Kris fr0m
Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers posed this question to her readers. My short answer?
I don't.
There are some days I'm so mind-numbingly behind schedule and disorganized I could just cry, so I do. Then there are other days when the minutes flow seamlessly, one into another, and all is right with the world. I like those days, a lot. But at the same time, they don't push me to become better, to grow or challenge myself.
I'm not naturally organized. I'm a perfectionist to a fault. I used to live by the mantra "Don't do it if you can't do it right." This mindset left my house a mess and me stressed beyond all reason. I'd let a pile of laundry sit for a week because I didn't have the time to hang each piece in the closet, in order by type of garment, then each group by color. Inevitably the cat would lay in the pile and I'd have to rewash everything. (But hey, my closet looked great!) Or I wouldn't vacuum the livingroom because I didn't have time to vacuum the whole house. I had a very all or nothing mentality.
I've since learned to relax, to do what I can when I can and not beat myself up when things aren't perfect. The result is this: my closets are messier, my house is neater and I'm more relaxed and available for my children. My house isn't perfect, but now I'm rarely embarrassed to open the door when a friend arrives unannounced. My closet is no longer color coded, but now we always have clean clothes when we need them.
I don't have a set in stone schedule, I've learned to be flexible but we do follow a general pattern. Here's an example of what our homeschooling day usually looks like:
7:30-8AM- Wake up, nurse Littlest. Biggest comes to my room and we play and cuddle with Littlest for about half an hour.
8:30-9-ish- Breakfast, showers, dress, Biggest does his morning chores and I usually throw in a load of laundry then have Bible Study with Biggest
9:30-12:30-Biggest begins his independent studies; I help and encourage Littlest to pick up the livingroom which he has already managed to demolish. The rest of the morning is spent doing whatever NEEDS to be done. Depending on the day this could consist of paying bills, making phone calls (business or homeschool committee related), reviewing Biggest's curriculum and checking his work, as well as whatever "spot-cleaning" needs to done (a quick vacuum, loading the dishwasher or wiping down the bathroom mirror) All of this is, of course, done in between bursts of playing with Littlest, nursing or cuddling him and changing his diapers. Right before lunch Biggest and I do his read along time. This is a great part of the day; me reading aloud while the boys play quietly on the floor.
12:30- This is our lunchtime. We eat and take a break. Biggest watches some T.V. or plays outside, whatever. I check emails, bloghop and the like.
2:00-3:30-Around this time Littlest takes a nap; although he only sleeps for about 30 minutes. I use this time to help Biggest with whatever schoolwork he needs assistance with. Generally, I try to make this time 'all about Biggest'. If we have any fun, hands-on experiments we try to do them during Littlest's nap time (until he gets a little older).
3:30-5:00-This is our most unstructured time of the day. Biggest is generally finished his schoolwork so it's free time for him, unless it's Monday-then he has a guitar lesson. For me it's playtime with Littlest, personal phone calls and a general pick-up before dinner because my livingroom has no doubt been demolished again :)
5:30-ish-Hubby comes home and we have a family dinner.
6:30-8:30- Chaos reigns! I do the dinner dishes (usually). The boys play and wrestle (including the oldest "boy"-Hubby) the T.V. is turned on and off a bazillion times, toys are hurled through the air at dangerous speeds and sweets are eaten. Sometimes we watch a family movie.
8:30 and later- 8:30 is Biggest's weekday bed time. I know, he's almost 13, we're just strict like that. He does get to read in bed for up to 45 minutes though. If he hasn't taken a nap longer than 30 mins, Littlest will usually go to sleep by 9:00. I then get myself ready for bed, set the coffee then lay out Hubby's clothes for the following day. If I'm not too tired I'll pick up the livingroom one last time and watch some T.V. But more often than not I head straight for bed-a 17 month old will suck the energy right out of you, in a good way.
This is an average day. Of course it's adjusted as needed for orthodontist and doctors appointments, playdates, sickness and those maddening days when the phone won't stop ringing. Some days this "schedule" is thrown to the wind completely in the name of a mental health day for Biggest, or simply because Littlest wants to be held 24/7. Then I'll have to compensate by getting up early or staying up late to wash dishes or fold clothes while the boys are sleeping. But that's life, our life, and I enjoy it.
