A Day in Our Life

On a good day when Mama gets up early and the kitchen is clean and the coffee is made…

Homeschooling four kids can be a challenge.

7 AM

when we’re ~supposed~ to get up and eat breakfast. Some days, it staggers between 0730 and 0800. I am so not a morning person. I make eggs or coffee cake or cheesy grits or steel cut oatmeal, with bacon and two kinds of sausage. Why can’t they all like the same thing?

Morning chores need to be accomplished before our school day: clean the table, get dressed, brush teeth, make beds…

8 AM

Tori and Katie do their Grapevine Studies Catechism page while I or Elizabeth wrestle Alex into clothes for the day and convince him to brush his teeth.

He’s addicted to his iPad in the mornings (and every other minute of the day) and I have to convince him it needs to “take a nap or eat” so he will join us in the school room.

Often Tori gets her Bible page completed way before Katie even finishes breakfast and then she does her morning routine. Whatever works. She’s the “good one.”

I steal a few minutes to check my email and Facebook or get a blog post started. I need my two cuppas! I often have to remind all the girls to brush their teeth and wash their faces (multiple times). Really?!

9 AM

I get Tori and Katie started on their seat work.

They have a daily journal and math work and word families pages. Some they can do on their own and others they need me to direct them. I try to interest Alex in his workboxes at this time.

I remind Elizabeth that she does indeed have a school daily checklist and she better get started. She uses Alex as an excuse and will play with him every chance she gets. If she would work diligently, she could be finished with 3/4 of her work in about an hour.

Here are the girls’ checklists. I got the idea from here. I got some little Command hooks and they’re in front of their desks on the wall. The girls love it!

Elizabeth has a pink agenda with a monthly calendar and daily checklists. Trying desperately to teach her to manage her time!

10 AM

I do our read alouds on the sofa.

Alex has recently shown interest to join us which is wonderful! He really, really loved our Beowulf picture book last week.

Occasionally, I call to Elizabeth to join us if it applies to her studies. We’re currently reading through Famous Men of the Middle Ages. The only problem is Liz doesn’t want to get back on task.

I love being able to lay all over each other and read on the sofa!

Rubeus enjoys our sofa time. He likes to snuggle and look at the pictures. I swear he understands the stories!

11 AM

I usually give the Tori and Katie a break to play with Alex with his workboxes and other learning toys. They love helping him with his Tot School. It’s a good incentive to get Katie to finish her list. I help Liz move along in her studies. I make sure she’s gotten her Bible, math, and Greek completed, at least. I find my now cold coffee and some days warm it in the microwave or toss it. I steal a few minutes to check email or write.

12 PM

Lunchtime. Liz usually helps prepare this. I like the help, but I know she’s using it as an excuse to not do her work. I think she also wants the time with me. We usually have leftovers or deli ham with fruit and veggies.

1 PM

Naptime for Alex.

No excuses for Liz now since she has time to complete her list! I use this time to teach her any concepts that she needs in history or LA. She gets her notebooking finished during this time. I like this conference time because I love seeing the connections that Liz makes. She really does get it!

2 PM

I finish up anything with the girls: science, crafts, art…

3 PM

Clean up time, especially the kitchen. We make sure Alex is up from his nap so he will go to bed on time.

4 PM

I try to prep dinner and get the table set. Tori often helps. The kids play until dinner time. I try to get in some computer time to blog, check email and Facebook.

5 PM

Dad is home and he and the kids check the garden. Then we’re working on dinner and eating. Wednesdays, the littles have gymnastics.

6-7 PM

Tori, Liz, and I clean up most nights.

Then the kids like to play outside and practice cartwheels and watch the hummingbirds.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, Katie starts soccer practice this week.

8-9 PM

Sometime during this hour, we gather the younguns for baths and bedtime routines. I’ve been really lax with the nice weather and the sun being out so late.

We’ll have to gradually start going to bed earlier. My husband is also worn out and goes to bed with the kids most nights!

I usually stay up until about 11, reading, writing, researching, or watching Doctor Who.

Check out our other posts in this series. Our Curriculum, Our Homeschool Space…