A "Doable" Schedule

Here's my #1 sneaky guy who loves to tamper with my schedule

I know I said in my previous post that I had posted my schedule from last year, but in looking back I realize that it was from the year before......boy does time fly!  

I love schedules and over the years I have learned that the best thing about a schedule is that it gives you a plan, kind of like a skeleton for your day.  I don't think anyone, especially moms of little ones, should be a slave to the schedule or put timers all over the house to keep everyone on task. I'm not that rigid.  But many people think that schedules are too restraining, but really I think they are freeing.  To know that you have your day planned and will get done what really needs to get done and not just let the day get away from you, is SO nice.  If you haven't tried a schedule, please do.  A great book if you have 2 or more children and especially if you homeschool, is "Managers of Their Homes", by Teri Maxwell.  I know I have recommended it before, but it can give you a vision for schedules.  It's a little "over the top" and now I just do a version of what she does.  You can see the picture of my daily homeschool schedule down below.  But I will write my schedule easier to see without all the specifics.  One thing I do for my homeschooling hours, is divide my morning into 30 minute segments and have the children rotate through the "segments." But pay attention!.... One thing you must do if you have little ones, is to build margin into your schedule.  So, even though it really might not take 30 minutes to clean the kitchen or for a child to practice piano, you have time built in for the unexpected.........the baby has an explosive diaper, the child can't find their piano books or school books, the 7 year old is starving and must have a snack,the toddler dumps out a whole box of cereal (these things happened to me today during our morning : ) The 30 minute segments I have for my 1st-6th graders are as follows:

math on the computer

practice piano

time with mom

seat work to finish assignments

watch little ones

So here is our daily schedule:

6:00 Wake-up, outside for daily walk/jog
7:00  Quiet time, prayer and Bible reading (this includes                  
          all those awake)
8:00 Breakfast,clean-up, morning chores, kids get dressed
9:00 Dress little ones then I shower.  Older kids start 
        school, ie math drills, hand writing and whatever else
         they can start on their own.
9:30  Group time with everyone.  This includes prayer and
         Bible reading, Classical Conversations memory 
         work, history or science reading. Brief snack time.
10:30-12:30 Kids do their 30 minute increments and I 
          spend 30 minutes with each child going over their
          school work.
12:30 lunch and clean-up
1:00  my time with Christian and kids have "recess"
1:30-2:30 Reading time and finish assignments for school
          age kids and little ones down for naps (I rest and 
           read too)
2:30 If kids have read and done all their school, then 
        they get to watch one TV show (reruns of course : ) I 
         catch up on emails and blog.
3:00-5:00  Extracurricular activities, play outside, chores
5:00  Dinner prep, play with little boys
6:15 Dinner, family time, clean-up
7:00-8:00 Baths, reading time with Dad, little ones down
8:30-9:00  Others to bed
9:00-10:30 Read, watch news, time with hubby
10:30  Lights out