Our Day at a Glance...

Our Day at a Glance


I am sharing this section with you because often I hear questions from people on what the structure of our day looks like and how I handle all that needs to be accomplished in a day.

6:00 to 7:00 – Everyone wakes up, mom is first and kids follow. Everyone must dress, make their beds, comb hair, etc…

8:00 to 9:00 – The Children check the chore chart board and complete their morning chores. (We use the chorganizer program)
I use this time to organize some of the days extra activities/resources. I also use this time to do laundry and tackle my daily to do list. I refer to the days menu and take out meat from the freezer or start the crockpot for the day.

9:00 to 10:00 – Bible Study: We use a daily family devotional that requires the children to memorize as verse and asked character/though provoking questions. They use bible study comps for this. I also read the illustrated Bible in chronological order. I also may read a chapter from History stories for Children by Christian Liberty Press. Matt is involved if he hasn’t left for the day. I have to tell you, something “happens” when dad participates. The children always love bible study and they are on fire for the Lord, but our day seems to go much smoother when Matt joins us for bible study in the morning. Cassie and Tylor also have their teen devotionals they do on their own in the evening. I still read Breanna’s to her before bedtime.

10:00 to 12:00- Seat Work: Cassie usually goes off to do her work on her own. Tylor and Breanna do their daily grammar, spelling, writing/journaling and vocabulary at this time. Breanna is also using handwriting without tears for learning cursive. I will begin lunch preparation at this time. They work pretty independently during seat work.

12:00to1:00 Lunch
1:00to2:00– I work with Tylor in Math while Breanna does silent reading for most of the hour. Breanna usually finishes her Math independently.(once a new lesson is introduced and explained) I am currently using Diane Craft’s multiplication cards with her and Tylor also,

2:00to3:30 –Science or Social Studies rotation. While Tylor reads independently I will work with Breanna and Visa Versa.

3:30to4:00 – Afternoon Chores and homeschool clean-up.

4:00to6:00 –The children usually go outside to play with their friends while I prepare dinner. Occasionally they will help. I like to give them time to play and relax after a long day. I also do allot of thinking and reflection while I cook.

6:00to 7:00- Dinner as a family at the TABLE. There have been studies that prove how important family meals are. (google it) 
The children help me set and clear the table. Cassie and Bre help load the dishwasher while Tylor takes care of the dogs.
7:00to8:00- Finally time to relax!!! We like to have a game night once a week as a family.
8:00to8:30- Breanna gets ready for bed and nighttime devotionals/ story. Bed by 8:45pm

9:30to 10:00- Tylor gets ready for bed. Does his nightly devotionals. Bedtime is at 10:15.
10:00-10:30 –Cassie does her nightly devotionals. Bed by 10:30.

Now, not every day goes like this, but these are considered the good days – LOL I leave one day a week for music and piano lessons. On that day, we get about half the normal school work done. On half days, I require math only and time spent reading, and study spelling words and this type of thing (just the basics). Usually there is another day in the week were we go into town and run errands and do our grocery shopping and again it is usually just a half day worth of school work. However despite the half days we seem to have no problems finishing our Saxon math books each year along with all English lessons and my children are voracious readers and read lots of classic literature for history and read books from the library on science topics (these become the topics of their weekly reports).

We have also taken an occasional *Break* for a day. If everyone is grumpy and I can always tell it will be “one of those days” we take a day off for FUN stuff. We will put a lapbook together or play a game…. Or something. We may just go to the library find a neat book and go to the park for the day. This does not happen all the time…however if you think everyday is going to run perfectly structured and do not allow for unsettled days, you will quickly burn out. It has taken me awhile to accept this. I now have no problem calling up a friend and asking if she needs a *break* also and we will get our kids together. The next day we are refreshed and ready to go. The kids know this isn’t to be taken advantage of.

As for Discipline, I use two methods: Change of Heart time. (child in question will go to their bedroom to think on his or her behavior and come back down with a changed heart.) This may take 5 minutes or 25 minutes. It’s up to them, when they return. I usually ask them why they have a change of heart then we go to the board. I use Wise Words for Moms by Ginger Plowman. I LOVE it. I use it after the change of heart because I want them to “hear” what I am saying. The chart is fantastic. It first list the behavior (such as complaining) Then Heart Probing (questions) Then the Reproof (A Scripture regarding particular behavior) The comes the Encouragement ( Scripture) and finally there are additional verses if you feel more needs to be learned. You can buy her chart here: http://www.amazon.com/Wise-Words-Moms-Ginger-Plowman/dp/0966378660/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213013496&sr=8-1 for 4.00. I have o tell you, this works better than anything because it gets to the heart of the matter. 9 times out of 10 when a child is punished they do not KNOW or understand why. By getting to the heart of the matter it TEACHES them from the word of GOD. We have never really spanked our children. (maybe a few times when they were younger) and they are not wild and crazy heathens. They are well mannered and love Jesus!

Ok, with all that said I cannot say that it is always pleasant and my house ALWAYS looks clean and everyone is ALWAYS happy. We have our “bad” days and sometimes even a bad week. That usually happens when I OVER schedule outings and fieldtrips. Alright, I think I was only planning on summarizing but hey there you go. 