Well, I've been out of the loop. My last post was July 22nd. I had no idea. Since then I've begun homeschooling Emma and Audrey for 2nd and Kindergarten. I think that's been what's kept me from blogging. Here's our daily schedule (on an ideal day....which hardly ever happens)
T/Th: I get to the gym at 6:15 and get home by the time everyone's getting up at 7:30.
They all have some chores to do before breakfast (make bed, get dressed, brush hair and teeth and put away clean clothes)
Breakfast at 8:00 (I try to take a shower while they are doing chores if eric is home and can give Eli a bottle)
We try to all eat breakfast together since dinners together are hit or miss b/c of eric's work schedule. That's when we study the Bible and pray.
On the perfect day, we'll all do a chore immediately after breakfast (unload dishwasher, switch a load of laundry, dustbust under kitchen table, clean toilets, etc.)
Then we sit down for school. In about 2 hours or less I can do writing, math, geography/history and language lessons with Emma. Audrey sticks around for a math lesson and a reading lesson and then she plays or does a "school activity" like art, puzzles, painting, etc. I usually have something for caleb to do like tracing, cut & paste, making letters out of playdoh or something like that and then he plays in the den with special "school toys". Eli plays for a little bit and then goes down for a nap at about 9:30.
Then they play while I make lunch.....then they eat.
More playing while I do housework or work on the computer. From 10:30 or so until about 1:30 is a good time for us to run errands or visit someone or take a field trip.....There is probably only one day a week that we're home all day.
Rest time is at 1:30 or 2. They all have quiet time on their beds for an hour and a half. The girls read for most of the time and caleb plays with legos or star wars guys (eric's old toys) while eli sleeps and I catch up on stuff or read a book or nap (that would be a really perfect day) Often I start dinner during nap time.
Emma reads a TON---probably 3 hours a day or so. I try to get books from the library that reinforce the period in history we're studying or the particular science subject we're studying. Other than that she loves american girl books, books of poetry, fiction and non fiction about anything and everything.
In the afternoons, we often eat pretty early, around 5 or 5:30 so that they can go out and play with the neighborhood kids until bath time, which is around 6:30 or 7. They love riding their bikes in the culdesac and playing in our yard and other kids' yards....the moms are all really great friends of mine so we enjoy being together, too. Sometimes there are like 15 kids all riding around in the cul de sac at once. it's great.
Then bath and bedtime. We try to always read aloud to the kids before bed. Right now we're reading The Trumpet of the Swan.
Mondays are Classical Conversations days. It's a Homeschool "school" once a week where they go into their own classrooms with their own teachers (backpacks, lunchboxes and everything). That's where we get the skeleton of what I'll teach that week. They don't give me exact assignments or lesson plans, but it helps to have a framework. I teach piano lessons on monday afternoons so eric's day off is Monday for now so that he can be with the kids in the afternoon while I teach.
Friday morning is "my" morning and eric is teaching Science to the kids each friday. It's great to have that off of my plate b/c eric really gets into it...he loves science.
So after the kids go to bed, I run around and try to clean things up, fold laundry, do dishes and get ready for school the next day. I generally fall into bed, kicking myself for staying up too late at around 11-12.
Some days are really good. The kids seem to get along, we get a lot of schoolwork done and the girls are really into it....I'm proud of the "teacher" in me. On those days I'm really glad we've made the decision to homeschool because I love the lifestyle and flexiblity. Education is in ALL of life, I truly believe. Even in the cooking, cleaning, making meals for sick friends, visiting grandparents, etc. Those are the kinds of things I'm thankful that my kids are a part of each day. But there are also days I want to quit. When I feel completely unappreciated and like I'm wasting my time....who really wants to clean and pick up toys and fix food for demanding people ALL DAY EVERY DAY?????? Especially when they don't act grateful.....I feel like I don't have time for ME. Me me me. So I find I'm selfish and my kids should be called "Lil sanctifiers" because life with kids is hard. But it's also wonderful.....
