Planning a week "Off"--need some help--

[Alana in Canada]

We are on Week 8. Next week will be nine continuous weeks of schooling. The husband has a week off work, in what would have been week 10--so I am planning to take if "off" school.

 

The problem is this: we have never managed to take only one week off, ever. It always turns into several (and more than once, several months.) I cannot afford to let that happen, but I'm not entirely sure how to prevent it.

 

We all need structure and routine--without it, chaos ensues--for a long, long time! I'm wondering how to build in enough to keep us from spiralling out of control--and yet not too much--so we actually feel rested and refreshed.

 

I was wondering, if instead of calling it a week off--we called it school "lite"--and do--what?

 

Math.

 

Assigned Reading (lots of books to catch up on!) (1 hour a day for the older, 1/2 hour a day for the younger).

 

Canadian History Read-Aloud. (We're behind on this gentle, literature based reading approach to Canadian History. It's about 45min to 1 hour of reading a session and the kids enjoy it.)

 

Would that be enough?

 

I need a break from school--just to recharge my batteries--and I'll likely be helping dh on various projects.

 

Money is very tight right now, so as much as I'd love to take the kids out to a movie, or a play place, a museum or the science centre, we just won't be able to do it.

 

On the other hand, I don't want to let them sit around the house and watch dvd's the whole time either!

 

Suggestions?

[TwinMominTX]

I am so glad to know I am not alone in this type of struggle.

 

I don't have any wonderful words of advice, but for us school lite does help - we do read alouds and play games.

 

For me, to get back into the groove I have to be determined, disciplined and dedicated (none of these come naturally). I usually have to recruit my husband to help in gently prompting us to get back into things.

[Chris in VA]

Can you do math just two days a week and play a math game or do some cooking the other days?

How about a nature walk/picnic?

How about pairing that with a backyard camping night?--You can do your reading by flashlight, under the stars!

If it rains, have dinner on a tablecloth in the living room, snuggle in your sleeping bags, rent a movie or just read.

How about making a hideaway reading spot? Like a blanket fort--you can even do a huge blanket fort and read there for a couple of days!

 

Vacation at home sounds awfully nice.

[King Alfred Academy]

What about "digging deeper" into a topic that interest you all. Might be butterflies, the weather, Knights, Anne of Green Gables, ect.

You could create a lapbook, watch educational videos, find various games on the internet and play them (related to the topic of course), read books together, ect.

 

 

Get Dad involved too! Maybe do some history projects or science experiments you have wanted to do but time has not cooperated.

 

Go hiking and bring along some trail guides. Try to spot some new birds or trees.

 

I hope you all enjoy your time off!

[Alana in Canada]

Thank you for your suggestions.

 

Going outside will be dicey. It's going down to below zero at night now--the days, though beautiful, are in the oughts and low teens. (Celcius, of course!)

 

I have requested two volumes of a Canadian History series we all want to watch--but that's for evenings!

 

Two things about "staying on schedule"--no sleeping past 8am! We're supposed to get up at 6:30, but my husband will get upset if we do that!

 

keep the ideas coming!

[bigdogs29906]

On our "off" weeks we usually do very light unit studies. More like just pick a topic and learn some stuff about it, rather than have a study about something and tie it in to all the different school subjects...if you know what I mean.

 

Would your kids be interested in just picking something that they would like to learn more about?

 

Our "off" weeks are also time for us to play lots of games and do activities as a family. Lots of field trips (not nec. spending any money). We've spent days adding to LEGO cities, marathon Monopoly games, etc.

 

Sometimes we go grab extra giant boxes from the appliance stores and the kids spend the days turning them into forts/castles/stores/zoos/science labs...the list goes on.

 

Sometimes my kids (and I) just need a break from looking at the same school work. So instead of doing our regular LA, we write stories or letters to family or friends. Instead of regular math we play games or build small projects, or play store. We also have some fun cooking new things together.

 

I also think that "off" weeks are a good time to get to those "fun" projects that always get pushed aside during the rush of "real" school work. Make a batch of playdough, have fun with some plaster-of-paris, make your own paper, make collages from the stuff you find outside....

 

 

Best of luck, and let us know how it turns out.

[Peela]

What about some structured time doing some cooking? I do try and fit things into holidays that we don't get to the rest of the time. Like...everyone helping to clean....clean out their school desk drawers, cleaning out wardrobes of clothes that no longer fit....teaching them to use the washing machine...it only has to be an hour or so at a time and I feel so much better, and I can call it school to them (life skills) :)

[dhudson]

What about fun science projects? My kids LOVE to do science with Daddy.

[Alana in Canada]

Thanks everyone.

 

I think I want to put together a list of things to do. It's crazy, but if I don't, I'll just let them sit and watch videos all week and that would be a waste (and very, very difficult to "wean" off of when we "return" to school.)

 

I love the life skills idea. And the cleaning of closets and such! We need to do the old season switcheroo.

 

There are some games I'd like to play (We haven't done Monopoly yet, just because it does take oodles of time).

 

I'd like to work on a decent puzzle too--we could set that up on the dining room table (since it won't be needed for catching the overflow of books!).

 

As for cooking and baking--they already bake cookies and brownies without me--what else could we do?

 

Hmmm.

[PollyOR]

It's not fun for the kids but one math lesson each day keeps me in the right frame of mind.

 

You are not alone. I have taken off months, and months, and more months before. This past spring I disciplined myself to do school every day. We made it 9 weeks too and then BAM summer hit. I was very scared that I wouldn't be able to do it again. But, here I am. :)

 

Have a fun week!

[debbielong]

I have the exact same problem! My "one week" turns into MANY weeks! Getting started again is excruciating (because my children know my weak point).

 

For your time off, the ideas already posted are excellent...what about service projects? Go to a nursing home to visit the elderly; offer to care for animals at a shelter; serve soup in a kitchen. Be sure some of your time off includes service to others...

 

While at home, I engage the kids in helping me cook and clean and sort. We do this between educational movies, etc. We also invite friends over.

 

For me, the best way to get started again is to start kind of light. The first day back is 1/2 a day, the next day is 3/4, the third day all but one or two subjects, etc....if I try to shoot for a full day upon returning, I always fail. Slower starts have worked for me.

[iquilt]

We're doing almost the same thing next week; what I'm hoping will help is that I already have the week after our break planned and ready to go. The kids know today is our last day of school for a week and are excited about the break but they also know up front that it is only 1 week. HTH

[Mama2Three]

An idea for cooking/baking might be to try yeast breads... using a thermometer to make sure the water is the right temperature to activate the yeast, working the dough, waiting for it to rise, and of course the usual measuring, etc. I've been meaning to do this with my DC, I think it would be a blast. :)