Hello there, welcome in! Today I want to share a little window into our homeschool life. Every day is a little different but this is just a regular weekday rhythm. Here in our home, we thrive on a combination of routines, habits, and checklists to keep us productive. The awesome thing about homeschooling is that you are the one who gets to decide what your day looks like. Maybe you want to keep a tight schedule in the morning so you can have an afternoon open for other activities outside the home, or like us, enjoy a flexible approach. I will be writing more blog posts on what we use for our independent checklists and also for chores. (Sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss it.)
Alice laughed. ‘There’s no use trying,’ she said: ‘one CAN’T believe impossible things.’
‘I daresay you haven’t had much practice,’ said the Queen.
‘Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.’ “
━ Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass
Our Daily Rhythm
7:30/8 AM ━ Good Morning
The kids usually head straight for the living room and pick up a book or stack of picture books. (Having a rule of no screens before breakfast is helpful.) I love seeing them enjoying reading or the youngest with a pile of books, sometimes carrying them outside to read. Some of them are a little slow to get around and I don’t see any reason to rush in the morning.
I like to start a load of laundry first thing, it feels productive to hear the washer and dryer going. As a family of six, we have a lot of laundry! I also make sure to check my calendar on my phone to see what is on the day’s schedule for the kids’ online lessons or any appointments or events the family has coming up.
8:30 AM ━ Breakfast
They usually make their own breakfast. Cereal or fresh eggs and toast is usually on the menu. We keep things simple but sometimes we’ll make a full breakfast. Coffee will be made in our bialetti on the stove and the kids occasionally have tea. (We love PG tips!)
9 AM ━ Chores and getting ready for the day
Now’s the time for getting dressed and groomed, making beds, and then taking care of the animals and outdoor plants. My middles (age 10) take care of the chicken’s food and water and letting them out for a while. Then they care for the guinea pigs food and water and feed the fish. Afterwards, they water the outside plants and garden. My eldest (12) does the dishes and cleans up from breakfast. The littlest one (6) usually occupies her sisters outside and sometimes watches the chickens while they get some free range time. All the girls bring the eggs as they are laid. We usually know when we have a new egg because of the ‘egg song’ the hens sing in celebration of laying an egg.
As for myself, after getting ready for the day, I usually try to assess any pressing chores and take care of those or delegate them to one of the kids. During this time I also do a short violin practice (I’ll do scales and exercises and work on repertoire later in the evening.) I feel it is important to have my own interests outside of mothering and homeschooling and though it is hard to fit things in, small sections of time are always available if you look for them.
10 AM ━ School Time
Language classes and independent work.
This block of time extends until lunchtime and it’s usually when we get most of the schoolwork done. Math, free reading, copywork, some of the readings from their curriculum (Ambleside Online,) piano practice, and a few other things are done independently. One of the things we have been enjoying using for independent work is Outschool. They’ve been taking live online language classes and some art lessons. The youngest is doing Spanish three times a week while the other three are learning French.
Helping the youngest child.
For the Little One, we are still in her Year 0 or Kindergarten year where we are not yet doing formal education. I spend a few days a week working on some math and phonics but most of her time is spent in play and activities like painting, playdough, puzzles, or listening to audiobooks. She spends a lot of time playing outdoors.
Noon ━ Lunch
They typically make their own lunch of sandwiches or easy meals they can prepare. Other times I will cook a light lunch or reheat something from the previous day’s dinner. During lunch, we usually talk about their readings. I enjoy the conversations that come up from the books we are all reading, they’re always ready to share what they are learning. Instead of quizzing them I ask general questions and try to facilitate discussion.
1 PM ━ After Lunch
I like to use mealtimes as anchors. After lunch and after we have cleaned up the kitchen, I check in again with where they are on their checklists with independent work. Once they are finished, then we do readings they have together in subjects like art study, geography and nature study. I also check in on their recitation practice though they usually practice without my help. My husband will do some reading aloud and listen to their narrations when he has a break from working (otherwise he helps them after work.)
3:00 ━ Coffee time and snacks
Ahh, the reward of the day. I feel so lucky to be able to share a cuppa with my spouse since he works from home. When the kids hear the water boiling they run to get a snack. When the weather is nice they will bring their snack outside and spend some time there. Sometimes (depending on the weather) they let the chickens out to run.
3:30 ━ Finishing School Work or doing individual activities
If they have already finished their school work for the day they will usually be off playing with their guinea pigs, doing art projects, listening to audiobooks, being outside, or playing games (or putting on a play.). At this time I work on things I need to do; doing some reading, writing, or working on the website.
4/5 PM ━ Preparing Dinner and tidying the house
While I am preparing dinner I ask them to set the table and finish any chores that need to be done to tidy the house. I like to listen to a podcast or audiobook with my noise-cancellation earbuds while making dinner since it helps me relax from the day. By this time I am needing a break from talking and the headphones are a nice way to get a little reprieve.
5:30/6 PM Dinner
We always gather for dinner as an occasion. I like to set a nice tone for dinner with music and sometimes candles and a nice table setting, but I don’t stress about making things perfect every time. It is totally fine if you’re in a season of using paper plates or fast food sometimes for dinners. We’ve been there, the important part is gathering together and making it pleasant.
Pro tip: it is easier to manage crumbs with a tablecloth! If you can get over the fear of ruining nice things, you can enjoy using your nicest linens and (dishwasher-safe) plates for every day. It is fun to involve the kids in setting the table nicely, using cloth napkins on occasion, and even adding touches like fresh flowers and seasonal tablecloths. Put them in charge and they will like the feeling of doing something nice for others. Everyone appreciates the effort and spending time to make things beautiful is never a waste.
For our evening meal we will sometimes have a more gourmet menu if I am in the mood for it but most days it is something like tacos and rice or burgers and salad. I try to do one nice meal a week and keep the rest very simple. (Some days are great for a “breakfast” dinner.)
If we have dinner early enough we enjoy going to the park for a walk or to play tennis. Either way, right after everyone is done eating we pull out our scripture memorization cards and recite them together. It has been a wonderful practice, and I have loved memorizing scripture along with them. Sometimes we also learn and sing a new hymn at this time.
6:30/7 PM ━ Music Practice
Everyone trades off practicing while the other gets ready for bed. Imagine the cacophony of a music school and the sounds of a girlie sleepover all at the same time and you’ll get an idea of what this hour is like in our home. This time of day I usually slip into my drill-sergeant persona until everyone has gotten their turn at the bathroom and shower and completed their evening practice.
8:30 ━ Bedtime for the kids
That’s the end! Thank you for getting this far in reading. Let me know in the comments what you relate to most in your home.
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