What do your children do between getting up, breakfast & before school starts....

[Mx5]

Heheee... I am so there with ya! Late night people here, too.

[astrid]

Why can't they play? I realize you said that dh won't allow it, but why not? Playing with legos, the activity you mentioned, is not just "play." They are using lots of skills-- all of which are very important components of an education.

 

When are they allowed to play?

[KristineIN]

Why can't they play? I realize you said that dh won't allow it' date=' but why not? Playing with legos, the activity you mentioned, is not just "play." They are using lots of skills-- all of which are very important components of an education.

 

When are they allowed to play?[/quote']

 

They play all afternoon. Really, we are home most days, so they have the whole afternoon, weekends and evenings to play. Trust me, they have plenty of play time. Actually this morning went very well. They were so excited and wanted to know if they could color. You know what they got out, their SOTW activity guide pages and were working on those. I felt like we got a lot more done this morning that I have in mornings past. Really it makes no difference to me how the morning goes, just as long as we get done what we need to get done. This is just something that dh wants, and he doesn't really ever have much of on opinion, so when he does, I have to value it. He hardly makes any decisions about what I'm teaching, he just lets me choose what I want to do as far as classroom lessons. Thanks for all of the advice. It's interesting to see how everyone does things. We are a very diverse group! :)

 

Kristine

[Riverfront Headmistress]

Hippie mom here too. My kids do chores and turn on the tv. After about 30 minutes they'll fix themselves breakfast (and watch tv). Somewhere in between I wake up, get myself ready and fed, then call school. At this point, the tv is required to be off for the day.

[Jenny in Atl]

Mine get up mostly on their own, eat, brush teeth, do their reading, and practice for their music classes (recorder/choir). During this time I work out (my life saver time). Then for the most part we get started after lunch :eek:

Well we have a very early lunch ~ 11:30. School most days is 12-5.

[jillmurtagh]

I'm trying to get my children trained that they are not to play with toys. I'm getting ready to type out a list of what they must do, what they can do after they are done.

 

It includes,

Wake up, get dressed, make bed, eat breakfast, brush teeth.

But, they wake up and I'm not ready to make them breakfast, so it needs to be

wake up, make your bed, __________quietly (read, I've also got some Highlights and High Five (youngest magazine that grandpa got him) or what are some quiet things that you allow?

 

Then we eat breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth & start school.

 

Any suggestions?

 

I hope all of that made sense. Dh just does not want them playing, but often I still find my boys with, their beds not made, they are on the floor with Legos and they are being slightly noisy (not always but sometimes)

 

Thanks,

Kristine

Yikes. Mine are allowed to do whatever they want before noon (no tv, though). School starts after lunch; chores must be done before Papa gets home. That's it. If they want to do something special in the afternoon, then they must get schoolwork done early. Sleeping late eats into their play time, not school time. Guess what? they both choose to use their free mornings reading, writing or inventing something anyway. At ages 8 and 11 they've become excellent time managers (something I never learned in the school system) and take pride in getting their work done without being ordered about. You are setting yourself up for a revolution, sister.

[Amy in NH]

The big kids usually read, the little kids play and/or watch a video (usually Pooh Bear), and they all do some chores.

[DIY-DY]

Get up when you're ready (provided we don't have to be anywhere), make beds (b/c ds4 sleeps on a trundle, I've got to have the beds made and that thing pushed back in or somebody will trip over it! LOL!), and try to get dressed w/ clean underwear.

 

We fix breakfast together, or, if I'm on the ball, I'll fix it ahead of time. However, nobody eats until all creatures who depend on us for their food have been fed and otherwise tended to. ;) (The dog really appreciates this rule.)

 

When the weather's nice, they're outside. We eat on the front porch most mornings from mid-spring through mid-fall. Then, I can bring them in for school when they clear their spots. :D When the weather's not-nice (like today) or they are sick (again, like today), we stay in our jammies and really go-slug. I don't think any of us have made our beds this morning b/c it's colder in the bedrooms than it is in the living room and we could hardly wait to get out here and warm up. LOL.

[KAR120C]

DS has a list on his door that says he's responsible for getting dressed, brushing his teeth and feeding the cat, but actually since he wakes up around 6:30 or 7 (gotta be up before Pokemon comes on! LOL) and we don't start school until 8 or 8:30, he's got an hour or two to get all that done. Usually on commercial breaks. I used to make him breakfast in their somewhere but now that he can handle a gallon jug of milk or a kettle of hot water without dumping it all over the counter he makes his own breakfast most mornings. ;)

 

I need a couple cups of coffee and my email read before I can start the day properly, so it works for us. If I didn't want him watching TV or playing I'd probably have him leave a stack of books on the coffee table... but I think he'd just fall back asleep if he didn't have the draw of watching Pokemon.... LOL

[MomofSeven]

As soon as b'fast is over and table cleared, we start school. Usually by 7:30. If on a bad day, there is dead time, I make sure to give them chores until school begins.

[6packofun]

One of the hardest things for me when I was a child/teen was getting up early for school and not being able to ease into the day. I'm not a morning person and my dh and kids aren't either! We try to get up *just* early enough to be able to waken fully, putter around a bit and get our attitudes on straight before school! I know that in part I do this because of how poorly suited *I* was to the public school routine (and lack of challenge, but that's another story), but really it just makes sense for us.

 

We get up, get breakfast and after one chore each, my kids can do what they want until school starts at 10. Oldest 2 sometimes check email, youngest school-age ds likes to do a little bit of BrainPop Jr. I have Sprout on t.v. for the toddler or the news on for me and the older ones. I savor my morning Dr. Pepper and my girls will often work on a craft project for their free 30-45 minutes before we get down to business.

 

Life is so much nicer this way. :) And I like showing our children that life can happen in whatever way we choose! The 9 to 5 life is NOT a given if it doesn't fit. (Not that there's anything wrong with it.) Flexibility within a loose routine is paramount in our lives. It helps us to be available for so many more opportunities, not the least of which is serving others. Again, that's another topic. lol :D

[ThelmaLou]

My older boys get up, read their bibles, memorize verses, get dressed, clean room, and eat breakfast. Then they start on math. All that before I even roll out of bed. My next two don't get up until I come get them. Then they lay around under blankets in the living room until I force them to get up and eat breakfast. Occasionally, my ds# 3 will request to do his math before breakfast because he doesn't like to eat right away. Sometimes when I get up, I'll find my oldest two only half-way doing their math, and half way tinkering with magic tricks they want to perform for their brothers. But they get up so much earlier than I do, I'm pretty forgiving when I find them playing around that early. As the day progresses, I tend to crack down.

[Quiver0f10]

They get up and groom, then it's eat and mornng chores. If we don't start school right away they read or play until Im ready to start. We used to allow TV and computers before school, but then nothing was getting done LOL.

[CalicoKat]

Hi Kristine

 

After my kids eat breakfast, they clean up the kitchen, wipe down a bathroom, and do their devotions before school. Here is a post that explains how I have solved my problem of keeping the kids on track in the morning: Musical Mornings This year I did the same thing, but burned a CD instead. Still works great!

 

 

I love the idea of customizing it, but I'm desperate enough just to make use it until I can get around to re-inventing the wheel!!! Please PM me with this information.

 

Thanks,

Calico

[dirty ethel rackham]

I made a daily routine checklist and laminated it. It had a morning routine. I didn't care where breakfast was on the routine (since they make their own), but they had to have everything checked off by 8:30 so that we can meet on the couch for prayer time. Before my daughter could read, I made hers with words and picture cues. It has go to the bathroom, breakfast, brush teeth, hair, make beds, plus one daily chore (usually empty the dishwasher or wipe down a bathroom.) It takes me being the drill seargent to make sure it is done. On days when I am occupied or tired, it doesn't always get done.

 

We have a couple after lunch chores and an afterschool routine (so that we can get the books put away!) I also have an after dinner routine and a before bed routine.

 

Do all these get done? Well, when good, organized mom comes out, yes they do, with lots of prompting. When sleepy, cranky, PMS mom comes out, a few of these get done, LOL!

[PrairieAir]

I never could get my boys to follow a morning schedule well. The girls have always been more organized and helpful with household chores in the mornings.

 

Now that the oldest three are in public school, they know they have to set their own morning schedules and abide by them in order to get to school on time with everything they need. I only make sure they are up because sometimes they don't hear their alarms. Having goals that are important to them rather than me has been helpful in getting them going in the mornings.

 

15yodd cares about looking nice when she goes to school, so she is up early to shower, dress, and put on makeup. She has not been so good about getting her laundry put away, bed made, and room cleaned lately, so we have told her she must have these things done before she does anything after school with her friends.

 

17yods has been very committed to getting up early when he wants to go in to school early to lift weights. Recently he and 13yods have set up an exercise and lifting schedule for mornings and evenings. I'm staying out of that. If they want to do it, they will have to be motivated enough to do it without me prompting them.

 

11yodd is still homeschooled. She is my morning child and the most self-motivated. She sometimes wakes up around 4 a.m. to do quiet reading and work on some of her other school work for the day. Then she will go back to bed until 6:30 or 7:00. When she gets up for the day, she dresses, makes her bed, and goes out to feed the horses, dogs, goat, and cats. This is her chore Mon.-Thurs. mornings and the other kids split it up between them evenings and Fri-Sun. mornings. (They have late start at school every Friday.) Most mornings, dd does these things without whining and without being asked. Often she fixes her own breakfast, heating pancakes I've made and stored in the fridge or eating cereal or toast and fruit. Then she gets right on to the rest of school so she can be done. I have no control over this. Either she is motivated for the day of her own accord, or it's like pulling teeth to get through everything. Fortunately for me she's a very easy kid most days.

 

I tried for years when I had all of the kids at home to get them to follow a schedule. It was hard, particularly with oldest ds. He hated having someone else dictate when and how he would do things. (And he thinks he wants to be a Marine!) He even resented the use of the word "chores". Also, the youngest is the only one who is truly a morning person like me. That made mornings pure hell since I thought everyone should be up and at 'em ready to take on the day at the same time I was.

 

I wish I had been a little more relaxed back then. I wish I could have figured out the balance between allowing chaos to reign and being a complete control freak. At least they all seem to have turned out okay. I'm sorry if this isn't much help, but there's my experience anyway:D

[CalicoKat]

thank you for posting this thread. :)

[OnTheBrink]

Honestly, she plays Animal Crossing while I check email, make breakfast, read boards, etc.

 

Our school day starts at 9:30 when the toddler I babysit goes down for her nap. We do school for two hours, have lunch, play with baby and finish school when the baby goes down for the pm nap.

 

I wish I were as structured and organized as some of you! I may try the morning chore chart thing. I'd love more info on the miracle music thing!

[CalicoKat]

Miracle music. Up by 7, school by 8. It has been a great help! :D www.miraclemusic.com

 

http://www.childrensmiraclemusic.com/

[OnTheBrink]

http://www.childrensmiraclemusic.com/

 

thanks!

[Jami]

Well one seriously early bird who wakes everyone in the nest. ;)

 

Ds gets up sometime after 6 usually. He's supposed to stay in his room till 7 and not wake his sisters. He's getting better at that. Sometimes he makes himself a bowl of cereal once it's 7. Then dh gets up with the kids and makes them breakfast while I shower, make the bed, have time to think thoughts alone.... Let's see...after breakfast they all get dressed, brush teeth, make beds, tidy rooms a bit if needed, unload dishwasher and do other chores I may have for them. I usually check email and eat breakfast while they're doing these things. I was letting them play a bit before starting schoolwork, but grumbling about starting was increasing, so now we leave play for after lessons and violin practice. We're usually at our books by 8:30 or so. On a good day. :D

 

Jami

[Chris in VA]

I *knew* I liked you--I don't make my bed either.

Unless my mother is here.

 

lol

[GreenKitty]

They:

Wake up

Morning stuff (teeth, beds, etc.)

Chores

Read until studies start

[CalicoKat]

LOL, I fall in the hippie department as well. I don't think my kids are actually awake when we start school. So all they do is drag themselves out of bed, and fall back asleep in the living room. I bribe them with hot chocolate and they slowly gain consciousness. It doesn't help that it is still very dark at 9:00 when we start school.

 

Meanwhile, as the only morning person in the whole family, I have been awake since 6:30 enjoying my coffee and quiet.

 

my kids are up before the rooster crows (5:30 a.m.)

[Elizabeth TN]

we started a new schedule today and it worked pretty well. They get up, get dressed, make beds, and clean their rooms while I am making breakfast. After breakfast, we clean up and get the rest of our housework done before school. This way, we don't have to worry about it during the day.

[nutmeg]

For the first 7 years of our homeschooling experience, my dh's job did not start until 10am. So 10am is our school start time. Old habits are hard to break.

 

We use the morning hours to wake up slowly, linger over breakfast, check the email/Webkinz, read the funnies, maybe get in a round of Blokus. You must be fed and dressed before sitting down to the books at 10, but otherwise, no rules.

[Kris]

Let's see, they get up, make their beds if they feel like it, make their own breakfast, put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher (unless it's clean in which case they unload it), get dressed, brush teeth and start school. If I'm not quite ready for whatever reason, they will start with something they don't need me for like their Spanish or reading.

 

This is pretty much our routine, too, i.e., get up, wake up and start school. There's no playing until school work and chores are done, some time in the afternoon. Otherwise, I've found there's plenty of playing going on and very little else.

[momo4]

They do their chores. Empty the dishwasher, kitchen trash and all other trash cans, recycling, and bring clean clothes upstairs. After chores is music for one ds. If they are done before breakfast they go on to school work.

[mcconnellboys]

We get up and get dressed, brush teeth, etc., and eat if we want, or make tea, then get started. There's no down time before we start. Down time is all in the afternoon/evening.

 

Regena