Wednesday, October 22, 2008 - A day in the life
7:45 - alarm goes off and I ignore it. Husband has already left for work.
8:00 - get up, check the weather, make breakfast for the boys (sausages, brown bread fried in olive oil, melon, orange juice, vitamins). They are both awake (abnormal at this hour for Calvin these days) and reading.
8:15 to 9:00 - the boys eat breakfast, clear the table, unpack the dishwasher, brush teeth (I help Hobbes), wash faces, can't find any jeans, get dressed, turn turtlenecks round the right way, make beds and sit down for school. I get dressed.
9 to 9:30 - I make sure that they boys don't need any help to start working on maths, then have breakfast while standing up in the kitchen reading an article from the Financial Times. I then put on a wash - the 'pee-catchers' that our landlord uses in the bathrooms to protect the carpet. The wash room in our temporary accommodation is outside in the yard. It's a beautiful autumn day - the chestnut horses are brilliant against the grass in the field opposite.
9:30 to 10:30 - I tidy the kitchen, then check maths is going well. I clean the bathrooms, while fielding intermittent questions from Hobbes on adding and subtracting volumes in litres. Calvin is working on sequences, and is groaning about having to draw pictures of some of them.
10:30 - Calvin comes to find me, saying that he needs testing on his science. He has an exam coming up in November, so science is taking up a lot of our time. I ask him to make me some tea, and to write some Chinese sentences while it's brewing. We will then meet in the spare room for biology testing. While he does his Chinese, I sneak into my bedroom to begin this entry.
10:40 to 12 midday - I test Calvin on his biology. Hobbes has a break, vacuums the hall and works on his set reading for the week (finishing The Children of Green Knowe, and finding out if he's read The Little House on the Prairie before)
12:00 to 12: 40 - I hang the clean pee-catchers on the line, eat an apple, make another cup of tea (which I fail to drink) and put some clothes on to wash. Calvin takes a break. I wash and microwave the cleaning cloths.
12:40 to 2:00 - I serve left-over meatballs and bulgur wheat with steamed broccoli and tomato salad for lunch, then take a walk while the boys have a break. The sun is low in the sky, even at midday, and the cows and horses in the fields are feeding on hay. The blackberries are very ripe and sweet - the boys and I gorged on them yesterday and brought home a bowlful for husband.
2:00 to 3:00 - I come back to find that Calvin and Hobbes have begun their Mandarin. I start the dishwasher, then move both on to English and work with them individually: Calvin on consonance and an analysis of 'Ozymandias', Hobbes on 'qu' words then writing a news report. I warm up (and finally drink) that cup of tea. While they do their English, I marinate and roast some chicken pieces, cook ratatouille for husband's supper, and make leek and potato soup for everyone's lunch tomorrow.
3:00 - 5:00 - Calvin moves to today's science revision, whilst Hobbes and I practise the recorder. For the first time he is playing an accompaniment to my singing, which is confusing for him. I send Hobbes back to his set reading while I help Calvin with some more science testing. At 4:30, C does some Latin while Hobbes and I finish off the day with history; we are just completing SOTW 2.
5:00 - 5:40 - Supper is roast chicken, leftover bean casserole, grapes, and new-season apples from Falkland palace. While the boys eat, I sneak into my bedroom for a little computer time. I suddenly remember that the pee-catchers are still on the line outside, and the other clothes are in the washer, so bring in the one and hang up the other.
5:49 - 8:15 - bus trip to town for Calvin's Taekwondo. We are taking the bus when we can to cut down on pollution. Calvin decides at the bus stop that we've reached long-underwear season. Hobbes runs around with the other kids before class, then I take him for a walk around town. We go and look at some Rosa Rugosa, growing on the cliffs. I'm thinking of planting a couple in our new garden, so I want to see it in all seasons. It still has beautiful red hips.
8:15 to midnight - boys to bed, G&T, conversations with husband, clear up kitchen, tidy out a kitchen cupboard (we have a mouse at present), chocolate, long bath with a book.
A good day. Calvin managed maths, English, Mandarin, Latin and tons of science, as well as an hour of Taekwondo. Hobbes achieved maths, English, Mandarin, history, reading and recorder, plus ten minutes of flat-out running and an hour of walking. And I? Almost two hours of walking, a little pollution avoided, an hour with a book, some household tasks completed, and lots of hugs. An unusually good day.
Comments
Thursday, October 23, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em>
Posted by Kim
That sounds like a delightful day! As a parent of much younger homeschoolers, I take such inspiration from you and other homeschool blogging moms of kids older than mine. I hope we have days as lovely when mine are of age!
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It really does get easier. My two can work much more independently now, so walking away from the table and getting other things done is becoming possible.
Laura
Edited by laurainchina on Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 7:30 AM
Thursday, October 23, 2008 - Great Post!
Posted by Lorna
I love reading 'Day in the Life' stories. They are so much more revealing and readable than lists of books covered and page numbers covered.
Inspiring!
Thursday, October 23, 2008 - Request to Republish
Posted by Liz
Hi, a friend referred me to your site, and I wondered if you'd like to re-post this to www.threebrightstars.com. I'm running a "Day in your Life" feature there, and this would be perfect! Let me know. Email liz.brightstars@gmail.com
Friday, October 24, 2008 - memories of a good day
Posted by Anonymous
I relish your mention of cultural specifics during your day. I'm in Chicagoland and peculiarities of this suburban culture strike me also. I'm also amazed by the boys' studying other languages and preparation for global citizenship. Did you and your husband study foreign language in childhood? Diane @ expeditionswithg3.blogspot.com
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Thank you for your kind words. I studied French, Latin and a little Spanish at school, then went on to do French at university. I later moved to Asia and learned Mandarin. Husband did a little French and Spanish at school, but then concentrated on Chinese at university.
Laura
Edited by laurainchina on Friday, October 24, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Sunday, October 26, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
As a relative newbie to homeschooling, I'm alway interested to read how others go about it. Thanks so much!
-Urban Mom
http://countrydayacademy.blogspot.com
(Valerie in Chicago over at WTM)
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 - Mandarin
Posted by Anonymous
I'm just curious what curriculum you use for teaching Mandarin. My kids (12 & 9) respectively have been learning Mandarin for a number of years and have recently switched from "My First Chinese Reader" series to the "Chinese Made Easy" series ...
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The boys are fluent in Chinese, so they now attend community Chinese school on Saturdays. Most of the other pupils speak Chinese as their home language. The school uses a curriculum that was written for use in community schools in the UK - I doubt if it's generally available. Sorry not to be more helpful - I was previously considering using Ni Hao, which is an Australian curriculum.
Laura
Edited by laurainchina on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 4:09 PM
Wednesday, December 10, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Thank you for this...I loved hearing about your day.
