, music, robotics, and whatever else. Figure out what works best by experimenting with different schedules. I use to get up at 6am to have my quiet time. This soooo did NOT work for us. I was sleep deprived and lacked patience during school. When I relaxed with the new schedule, my 14 yo dd mentioned that I was less cranky. Lol. My early quiet time was driving everyone mad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 8 and 11When do you get up? 8 amWhen do the kids get up? 7:30When does school start? 9 amAny tips on starting school on time? lay out books before, be sure schedule is written out, make sure chores are done before school begins (kitchen clean, beds made, teeth brushed), and NO screen time EVER before school. I have a whiteboard in the hallway that the boys need to consult every morning--it says things like "brush teeth, empty dishwasher, make bed BEFORE SCHOOL" and so they consult that in the am. ETA: I would LOVE to be more flexible about our start time. But I work most days, so we have a pretty tight schedule. Actually, this is probably the thing I dislike most about working outside the home while homeschooling--you just doing have the ability to be more relaxed about when your schoolwork gets done, or started. We just have to be more regimented about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 11, 7, 4, 2 When do you get up? 7ish When do the kids get up? 7ish. 2yo wakes me, then 4 and 7. 11yo will sleep until someone kicks him out of bed. When does school start? Wake up, get dressed, chores, breakfast, school. Bam bam bam. We start between 8 and 9, depending on what I cook for breakfast.Any tips on starting school on time? Make a routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianna Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 2, 4, 7, 9 When do you get up? 7:30 When do the kids get up? Littles are up with me bigger ones usually 8:30 When does school start? 10 Any tips on starting school on time? Having a set routine every day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? When do you get up? When do the kids get up? When does school start? Any tips on starting school on time? My boys are 10/4th grade. This is how I've done it all along though. I get up with the child who gets up first, so time varies. Once a week day for most of the school year I have something in the morning and have to get up earlier to get ready for that. Unless we have to be somewhere which requires wake up prior to their typical times (rare), I let them sleep until they wake. Generally someone is up by 8:30 to 9 lately. This varies both directions though. This is important to me. I see having the freedom to get all the sleep my kids need as a huge homeschool benefit. Ideally, and if I'm doing what I should do, school starts after breakfast. Time varies depending on wake up. Sometimes I'll start someone on something before breakfast, particularly if only one child is up at the time. Having a routine works best here. But that routine is tied to activity (often meals/snacks) rather than the clock here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAM Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 13, 11, 8, and 5 When do you get up? 6:30 When do the kids get up? usually around 7:30, though I let them sleep till 8 if they aren't up, except for the 5 y.o. who can sleep as late as she likes. When does school start? 8:30Any tips on starting school on time? This year I have been very picky about starting as close to 8:30 as possible. We just can't get our stuff done if we start much later, what with extracurricular and such in the afternoons. I also like to have a bit of free time to myself in the afternoon. So we just start at 8:30, with very few exceptions. Even if the kitchen is a total disaster, I try to ignore it and at least get everyone started on something before dealing with it. The kids have chore charts that they are to complete before school starts. They are finally getting to the point-after years!- of doing their chores independently and finishing them before we begin our day. Unfinished chores get completed during lunch break, so there is some motivation for them to get moving in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 8 and 11 When do you get up? 8 am When do the kids get up? 7:30 When does school start? 9 am Any tips on starting school on time? lay out books before, be sure schedule is written out, make sure chores are done before school begins (kitchen clean, beds made, teeth brushed), and NO screen time EVER before school. I have a whiteboard in the hallway that the boys need to consult every morning--it says things like "brush teeth, empty dishwasher, make bed BEFORE SCHOOL" and so they consult that in the am. ETA: I would LOVE to be more flexible about our start time. But I work most days, so we have a pretty tight schedule. Actually, this is probably the thing I dislike most about working outside the home while homeschooling--you just doing have the ability to be more relaxed about when your schoolwork gets done, or started. We just have to be more regimented about it. No TV before school, totally true at our house, too. Hard and fast rule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 11,12 When do you get up? By 7 - sometimes 4:30,5,6 depending on insomnia but always by 7 When do the kids get up? 7 When does school start? 8:30 After the kids get up they have chores and half of their piano practice to do (20 minutes in am, 20 later). If they're done by 8:00, they can watch one 22 minute show (Phineas and Ferb, usually) and eat. They run through it all on their own. Any tips on starting school on time? Practice. Seasons so change. You may need to be flexible nd change here and there. Find your mojo and try to be consistent. ETA - 8:3 is HUGE to me. If we start at 8:30 we're done by 1, if we start at 9 we're done by 6. I have no idea what that 30 minutes does, but it's a nightmare for me to start later!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 My children are 8 and under. I get up between 7 and 7:30. I get the children up between 7:30 and 7:45. School starts at 8. At 8:30 or 9 they have breakfast while I read to them and school continues post breakfast. The only reason we are up and starting before 10 is that I scheduled our foreign language tutor to be at our house at 8am. Works like a charm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 1 kid and he is 14. When do you get up? 4am When do the kids get up? 5am When does school start? 6am Any tips on starting school on time? Get a job outside the home where your kid(s) can come with you. :laugh: This is really the only reason we are up so early and get started so early. When we get to where I work DS and I have breakfast and listen to an audiobook for an hour. Then, around 7am he goes to shoot hoops nearby for about 15 or 20 min. When he gets back he does vocab., spanish, and grammar. By that point we finish up work and head home, to co-op, outside lessons, or errands. We typically don't finish up school until 5pm, but only because he is an incredibly slow worker and because there are a lot of breaks for drive time, lunch, etc. during the day. We use any drive time to listen to supplemental Teaching Company lectures or to discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Another Jen Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 8,15 homeschooling 18 at public school 20,23 graduates When do you get up? 6am When do the kids get up? public schooler 6:30am, homeschoolers 9-10ish When does school start? 10-11ishAny tips on starting school on time? After years of fighting the fact that I am the only early riser I let me night owls be that way and don't stress about starting times. I enjoy the time in the morning alone to get things done without interruptions. Ironically my public schooler was the hardest to get up in the morning before he chose to go to school. So, I guess its all about being internally motivated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 They're 9. I get up between 7:30 and 8:30. They get up any time between 6:30 and 9:30... They're both at this weird age transitioning to sleeping and rising later. We're figuring it out. We start school any time between 7:30 and 10:30. Really depends on the day. But usually just when we're all up and not groggy. When they were little, and insisted on getting up at 5:30 every day, I taught them to get their own juice and cereal and watch two TV shows before coming to get me. Then, when they were still young but old enough to do more, I started "morning work" which was just a quick worksheet to do before I got up - either something like a math drill or something sort of fun like logic or art - that would let them get a little morning momentum for doing school. Now that we're in this transition of sleep times, I'm not sure what I want to do or how mornings will end up shaking out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneEyre Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 13, 11, and 8 When do you get up? Around 7:30 When do the kids get up? Anytime between 5:30 and 11 When does school start? Sometimes around 9 or 10, sometimes after lunch (around 1 or 2), sometimes even after dinner Any tips on starting school on time? We have had times were we went by a schedule with bedtime, get-up time, school time, etc., but by the end of those weeks I would be a real grouch :) I grew up in a Christian home and my parents were strict about character issues ( stealing, lying, being disrespectful), but there were no rules on bedtimes, what we ate, or anything like that. I've found it works best around here that way too. We try to have 4 lesson days a week and we fit them in where its convient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamindy Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Yeah that's my formula, haha... I know it sound funny but that's how I figured out a reasonable time to start school for our family so I don't over-schedule the kids and stress myself out. I know it *should* take them 15 minutes to get dressed, but if I plan on 30, I don't get stressed out if something happens. Or it *should* take 15 minutes to eat breakfast...but I plan on 30. I plan a full 12 hours for the kids to sleep, althouh they don't all sleep that long. Then if they get to bed late one night, it doesn't throw school off the next day. I had 6 kids in 7 years so I had to schedule for a lifestyle that can't really be scheduled! I guess I meant an algorithm… (blush). I was wanting to try to figure it out for us. I had five kids in 6 years, so um, yeah. Trying to be realistic with their ages and how long things ought to take. It always takes us WAY LONGER to get in the car to go somewhere than I think it should. It's really my least favorite thing to do. I hate being late. ETA: Actually, I just reread your formula after sleep and breakfast and I GET IT! :D Thanks. Nice reasonable expectations. Now can you tell me how to get out the door in a reasonable fashion? Even if we start heading that way super-early, we something happens and I'm frazzled, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Victoria~ Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? 5 and 1 When do you get up? 8ish When do the kids get up? 9ish (baby gets me up most mornings around 8) When does school start? 10 We have free play on the wii for 20 min after N has done bible, handwriting, geography, spelling, and reading a passage to me. If those don't get completed in a timely manner with a good attitude then he doesn't get to do the wii. So he usually hops to in order to get the day started. I also start with bible reading, which is something we both enjoy and it isn't a battle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartingOver Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 After the kids wake up, eat, and play a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a27mom Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 My girls are 4 and 6 I get up when dh is getting ready to leave for work, 6:30 ish right now. I usually don't go back to sleep, unless I was up in the night. Girls get up between 7:30 and 9, usually 8ish School starts whenever I get around to it, I am not a morning person, depending on what is going on that day. Often that is around 9-10, sometimes it is more like 1pm to 2pm. Most of our "school" would be direct instruction, so I try to make sure both of us are bushy tailed. Mid afternoon is actually good for us, but often we have other things going on. Obviously on time varies for me, but Each morning I think about what we have to do and decide what time I must start school by at the latest to have the time I need. Then I make sure I start by then, if it works out before then, then that is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierramv1 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 How old are your kids? DS 11 & 7, DD 5When do you get up? 6:00ishWhen do the kids get up? My sons get up between 6 and 6:30am, my DD around 7:30amWhen does school start? 6:30amAny tips on starting school on time? Getting school started was a nightmare for me, I felt like our day was being held hostage by the 'must-do's, my oldest son was a nightmare to get focused after breakfast. I decided I would try getting up with him in the morning and do all of his 'mom required' work before the rest of the house was up. We snuggle on the couch and read MCT and go over the days assignments and what is expected of him. We have been doing this since the beginning of the year and it has been so unbelievably fantastic for all of us. He is usually done before 11am!! In order for this to work the following needs to happen: 1) My husband is up by 6:30am to make the kids breakfast every school morning before he goes to work. 2) I must have his stuff ready to go in the morning or it all falls apart. 3) I had to adjust my bedtime from 11pm to 10pm - otherwise I'm a grumpy Mommy in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.