I am visualizing a schedule

[transformed]

We run so smoothly on a schedule

(Example 8 AM breakfast, 8:30 clean up, 9:00 outside, 10:00 art project) etc etc.

I could live on a "preschool" schedule all the days of my life.

But how do thosee of you get stuff done outside the home? Do you schedule an "errand day?" (I need to I just go out randomly)

And what about ever changing playdates/activitys.

Personally I cant stand playdates because I cant find anyone who wants to do a regular one. Its always like "I'll call you and we can get together again!" Throws my whole schedule off.

[AngelBee]

:

[chaoticzenmom]

I think I'm going to have to get on a schedule just so that I can get anything done during a day. Now it's like this. 8:00 wake up check emails drink coffee, 8:30 check MDC and wait for kids to wake while making a list of things to do in my head. 9:30, kids start to wake up and I haven't showered...darn it, they're hungry and the dishes are still on the table from last night. Ok, clear the table, feed children...darn it I still need to shower and they're all running outside! ARhg. Go throw on something that doesn't resemble pj's so that I can watch them outside.

We have to do lists on our doors of things to do first thing in the morning...get dressed, eat breakfast, straighten our rooms, do "schooly" type work, etc. Sometimes it works!

I think that making an ideal schedule is a great idea. I think I need to just stay away from MDC in the mornings

Lisa

[lauracd]

If your family works well with that kind of schedule then I don't see a problem with it. I would say though to make sure that you can go with the flow at times for example, if your "reading" is scheduled from 10-10:30 but you're having so much fun and connecting, enjoying it, etc then I would just keep going with it as long as everybody wanted it.

Personally I could NEVER EVER keep a schedule like that, it would drive me nuts but my sister that I am very close to works very much like this (and she is a preschool teacher) so I understand where you are coming from. To each his own.

[elizawill]

i LOVE my schedule so much. we also eat at certain times and have bedtime routines....and i meal plan each week, etc. as for school, i schedule school 4 days a week from about 10-2 and that includes lunch time. the 5th day is open for whatever we want.

[Cullens_Girl]

the only thing we schedule is household chores (or they would never get done) the rest we go with the flow.

[coldfeet]

We have a schedule too. My ds is a sensory kiddo and really craves a schedule. Heck, I think most kids do!

I just work my errands into the schedule. For instance, I have 2-3 hours of everyday that are blocked out for running errands, playdates, etc. And on fieldtrip days, we mostly go off schedule except for the ever so important morning routine! :

[mommy2abigail]

We dont have a schedule per se, more like a routine. For example, we get up somewhere between 7:30-8:30, have breakfast, get dressed and get out the door by 9-10, depending on what we are doing that particular day. Mornings are a mix of library storytime (Thursdays and Saturdays), playdates, pool, errands, ect. Once a week, again, depending on how we are both feeling, what's going on that week, ect. we do a big trip. Like to Disney or Sea World or the farm or the zoo. These are generally longer days, so I only do it once a week or less even. Once a week we also have a lazy day, and just stay home. Sunday's we do church. We usuallly pack lunch and have it where we are, because dd will fall asleep on the way home. We take a nap, again, not a set time, it's usually between 12:30-2 to start and can end anywhere from 1:30-4. We get up and read some books, do puzzles, crafts, ect. Sometimes she asks to go outside, and we set up the sprinkler. At about 6ish, I start dinner, pick up, and do some light cleaning, with her helping. At 7 daddy comes home, we all eat, and she gets a bath at about 8-8:30. We read some more, do quiet activities and go to bed at around 10. Once it cools off a bit, we will do more activities outside in the afternoon, but for now it's pretty miserable outside. We do lots of physical stuff in the monring though, or we go to the pool in the afternoon after nap. HTH

[mirpmama]

OMG!!! i love this thread - i have been trying to get on a schedule for a looooooong time, without much success - i am craving one sooo badly and now that ds is doing "kindergarten" hs stuff i want to be more scheduled - i would love to see OP's whole daily schedule if you are willing to post it.......just for ideas - anyone else's too........thanks!

[transformed]

I dont have a set one, but we just work better when we all know whats coming....so sometimes I'll jot down a list and it helps to go smoothly! LOL

I am planning on unschooling so I dont have school built in at all...

We wake up and eat breakfast
then I NEED to build in family clean up time for 15 minutes. I have started with the kids bringing their plates to the sink, thank god-BABY STEPS!
Then the next chunk I have nothing till lunch. Sometimes library story time, sometimes swimming lessons, etc.
Then lunch and nap for dd 20 months. (I htink ds 4 is growing out of his nap-he does get super tired around 3-4 though....he still needss it.) It pins me to the house all day, but I think it might be positive because I am so much better doing one on one time with the kids. I suck at when we are all together.

Sorry, I dont have a schedule yet.

[fluttermama]

We do have a rhythm to our day that carries us. We only have one car which dh takes to work, so errands are once a week, mostly on a Saturday. I don't have too many playdates but once in awhile we'll get together with someone, but it's not a regular thing and it is always well planned in advance.

[transformed]

Originally Posted by fluttermama

We do have a rhythm to our day that carries us. We only have one car which dh takes to work, so errands are once a week, mostly on a Saturday. I don't have too many playdates but once in awhile we'll get together with someone, but it's not a regular thing and it is always well planned in advance.

That actually sounds desirable to me...

I wonder how often hs get their kids out of the house? My ds is a major extrovert but I friggin dont like hanging out with ppl most of the time, and he makes me socialize darn it! LOL I just would like to socialize as little as possible.

cars are distracting.

[Chic_Mama]

You all should check out Lisa Whelchel's book "Taking care of the Me in Mommy"- she has a whole chapter detailing her schedule with homeschooling and working from home. They also traveled the country in a bus for a year so they could teach their kids American history while she was doing a speaking tour!

[melissel]

Originally Posted by lisa49

I think I'm going to have to get on a schedule just so that I can get anything done during a day. Now it's like this. 8:00 wake up check emails drink coffee, 8:30 check MDC and wait for kids to wake while making a list of things to do in my head. 9:30, kids start to wake up and I haven't showered...darn it, they're hungry and the dishes are still on the table from last night. Ok, clear the table, feed children...darn it I still need to shower and they're all running outside! ARhg. Go throw on something that doesn't resemble pj's so that I can watch them outside.

We have to do lists on our doors of things to do first thing in the morning...get dressed, eat breakfast, straighten our rooms, do "schooly" type work, etc. Sometimes it works!

I think that making an ideal schedule is a great idea. I think I need to just stay away from MDC in the mornings

Lisa

Hey, that sounds just like my schedule!

[elizawill]

my husband is home today and let me sleep in for my birthday . :
i love him.

but here's my normal schedule....
Between 6:30 - 7:30 AM Wake up/check e-mails/play on MDC and drink coffee and wait for my energy to kick in. usually my son wakes up too at this time.

Between 8:00 & 8:30 AM both of my kids are definitely awake now, so i feed them breakfast and they watch PBS.

Between 8:45 & 10:00 AM I clean my house

10:00AM School Starts (I can post my weekly school schedule by subjects if you want me too)

12:00PM - Lunch time. My kids take a break & eat and play.

1:00PM - School starts back and we finish up at about 2:00PM or so.

Around 2:00 or after I finish cleaning my house if I need too, and I try to take a shower while my kids play.

From around 2:00 - 5:00 my kids can play outside or inside or we may go run errands - whatever. it just depends on the day.

We eat dinner at 5:30 & sometimes my kids helps me prepare it. then my kids play with the neighbors usually until i send them home.

7:00ish bath time for my kids - but last night i let my kids skip bath and keep playing -- so it just depends on the night.

We watch a short video & have a snack (although we're watching "the sound of music" and staying up late tonight )

7:30 - 8:30 - bedtime for my kids ...it just depends on the night and how tired they are.

2 wednesdays a month i have a mom2mom group. once a week i have a playdate with my friend. every thursday my kids have lessons for "playball". so my schedule rearranges around those things. plus i've got field trips and other homeschool groups i will start to participate in once setptember gets here. we really only do actual school work a few hours a day though so it's so easy to work around. i have a day planner though, so i always know what's going on...and honestly ....for me knowing my school schedule and what subjecs i need to cover daily makes it a cinch to keep up with things. but everyone's different, so i hope this helps you.

[mirpmama]

this thread is wonderful!! i checked out lisa welchel's site - its great!! (very surreal - i loved the facts of life!!!) anyway her charts are great!! and elizawill - that schedule looks awesome - i would love to see your subjects schedule if you are willing to share that too!! thanks! i felt so frustrated yesterday and today i am excited to work on a schedule and routine - anyone have trouble getting their dh or dp to follow the routine at night??