Will you walk me through a day in the life of a homeschooling family?

[mamakah]

DH and I are seriously considering homeschooling. Just out of curiosity, I was hoping some mamas would share their daily routine with me?
Thank you!

[MyLittleWonders]

Disclaimer: We are structured and follow (for the most part) the Latin Centered Curriculum, falling back on The Well Trained Mind where we tend to veer from LCC.

That said, I have three - 3rd grade, 1st grade, and PreK. I can't really attach times to what we do, but basically the boys are up between 8 and 9, and we try and start school around 10 (my goal is 9:30).

-Wake and play while I get things going (laundry, vacuuming, finishing up hand-wash dishes from night before); sometimes I'll shower at this time.

-Breakfast and getting ready (sometimes we'll start hs'ing in pajamas and then get dressed at our first "recess").

-Block 1: Reading practice, Latin, math (usually this takes 1 hour - 1 hour, 20 minutes).

-Recess break (the boys have good friends in PS and like calling it recess)

-Block 2: Spelling, writing or narration (via Writing w/Ease), sentence writing or penmenship, grammar.

-Lunch & recess break

-Block 3: Reading practice & elective (world history, geography, science, US history, Spanish, nature study).

Usually we are done by 2:30 or 3. After that the boys play (some days they watch some TV). We have sports in the evenings most days, though other days they'll play with neighborhood friends. In all, we do about 3 1/2 to 4 hours of school work a day divided between the dining room table and the den (couch and floor).

[Callimom]

We're fairly relaxed homeschoolers and there isn't a typical day. We try not to schedule things in the morning from Monday -Thursday.
So typical mornings are:
My kids get up, do their chores, play and have their breakfast.
We sit down at the table at 10ish.
Kids do math and language with me helping whoever is needing it and then my younger 3 read to me and I go over math with my oldest and possibly read aloud to them (depending on what the schedule for the day is). This takes somewhere between 1 and 2 hours for me - not always as long for the kids. Then they play outside while I get lunch, check email, and flip laundry.

After lunch if it is a home day I read out loud to them and then we might do some kind of science, history or geography activity, or watch a dvd on a current topic of interest, or play some games. We schedule playdates around 3 or the kids are usually out playing with their friends after school.

If it is an out of the house day we do whatever lessons or field trips are lined up after lunch. We have audio books for the van on whatever topic we're interested in or just something random if there isn't anything on the topic.

Dinner is about 6 - 6:30.

After dinner is more play time, then dvd/games/read alouds then bed. The kids read or listen to audiobooks until they fall asleep.

We do lots of educational kinds of outings on weekends, we hike a couple of times a week and we have a weekly co-op on Friday mornings.

hth
Karen

[zjande]

Well, today we all went bowling with our local homeschool group.

When we got home, I gave my 6th grader his list of assignments for the day. He got to work on them while I brought the little kids outside to play. Then he went to tae kwon do.

Tomorrow we're going to a local tulip festival so I can take pictures of all my kids amongst the tulips. Wed. we're spending all day long at the lake, fishing & playing. So by thurs I'll feel we need to get a little caught up on our book work (not that I'm following any schedule but mine, I just want to get certain things done by the end of our school year).

I call us "eclectic, structured, Charlotte Mason inspired" schoolers. Every single homeschooler will have a different "typical day"! Everyone has their own schooling style, their own schedules, their own curriculum or not... it all just depends on the family & the students' learning styles & habits.

Personally, I use curriculum for our core subjects for my 6th grader, and also a bit for my pre-K kid. On our typical day, I write my 6th grader's assignments that I've decided for him on the chalkboard. He checks them off as he gets them done. Typically, I correct his week's work on Friday & give him grades. He spends anywhere from 90mins to 5 hours a day on his school work. Three or 4 hours is average, but he's a pretty slow worker. I usually get him all set up at the dining table, then go do some schooling with my pre-k shorty in the other room.

We tend to get our home school day started anywhere from 10am to 1 pm.... although my ideal is about 9am. LOL I do the dishes, laundry & meals here & there all day long whenever I have a moment. When my oldest son is done with his school work, he does some chores, then has free time to play. On Wed. & Thurs. he's allowed 2 hours of glowing screen time (he spends the weekend at his dad's).

[EviesMom]

Sure! First, we have a weekly schedule, which lets me and DD know when our formal lesson days are, working around a whirlwind toddler DS. I've tried hs while ds naps, but they're too inconsistent and it was frustrating. My goal with homeschooling is to have the kids learn good academic skills while being able to spend lots of time on their artistic/dancing pursuits and skills.

Mondays Playdate in morning; Dance classes for both kids
Tuesdays DS playgroup with babysitter; Homeschool lessons with DD
Wednesdays Field trip day
Thursdays Homeschool art class for both morning; Swim classes for both afternoon
Fridays DD Music class morning; DD Dance class afternoon
Saturdays Homeschool lessons with DD
Sundays Homeschool lessons with DD

On our 3 "school days" they run like this:
6am-7am Mom rises and works out; showers
7am-9am Everybody up, dressed, breakfast, showered, chores (if "ready" early, kids get TV time)
9am DD does Reading and Math computer programs
10am DS off with DH or sitter to library/playground/playgroup
DD and mom "School Day" 3 days/week:
10am Spelling and handwriting work
10:30 Science/Social Studies lessons (I do a unit study of one subject for 3-4 weeks, then the other subject for 3-4 weeks)
11:15 Math and reading review of computer work
11:30 Non-toddler-friendly baking/crafts
12pm DS returns; lunch; DS down for nap
1:30 Afternoons are taken up with playdates and PE classes (DD also reads, gardens, plays educational computer games, plays music during this time); I pick up and play on the computer
5pm Any day we're home we have "art afternoon;" I pull out art supplies and we often have a "theme" based on what we've done that day; dinner prep
6pm Baths; dinner in oven to cook; pjs, table set
7pm Dinner
7:30 Clean up; game/playtime
8-8:30 Bedtime routine (staggered for older and younger); DDs involves adults reading her 1 chapter or 1 book and her reading 1 book on her level aloud
8:30-9pm Bedtime (staggered for older and younger)
9-9:30ish Parent chores (I'm supposed to be ordering internet groceries right now; will get to them!)

On our non school days, it's the same except for 10am-12pm when we usually have a homeschool class, co-op class, or we're on a field trip.

[magnolia_mama]

6 am- I wake up, have a cappuccino, check email and exercise

7am- Kids wake up and are allowed screen time/playtime while I shower and dress

Breakfast is usually served sometime prior to 8 am and kids are usually dressed by 9. I take care of a few small chores during this hour as well.

Ds has handwriting and spelling/girls play.

10 am is snack time and we have our Bible reading and Geography/Culture lesson during snack time. Ds works on English and dd1 works on handwriting after snack. Dd2 has a box of educational/preschool materials to occupy her during this time.

11 am (or when kids complete work) until 12 pm is free time. Usually outdoor play on nice days.

12 pm is lunch. We will all pitch in and tidy up the house after lunch is over. I often put on some type of music while we clean.

1 pm is naptime for dd2 and reading time for older kids.

1:30-3:00 is school time. Ds works on his math and dd does phonics and math. We often do a read aloud that pertains to history or science.

3:00 is snack time and dd is typically up from her nap at this time. The kids are free to play, watch a tv program, etc. Our school day is complete. We may have a playdate, soccer practice, gymnastics, etc. in the afternoon/ evening. Kids attend our Awana program on Wed. night. We try to have at least 2 or 3 free evenings each week.

Edited to add: We often do our art projects and science experiements in the evening or on the weekend. Dad is unofficially in charge of these! We also like to visit museums at least once a month. Usually on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

[fruitfulmomma]

We don't really have a typical day/week. We are more parent-led than unschoolers would tend to be, but don't do school@home. We mostly just live life together and if something needs to be done it gets done.

I was just listening to a veteran homeschooling momma and she was saying to do "school" when there is nothing else that needs to be done. (This woman's grown children are published authors, accomplished musicians, and film makers.)

My husbands work schedule is pretty erratic so being flexible is a necessity. Today he was off work so we had a late breakfast and read the bible together and then had a fun time getting our kids to think about themselves and talk about who they were and what they enjoyed. We also had them ask questions to guess what movies we were thinking of.

After that my husband took the girls to the library and my son and I worked on math and reading skills and I read several books to him.

All the children got turns on the computer to play games on NickJr. or Starfall. They each played about 20 minutes.

I read several books to the girls, including Bob books to have them sound out words with me.

Dh made lunch and the baby fell asleep so I took her to bed and read a book about Paul Revere aloud to the older children while they ate.

After that I took a nap while dh took them outside to play. Son worked on some copywork while he was outside.

They've been listening to Freddy the Pig off and on all day.

I had a webinar earlier this evening so that watched a movie with dh in their room.

They are in bed now with an audio book playing.

[FreeRangeMama]

Here is what our day is looking like right now. It changes as the needs of my kids change.

7:00 Kids wake, eat breakfast and play while I drink coffee, hang out with dh until he leaves, and check email

9:00 Yoga (this helps the kids sit through learning, especially my very active 6 yo)

9:30-11:30 is our learning time.

We do: Buddhist studies
math (about 20 min)
Copy work (they copy inspirational quotes to work on neatness)
Poetry (I read a poem daily)
French (rosetta stone)
Read (a chapter of 1 of 3 books we are reading a fable or fairy tale)
English (about 20 min from a workbook)
music/art/inventor/explorer (we will learn a little about whichever's day it is)
Social/Science (we alternate, both material relative to the grade level they are at and a story relevant to the subject)



We are generally done in about 2 hours. Mine are 9, 6, 5, and 2. The older two 'do school' while the younger two have books they can work in if they choose. They like to work along for a while before going off to play. After we are done with our work I tidy up and cook lunch. Afternoons are free for playdates and activities. My older ones just finished a clay class for homeschoolers. My 5 year old is in ballet. All four also do gymnastics on Saturdays.

We frequently meet with other homeschooling families for playdates. In the spring and summer the kids help me garden (this year they are each responsible for a different section of the herb garden). We go for lots of nature walks, draw pictures, spend hours at the library, or spend lazy afternoons doing nothing productive at all.

We also don't have a tv and have limited screen time. They do watch movies occasionally on the computer and I am encouraging those to be old movies or musicals. They are all rather in love with Annie at the moment. In nice weather the computer stays off most of the time so we can be outside.

I have one on the spectrum and another that thrives on structure so over time I have learned that life functions better for us when I keep our days consistent and predictable. That was a struggle for me as I am a spontaneous sort of person, but the difference it has made for my boys has been huge! Every family is different though, so what works for ours probably wouldn't work for most.

Good luck with your decision. We really LOVE homeschooling, it has been a great thing for our family

[jake&zaxmom]

Check out these two books.

Homeschooling: A Patchwork of Days: Share a Day With 30 Homeschooling Families

Homeschool Open House

both are by Nancy Lande

[elizawill]

disclaimer: we're kinda laid back and structured ( i have goals, but i'm also flexible). my kids are 8 & 6. because spring fever is here, we're taking a very easy approach lately. the weather is warm in SC, so we're focusing a lot on our flower garden, vegetable garden, raising chicks, etc. i'm usually awake by 7am. my kids wake up later, so i use the morning time for myself to exercise, clean, etc. we usually start school by 10 in the winter, but in the spring we start it at 11:30 (they spend their morning outside). our main focus is the 3r's & other subjects currently are just following our interests (although in the winter i use a curriculum as a spine). for science we're discussing lifecycles, exploring nature, gardening, etc. for history/geography we've been taking it easy & just reading and incorporating related TV shows such as "this is america charlie brown" and some history channel shows. my kids also take gymnastics, horseback riding and my son just started t-ball and tae kwon do. our school year ends next month & we're looking forward to it. in the fall, we'll get back into a more structured groove and then taper off again as spring approaches. hth.

hth.

[moominmamma]

Over the years I've detailed many random days in my blog. Our days have changed a lot over the years and that's thing that jumps out at me upon re-reading some of the older posts is how different they all are. You can read some of them here.

Miranda

[NightOwlwithowlet]

We have varied schedule because DH travels a lot and I work a weird schedule (40 hours one week and 8 hours the next week). I have weekly and monthly goals that I try and work around our schedules.

Basically, I try to have DS read 20 minutes a day, DH or I read to him most nights. Math and writing, I try to do 5 days a week and usually during the week. We do a weekly science project. For history and socially studies, DS and I pick a topic he's interested in like Anceint China, ninjas, turtles and we watch DVDs, read about and schedule field trips.

He listens to chapter books on tape in the car. He has music class once a week, piano lesson once a week, and Tae Kwon Do through his after school program three days a week.

So today, we got early at 7am, ate breakfast in the car. DS went to music class at his old private school for 45 minutes. Then we took our dogs to the dog park and we happened to see someone filming a movie. He spent some time talking to the very patient director about movies. We played catch since he wants to learn to play baseball.

We dropped the dogs off to be groomed and went to Borders where he did is math, reading, and writing. We came home, looked up the director and movie on the computer. DS practiced his piano, ate lunch, we walked the dogs. He's going to go to after school in a few minutes and I'm going to work. Since DH is out of town for work, DS will go home with his best friend and go out to dinner with them. I'll meet them at the restaurant at 730 and we will head home.

Yesterday, we slept late. I did some yard work while DS played outside. We started seedlings for the garden, our current science project. He did his math and reading, it took about an hour. He watched a documentary on China, his current interest. We went out for Chinese food and to the library. After piano class, DS played with the neighborhood kids.

[Citymomx3]

I have a 13 y/o dd and a 9y/o ds at home right now (and a 16y/o dd in a journalism high school). Dd uses an eclectic mix of materials to ready herself for high school in September (casually inserting huge brag here: She's been accepted to Laguardia High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan, of "Fame" fame, for dance). Ds uses Ambleside Online - a curriculum based on the Charlotte Mason method. A typical daily routine is:

8am-10:30am - I clean, have coffee, check emails, kids get up at some point in there.

10:30am-12:30pm - Academics.
--- Dd goes an reads for about an hour and ds starts on his math program. He's using Teaching Texbooks and does about 3-4 lessons a week.

--- I read to ds (a science, classic literature, or history "living" book) and he narrates back what he remembers.

--- Ds and I read a poem together, discuss it a bit, and he copies the first sentence or 2.

--- I read another chapter of something to ds and he narrates.

--- If there were any notable people, events, or dates we read about, we add it to our wall timeline (index cards strung up decoratively on one wall).

--- He does a workbook page or 2 of grammar, geography, or vocabulary

--- We grab the nature notebooks and all 3 of us go outside, find something interesting, find it in the field guide, draw it, write about it, bring a sample home, etc. (this is once a week. other days would be artist study, composer study, or French)

--- Dd and I work on algebra together (she's using Life of Fred). She does the majority of it herself, but I'm there if she needs help.


That's basically it. We're done no later than 1pm (longer sometimes if the nature walk gets really interesting!). Next year ds will start doing some written narrations and dictation exercises.

[CariOfOz]

Add us to the slightly structured relaxed homeschoolers group I'm NOT a morning person and that flavours our day

8ish I get up... grudgingly lol. The boys have had toast already but I give them their cereal/oatmeal now, then I shower etc.

830 involves coffee, email and news on the computer, the kids play, watch sesame street or in summer go outside before the heat kills. I also gather the books etc we will need for the day.

930 my 8yo does his math u see (i watch the dvd with him if its day one of the lesson) and my 6yo does his reading eggs **usually have a snack in here around 10) Then we swap, and my 6yo does his math with me and my 8yo will do whichever of his language arts book it is the day for (one day each, reading comp, spelling, grammar)

1030 playtime to burn off some energy

1100 depending on which day it is, we do our science or history odyssey. (both subjects get 2 set days each, and the other day is a floater to finish projects we may have going). This might be reading, map work, vocabulary, crafting or lapbooking. We usually work at whichever of these subjects for about an hour ish.

noon..on the dot... lunch must be served or my boys waste away to dust before my very eyes lol

afternoons... we sometimes bake something, play outside, they might get a bit of Wii time, or help me tidy up.

before bed... a bit of reading for the 8yo.. he usually reads out loud to his brother

This is a typical day at HOME.. we have 8 week terms with our home ed group, and during term Mondays are totally blocked off. We have art, gymnastics and this term a neato science group. We also do a park day every 2weeks, unless someone decides on an impromptu one