It seems to be a popular thing in our homeschool circle to shoot for getting all school done by noon. Maybe it's our house and the way we do things, but this is nearly an impossible task for us. I don't really see the point. There are days we have something to do in the afternoon and we have to cram it all in in the morning, but on the days we have free afternoons we pretty much take the entire day. It's what works for us.
I get up around 5 a.m. to have some quiet time and start my day in peace. :) Everyone else starts getting up around 7 a.m. and by 7:30 a.m. we are eating breakfast. We take our time at breakfast because that's when we read through the Bible with The Bible Story series. I read aloud while the kids are eating since they have their mouths too full to talk. :) We all go around and try to say the memory verse for the week. Then I crank up the praise music and we have chore time. Usually this involves the little ones taking a wet wipe around to the walls and windows, which works perfect. :) Allie and Maggie help sort and put away laundry, sweep, or put dishes away. (If they participate in chore time cheerfully each day, at the end of the week they get an allowance). Allie's chores now include watering the garden, and the little ones usually like to join in:
After chores, Allie and Maggie practice their violins for about 20-30 minutes:
It's usually during this time that I "work" with Penelope at the kitchen table, since she wants so badly to "do school". I have some kindergarten stuff I'm doing with her and she loves it, but we're going at a slow pace and trying to make it last all year. She's just so eager!
Samuel and Rosemary are usually busy playing during this time, with the occasional "Hold me Mommy!" from Rosemary and kisses in the air from Samuel. He is so sweet lately. He has learned to kiss the air and kiss me on the lips. He will stop what he's doing when he sees me across the room, light up a smile and blow me kisses from across the room. Also I call him "Bubba" a lot. He will look at me and say, "Momma. . . Bubba. . . muah muah muah muah." :) I love it.
By this time we usually have about an hour before lunch. Allie works on some subjects independently, like Math or Language, with me as her tutor when she needs help. I work primarily with Maggie during this time. Today she read these sentences and matched them with the right picture (effortlessly, I might add- she is a great reader! :)), and then we did some Apple Fractions:
Then everyone pitches in with getting lunch on the table. During lunch, we do a little Geography all together with the globe, and I read aloud again. After lunch everyone helps put the dishes away and the littles take naps. During their naps, Allie and I have about an hour to do "tea time". We go through different Bible study books together. Right now we are doing "Raising Maidens of Virtue" and loving it. I look over her work from the morning and get her going on whatever is left in the afternoon- usually Science or Social Studies. Today in the afternoon she used the Scientific Method to investigate why certain lights in Rosie's room were flickering. She found the answer! My little scientist! :) She tries to be done by 3 so she can play with other kids in the neighborhood who are just getting home from school. Usually her little sisters follow her outside and they also have playmates in the backyard while I get dinner ready. Once Brian gets home, I try to do nothing more than hang out as a family.
Voila! A Day in the Life of the Rodgers Family. :)
I too love catching a glimpse into other Homeschool homes. I particularly enjoyed the reading while mouths are full. Hahaha! Classic. And that sweet boy of yours blowing his momma kisses. Makes my mouth water. Sweet thing. Thank you for sharing.
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