Oh my how hard mornings are:/
It has taken me 13 years but I am learning more and more about how I function. Pretty sure Hannah would have appreciated this a few years ago.
Yep, I no longer start school at the wee hours of the morning. I am cranky, the kids are cranky, the house is a disaster (which I can't function in because I feel like the "house" is yelling at me).
We now have our freetime in the morning and late afternoons. Allows all of us to wake up at our pace. Of course the baby and the little guys are up early but at least I can just sit back and enjoy them vs. barking orders at them because the teens are still down. Because you know we have to make 3-4 trips in there to get them up. Which they reply "why do you have to be so mean waking us up?" I reply "I am nice the first 3 times after that you get what you get."
People ask so here it is - our typical week
(I say typical because chaos will emerge and my order will be gone) but here is the goal....
K-2nd homeschool from 10-noon (only 3 days a week) I have done this from the beginning and because of one on one time we are accomplishing as much as they would in school. I highly recommend 3 days only!!!!
3rd -6th grade school begins at 11:00 with mom (only 4 days a week)
I have to have a day I can put all of my errands, grocery shopping, doctors, etc. as much as possible into my Thursdays. That is their day off and the middle kids watch the younger kids so the older kids can work! They have the super vision of the older kids. The middle kids LOVE feeling like they are in charge. And the little ones love the focused playtime! IT WORKS!
The middle kids can work prior if they want too and often they do. I find they are much happier doing school when I have not demanded it and it is their idea. That shows that sin nature...do what I want to do when I want to do it. Can't blame them....me too:/)
Middle School 7th-9th if they have not started school by 11:00 I "strongly" encourage it! LOL (They do work 5 days a week) typically their help comes around nap/rest time for the others. Their motivation has been to finish your work to be able to play tennis, go to youth functions, or playing ultimate frisbee! They have a strong desire to do all those so eventually that work gets done!
High School 10th and up I allow them to function on their own with me spot checking them. Often they are in charge of their own stuff and get it accomplished because they enjoy earning the right for freedom to play, go out, and run with a crowd. (well, some of them get it done....others, strong willed ones...no names mentioned need a constant nagging to get it done! But we graduated that one she is in Gods hands...LOL/PTL) This age school help comes when they ask for it. Typically, if they are stuck, they are stuck and need help. I have learned now that this help is always asked for around 11:00p.m. at night. Good thing I am a night person!!!! We are learning to laugh at this insight and thankful we heard years ago if you want to talk to teens it will be late at night! SO true, SO true! They truly care less what you have to say earlier in the day when they are on their agenda (hmmmm, sin nature again...oops pretty sure i have the same fault 'myagenda':) I am learning to enjoy how God created them and we take what we can get!
If I have their listening ear at night...I will grab my moment!
Just know this is all a goal! No two days look alike. Some days are smooth and others are disasterous. Overall, I enjoy the freedom to teach/train my children and will gladly take the good with the bad. As Tim Kimmell says, "The days are long but the years are short!" I shall savor these moments as all too soon they will be distant memories!
Enjoy your chaos today!
It has taken me 13 years but I am learning more and more about how I function. Pretty sure Hannah would have appreciated this a few years ago.
Yep, I no longer start school at the wee hours of the morning. I am cranky, the kids are cranky, the house is a disaster (which I can't function in because I feel like the "house" is yelling at me).
We now have our freetime in the morning and late afternoons. Allows all of us to wake up at our pace. Of course the baby and the little guys are up early but at least I can just sit back and enjoy them vs. barking orders at them because the teens are still down. Because you know we have to make 3-4 trips in there to get them up. Which they reply "why do you have to be so mean waking us up?" I reply "I am nice the first 3 times after that you get what you get."
People ask so here it is - our typical week
(I say typical because chaos will emerge and my order will be gone) but here is the goal....
K-2nd homeschool from 10-noon (only 3 days a week) I have done this from the beginning and because of one on one time we are accomplishing as much as they would in school. I highly recommend 3 days only!!!!
3rd -6th grade school begins at 11:00 with mom (only 4 days a week)
I have to have a day I can put all of my errands, grocery shopping, doctors, etc. as much as possible into my Thursdays. That is their day off and the middle kids watch the younger kids so the older kids can work! They have the super vision of the older kids. The middle kids LOVE feeling like they are in charge. And the little ones love the focused playtime! IT WORKS!
The middle kids can work prior if they want too and often they do. I find they are much happier doing school when I have not demanded it and it is their idea. That shows that sin nature...do what I want to do when I want to do it. Can't blame them....me too:/)
Middle School 7th-9th if they have not started school by 11:00 I "strongly" encourage it! LOL (They do work 5 days a week) typically their help comes around nap/rest time for the others. Their motivation has been to finish your work to be able to play tennis, go to youth functions, or playing ultimate frisbee! They have a strong desire to do all those so eventually that work gets done!
High School 10th and up I allow them to function on their own with me spot checking them. Often they are in charge of their own stuff and get it accomplished because they enjoy earning the right for freedom to play, go out, and run with a crowd. (well, some of them get it done....others, strong willed ones...no names mentioned need a constant nagging to get it done! But we graduated that one she is in Gods hands...LOL/PTL) This age school help comes when they ask for it. Typically, if they are stuck, they are stuck and need help. I have learned now that this help is always asked for around 11:00p.m. at night. Good thing I am a night person!!!! We are learning to laugh at this insight and thankful we heard years ago if you want to talk to teens it will be late at night! SO true, SO true! They truly care less what you have to say earlier in the day when they are on their agenda (hmmmm, sin nature again...oops pretty sure i have the same fault 'myagenda':) I am learning to enjoy how God created them and we take what we can get!
If I have their listening ear at night...I will grab my moment!
Just know this is all a goal! No two days look alike. Some days are smooth and others are disasterous. Overall, I enjoy the freedom to teach/train my children and will gladly take the good with the bad. As Tim Kimmell says, "The days are long but the years are short!" I shall savor these moments as all too soon they will be distant memories!
Enjoy your chaos today!
So excited you're blogging! I'll try to be better about keeping my up to date. I never feel like anyone EVER reads mine, but then I'll be somewhere and several people know what is going on and they say, "We read your blog!" Just a heads up, most people NEVER comment. Kind of frustrating. You can check out my kids blogs also. They are linked to mine. Jared and Maci. Molly doesn't have one. Anyway, loved reading yours this morning. Off to strongly encourage school work. ha.
ReplyDeleteThis was so fun to read. And I'm really impressed with how you've got this all worked out. I would love to come and see you all in action! (do you take field trips?) =) I'm excited that you're blogging! I've always loved your family and I know you have so much wisdom to share with us moms that are just getting started on our brood. =) Say hello to Barry for me!
ReplyDeleteYou are such an encourager to me, and your wisdom helps me so much! I'm sooooo glad your bloggin!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited to hear about your schedule. I love to hear what others are doing to make it work. I'm just homeschooling one right now, but I'm still keeping up with three kids three and under while we learn high school literature. We changed things up this year from last year, and it has been good for both the high schooler and myself. Thinking about homeschooling that many kids makes me think there are surely more changes in my future.
ReplyDeleteSarah...we don't do many field trips anymore. I used to do some. But with teenagers, just running them everywhere is our field trips these days. I figure once we get the older kids gone maybe the last 1/2 of these kids will get field trips...LOL Nothing much too impressive about watching us school...it sounds so much smoother than it actually is lived out!
ReplyDeleteDena it was fun to hear from someone I don't know:D I too love hearing what others do. IT either helps enforce what I am doing works or it encourages me to make some changes to make things a little better. I do find each year brings something a little different as the kids change. YOU are definitely a busy mom with 3 children 3 and under! Enjoy your moments with your highschooler it really goes so very, very fast!
ReplyDelete