Family

Family

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

2011-2012 Schedule

I know one day of trying to maintain a schedule is not a good indicator of how things could be, but here are some thoughts that I have about ONCE AGAIN trying to stick to a detailed schedule instead of a more relaxed routine.  


A scripture that I am always reminded of as we plan out our days, week and months is Ephesians 5:  15-16.  See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. To walk circumspectly means very carefully as if you were walking barefoot across a floor covered with broken glass.


So how did day one on our new schedule go?


1.  Keeping to a schedule for my family starts the night before.  If things aren't planned, laid out, prepared the night before the schedule will not  work.  I canceled our last night plans due to some issues with Jackson's behavior yesterday.  He was already tired and struggled throughout the day. 


2.  If we do not get up at the scheduled time, the schedule will not work.


3.  I felt like I was constantly rushed and nagging the children to get going, keep going, hurry up, check your time, check your schedule, let's get going.


4.We didn't get everything done anyway.


5.  We did have dinner ready to eat (ok, the girls had dinner ready) at 6:00.  We had our Bible study at the table at 6:30.  At 7 Jeff and the boys were able to get some more work done on the chicken coop.  They had worked on it before dinner as well because daddy came home 30 minutes earlier.  That was nice!


6.  Because the kitchen never got thoroughly cleaned during the day, it took me a little longer to get it taken care of after dinner and because Jeff was busy working outside the little guys didn't get into the bed until 8:30  (thirty minutes late) and had trouble staying in bed.


7.  Jeff didn't get up at his usual 4-4:30 this morning and slept in until 5:45.  I was counting on him getting up which wakes me up.  I don't have an alarm clock, iPod or phone to wake me.  Perhaps a new alarm clock should be purchased?




I know I can't base success off of one day, so we will try to keep to the schedule for the next two weeks and see if things improve.  We will then have two weeks of a crazy family/work schedule that we will have to school around.  One thing I do know is this:  we are first and foremost a family.  Our school comes in second to the family and if the schedule continues to be a stress factor for me (which trickles down to the children) I will drop it in favor of our more gentle routines.  I am seeing that our routines (knowing what we are supposed to do and doing them within a general time frame) will be more effective if I spend more time planning things out.  Perhaps it is I who needs more scheduling of MY day than the children.


Here is the schedule for those who asked to see it.  I did not include my 23 year old daughter who is at home three days a week.  When she is at home she takes over much of the kitchen duties and helps out with two year old Caedmon.  She also teaches Kaelan violin, works with Caedmon on some early Suzuki method activities and will be teaching Jackson violin as soon as we get  him a violin.


Our group activities consist of reading a chapter each in Psalms and Proverbs, reviewing memory verses and Latin and Greek roots,  a read aloud based on our geography or history studies, history, geography, The Thinking Toolbox or The Fallacy Detective and music history/appreciation.  We do not do each of these every day.  Jackson draws or plays quietly
; ) while listening during this time.  I choose 3-4 activities for Caedmon to have available on the rug in front of me...puzzles, box of beans with cups, jumbo cuisenair rods, blocks, etc.  If Devin is home this is the time that she would watch him for a few minutes for me.




Time
Anita
Jordan
Aaron
Kaelan
Jackson
Caedmon
6:00
5:30-wake, bath, dress, make bed, quiet time
5:30-wake, quiet time, dress, make bed
wake, quiet time, dress
wake, make bed, quiet time
sleep
sleep
6:30
computer
chores
chores
breakfast prep with Devin
wake up, dress, chores
sleep
7:00
breakfast/chores
breakfast/chores
breakfast/chores
breakfast/chores
breakfast/chores
wake up/breakfast
7:30
chores
chores
chores
shower/chores
chores
dress/chores
8:00
w/Jackson and Caedmon
independent
language, BTS and reading
piano for 45 minutes
math tape, Bible Story, Mind Benders
activity bags/puzzles
8:30
w/Jackson and Caedmon
independent
language, BTS and reading
read to Caedmon 8:45-9:00
math lesson, flash cards, game
math blocks/activity bag/read with K
9:00
group
group
group
group
group
floor activities
9:30
group
group
group
group
group
floor activities
10:00
group
group
group
group
group
floor activities
10:30
w/Kaelan and Aaron
independent
 math drills, typing, start math
language
break/outside/snack
break/outside/snack
11:00
w/Jackson and Caedmon
independent
finish math
math, BTS, typing, math drills
language arts
table time activity
11:30
check up
independent
finish work and lunch prep
finish work and lunch prep
computer: spelling/phonics/math game
short movie
12:00
lunch
lunch
lunch
lunch
lunch
lunch
12:30
chores
chores/work
chores
chores
chores
chores
1:00
nap with Caedmon
independent or work
piano/theory-45 minutes
teaching Jackson
with Kaelan-art/Geosafari/listening
nap
1:30
computer
independent or work
1:45 break
violin-45 minutes
rest period
nap
2:00
w/Aaron
independent or work
science
2:15 break
chores or activity with mom
nap
2:30
w/Kaelan and Jackson
independent or work
science
science studies with Mom and Jackson
science studies with Mom and Kaelan
nap (fingers crossed)
3:00
w/Kaelan and Jackson
independent or work
independent reading
hands-on activities with Mom and Jackson
hands-on activities with Mom and Kaelan
snack and play
3:30
chores
chores/work
chores
chores
chores
chores
4:00
walk
free/work
free
free
free
free
4:30
dinner prep/chores
free/work
free
free
free
free
5:00
dinner prep
chores/work
chores
dinner prep
chores
chores/movie
5:30
dinner prep
chores
chores
dinner prep
chores/play
play
6:00
dinner
dinner
dinner
dinner
dinner
dinner
6:30
dinner
dinner
dinner
dinner
dinner
dinner
7:00
family worship
family worship
family worship
family worship
family worship
family worship
7:30
little boys
chores
chores
chores
bath/book
bath/book
8:00
school prep
free
shower
free
bed
bed
8:30
school prep
shower
free
free
bed
bed
9:00
computer/bed
bed
bed
bed
bed
bed

http://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/2011/08/hip-homeschool-hop-83011/





8 comments:

MissMOE said...

I've had schedules that have worked wonderfully in different seasons of my life. Stick to it for the two weeks and you'll know just where things need tweaked a bit to make it successful for you.

Mary Joy said...

Wow. It sounds to me like your family does a lot better when you work in a loose, more relaxed pattern of the day. Maybe if you planned just a little more with that it would work better and you wouldn't have to feel so stressed and be rushing everyone and feeling behind all day. Just a thought...we have a loose rhythm of the day that we work with...our family works better with general blocks of time that we work with instead of overly specific.

But if you feel that this new schedule is what you need to do...then you can count on my prayers as you navigate your way through! :D

Hope all goes just the way you need it to with a little elbow room for the unexpected in each day. ;-)

Blessings!

Mrs Mary Joy Pershing

Trophy and Barb said...

Thanks for posting. I'm working on ours for this year. I remember Terri Maxwell saying that the schedule is a TOOL. You control it. It doesn't control you. There are many God moments throughout the day when we just need to let the schedule slip a bit. I like it because it reminds us where to jump back in rather than feeling like we have to go back and catch up. Who cares if the cabinets don't get washed today. They will next week. :-) Hang in there. Maybe adding a few blocks of "buffer time" would help? Don't know. Just a thought.

Treasures from a shoebox said...

We follow our new schedule for two weeks and then as a family, re-evaluate what works and what doesn't. That's the beauty of having it on the computer (easy edit!). The first few days are always the hardest for us, as we adjust (I carry a copy with me and will have the older girls do the same). But once everyone has settled into the new routine, it really does go much smoother. I agree with "Trophy and Barb"; the schedule is a tool that you control. Find what works best for your family. P.S. I like how you schedule a nap with Caedmon; I need to consider this!

Anonymous said...

"Mom, I just don't do well on a schedule" ~ Mercy

I don't know what she was talking about. Maybe she heard Emily & I discussing baby schedules? I don't know but her serious little face when she was saying it was so funny

C. Riley

Marsha Cooper said...

I am so a schedule person!
Not so detailed as yours but I do like to get up at the same time each day. I like meals about the same time each day.
I only have one left at home to homeschool. She is 9th grade this year and made up her own schedule. However, her following it is another story. Not to mention we have to deal with my mom and her appts, and extra appts to work schooling around.
Plus, my mother is calling on the phone all hours of the day.....mostly because she is lonely.

Also,my middle daughter and her 5 children are living with us. This makes getting school work done extra difficult, especially with the 2 yr old grandson. If they happen to leave for a bit we will stop what we are doing and do math when she can concentrate more.
I would love to homeschool the grandchildren with the help of my daughter but their father says no, so they are in public school.

I don't blog specifically about homeschooling but I would like to find a homeschool blog hop to take part in and start blogging about our days.

Far Above Rubies said...

Great schedule. I have one, but not as detailed as yours.

Thanks for sharing.

Holly@ThreeSidedWheel said...

A friend shared with me that the schedule is a tool, not our master! Sometimes it helps to just see what all needs to be accomplished in the day but to remember that there will always be days when we have to reevaluate our expectations-- life happens and that's okay! Here's hoping you and your family find a happy balance!

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