schedule help please

[ninipelley]

I know there have been alot of posts on schedules here, but I am looking for specifics here.
(Wish I could hire some one to make me a schedule.)
4 kids. 1 mom!
Larissa /Bigger
Asher/LHFHG
Ella/just turned 3 (she DOES NOT take naps & is busy busy busy)
Erin /just turned 2
It 's complete chaos here with no quiet times or interruptions. AHHHH. I'm spending hours trying to come up with schedule ideas

The middle 2 are very energetic and SOO hard to keep on track. (ADHD) They are only cooperative/quiet if I let them watch a movie & I am not wanting to go this route daily. I'm good with a 30min supervised video though.
Any help/advice greatly appreciated.
I am RIPPING my hair out over here people.
THank you
NICI

[blessedmomof4]

Hugs to you! It's been a while since I've have little ones underfoot, but as you can see by my kids' ages, they are similar in age span to yours, so I know I must have felt like you at some point! One suggestion I would make is that your 3 year old who does not take naps could have a "quiet time" daily, she doesn't have to sleep, just lie down and be quiet for maybe 30 minutes to an hour. Maybe you could start with 15 miniutes and build it up from there. When she and the littlest one are awake, there should be something for them to do while you are teaching the olders, such as special safe ecucational toys (soft blocks, soft dolls, lacing cards, magnetic alphabet and numbers, etc) that only come out during "school time"-the LAURI company has many great soft educational toys and puzzles for ages 2 to 3, and they replace lost pieces, too! this way, they are also "doing school". they could be allowed to participate (within reason) with an older sibling's art project or storytime. Lastly, I know adding a guide might sound like madness at this point, having Little Hands for your youngest two might be an option-just doing some of the fingerplayes and songs for now and not worrying about the more "academic" stuff until they are older. I know this is not a "schedule", but just trying to brainstorm ideas for you!

[MelInKansas]

I can totally relate to having a busy, energetic child who needs lots of direction and interaction. Here are just some thoughts for you.

1) pray for wisdom! I feel like God really answered this prayer for me in planning this school year.
2) Lay out all the tasks/boxes in the programs you are doing and how long they take to get done. Then divide them into things the child can do with minimal/divided supervision, things that are difficult for the child and may require your help or encouragement, things that should not be interrupted (I consider reading to them/storytime this way because its difficult for the child being read to to have the comprehension they need to if there are interruptions), things that everyone can be present for, etc.
3) consider how well pairs of your children might do playing together for short periods of time. I assume your oldest might be able to handle one of the littles for 30 minutes or so, how about the 6YO? Or can the oldest handle both of the littles (wouldn't that be a dream?) for a very short time? Can either of the littles be confined for a short period in a room, crib, gate, with some fun things, a CD (book on CD) or anything like that? This is what I will call the diversion tactic. How to keep the little one busy when you just really can't be paying attention to them. I understand if you're fearful, especially about the 5YO with either of the littles. My 4YO and 2YO have a 20 minute block to play in one of our downstairs rooms with the door closed while 6YO and I do LA. They are right next door so if I hear anything that sounds concerning to me I pop my head right in and talk to them.
4) How can you use naptime, how much naptime can you consistently depend on, and what is the best use of that time? I think Lourdes's suggestion of having your 3YO do some kind of a quiet time alone would be really good, if you could implement it.
5) Can either of your littles, maybe one at a time, be at the table with an older sib doing some seatwork - give them scissors, colored pencils, or other manipulatives that they like to play with (beans to put in and out of something, dump in and out of something, other toys that are quiet and fun).

This can get you started on how to plan your day. I'm a "get it all done" person so I like having one long block that is school, even though it is broken up with a snack time and my 2YO is constantly kept moving around between playing in one room or the next and with one sib or by herself. When we do crafts she is at the table doing some form of craft right along with us. When I practice scripture memory with the older 2 and discuss their Bible lessons she is running around our big downstairs room just being herself (because they can tolerate this distraction, I just pull them aside one at a time).

I hope some of these thoughts are helpful. I never used to be a schedule person and now I really depend on it!

[my3sons]

...I know there have been alot of posts on schedules here, but I am looking for specifics here...

Ninipelley - The pp's have already shared some good ideas here - isn't this board full of kindness and goodness? What to do with little ones and how to schedule homeschooling days are 2 of the hottest topics ever, so you know you are not alone in these thoughts. I would like to try to help, but one step at a time, as with little ones, training takes time. I am wondering if I could ask a few questions, and then I think we can all pitch in with some specific things to try for your family...

1) When do you want to start your homeschooling day (realistically)?
2) When do you want to try to end your homeschooling day (realistically)?
3) What do your 2 and 3 yo dc do during the time you are trying to homeschool? Are there some things they can do somewhat independently for a short time? How do your 2 oldest dc each do with caring for the 2 and 3 yo for awhile? Is it better if the 2 and 3 yo are together or separate when being watched by your older dc?
4) Where is there a place in your house you can gate off as a safe play area for 2 and 3 yo dc for short amounts of time?
5) What are the 2 and 3 yo's interests right now? I've found our boys fall into one of these categories... love physical activity with balls, etc., love building things with blocks/legos/Knex or knocking them down, love things with wheels like cars/trucks/construction vehicles, etc. I know girls may have different interests than this. For our boys, studying each of them and figuring out what their individual interests happen to be really helped me plan for that within their day.
6) Are there some interruptions in the day that make homeschooling difficult that could be eliminated? (i.e. doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. while trying to homeschool; or answering the phone, emails, the door, etc. while trying to homeschool - ALL things I have struggled with at some point or another, which is why I'm asking )
7) Are there household chores that get in the way of starting school on time (i.e. dishes in the sink, toys left out on the homeschooling table, etc.) ? Again, things I struggled with figuring out at first.
8 ) Anything else you can think of that may be helpful for us to know about the homeschooling day, either goals you have for it or obstacles to overcome?

If you get a chance to answer these questions, that would be great, and then we'll all try to talk through some ideas with you!

In Christ,
Julie

[kamariden]

Julie,
I just wanted to say thank you for your post. I clicked on this thread because struggling to figure out my own schedule and you questions for the OP gave me some good things to think about and a place to start.
Thanks!
-K

[my3sons]

Thanks, kamaridan! I'm glad the questions helped - I find I need to periodically ask those questions myself, as needs change from year to year.

To the OP - I hope the questions were not overwhelming, but if you'd like help with specifics with scheduling, your answers would help us give more specifics. If you have other questions though, by all means ask away!

In Christ,
Julie