9/04/2012

Our First Day of Homeschool

I'm linking up to iHomeschool Network for "Day in the Life".

While no day is the same in our house, I thought I'd write down what happened today (I took notes, and here and there I remembered to jot down the actual time).  

It was a fairly typical homeschool day, give or take some subjects.

I don't wake my children, nor do I get up before they do (usually).  I think it would be nice if I was that organized and determined to wake at 5 and get stuff done, but I'm not.  I'm mostly just tired.  ;)

We started by reading in Proverbs (this is something that I did for about half the year last year, but eventually let it slip because we have family devos at night...I'd like to stick with our morning Bible time this year).

Then, the kids got ready for the day.  They made their beds, got dressed, and came out for breakfast.

8:15 - We had breakfast.  We have cereal or oatmeal most mornings.  I let them choose what they want.

Clean up from breakfast - Emilia and I did dishes while Jonny folded clothes and the little boys fought over their cars.

Tommy got sent to his room.

8:45 - Emilia, Jonny, and Matthew at table to do Horizons Math.  Tommy, not to be left out, colored.


The little boys left to play (i.e. fight, wrestle, run) as soon as Matthew was finished with his math.

Emilia and Jonny did Sequential Spelling with me.

9:35 - Emilia and Jonny did Language Lessons with me.

Snack break for the boys because they were "starving!" (By the way, who else feeds their kids shredded cheese because they want it, but then - every time - remembers what a horrible idea it was?  Cheese.  Everywhere.)

10:20 - Kids started folding the MOUNTAIN of laundry (we camped over Labor Day) while I ate a tomato (the best huge tomato, from someone else's garden since I have no garden...yummy!) 

I read the Mystery of History to the kids.  We learned about Ivan the Terrible.  By "we", I mean "Emilia and I" because the only time Jonny listened was when I read that Ivan gouged out someone's eyes.  Now, that got his attention.  Go figure.

Then, I got a phone call to discuss our new homeschool group, and all craziness inside my house broke loose.  Emilia was folding clothes while the little boys ran through her piles because Jonny was (allegedly) encouraging them to do this.  She wasn't happy.  Fun times.  

When I got off the phone, I declared that we were finished with school.  We then left for celebratory ice cream and a trip to the library.


It wasn't a perfect day.  It wasn't planned to the tiniest detail.  But it was a good day.  And, even better?  I didn't get stressed (like I have been known to do) about the MOUNTAIN (this picture isn't even showing the huge pile near the laundry room) of laundry staring at me in the living room.  

I just continued on with our studies and finished folding the laundry later.  (Thank you Lord for that.  :) )



Hope you all had a good first day as well!


7 comments:

Blissful Blooms said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

What a great first day! That pile of laundry looks quite familiar! Hope you have a great second day with less laundry! :)

Jennifer said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

What a fun post!

"I don't wake my children, nor do I get up before they do (usually). I think it would be nice if I was that organized and determined to wake at 5 and get stuff done, but I'm not. I'm mostly just tired. ;)"

That comment made my day! Ok, so I still get up later than you eat breakfast but it is so nice knowing I am not the only mom who doesn't get up before her kids -we can't both be bad moms, right? ;-)

So do your kids all wake at the same time -I noticed you read Proverbs before anything else?

Ahh, Noah and Tommy would make good coloring buddies before heading off to wrestle -two of Noah's favorite activities -plus playing cars! Noah colors until bored while we school too :-) (We had a ream of paper bound for him at Office Max so I don't have paper lying about -and I think it might last us 4 years -it was a ton of paper!)

What are Language Lessons?

Snack break: I have really got to add this to our morning -but it is SO hard for my task oriented self :( This might be my sole goal for the school day tomorrow, hehe!

We finished our studies but my laundry mountain remains -only two loads done (and only one of those folded) today, none put away... oh well, they will still be there tomorrow! Having Hannah join me on a "date" to my OB appt this afternoon was way more productive than laundry anyway! (or at least that is what I am telling myself!)

Darcy said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Sounds like a pretty darn good first day, my friend! Hope the mountain has been demolished!

Heidi said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Jenn,

Ha! Glad I could make your day! ;)

Yeah, the kids basically wake up around the same time. A lot of mornings they will watch a couple shows on PBS before breakfast, so the sound of the TV will often wake them (they def. don't want to be left out of that!!). And sometimes I'll wake a very late sleeper - usually a school age kid - although today I woke Matthew up, but not that often because I figure they must have needed that sleep.

I have a link for Language Lessons in my curriculum post. It's a Charlotte Mason inspired workbook put out by Queen Homeschool Supplies. Emilia did it last year. I like it!

I usually don't think about snack time until one of the boys is STARVING. Ha! Emilia and I are pretty similar on this. We don't typically need a snack.

Laundry never ends. I've already got another load to fold and put away. Sigh... :)

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

This is the first time I've seen your blog, but I can't tell you what a blessing it was to read about your day. Your children are beautiful, by the way, and they seem very close in age, as are mine. Mine are 7,3,2,&1. Today was our third day of school and quite frankly I've felt overwhelmed all day. I told my husband on the phone that it seems like everything needs done at once, and everything that needs done is of equal importance. It's like there needs to be three of me: a maid to tackle the housework, a nanny to bathe & care for the babies (of course, they all got dirty at the same time!), and the other me can tackle MY mountain of laundry and deal with teaching second grade to my son. I didn't even know where to begin and yet, somehow, I found a way to put the baby girls down for a nap and then spend some time teaching the boys (3&7). Thank you for posting your picture of the laundry in your living room!-you don't know how encouraging that was to me, to know that when someone else gets phone calls, their children get a little crazy like running through laundry, that other people's little boys have fights over cars, you get the picture. In some strange way, seeing your 'realness' has motivated me to keep hanging in there like you do. You obviously do a great job, and I can too!~Rachel

Heidi said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Hi Rachel! Thanks for stopping by. Glad you could relate to our day. You totally can do this! I know that I need to get rid of my "perfect day" expectations because each day will have some not-so-perfectness in it. But, really, those are the good days. The real-life, good days. Blessings on your year! Hope you stop in again. :)

stacey said... Best Blogger Tips[Reply to comment]Best Blogger Templates

Very impressed, faithful one! :-) I love your realness and joy in "what is" as apposed to "what you wish it could be". I LOVED the picture of the laundry piled up on the floor and couch. It is a great reminder that our children will not remember the piled up dishes or laundry on the floor, they will remember the love, dedication, patience, and diligence of their Mommy/Teacher.
Blessings for a wonderful year!

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