Life is busy for us.
I have found myself in unfamiliar territory as I wake up to a baby, unbelievably busy 3 year old, a 6 & 7 year old, & a very mature 11 year old. Some days I feel like I need a clone. Actually, a nanny would be fabulous! And to be totally honest with you, I sorta have one. For the summer at least. (*Never be afraid to take advantage of any opportunities of help) A couple days a week I have a high school girl coming in the mornings. The extra hands are a big help, but even so, I still feel like there isn’t enough of me (or energy) to go around. Life is good. I can’t complain, but we are STILL no where near where *I* would like to be as far as homeschooling accomplishments. In fact, I have been struggling with just getting the 3 R’s done. History & Science (& a few other things) are on hold right now. Schooling multiple ages is A LOT of work!
I am easing our way back into a more productive day. First, I’ve really been diligent with our morning routine. We are getting up about 7:30/8ish (as much as I love the idea of being up early – I am NOT a morning person. perhaps when I get uninterrupted sleep I will be more motivated to get up earlier.). I have held to my guns on the “work before play” rule. Chores are done, then breakfast.
For the past few weeks I have started doing preschool on Tue & Wed with Truman, my niece, & another little girl. This definitely takes some time away from the other kids, but I love this age & it is so important to me that Truman gets this time with me (& not for educational purposes). We have a lot of fun & they play so well together. A typical preschool day for them is: circle time (songs), Bible story, ABC song, letter practice, hands-on activities, snack, outside play, lunch, then quiet time.
While I am doing preschool with the preschoolers, my bigger boys are working on their independent work. Then we all meet for lunch. I also began tutoring a friends daughter from 12-1pm, Mon-Wed so after lunch I lay Tara down for a nap, the preschoolers have quiet time, & the bigger kids get a little free time.
Once I am done with tutoring I begin spelling & reading with Tucker, then switch & work with Trevor. This is where my energy level is plummeting & I need to get a better plan. Obviously, each day is a little different for us, some more drastically. We’ve successfully added some big changes to our day & are getting most of our priorities done, but I am still trying to find a balance with all the ages & needs of each child. I realize this is a season in our homeschooling journey & we might not be able to “do it all,” but I am still hopeful we can manage our time in the most productive way possible & I realize that doesn’t necessarily mean getting it all done. In an effort to do this, I’ve posted questions on facebook & done some surfing online. Some of the suggestions weren’t practical for us; however, I did get some great tips! I realize I am not the only homeschool mom that has a full house, so I will be sharing my plan of attack {soon} with you.
1 comment:
You aren't alone! Everyone has difficulty getting back into the swing of things. Being realistic about what all of you can do is key. Adding things back in one at a time will help keep you on track.
Afternoon slump buster: coffee and chocolate :)
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