Preschoolers and Peace

Fall 2007 • Sep. 14, 2007

Several have asked for our fall schedule. Please know that our day never quite goes as planned, but having a routine makes everything clear for everyone. We aren't ruled by the schedule, but we use it as a tool. Also note that our 14-year-old is not on this schedule because he goes to work with dad and does his studying there.

PE means the kiddos go outside and play a game or stay inside and do something active when the weather is bad. The 12-year-old isn't interested in doing the crafty stuff we'll do for history, so the rest will be doing them on Fridays, led by the 14-year-old who loves that kind of thing. Computer this year will be Typing Instructor, Gee Art, and Music Ace.

And you'll notice there are no set times. We have them- breakfast is at 8, baby is nursed at roughly 8, 12, 4, and 8, and dinner is usually at 7:30. Everything else fits around those times.

Free time looks miniscule, but the day is pretty flowy, so we get lots of laughing time and enjoying one another around the meal table. PE is fun, and so is reading aloud.

We'll implement this on Monday morning, when our official school year starts, whatever that means. As home educators, all of life becomes the classroom and every moment is an opportunity for learning, no matter the season.

Mom	N (12)	J (10)	A (8)	C (6)	A (3)	C (6mos)
Morn Prep	Morn Prep	Morn Prep	Morn Prep	Morn Prep	Morn Prep	Sleep
Help w/Bfast	Im. in Writing/ Guitar	Im. in Writing/Piano	Make Bfast	w/Mom	w/Mom
Bfast/Nurse	Bfast	Bfast	Bfast	Bfast	Bfast	Nurse
Circle Time	Circle Time	Circle Time	Circle Time	Circle Time	Circle Time
Laundry	Chores	Chores	Chores	Chores	Chores	w/Mom
Math Help	Math	Math	Math	Math	Puzzles	playpen
Read w/C	Math	Math	Math/Piano	Read w/Mom	Books/Tapes	nap
Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	nap
Make lunch	PE	PE	PE	PE	PE	nap
Lunch/nurse	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	nurse
Quiet Hour	VP Omnibus I	Quiet Hour	Quiet Hour	Quiet Hour	nap	w/Mom
School Help	Omni/Copywork	Greek	EFTTC II	Handwriting	nap	nap
	Latin	Editor in Chief	Copywork/Cursive	Computer	nap	nap
	Spelling	Copywork	Spelling		nap	nap
History/Sci	M/T History	M/T/F History	M/T/F History	M/T/F History	table time	nap
	W/Th Science	W/Th Science	W/Th Science	W/Th Science	Color/Draw	nap
Laundry/Nurse	Tidy/Snack	Tidy/Snack	Tidy/Snack	Tidy/Snack	Tidy/Snack	nurse
	Free	Computer	Preschool w/A	Free	Preschool	w/Mom
	Free	Free	Computer	Signing Time	Signing Time
Dinner Prep	Computer	Free	Free	Free	Free
	Eve Chores	Eve Chores	Eve Chores	Eve Chores	Eve Chores
Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
Family Worship	Family Worship	Family Worship	Family Worship	Family Worship	Family Worship	Family Worship

• Share your thoughts • Send to a Friend!

Sharing Thoughts

Untitled Comment - Sep. 14, 2007

Shared by Anonymous

Hi Kendra, in looking at your schedule I noticed that school kinda happens all day. I have a difficult time with doing chores in the morning because it delays school in the morning. But I also like to do school in one lump time of day, like from 9:30 to 1:00 and then lunch. I have three kids, and I find it difficult to meet all their needs at once, obviously. I have one who needs to learn to read, one who struggles in math and another who still likes mom to sit next to her while she gets her work done. Am I missing something? Maybe I should spread our day out some so that I can tend to all their needs at different times of the day.
Susan

• Permanent Link

Untitled Comment - Sep. 14, 2007

Shared by Anonymous

Praying with you as you begin next week! Love, Q

• Permanent Link

For Susan - Sep. 14, 2007

Shared by PreschoolersandPeace

I know it looks like we do school aaaaalllllll dddddaaaaaayyyy loooonnnnnnggg, but really, it doesn't feel that way. We have a good time enjoying the day as much as possible.

I don't think you're necessarily doing anything wrong, you're just doing what works for you. I have always had to manage little ones, and spreading the day out allows me to do just that. I prefer to save the subjects that I need to teach (history, science) until the littlest ones are napping. If I am teaching a reader, I need everyone else to be occupied elsewhere.

But neither you nor I have a better schedule than the other- we're doing what works in our homes, and that's just great!

• Permanent Link

Your 14yo goes to work with dad? - Sep. 14, 2007

Shared by Anonymous

I have been thinking about this since I heard Kevin Swanson (CHEC) talk about taking his son to work also.
My hubby isn't keen on the idea because he does alot of outside sales, and ds would be often have to be in the car by himself (he'll be 14 next month) .
How is it working for you?
Does it help your son work better/faster/be more focused?
Or were those even issues? Wondering what led you to do this?
Thanks,

Debbie C.

• Permanent Link

For Debbie - Sep. 14, 2007

Shared by PreschoolersandPeace

My husband's work makes it entirely possible for our son to be with him- he's a dentist owning his own practice, so it really is ideal. Our son does his schoolwork in a little office in the back, and when he is done he either works in the office (filing, etc.) or runs errands. Quite handy for me- I have had him run errands for me, too!

My husband is in the office four days a week, so our son is home one day working on school with the rest of us.

I don't know if it's helped him to work better/faster/be more focused, but it has caused him to have to be entirely responsible for his studies from day to day. I give him project sheets, schedules, and deadlines that he follows, and on the days he's home I can oversee what he's working on.

What led us to do this was that we saw how being with his dad could be a real asset in terms of his maturity. And in the year he's been going to work with his dad, he has really grown in some areas.

Edited by PreschoolersandPeace on Sep. 14, 2007 at 11:57 PM

• Permanent Link

fall schedule - Sep. 16, 2007

Shared by Anonymous

thanks for sharing your busy day- which leads me to my question! do you squeeze in phone calls, quiet time, exercise (you wrote before about a "six" thing), uninterrupted conversations with your husband, bills, LIFE!:) in little pockets of time throughout your day? i find my well getting so dry lately and losing my joy. you wrote about The Champagne of Life but my bubbles are all squished! Help...

• Permanent Link

Well... - Sep. 16, 2007

Shared by PreschoolersandPeace

The schedule makes it look as if all we do is work! But there is a lot of joy in there. And honestly, there isn't much time for personal stuff.

You asked: Do you squeeze in phone calls, quiet time, exercise (you wrote before about a "six" thing), uninterrupted conversations with your husband, bills, LIFE!:) in little pockets of time throughout your day? i find my well getting so dry lately and losing my joy. you wrote about The Champagne of Life but my bubbles are all squished! Help...

I rarely make phone calls. I don't answer the phone unless it's my husband or a call I am expecting. If I have to return calls, I do that during quiet hour or free time in the late afternoon. Other than that, I rely on email because it cuts to the chase and I don't get hung up chatting.

Uninterrupted conversations with my husband happen after bedtime (9 p.m. on) and we do email each other during the day, particularly if there are details we need to discuss without young ears and eyes present.

I'm not exercising right now other than that we all play tennis on Friday mornings. But when I do, it's at night. I am a night person, and mornings don't work for me.

As for "quiet time"... I pray personally first thing in the morning, then I am in the Word with my children during Circle Time and again during Family Worship, and again before bed. We pray throughout the day together. I used to be involved in Bible studies outside the home, but I find my time is precious and so I have created my own Bible study with my children ;) Meatier study occurs during Family Worship. It's a season.

Does that help? I know that when I try to do things outside the scope of my home, my bubbles of joy get squashed, too. So I do things I love with the children- cook, knit, garden, sing, etc.

• Permanent Link