The Rhythm of Our Days

Inspired by the topic ORGANIZATION discussed at my homeschool meeting last night: a copy of our official family schedule. Wake up time is 7am for the boys, and bedtime is 8pm. Everything else is sandwiched between!

For us the schedule is a rhythm, a guide, not a strict task master. We are not slaves to the schedule- we are opposed to slavery in all it's forms!

Here are the rules:

Everyone works during chore times. A child who doesn't want to help has to sit in the room with everyone else, not reading or playing. Once usually is enough to remind them that working together is more fun than sitting alone.

No TV/videos/long phone calls/play dates til school work is done. Period. Miles has his own "school" basket, with special activities and projects to work on during school time.

School is not more or less important than chores, chores are not more or less important than having fun and relaxing, fun is not more or less important than school. If we miss a scheduled period for whatever reason, we just get back on rhythm wherever we should be, not where we skipped out. If we're missing the same periods frequently, or continually off-schedule, that's a clue we need to revise either the schedule or our choices.

Don't sacrifice an unexpected adventure for dishes and laundry, neither sacrifice a calm and happy home life for wild adventures!

If a task isn't done as well as I might do it, oh well. I can't do it all myself, neither do I want to. It's good for everyone to learn all the jobs of the household, eventually, so we rotate. Miles may be in charge of scrubbing the table on Monday, but Avery will do it Tuesday and I'll do it Wednesday. It won't kill us if it's a little crusty once in awhile, and it will eventually get clean, and certainly will get dirtier again, too! Besides, a few germs are good for everyone, right? Builds immune systems and all that....

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Morning: Wash, teeth, dress, make beds, empty hamper, sort and start laundry, make breakfast, set table, unload dishwasher, clear table	Morning: Wash, teeth, dress, make beds, empty hamper, sort and start laundry, make breakfast, set table, unload dishwasher, clear table	Morning: Wash, teeth, dress, make beds, empty hamper, sort and start laundry, make breakfast, set table, unload dishwasher, clear table	Morning: Wash, teeth, dress, make beds, empty hamper, sort and start laundry, make breakfast, set table, unload dishwasher, clear table	Morning: Wash, teeth, dress, make beds, empty hamper, sort and start laundry, make breakfast, set table, unload dishwasher, clear table	Morning: Wash, teeth, dress, make beds, empty hamper, sort and start laundry, make breakfast, set table, unload dishwasher, clear table	Morning: Wash, teeth, dress, make beds, empty hamper, sort and start laundry, make breakfast, set table, unload dishwasher, clear table
Walk: 30 minutes	Walk: 30 minutes	Walk: 30 minutes	Walk: 30 minutes	Walk: 30 minutes
School time: May start supper during break	School time: May start supper during break	School time: May start supper during break	School time: May start supper during break	School time: May start supper during break		church, sunday school, social hour
Make & eat lunch	Make & eat lunch	Make & eat lunch	Make & eat lunch	Make & eat lunch	Make & eat lunch	Make & eat lunch
Story, nap	Story, nap	Story, nap	Story, nap	Story, nap
Quiet activities while little ones sleep: Handwork, reading, other projects	Quiet activities while little ones sleep: Handwork, reading, other projects	Quiet activities while little ones sleep: Handwork, reading, other projects	Quiet activities while little ones sleep: Handwork, reading, other projects	Quiet activities while little ones sleep: Handwork, reading, other projects
Afternoon chore time: General quick pick up, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, table scrub, laundry fold and put away	Afternoon chore time: General quick pick up, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, table scrub, laundry fold and put away	Afternoon chore time: General quick pick up, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, table scrub, laundry fold and put away	Afternoon chore time: General quick pick up, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, table scrub, laundry fold and put away	Afternoon chore time: General quick pick up, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, table scrub, laundry fold and put away	Afternoon chore time: General quick pick up, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, table scrub, laundry fold and put away	Afternoon chore time: General quick pick up, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, table scrub, laundry fold and put away
Focus Area: Kitchen	Focus Area: Bathrooms	Focus Area: Living/Dining	Focus Area: Bedrooms	Focus Area: Family Room	Focus Area: Yard, recycling	Focus Area: Groceries
Walk/Play	Walk/Play	Walk/Play	Walk/Play	Walk/Play
Make and eat Supper, set and clear table, dishes	Make and eat Supper, set and clear table, dishes	Make and eat Supper, set and clear table, dishes	Make and eat Supper, set and clear table, dishes	Make and eat Supper, set and clear table, dishes	Make and eat Supper, set and clear table, dishes	Make and eat Supper, set and clear table, dishes
Bath and story, pjs, teeth, 5 minute pick up	Bath and story, pjs, teeth, 5 minute pick up	Bath and story, pjs, teeth, 5 minute pick up	Bath and story, pjs, teeth, 5 minute pick up	Bath and story, pjs, teeth, 5 minute pick up	Bath and story, pjs, teeth, 5 minute pick up	Bath and story, pjs, teeth, 5 minute pick up
Boys to bed	Boys to bed	Boys to bed	Boys to bed	Boys to bed	Boys to bed	Boys to bed
Prep next day, read, relax	Prep next day, read, relax	Prep next day, read, relax	Prep next day, read, relax	Prep next day, read, relax	Prep next day, read, relax	Prep next day, read, relax