I am looking for scheduling tips from moms who have tried several methods, so to speak. When you have multiple kids and trouble getting everyone on the same page at the same time, what do you do? If you are having a bad day, do you still try to force it all in? Do you feel it works to be stricter in the morning, or more focus on the afternoons- any tips would be appreciated?!!! PS Do youever get "mom" time? Janice
I expect the unexpected. I schedule a lot of work at the beginning of the week (and always first thing in the morning, daily), so that we have less and less required toward the end of the week. That gives us buffer room to shift assignments to different days or reward ourselves with time off. Things always get done eventually, but the kids have learned that it's easier just to get it over with. They don't get xbox time or anything like that when their school/chores aren't done. Yes, I get "me" time ... so to speak. I run a business, so I get my work done while the kids are working on independent assignments, and I get "me" time late at night after they go to bed. From the time they were toddlers, we've taught them that being part of a family means doing your part in the chores. They've always had age-appropriate chores, so these days, I don't have to worry so much about things like laundry or dishes. They put their own dishes in the dishwasher, and they wash their own laundry every Monday. They're expected to tidy up all the household clutter at the end of every day before dad gets home from work, too. Mostly, we rely on routine to make sure everything gets done. Routines DO have to change sometimes, whether it's a momentary scheduling conflict, or a growing child taking on more school work or responsibilities, but mostly, I look at our school schedule as preparation for life. Someday, they'll need to be self-sufficient, complete with making their own schedules and routines.
We try to do schoolwork before anything else, but other than that (and even sometimes that fact is open to being rearranged) our daily schedule is VERY flexible.
I like the workbox method found on Confessions of a Homeschooler's blog. If you go to her page, search for Workbox. She has four kids on different levels and is able to schedule to work with one at a time, while the others grab what they need to do from their workbox.
HI! I had three at a time all on different levels at one time. I tried doing everyone do math, everyone do english,e tc at same time, at different levels it drove me crazy! So, I organised it so that the youngers could be doing a project together ( reading, or art something that took less ME and more freedom, this included recess or free play too!) while I did Math with older, then gave older free time while I did Middle, older helped little to keep busy with legos or video lessons , computer game lessons whatever that kept them away from Math for middle. Then did Math for little while the older two did English or History. we all did Science together so we could do projects together. Also we did Bible first each day as a circle time additive then sang songs, I made the olders stay for part and worked with the younger with his reading after they started working on independent work ' THis worked its way around to little having independent when he could read well enough to take his work outside he would go to the Tree fort and do his life paks there. All in all I found it worked best to have two in one room an the one for Math, and whatever else needed hands on teaching in the other. Then I had desk ( old school desks) for each child to stay organised and I would print their schedules up as well.
