One of my readers asked me to post our sample schedule. I will tell you my secret: schedules have never worked for us. Ever. I don’t like feeling like a clock has control over me or my next move.
However, I’ve realized that it’s hard to function as wife, mom, and homeschooling mom without some sort of rhythm. So, we do have a routine. I have some mile-markers along the way (the times you see listed), but they aren’t do-or-die moments.
This is what I have posted on our fridge:
Breakfast
Breakfast isn’t just breakfast. We also take the opportunity to review our memory work– Bible and poetry. This is a good start to our day, and it ensures that memory work is being worked on.
Morning Chores
I am a pretty random kind of gal. Morning chores consist of whatever needs done to keep our house decent and free from social service visits (just kidding . . . almost). Elijah might vacuum or fold a load of towels (or both). Simon might straighten the entry way, mop the dining room, or clean off the breakfast table. You never know. We all work hard, and we all work together.
Study Time
I am striving for TIME instead of content this year (after listening to Oliver DeMille). However, there are a few things I do insist on daily for Elijah: Primary Language Lessons, RS Math (game or lesson), and Explorer’s Bible Study. Elijah is responsible to fill the rest of his study time. Each week (sometimes each day!) looks a little different for him.
Simon also does some school each day, but he spends the bulk of his "study" time creating masterpieces and building Lego towers and ships.
Lunch & Read Aloud
I serve lunch and start reading as soon as I’m done eating. I’m trying to get in 90 minutes of read aloud (or audio book) each day. The boys can build, color, do puzzles, or knit (Elijah’s new thing!) while I read.
Free Play
The boys can do what they want at this point: go outside, play upstairs in their room, make a tent, free reading, etc., but they are responsible for filling their time with something profitable.
Clean Sweep
This is another time of teamwork cleaning. Everyone works on 1-2 chores that need to be done to bring the house back into some kind of order. š After clean sweep, I work on dinner and the boys can have some media time if they want (or they can go back outside or they can play upstairs).
That’s how it goes for us so far. We like it. Instead of lesson plans, I journal what we accomplish each day. I love the freedom we all are experiencing so far this year, and I am amazed at actually how full the journal is by the end of the week!
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. I just ran across your blog.
Is there a strategy behind the 90 minutes of reading? Are you trying to reach a specific goal? Are you trying to get your children ready for certain books?
About the reading . . .
I believe that the most important thing I can do for my kids (as far as academics go) is to read aloud to them.
Reading aloud lays down language patterns in their brains. This will help them later when they are learning to write. It teaches them to listen to the sound of my voice. š It ups their attention spans. Reading aloud also introduces them to new and interesting words which will help them as readers. I also get a chance to introduce them to the classics–books that are age appropriate in content, but too hard for them to read to themselves.
Reading aloud builds our family culture and strengthens our relationships! We travel to far away places together; we meet interesting characters together; we encounter moral situations together that call us to ask ourselves what we would do (and what we OUGHT to do). š Lots of great discussion is the direct result of reading good books together.
I wish I could squeeze in 120 min. of read aloud, but right now 90 is the best I can do. Hopefully, in the future, I can spend even more time reading aloud to my kids. š
I love the schedule. That makes everything seem so do-able.
Corrie,
It really has been do-able! š
š Ami