One of the big challenges around here is that I feel like there are not enough hours in a day to train the children how to do all of the things around the house.  By the time we are done with our school time I have so much housework piling up that I don’t really know where to start much less how to get the children involved.  However, I know that they NEED to learn and that I NEED the help around here.  So, here's a new plan that I am trying out.  Each afternoon we have  a Life Skill of the Day!  We already have had great success planning an extra subject of the day for Unit Study and it occurred to me that the same method would be useful in this area too.  We will have to change the schedule weekly to fit in with whatever outside commitments we have…  appointments, need for grocery shopping etc.  But here is how next week is set up:

7AM Chore Time (Get Dressed, Make Bed, Tidy Room, Take Laundry Downstairs)

*Children needing showers need to get up earlier or take bath the evening before.

7:30 AM BREAKFAST and clean-up

8:00 AM Brush Teeth, Clean up Bathrooms, Tidy Upstairs

8:30 AM Family Unit Study Time:  Review a Chapter of ACTS memorization, Pray and Do Unit Study Subject of the Day:

Monday:  Bible History

Tuesday:  Music Appreciation or Art:  currently Classical Magic

Wednesday: Science:  currently finishing up lapbook on SNOW

Thursday: Social Studies, History or Geography:  currently U.S. Geography, Alabama

Friday: “WRITER’S WORKSHOP” (Assigned Creative Writing Topic)

At this time I put a Classical Music CD on very softly.  I find that they chit-chat less and work more peacefully.              

10:00 Math and Math Drill

10:30 Reading and Reading Comprehension

11:00 Take Turns coming to mom for Spelling Drill

* when it is not their own turn they do a penmanship practice sheet or puzzle with their spelling list.

11:30 Personal Bible Study

          Kaitlyn and Jordan :  Bible Quiz :  ACTS

          Ian and Noah:  Secrets of the Vine for Kids

          Hannah:  God’s Little Princess Devotional Bible

11: 15 Each of the 4 older children take turns taking a Mavis Beacon Typing Lesson for about 10-15 minutes each.  The other children do Quiet Reading Time while waiting or help clean up the school room.

Hannah gets to do typing about once a week WITH mommy.

12:15 Children help prepare Lunch, Eat and Clean-Up Kitchen.. (We sometimes have to save Typing for late afternoon on Mondays because we have to leave the house by 12: 45 for Bible Quiz Practice).

1 PM  Monday:  Bible Quiz

           Tuesday-Friday “Recess”/Exercise Time

            (If I get pregnant I may re-institute “Quiet/Nap” Time for my own sanity!  J

2 PM Monday:  Still at Bible Quiz

          Tuesday:  FLOORS (dusting, sweeping, mopping, vaccumming)

           Wednesday: This coming week Wed. will be Errands Day…  planning/list-making, shopping, and organizing/putting everything away once home.  I try to do this every 10 days instead of weekly, so it will shift the schedule from week to week.

            Thursday:  Garbage Day is Friday so on Thursday the children clean garbage from the yard, garage, cars, and house.  They also have what they call P.U.P day…  (that stands for Pick Up Poop).  I call it Doggy Doo-Doo Duty Day! 

            Friday:  This is the perfect day to work on Meal Planning and pre-preps that can be done in advance for the following week.  This particular week my Dad will be visiting and we will be having our Passover Seder on Saturday so we will be working on the components of our festive meal! 

3: 30 Monday:  arrive home from Bible Quiz and get to work on LAUNDRY day!  Children’s drawers and closets get checked and reorganization is ordered, if necessary.  I usually do not do laundry during the weekend so Monday I always need extra help with the laundry chores.  I love to catch up on listening to books, sermons and other information CDs and cassette tapes while I fold clothes and iron.

Tuesday-Friday:  Continuing with 2PM activities until done and then allow for free play.

3:45 Tuesday ONLY:  Leave to Teach Nutrition Class at Life Center (making sure dinner is in the crock-pot before leaving!)   Arrive back home around 5:15-5:30 and finish meal preparations.

6 PM  DADDY’S HOME!  My husband’s arrival home each evening is usually a big, noisy, happy event!

And as soon as he is changed out of his nice work clothes we try to be ready (children help set the table and such) to sit down to dinner.

6:30 Kitchen Duty for EVERYONE.

7:00  Watch TV, read a book, sit outside on the new porch swing, etc.

8:00 Bedtime for Children

10:00 Bedtime for Grown-Ups!  (That two hours is a great time to read, crochet or go blog hopping.  And Wednesday nights is  MOMYS. COM chat night!)

As Spring and Summer approach we will actually cut down on a lot of the “Book Work” and switch to our Summer Schedule…  more hands-on activities, trips down to the lake to go swimming, bike rides, etc.  But this is what we have been doing lately and it seems to be working well.

Post A Comment Send to a Friend!