Groovin' Through Our Day

I revamp our daily routine as needed, usually once or twice a year. I think over what we've got in our week, what we need to fit in, what should get taken out, and what we'd love to add. Then, I make a "pocket" in our day for each thing.

When people see something like this, I think there's a temptation to assume our day is extremely busy, that we're trapped under the burden of "keeping our schedule". Actually, for us, it's very life-giving. I can chill- because I know when I will do the stuff I need to do. I can relax, and we go with the flow- we do what we're doing now, and we'll do the next thing next.

When I think of something that needs to be done, I write it down, fitting it in to one of the pockets of time in my day that is open and assigned for just those very types of random things.

We also plan out plenty of time to be alone, time to just relax and read- for ALL of us. And, our kids always know what to expect- children LOVE the form of a schedule- to know what to expect, what's coming. It gives them a feeling of comfort and safety, a pace to follow through their day.

Having a well-planned schedule is FREEEEDOM to just live and enjoy the moment. I've found if I don't make time for things, they just don't happen. This is the best way to live our day free, and the right kind of full. It's the form and freedom, as Francis Schaeffer would say.

After a week or so, the new times are set in my head, and our kids have a great sense of the new pace of our day, and I barely look at the list. You'll notice there's plenty of free time in there for doing whatever we want- for me, and for my kids. Also, there's a ton of time between our last "thing" of the day before dinner, and the time we eat. So if something comes up, good or bad, we just go with it, then get back on the train when we can. I very rarely deviate from this flow, because I don't have to. We just push everything up or back, and no matter what, we almost always end up fitting it all in and more before 6.

Remember, it's not oppression. It's freedom.

I posted our current daily routine around this time last year, and people still reference it, and ask me about it, and amazingly, it's helped a few people. So, just in case you're curious, here's our newest one.

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5:30 or 6 Mom Up, Quiet Time, Shower, Computer time

7.3 Kids Up, Dressed, Room Picked Up

Breakfast

Hair and Teeth brushed

Clean up kitchen and house

School Begins

9 Bible Memory
[Current AWANA Books]

Language Arts
[Reading, usually with Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons for 15-20 minutes,

then: Spelling/Phonics Practice, Dictation, Correspondence]

9.3 Math
[Saxon, Various games etc.]

10 Feature Study with Narrations and Other Applications
M History/Geography
T Fine Arts
W Story Time (10:45) and Morning Out
T Science
F Flex Day
[Work on special areas, such as applicable arts and crafts, games, reading and narration of

extra stories (topical, seasonal, or myths/legends/fables), cooking, etiquette,

photography, serving others, reviewing or catching up on missed lessons from the week.]

Alternate those projects with trips out- to the Pavilion, the Zoo, shopping, or trips to the

park. These can be done simply for fun, or combined with scavenger hunts, nature

journaling or sketching, and other various activities.

11 Free Time for Kids, House Time and Dinner Prep time for Mom

11.3 TV Time for Kids, Time for Mom to catch up on whatever she wants

12.3 Lunch

1 Read Aloud, 1 library book each

1:30 Nap Time for Lily and Hudson

Quiet Time for Grace and Patience
[May read books and listen to library books on CD with pillows in the school room. Must

journal one page per day, with pictures and simple sentences, inspired by their current

books.]

Quiet Time for Mom to rest, read, or blog.

2.3 One on One Reading to Mom (Look-Say method with age-appropriate readers and poems etc): Grace 15 minutes, then computer time, Patience 15 minutes, then

computer time

3 Piano Lessons, 15 minutes each, review music theory along with lesson

3.3 Lily and Hudson wake up

[Kids clean up while I make snacks]

Read 1 Living Chapter (Reading from a classic, great novel for children), then free time

Start Dinner as needed

6 Eat Dinner

Clean up kitchen and house

Free Time, Prep for next day of school (Mom),
Choose clothes for the next morning, Set alarm clock

8 Hudson Bed, Girls Prep for Bed, Devotion time with Dad, Bedtime

Now Jim and I hang out, catch up on episodes online, read, whatever, until we go to bed.

And that's our day.