With this schedule for the coming 2013-2014 school year (similar to last year's), we have three children - one student (1st grade) and two babies (1yo and 3yo with special needs). My husband is on this schedule too, since he is home right now, but I have blanked out most of his schedule so that you can focus on my schedule and our school schedule.
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A couple of notes about our schedule:
- This schedule is more of an "ideal" than an "actual." In other words, it focuses as a guide, a routine, and a goal, but it never actually happens exactly the way it is on the schedule. Life happens. Babies, especially, take a toll on the schedule (diapers, fussiness, messes, naps, etc.). So just in case you're inclined to be impressed and intimidated... don't be.
- One major challenge for me right now is working on wake-times and bedtimes.
With wake-times, I all-too-often succumb to the temptation to let the kids sleep later... because I can get so much done before they get up, and almost nothing after they're up and the daily whirlwind begins. I'm doing my best to push this back to 7:30 a.m. (I know, that's late for most families, but for us it's a big improvement). I have experienced how badly we run behind when the kids sleep late, and I don't like rushed school days. My eventual goal is probably 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. for wake times for the kidlets. Unfortunately, I know from experience that I need to be up at least one hour before the first child, more if I want to get any extra work done - as I said, it's a work in progress.
We also tend to let our kids stay up very late. I always start nail-biting when I hear "My kids are always in bed by 7:30 p.m.!" because we are usually barely starting on bath time by then. I know that those kids usually have to be up early for public school, so it's a bit different, but are still late-to-bed with the kids, which translates into absurdly late bedtimes for DH and myself as well.
One other challenge is our evening schedule - we are always behind. Yikes!
As you can see, it's a work in progress! I also know that things will have to tighten up as we add additional students - though thankfully we have a few years!
I hope to write soon about the importance of quiet time in our schedule - that is the true sanity-saver around here, and we couldn't function as well as we do without it.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please leave a comment!
And now... off to vacuum! Have a wonderful night, all!
You have to figure out what works for your family and don't be too stressed by the "shoulds" of others. You know what's best and what works for your family. Matthew is in bath usually by 7:30 and hopefully in bed by 8:00, but sometimes it's 8:30. He sleeps until 8:00 or 8:30 am. It's what works for us based on what time Todd gets home and what our natural body rhythms are. If he went to bed when other kids do, he'd never see daddy. So while I admire your discipline if you think that the new schedule is best for your family, remember that it's ok too if you stick with the later times.
ReplyDeleteAh, shucks - you're too kind, Jen! :) I am trying to use this for our benefit without making it kill us all. I am reading Heidi St. John's book right now, and she talks about how she made a super-detailed schedule (Maxwell-style) and nearly killed her family with it. Trying to avoid that!! :)
ReplyDeleteLove you guys!
Diana