Our Homeschool Schedule, 2015-2016

This morning as we were walking out the door to church, my husband turned to me and said, "Am I imagining things, or does this one (referring to the 6yo) feel hot?"

After whipping out our trusty thermometer, we discovered that yes, we had a fever on our hands, showing that the bug that attacked the 3yo last week was not yet done with our home.

Thus, while the rest of the crowd headed to church, I am now unexpectedly at home with the baby and the 6yo (who, despite his fever, is quite cheerful).

With a bit of extra time on my hands, I thought I'd publish this post that I've had sitting around for a while.

Please note:

• Homeschool mamas out there, don't fall into the "oh no, if she's doing such-and-such, I should be too!" trap. This schedule can give you ideas, but each family's schedule will be different. Ours changes constantly. In fact, I had to come in and make changes just since I started this post last week. We are constantly adjusting.
• And no, we don't keep this schedule exactly. Usually we are off by 30 minutes or so, even more in the evenings. This is our ideal, but reality is usually different.

Every schedule has problems. Right now, here are some of ours:

• Not enough school time. This isn't too much of a problem right now, but it will be in coming years. As always, God is gradually stretching me and growing me in the stewardship of my time. We will just have to tighten the ship in coming years to make more time for lessons.
• Not enough outside time. There are several factors leading to this, but it's definitely a problem - and one that we want to fix. We're working on it.

There is very little free time for me, and very little time that is not challenging in some way or another. Homeschooling isn't an easy calling! Right now I have to be very intentional with discipline (due to a certain 3yo) and tomato-staking (due to a tendency of the 9yo and the 3yo to start a fight if I am more than six inches away from them). It's definitely a challenge.

However, having a basic schedule has helped, and I am definitely learning and growing. I pray every day that God would change and grow me into the mother, homemaker, and educator that He wants me to be, and that I would be willing to learn the lessons that I need to learn (rather than digging my feet in and putting my ears back, like I normally do).

(Phone call from my husband: "Um, another one has a fever, so we're just coming home now.")

Okay, so much for free time! Have a wonderful Sabbath, everyone!

Our current schedule:

5:45/6:00 a.m.

 

Mama - Wake, dress, exercise, devotions, prep laundry.

 

6:30 a.m.

 

Mama - Start breakfast, pack Daddy's lunch, eat breakfast, get baby's breakfast ready, nurse baby, dress children, see Daddy out the door.

Children - Wake, dress, spend time with Daddy.

 

 

7:30 a.m.

 

Breakfast

 

 

8:00 a.m.

 

Chores
Piano practice for the 9yo

 

 

8:45 a.m.

 

Baby down for nap.
Couch time for Mama and children.

 

 

9:30 a.m.

 

Independent study for older children, play or preschool activities for littles.

 

 

11:00 a.m.

 

Baby up. Toy pick-up. Lunch and clean-up.

 

 

11:30 a.m.

 

Silent history reading time, 30 minutes.

 

 

12:00 p.m.

 

Mama - Eat lunch and work on to-do items.

Children - Free time, help clean up.

 

 

1:00 p.m.

 

Quiet Time:

Babies and Toddlers - Two-hour nap (more if they want).

Older children - Quiet seated play, reading, books on tape, finishing lessons.

Mama - Nap.

 

 

2:00 p.m.

 

Read-alouds and history-science-literature-geography with older children.
Grade and review schoolwork.

 

 

3:00 p.m.

 

Children - 30-minute video and free time.

Mama - Lunch dishes, grade school work, cleaning projects, to-do items.

 

 

4:00 p.m.

 

Children - Baths and afternoon chores. Free time.

Mama - Dinner prep, oversee baths and chores, finish laundry, go over school work with 9yo if not done already.

 

 

5:30 p.m.

 

Dinner and clean-up.

Devotions with Daddy.
Free play or outside time.

 

 

8:00 p.m.

 

Children's Bedtime: Teeth, pajamas, books with Daddy, then books with Mama.

8:30 p.m.

 

Mama - Chores, time with Daddy, shower.

 

 

Goodness-Knows-When

(should be 9:30, usually at least 10:30 p.m.)

 

Bed

 

 

 For those of you who plan to post schedules this year, I look forward to reading them!