Friday, September 11, 2009

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

3 comments:

  1. Love it! It's so nice to see everything you do everyday on paper, isn't it? I am so satisfied when I see all of the work I do!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wonderful, I agree that putting things on paper help. I'm going to have to study this and see where it leads me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love the chart! I'm always interested in what another families rhythm looks like - love the idea of the focus area!

    ReplyDelete