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Loving the Learning
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Time Management 101
I've always been fairly good at managing my time. Sure, there are times when I get involved in a project or a book or a computer game and totally lose track of time. But for the most part, I am able to get done all the things on "my list" and have a little time to spare for fun. Since our first year of homeschooling just started this week, I've had to reevaluate how I spend my time before and after schooling.
Before homeschooling, we had a routine, but it wasn't very rigid. Meal times, snack times, nap times, and bed times were standard, but what we did in between wasn't. The boys may get up as early as 7:30 (J as early as 6:45 sometimes!) or as late as 9:00. I rarely let them sleep past then or it would throw everything else off kilter. Now they're up at 8:00 every morning, dressed and fed and teeth brushed by 9:00, when C starts his school day with math. During that hour I also do any kitchen jobs that I didn't finish the night before and get a load of laundry started.
After about an hour or so of schoolwork, we take a short break. While C plays on the computer or watches a video, I continue with my laundry, then we start our reading time. After about 20 minutes of reading, we take another break. The boys snack while I check my email and update our daily homeschool log. Then it's on to science, if that's on the schedule for the day. If not, the boys play while I vacuum or clean one of the bathrooms or one of my other chores. I'll take a short break before fixing lunch, then after we eat, we'll play or read or work puzzles until naptime.
Oh, naptime. That wonderfully quiet time each day when I can do what I want without interruptions! Well, almost. C doesn't actually nap. Instead, he stays in my room and plays on his computer or builds with Legos or K'Nex or watches a movie. Occasionally he comes in the living room to tell me something or ask me a question, but it's nothing major. In my truly free time I can blog or crochet or read or anything else I want to do for two hours. Here is where I end up wondering where my time went.
All of a sudden, it's 4:00 and time for the boys to get up and have their afternoon snack. After that we play or read or whatever until time for me to cook supper. I usually have a weekly menu prepared so I don't have to wonder what I'll fix, but sometimes I don't get around to doing that. Like this week. So I guess when I finish this, I'll see what ingredients I have and decide what we'll eat tonight. Maybe I'll go ahead and plan next week's menu. Oh, and work on next week's lessons. I guess my free time isn't totally free, is it? |
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Monday, August 29, 2005 - Untitled Comment
God Bless,
Gena Suarez, Publisher
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com