The Perfect Schedule

The whole crew! :)

As someone who tends toward being a little "random" in my thinking and life patterns, I am always looking for the "perfect schedule." That would be the schedule that gets 6 kids homeschooled (we've got 1 in college) and the house cleaned and the laundry done well enough that all have something to wear with time left over for a lot of ministry and a little enjoyment on the side. It's a TALL order indeed! You know the adage, "work smarter not harder"? That's always the goal. 

Even a great schedule doesn't last forever. This realization has brought great freedom to me. Often I feel defeated when a schedule I've implemented collapses and ceases to be effective. I feel guilt over a lack of commitment to it and frustrated to be back at the drawing board. I blame my random ways for not being able to hold onto that thing with a vice grip I am sure it was meant to have.

But life changes, and quickly. I don't think any schedule is meant to last. You've got to ride the wave making appropriate adjustments to stay afloat. 

So right now I am beyond excited to find a schedule that is semi-working. 

~7:00 a.m. Wake the troops and get the showers going. Teen #1 showers first so he can get started earliest on school, followed by youngest 4, followed by teen #2 who is more of a night person and starts school later.

~Breakfast follows shower.

~Independent subjects start and I pick one of youngers to work with mom and they take turns through the morning. Get the bulk of your work done and ask for a break to play, and you'll likely get it! Break time usually includes time outside to run off some energy! At the end of the morning, I catch up with teen #1 to see if he needs help with anything.

~10 a.m. usual comes in the midst of the above and is the time the younger 4 stampede to the pantry for a snack! 

~12ish Lunch time, followed by Bible time for all 6 with me. 

~Following Bible time is chore time. The older 2 right now are training the younger 4 to do chores. All 6 kids already put away their own laundry, keep bedroom tidy, clean up after themselves including plates and such after meals. I find is all 6 add one chore that is in addition to all they do for themselves, we keep the house presentable. My teens take care of "after supper clean up", which is when I am D.O.N.E. so that is a huge blessing!

~After chore time teen #1 finishes and teen #2 (who does easier subjects in the morning) tackles the hard stuff. I finish anything undone with the older 4 and check on teen #2 to see if she needs help.

~3 p.m. brings another mad dash to the pantry for a snack. I run any errands needed (which I tend to avoid like the plague but is necessary probably 2 times per week). 

~5 p.m ish is supper.

~7:30 p.m...yet another snack!

~8:30 p.m. is bedtime for youngers.

~10 p.m. ish is bedtime for olders.

In there is some science experiments we do with a friend, an English class for our teens once a week and a french club for one teen once a week. I have a Bible study here on Thurs. mornings. So this schedule has guaranteed interruptions. But, for today, it's working!!! we can allow for invites from friends and other fun (like community pool time, seeing a good movie, etc.) We seem to have enough consistency that We'll see how long it lasts!! Maybe 'til spring?