What do your breaks look like?

[Emmy]

Do you allow more screen time than normal? Do you expect your kids to continue reading a certain amount per day? Do you require anything else school-ish?

 

In the past when we've done breaks - we'd done all out breaks. No school whatsoever - no requirements on the kids' reading etc. The kids have basically had the whole day to play or do whatever they liked. I did limit screen time to the point where they wouldn't be watching tv or playing the wii all day - but in no way did I enforce our usual pattern of screen time on weekends only. I've handled breaks like this mainly for selfish reasons - *I* need the break to recharge and the best way for me to do that is to experience a couple weeks (or more!) of my old pre-homeschool life. I focus on homemaker type stuff, do projects that I never have time to do when we are schooling, and I spend time on my own hobbies (knitting and scrapbooking) that I miss dearly from the "old days". :)

 

This time around I'm wondering if I should find a happy medium between the two worlds - maybe continue saying no screen time during the week (until after dinner possibly?) so that the kids continue playing creatively. Maybe still requiring the kids to do some independent reading (just my older 2) and continuing read alouds or a reading time with them first thing in the morning. I think I'm hesitant to go into full-out break mode when we are in such a groove with school and play right now No one even asks for tv or the wii during the day anymore - they are all finding ways more creative ways to entertain themselves. Although I don't know if that will last when they have 8 hours to fill vs. 2, kwim?

 

So I'd love to hear how everyone else handles breaks and of course any advice you might have!

[Haiku]

During breaks I continue to read aloud to the kids. We actually do even more read-alouds during break time. I do relax the screen limits, but not by much. Instead of the normal 1/2-hour limits on tv and computer time, the kids get to watch a movie every day if they wish. Over our two-week winter break I am going to continue math ... two lessons per week, math games played on the off days. But my kids love math, so they will enjoy it. We school year-round, so we don't have a summer break, per se, but I do plan to have a lighter schedule this summer. Last summer we started on June 30 with all subjects. This year, when we start on July 5th, we will only do math, phonics/reading/WWE, and literature until mid-August, until we pick back up with science and history again. This is mainly because I don't want to end up starting logic stage history and science early.

 

Tara

[Karenciavo]

Yes, yes, and yes.

 

We usually get a video game or two for Christmas, this year it's WiiFit, so we allow more time for playing. The only child I have to watch about screen time is ds13, he loves watching the Game Show Network and chatting with friends on Facebook. My children read the books they get for Christmas over the break. This year the older two will be reading a little for school too, ds15 still has to read the last book of Le Mis and ds13 needs to read A Christmas Carol because David Copperfield took so long. Ds6 will continue math over Christmas and dss 15 & 13 are required to review their Latin flash cards on their iPod every day. That's about it. We use this time to rest, reorganize and visit friends.

[Guest cityfarmer01]

When we don't "do school" (with me teaching), my 1st grader, who is an above level reader, still must do what he calls his "morning things". Along with his personal hygeine and emptying the silverware from the dishwasher, he reviews the addition facts from lessons we've covered in math u see, goes over his Bible memory verses, and reads a story that he hasn't read before. He can choose anything in the house to read as long as he hasn't read it before. Since he's an avid reader, he is generally challenged by whatever story he chooses since he's already read anything that would be easy for him. After that, he is allowed 15 minutes of computer time on an educational game site. He is allowed another 15 minutes in the afternoon. If the weather is bad and I have a lot to do that I don't want "help" with, I might allow a movie or wii game in the afternoon, or I might just let him listen to a CD. I do allow screen time during the school week when we are not on brake, though too. Having a dh who watches lots of TV, plays computer games, and works from home on his laptop, I don't think it would work in our family to limit the kids' screen time to weekends.

[Karen in CO]

I love breaks. Yesterday, we declared BREAK. I had been wavering about when to break. Now we are on break officially - except she has a field trip tomorrow.

 

We still do read nighttime read alouds during breaks, but those are just part of our routine. My dd is a voracious reader and currently doesn't have assigned reading, but I have in the past assigned my ds to finish longer works over breaks. Our screen time doesn't generally get limited, but that is just because the kids don't watch much.

 

Dd8 and I had a discussion last night about how much school she thought we needed to do over the break. She wants to continue math because she hates how long it takes her to get back into it after a break. She also wants to continue working on memorizing the poem she is currently learning.

 

During summer, we typically do math and copywork unless we are out of town or camping.

 

During this break we will have a house full of company, and we'll go skiing lots, and my ds is leaving for college. It will be a very busy time. Routines even during breaks help keep us balanced.

[AnnetteB]

We stick to a time table for meals because one dc has type 1 diabetes and must have regular exercise, etc. The animals need the same care schedule, too. Study time will be replaced with Lego time, hours of board games, Dance Praise, Christmas program practice, and baking time :) Some of the dc might use the free time for piano practice (dd, 14 is teaching two of her sibs piano) or knitting in front of a movie. We have snow/ice and sniffles and there will be a lot of indoor time. I usually just set them free and make suggestions if they say they don't know what to do....I have a stocking to sew up for the newest member of the family and everyone will help with that, too. Yes, even the boys enjoy cutting out felt shapes and choosing beads and trim for our family tradition of a felt stocking. (We should have had this made up months ago!) They will probably sew up a few little cookie-cutter shaped felt ornaments for the tree while we are at it. They always read at night throughout the year, so that won't change at all.

[Jen in PA]

This is the first time that I've made a big deal about it being a break at all, since dd has finally noticed the patterns that her friends in school follow. We are at the beginning of a 3 week break, but that mostly means a break from workbooks. I will be allowing extra screen time for holiday movies and the like, and I'll be working less, which means they can have more computer time, too. I have tons of read-alouds planned, and dd will still have to read to me 15 to 20 minutes most days. We will be taking trips to some museums, the zoo, etc., and spending lots of time with family, so the whole thing will probably feel like one giant field trip. The kids are getting lots of board games for the holidays, so I imagine a good bit of time will be spent on those. We have hit the point in math where dd needs to work on fact memorization, so I am planning on playing card games with her and introducing flashcards -- that might sound like school, but since we've never done it, I think she'll enjoy it as a new activity.

[elegantlion]

We are more lenient with screen time over breaks. Ds is an only and with no car during the day even I get bored. We watch movies together, we do more read-alouds, and just have some goof off time.

 

Ds also has friends right next door and if they can play they run back and forth all day.

[coffeefreak]

We have "moojamoo" days! AKA movies in our pajamas days. I will limit screen time off and on, but only after 2 or three movies:D I let everything go because we rarely have a break without family here. My parents always come for Christmas and my Inlaws are coming the week after. Because of that, I thought it important to give the girls (oh alright, and ME) this week off to relax and do NOTHING!

 

Merry Christmas!!