Our Daily Schedule

I REALLY like lists. Order makes me feel calm and I am a better mom when there is organization around me. I do not thrive in chaos and my family can attest to the misery that has been inflicted when there is too much mess.

So when it comes to our school day, it's on a schedule. However, flexibility is a part of our days, too, because that's one of the reasons we homeschool. Including flexibility means we can take a family vacation in October or the kids can visit grandparents for a whole week during the winter or early spring - schoolwork can (and usually does) come along. My mom and MIL have no problem with schoolwork coming along for the visit, although I do try to streamline the lessons.

7:00-8:00a Everyone is up and does the following: eats breakfast, makes their own bed (except for Graham, who gets help from me or Zeke), gets dressed and takes care of personal hygiene. Eric & I usually get up earlier; but with the weather as it is, I've been sleeping in a little more!

8:00a-12:00p These are our set school hours. Afternoon hours are scheduled for some subjects, but the kids work hard and are generally done by dinner time. If there are days when that isn't reality, they go back to the schoolroom and work in the afternoon.

12:00-12:30p This is usually when we eat dinner. Clean-up by me or one of the older kids follows.

12:30-1:00p I try to remember to ask the kids to do an afternoon chore. It usually consists of sweeping or vacuuming floors, washing mirrors or doors, unloading or loading the dishwasher, or helping with laundry. Snow shoveling in the winter and lawn/garden work in the summer are added, too.

1:00-5:00p The afternoon hours are free - free for laundry, errands, reading, baking, games, meal preparation, computer time, projects, outdoor play, & travel preparation (we travel to Fargo every Friday for meetings, quilting, lessons and homeschool group activities). Since moving to the farm, we don't have many 'during the day' obligations! It's really strange. I'd like to start going to adoration again; and attending a daily mass at least once per week would be nice.

6:00-6:30p Our usual supper time falls around this time. One of the kids usually helps clean up the kitchen.

6:45-8:00p The kids might have time to play a quick game after supper, but usually they get ready for bed. Most nights, Eric will read aloud to the kids for a full hour. On quite a few nights, they convince him to read longer! Then, it's prayers and bed. The older two like to stay up and read until about 9p.

For Eric and I, the evening hours are ours to spend as needed. Sometimes it's a TV show or movie, but mostly it's catching up on work, correspondence and correction of schoolwork.