Schedule help

[joyfulhomeschooler]

I am really nervous about trying to school with a new baby in the same year that we switched curriculum. We are new to HOD this year. So I was hoping to get some feedback on my rough schedule. We are going to be doing Bigger with a 9 and 7yr old. I realize I may have to change this many times to get it right, but is there anything right off that anyone see's that sends up a red flag. Like I said we've never used HOD before so I am unsure of how long or how involved each box will be.

7am Nurse baby while two big kids get morn jobs done
9yr old reads extensions, 7yr old does cursive and explode the code while I finish with the little ones and then start breakfast

8:30 Breakfast and Poetry reading (baby starts nap at beginning of bkfst)
Poetry copywork after done with breakfast while I get myself ready for the day

9am Music & Bible
Rotating Box
English (9yr old R&S, 7yr old FLL after I present R&S lesson to 9yr old)
Spelling & Dictation
9yr old DITHOR 7yr old Reading with me
Science (baby nursing some time around here 10:30-11 usually)
Math (after I explain the topics or go over anything new I put baby down for nap and then make lunch)

12:00 Lunch and History reading
Toddler down for nap after lunch
History activity on that day

12:30-2:00 Quiet time for older two and hopefully the younger two are still napping so I can have some quiet time too.

Now I know this is ideal and that with a new baby you can never count on exactly when they will nap or wake or eat or do anything for that matter... but this is usually what time he sleeps and eats.
So what do you all think? I am all ears, like I said I am very nervous about this year and how it's going to work. This baby came as a total surprise and I never thought I would have four kids. God has his own plans and they outweigh mine apparently He obviously thought I could handle it.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

No one????
BTW story time will be a bedtime read aloud until we get the kinks worked out.
My Bible study is in the AM before the baby wakes or in the evening if I don't get out of bed in time in the morning, which is often these days

What about the rotating box? I was just thinking shouldn't that be done after the history reading? Should I switch the history reading with maybe poetry in the morning?

[happyhome]

I too am schooling the 4- with the surprise baby who is a miracle. I think your schedule sounds perfect. I like that the messy, hands on stuff is left for the end of the day when others are hopefully napping. One suggestion- for the older grades DITHOR is only scheduled for 3 days a week. I didn't realize that and last year was doing BEyond with my 6 and 8 year old and attempting to do DITHOR daily. It put alot of stress on our schedule that I don't think was necessary. So if the day isn't going as planned, I would drop that for the day. I will pray for you- it sounds as if you are going to do great!

[joyfulhomeschooler]

I too am schooling the 4- with the surprise baby who is a miracle. I think your schedule sounds perfect. I like that the messy, hands on stuff is left for the end of the day when others are hopefully napping. One suggestion- for the older grades DITHOR is only scheduled for 3 days a week. I didn't realize that and last year was doing BEyond with my 6 and 8 year old and attempting to do DITHOR daily. It put alot of stress on our schedule that I don't think was necessary. So if the day isn't going as planned, I would drop that for the day. I will pray for you- it sounds as if you are going to do great!

Thank you for taking the time to answer. I didn't know that about DITHOR, thanks! I think I am going to just change the history reading to be earlier since it kind of all ties into that and then leave the rest and see how it goes.

This surprise baby is also a miracle baby Such a blessing too!

[happyhome]

So I am going to bump this up for you, if not help:) I think you are right about the history reading. My other thought is maybe you want to purposely schedule some one on one time with your 2 olders. That way you could work on dictation, R&S while the other one plays with your babies. Then switch, do spelling and FLL with the other while the oldest plays with the babies.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

Great idea! Thanks so much!

[amysconfections]

Sometimes God gives us more than we can handle so we Will rely on him and not our own strength. 4 kids has been really difficult for me but God has met me right when I needed him.

As far as your schedule, I would consider trying to do what you can before lunch and then at nap time for your toddler make some time to rest for yourself. Unless you have a baby who is doing wonderful with sleeping at night, you will have a long year. It is okay to stretch Bigger out to 1 1/2 years. Bigger is very teacher intensive. Probably the most out of all the guides. So pace yourself. You don't want to be so busy this year that you don't enjoy the stages of your toddler and most likely your last baby. Invest in a good baby carrier ( mei tai, moby wrap or maya wrap). It's honestly easier to keep schooling with a baby than with a toddler. If you can take outside breaks in the morning to wear out your toddler and then school when the toddler is napping ( provided you aren't sleep deprived too). You will have to be totally flexible this year. Your babies schedule will change many times. Get the baby used to playing in the play pen alone for periods of time so you can continue this when the baby is crawling. Just enjoy your year. Make the curriculum fit your family.

We did Bigger last year and my boys were 7&9. It was really a tough program for a 7 year old. My 9 year old could have done it on his own. By the end of the year they would sometimes do their own science readings.

[blessedmomof4]

Thank you for your posts, I am expecting my own little miracle very soon, and these suggestions help me relax about it alot