Scheduling
amybell68
Posts: 275 Member
Since I am still fairly new to homeschooling I am always changing our schedule, I do work 2 day's a week and we are fairly laid back with our schedule, how do you schedule your day and take care of yourself too??
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Even after a few years (we're on 3rd year) we still change our schedule regularly. I am not an organized person, but we seem to have fallen into the following:
Early risers, just naturally this way, so have gotten up and breakfasted by 8 most days. School (on the computer right now) until about 10, take a break, have a snack or lunch, then finish anything on the computer not completed. Long lunch (usually an hour). Outings, chores, "extras" for school (additional history, science, art) 2-3 days a week. We do have Art on Wednesday with a local schooling group, and a homeschool Yoga class on Thursdays - so generally TH is our "social" day with no other formal schooling. Two Fridays a month we have a field trip/park day with a group, so those are "light" or no school days. Monday and Tuesday are our "heavy" days for school and chores. Sunday I go to the grocery early and alone
Saturday is typically family day since my DH works a traditional 9-5 job (which is more like 8-7!)
So I guess we school in the morning 3-4 days a week, pretty much year-round. We can't seem to go for more than a week, maybe two, without schooling because we all are ready for some structure after that, even as loosely as we are structured.
I think my "me" time is mostly when we have our outings with groups, as well as in the afternoon. Because my kids are close in age, they entertain each other pretty well, leaving me to email, read, play games, talk on the phone as I like - most days.0 -
We don't "schedule" our days, but we do have routines where one activity naturally flows into the next. I work on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and most Sundays in the evening. Hubby works nights Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and every other Saturday. We get every sixth weekend off together, and Tuesday we reserve for running errands and other appointments, since it is the only day of the week we are both always off work together. Also, we tend to stay up late and then it takes a while for everybody to get going in the morning. Here's what a typical day might look like:
Morning Routine and Animal Chores
Breakfast and Clean Up
Lessons and/or Chores and/or Errands
Dinner and Clean Up
Free Time (sometimes computer or movie time) or sometimes special projects
Supper and Clean Up
Free Time until bed, usually about 10:30 p.m. for the kids; we usually go to bed after midnight0 -
We are in our 15th year of homeschooling and every year has been different! I don't use a formal schedule because we don't have a scheduled life. Right now we are fairly scheduled because I am a full-time student a t U of A so, every semester changes depending on my class schedule. 0
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We're halfway through this academic year and just now figuring out what schedule really works for us.
5.45 I wake up before everyone to have my quiet time and then workout.
7.30 I shower and dresss and stuff while the kids feed themselves (and the dogs) breakfast and do their morning chores.
8.30They start on any independent work (piano, typing, Rosetta Stone, etc.) while I'm in the kitchen getiing my breakfast and tidying up.
9.00 We start our "together work" - all the lessons/projects we do together: Bible, Vocab, English, Spelling, Math, History. I insist the have a snack BEFORE math to prevent low blood sugar meltdown, usually around 10.30.
12.45ish Break for lunch
After lunch we do science projects sometimes and the girls have their "finishing time." At that point I'm finished instructing and can
do housework, menu planning, calendaring, housewifey stuff... or play.
That's what's working right now, but I agree with previous posters that we change the schedule as often as necessary.0 -
So, this semester (which starts next week for me) I will be gone from the house MWF from 6:30 am until 7PM then I have to make dinner, check my son's work and do my own homework. On Mondays and Fridays my son will have to do independent work. Wednesdays are his days off. Tues, Thurs and Saturdays are our hands-on days ,just half a day, and then I spend about 6 hours each day doing my own homework. I also have to do an internship in the public schools this semester. Sometimes my son comes to U of A with me and he loves it!
Last semester was easier because I was only gone on T and TH. We will do a lot over the summer months to make up for time I am in school. 0 -
I'm changing my schedule up all the time, based on what works/doesn't for my kids. My oldest works better with a schedule written out, with times, on the fridge (which goes against my very nature! lol) but in general schooling is relaxed.
this is the current flow:
7:30am is wake up and get ready for the day
8am breakfast
8:30am exercise and OT/sensory diet
9am start school work - books/paper work
10am snack and break for OT/SD
12pm finish and clean up
Lunch and play time
Afternoon is for learning that isn't "school" work (to him), so fun science stuff, watching documentaries, creating/exploring, etc.
I learned this last term that he doesn't have the focus in the afternoons, and it was a constant fight, so we get the least fun (anything that involves writing lol) out of the way first.0 -
I usually get up between 6 and 7:30 a.m. Just depends on what my husband's work schedule is. If he's gone early (around 3 a.m.) I don't wake up till later. But if he leaves later or is working at home for the day I usually get up at 6 and have breakfast with him and chat after I do my personal devotional time. I make sure my son is up by 8 (he sets his own alarm) and eats breakfast and dresses unless we're having a pajama day. We start by 8:30. Our exercise time together is in the morning to break up the book work. We usually go walking or do some other kind of circuit exercises. Then back to book work until 11 which is lunch time. After lunch which is anytime between 11:30 and 12 we'll come back together and read for a half an hour. Then it's time to finish anything up. On Fridays we have an enrichment co-op at my church in the morning and a science and art co-op that meets there as well in the afternoon. So Fridays are not typical school days.
I'm pretty relaxed with our routine. If something comes up like a medical appointment or I have to run errands (I prefer to run them earlier in the day when there isn't as much traffic) we'll adjust our schedule as necessary.
It's interesting to see all the different homeschooling styles and schedules.
Kendra0 -
I don't schedule our days, but my girls are now 15 and 17. On Monday, I give them a list of their work for the week. I work until noon from home and after lunch will ask them to go over work they have done. If their work for the week is not done for Friday, they cannot have friends over or go anywhere. Two weeks in a row and they lose their phones. Three weeks and (this is my 17 yo currently) no driving. I hit her where it REALLY hurt!
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All these different answers are so encouraging - to know that it doesn't matter at all how you do it so long as it works for you and your family!! I'll be sure to try and not stress about this part!!!! Thanks! 0
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I've been homeschooling for 16 years and our schedule is always changing and evolving!
One of the best resources I've found for keeping the kids on task and moving forward is "Edu-Track." I've been using it for 6 years and love it. It does take quite a bit of time and effort in the summer to program all the Lessons and instructions into the schedule BUT it is soooo worth it once the school year gets rolling. Each student has their own daily schedule complete with which pages to do in which books.
When 2 or more kids need my help at the same time (which always happens...Murphy's Law of hsing), I work with one while the others move onto the next subject until I'm free to help them.
We belong to a co-op and attend a Tutorial on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. -3 p.m. Then we are home on Tues., Thurs., and Friday. My high schooler has an additional class on Friday for Biology & Lab. On co-op days I usually get up at 6 to do Ripped in 30 and 45 min on the elliptical before we have to leave. On nonco-op days, I get up at 7 & do 30 mins. on the elliptical. Then I wake the kids and while they eat & prep, I do another 30 min. I try do stretch or do some yoga on Tuesday during piano lesson time.
I hope this helps!0 -
We are a very scheduled home. Have been ever since my kiddos were babies. They always did so good on a schedule. Plus I think it has helped them be so much better behaved, because they always know what is going to happen, their days are not constantly changing. It doesn't work for everyone, but it works great for us. That's not to say we don't have our unscheduled days. ;-) We enjoy our relaxed laid back weekends. ;-)
5:30 I wake up almost every morning (sometimes I hit the snooze 1-2x), have coffee and devotions.
6:30-7:30 then workout.
8am breakfast together (except daddy, who works in the back bedroom office).
8:30 kids do piano lessons and brush teeth, while I shower and do hair/makeup.
9:00 start school (Bible, handwriting, reading, math, language, spelling, 50 states, video learning etc) With 15 min break every 45 min. Usually done by 11:45 or 12.
12 or 12:30 Lunch
1:30-5 free time. Mommy cleans, kids do chores as needed along with playtime or free reading. Tue we have piano lessons. This is also the time we might have friends over to play, do errends in town.
5:00 Supper
6:00 bath time or pick up rooms
7:00 Story time followed by quite time
8:00 Lights are usually out by this time. I plan my day out for the next day. I have a printout that has my daily schedule, plus the kids, I write in what subjects we will work on the next day (we usually rotate on some of them every other day). I also plan all foods I plan to put in my mouth the next day (while enjoying a cup of white or black tea). Works like a charm.
And there you have it our day. :-)
I seem to be able to handle my out of control cravings and lack of self control (with food at night) when I am on a strict schedule. So glad it is working right now in our life. Every few months things seem to switch around, but some things stay the same. Right now, this is what works.0 -
I am not very good at scheduling. We have more of a routine which doesn't happen every day. Today we were off routine. We had breakfast, and then I did a reading lesson with my son. My daughter then read the Bible with me and she memorized a few verses. They played and then we went to Subway to have lunch. Since Subway is in the Kroger shopping center we wandered around Kroger for a bit to look for mark downs and coupons. We then went home and practiced singing worship songs so the kids will be more prepared for participating in church (thank goodness for you tube since I can not carry a tune!). We then played Uno, got ready for ballet, made dinner, and then went to ballet. We had a very wonderful day full of learning and togetherness, but we were really off routine.
Our days are supposed to look like this:
Breakfast
Bible
Math
Reading - my son's reading lesson and reading some books together as a family
Lunch
Bath
Silent Reading
Electives
I really like the routine we have come up with, but just some days seem to flow in a different direction.0
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