Scheduling! House cleaning! and Summer School! Attempt #1

One of the sessions I took at Homeschool Convention this year was a class on scheduling.  I have never liked the idea of scheduling by the clock and prefer the idea of routines better but the speaker (whose name I've forgotten) convinced me that maybe some scheduling (by the clock-YIKES!) would make everything go much smoother in our house.  With 4 kids in 4 different "grades" and the need to start teaching the older one (or two) some self motivation techniques, I think this might be the year to just take this plunge.  So I've been thinking/making one before we start some summer school (tomorrow).

Actually, I've been working on it before now but less "officially"...My part so far has been to set an alarm and get up in the morning at 6.  That way I get some quiet alone time to read my Bible, pray, and do some journaling.  I hate mornings but I love being able to have that time.  I also get a little time to check email and facebook without the kids.  I can't expect them to start disciplining their time without first disciplining mine. :)

I have also built a weekly cleaning schedule so that each room will be cleaned (dusted, vacuumed, etc) each week.  It also works the kids into this schedule and no one will have a ton to do.  We should be able to keep the house clean in around 30 minutes a day (15 minutes to clean a room and a 15 minute dash n stash before daddy gets home each day) plus the time it takes me in the kitchen to keep it clean....that room is just continually a mess since everyone seems to want to eat multiple times each day.  ;)

This is our new trial weekly cleaning schedule.  Each person is given a different chore for the week (floors, surfaces, walls, windows).  And we'll clean a different room each day.  Tuesdays are for toilets and the division in the bathrooms will be done differently.  And on Wednesdays I will do the next item on the rotating chores list to do some of those things that are required less frequently while the kids maintain their desk area.  We'll see how it works.

I took the plunge and while home from church with a sick kid, I made a daily schedule.  It starts at 6 am and runs through 5.  Evening time is family time and we will do family things....no schedule necessary.  This is our summer schedule with only an hour of school time.  Of course, it is going to get much more complicated (and difficult) once we are doing a full school schedule.  But I think this is a good practice run!

This is our first attempt at a daily schedule "by the clock".  I did it in half hour increments and we'll see how that works. I made the blocks nice and big so I can jot down notes of what did and did not work and make adjustment in the next bit.  Then hopefully, I'll be able to successfully make a daily schedule for school time.   

While I was doing it...I went ahead and made out a lesson plan for the week...we're going to do some geology with Mr. Hibb and start the Lego Quest.  The boys will all be working on math again.  And we'll do Smart Kids Launchpad on Fridays (for math).  Only doing school 4 days/week with one day spent at a day camp offered at a local church.  The great thing about all of these plans is that they are not very school like at all!  Mr Hibb is FULL of experiments with just a little reading in between times.  The Lego Quest is just a great way to be more creative and open up some options with legos.  And the launchpad are all activities.  Math and reading is the "schooliest" school work.  They will also have the option to start spanish and keyboarding now (or waiting till later), it is all computer based so I think they maybe will like it.

Lets get this party started!!!!  But not till Monday at 6 AM...don't want to throw the schedule off.  ;)