Jan. 3, 2007 - How we try to guard our school time
As busy homeschooling mom life often interrupts our school schedule. I always have a book ready for those times to at least be reading to my children. I also try to protect my time as much as I can from phone calls, housework, errands, and e-mails. I set at least three days a week to be home then I have one for appointments like doctors, orthodontist etc. (at one time we had two weeks with three days a week out I was going crazy so now I have one day for appointments-Thursdays is that day for us)
Setting aside three long days home helps keep the schedule of schooling and still leave time to appointments and also fieldtrips. This is helpful also for the kids to know on the days we are home school in important and they enjoy it more.
I try to start a load of laundry before school and keep it going and fold after school work in complete. I like to have the kitchen clean before we start and the kids help with chores like the house being in order. I try to have a plan for lunch and dinner before we start school, this way I can start thing ahead to make our home run as smoothly as possible.
I do accept phone calls but attempt to make them as short as possible. And get back to school as soon as I can. I do have activities for the kids when I am on the phone. They can do a typing program on the computer, listen to Spanish tapes or CD-Rom, practice guitar or practice for a church musical.
I try to schedule appointments all on the same day that way it doesn’t mess up our whole week, and I only due errands when I am already out.
I like to be open to ministry opportunities, like taking a meal to a sick friend or a new mom. My kids recently had an opportunity to work at our local soup kitchen during the day. Had I not answered the phone we would have missed that special opportunity. My mom also often comes by and we try to stop school long enough to make her feel welcome in our home. But she understands that our school is important to us.
Ministry opportunity is a very important part of our lives so we want to stay open to the opportunities that the Lord guides us to and not say no to everything because it comes at a time we should be doing school work. The school work can wait. That is another reason we homeschool year round. This summer our plan will be to take Mondays off to go to the beach and school Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and if we need to Friday. But I hope to have Friday to prepare for the weekend or see friends who don’t want to go to the beach with us on Mondays.
