heartofdakota.com

But there are soooo many! Maybe someone can point me in the right direction. I'd love to see some samples of those doing similar guides with similar family dynamics. I'd also appreciate tips to schedule this crew even without a sample!

This fall we will have...
DD10 in PHFHG,
DS7/8 in BHFHG half pace with Emerging Readers,
DS4/5 in LHTH, R&S ABC Series, plus other fun PK stuff to do as he's interested for fun
and DS who will be 2 in Nov. (as of right now, at almost 18m old, he is still nursing...before breakfast, at naptime, bedtime, and a couple times at night. So I need to conisder that as well). He naps from about 11/11:30 until 12:30 or as late as 2. I think I'll set a limit though!

Our summers/falls are HOT so I'm thinking I may like to have some playtime in the AM's and have more school toward the midday and afternoon, which will also be when little one naps. We're starting mid-July since it's so hot and we'd be stuck inside anyway! HOD just makes that time more fun! And we'll finish probably early April in time to enjoy the nice spring weather! I'd like to consider starting our day off with Bible, though I'm not sure from which guide?? DS is in BHFHG half pace so he wouldn't do his each day, don't know that I want to use DD's for everyone, so perhaps read the Bible story from LHTH? I may also let DD do LHTH with ds, or some sort of other PK fun for them to do together. I want something for DS7 and DS4 to do together to bring them closer...they don't get along well at all. This needs to change! Ideas of things I could schedule for them??

I am looking for the post of Julie's that has pictures of her schedules. In the mean time maybe you will find some ideas in this post
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2093&st=0&sk=t&sd=a ... =15#p16656

HTH

Edie

Here is Julie's post with all the images of her present and past schedules. Hope they will help you.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6514&p=47544&hilit= ... lie#p47544

I am only doing PHFHG & LHTH.

HTH,
Edie

Thanks Edie! The "let's share our schedules" post is the one I was searching, but goodness! There's so many!

Tamara,

We really liked our plan this year. I've done it both ways where I started with the left page or the basics. This past year, here is a rough outline of what we did...

After breakfast, I started by giving my oldest dictation and then going over his math and either English or Write With the Best. Depending on how happy the baby was at this point, I also sometimes went on and did either the Genesis study or Geography with him now, too. Then I left him to complete those things on his own and move on to his other independent work.
Then, I did spelling with Allison from Beyond. I showed her which pages in the Emerging Reader to "practice" for the day. We did her math lesson. Then I left her to do her poetry copywork and reading practice. (The reading practice gave her time to look at all the pictures so that when she reads for me we can move right through it. )
Then, upstairs to lay the baby down for his nap and do LHTH with Garret. He was also ready to begin phonics mid-year, so we read one page from The Reading Lesson per day during this time, too.
Now, it's Allison's turn for the rest of Beyond. If there is an art activity she finishes with this.
And, one more time with Grant. I did whatever follow-ups he needed like checking over a written narration, listening to an oral narration, checking out what he copied in the student notebook. And, we read storytime and do its follow-up.
Now, the baby is up and ready to eat and I get lunch ready.

So for us, it worked best to go oldest to youngest in basics, and then youngest to oldest in "fun".

I liked starting with my oldst because he had the most total work to complete, and it was good to "get him going". I also finished with him and the others were done as soon as I was done with them. Now, if you're starting school at the same time your little guy is starting his nap...if I were you I'd start the left side stuff then. I have found that my reading time and activity time is when I need 2 hands. I have no problem going through math and English or listening to someone read while bouncing a baby.

Hope that gives you some scheduling ideas!
Kathleen

That's great advice, Kathleen! Your posts are always so helpful and insightful! Definitely a voice of experience.

I've been working on a schedule all day and can't for the life of me figure out how to save it in a form that I can attach so you all can see it and tell me how unattainable it is. I actually think it will work quite well for us IF...big IF...I can be disciplined enough to wake up on time. I'm a sleepyhead, and I'm sure that has much to do with having an almost 18 month old that still wakes multiple times every. single. night. I'm hopeful that will be resolved by time to start school.
Perhaps I'll snap some shots with my phone and blog them, then link to that for you fabulous HODie moms to see and help me work through. I've used Julie idea of a chart schedule with everyone's on it, then an individual one for each child. Julie and I...wow...we would so get along...LOL...I'm a chart maniac too! I'm going to be making the morning routine chart and one similar to her body check charts, and all that jazz. I'm so excited, I'm just giddy!

Did I mention we will be schooling Saturday through Tuesday? My DH works Friday, Sat, and Sun nights and sleeps the following days. So, we have him home on Monday evenings through Friday (he sleeps mid day then we try to have pizza movie night with him before he goes in). We will only have to school on one day that he is home (Tuesday), and we are doing once a week therapies right now on Fridays. So our weekends are Wednesday and Thursdays. Church is Monday night. I think this will work great for us! It's the neighborhood kids that won't be too happy with it.

Here's what I have so far for the draft of our schedule. I've scheduled DD to start with something she enjoys to get her school day started instead of jumping into math/grammar which bog her down, and make her not want to start. I think it'll get her going and ready to move on much more smoothly. I've tried to schedule my (S) box time with her alongside similarly mom-dependent subjects for DS, and a round table style math session. I've given a 5-minute cushion between subjects to allow for clean up and transition. As we do NOT use those times and they add up, interruptions won't be so bad. Since afternoons are SO hot here in summer and early fall, I've got us an hour of playtime right after breakfast while it's still cool enough to enjoy! My kids are early risers (their mom, however is NOT, but will have to change that) so I really want to take advantage of that so our day won't drag. I've got a quiet time for all the kids, right before dinner (like I saw Julie post about!), then a nap for baby/toddler and a rest time for DS4/5. I have both the little changing activities and places often to keep them engaged and content longer (hopefully!). I have an alone time for youngest scheduled as well, where we will be nearby but he will play alone in his entryway playarea that we have gated off. It follows a time where DS7 has been playing with him in there, so he will be contented and settled in there already, making it easier to leave him in there alone. I also made note of WHERE each subject it to be completed, as well as each playtime...morning is in the front yard where they can play with neighborhood kids and ride bikes...later morning it's scheduled for inside the fenced backyard while baby naps. Family playtime, mom can relax b/c baby is sleeping and kids are contained, and I can enjoy closing my eyes and enjoying the sun (maybe even get a tan ) While I rock and nurse (for now) youngest before his nap, I'll do DD's dictation and DS7's Bible or Poetry in the room with us to make the most of that time since it doesn't take long...then they can prepare the next needed books and then go play while I get him laid down. I made a main schedule for me to see everyone's routine, and then I'm making individual ones for DD9 and DS7. Oh, I also made note of who gets to choose the game/movie during those times
SO, that's the explinations....and for the visual types...here's some pictures! Main schedule is two pages. Then I've got DS's individual one done so far.




DS7's Individual Chart


Ok...so how's it look?! Help me fine tune it please! Any advice? Changes you'd make? Glaring mistakes? Trouble spots?

ETA: I finished DD's individual chart too

No one has the courage to tell me how crazy off my schedule is, huh? any input? I'd love to hear it as I attempt to get it all planned out and ready so I can just relax during summer break!

I think it looks good! The only things I wondered about was PHFHG poetry and bible which are sometimes done on their own and often along with you. Didn't know if you have your manual and saw how that changes from one day to the next. I haven't done BHFHG, so no input there. That's my only 2 cents. Hope your schedule runs smoothly for you! We school year round for the same reasons you do. By July it is too hot and kids are ready for a routine again. But June is our break! Very ready for it to come right now! We will enjoy the cooler days while we have them


Edie

BTW- Tamara, where in AR are you? We are in NE.

Thanks, Edie! I'll look closer into what you mentioned.

I'm in central AR, a little south of Little Rock. Maybe if you ever head to the zoo or Museum of Discovey, etc we could meet up!! I'm going to the zoo next week I think , but our membership is over end of the month. We have MOD passes though!

Tamara,

I just sent you a PM.

Edie

Hi Tamara! I think your schedule looks good. You did a great job of deciding what each person would be doing, where they would be doing, and how long it would take. Some of the time increments seem a little long, but then I usually do that at first too, just to be doubly sure we have enough time for transitions. I think you just need to try it and see what you think! It looks good on paper, now let's see how it goes in the day. One thought - if you are not a morning person, are you going to be able to get up at 6 AM each day? I am more of a morning person and would have a tough time with 6 AM, so I just thought I'd mention it. I hope it goes well - you are doing a good job of thinking things through and getting your schedule mapped out. Way to go!

In Christ,
Julie

my3sons wrote:Hi Tamara! I think your schedule looks good. You did a great job of deciding what each person would be doing, where they would be doing, and how long it would take. Some of the time increments seem a little long, but then I usually do that at first too, just to be doubly sure we have enough time for transitions. I think you just need to try it and see what you think! It looks good on paper, now let's see how it goes in the day. One thought - if you are not a morning person, are you going to be able to get up at 6 AM each day? I am more of a morning person and would have a tough time with 6 AM, so I just thought I'd mention it. I hope it goes well - you are doing a good job of thinking things through and getting your schedule mapped out. Way to go!

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks for your input, Julie! I did purposely make slightly longer time increments...especially for when we first get started. Also, with the two littles, you KNOW there will be distractions! I need to feel free to tend to those, instead of stressed by having to "stay on the schedule". Nothing better than finishing EARLY...and that time cushion is setting me up for success...so basically I'm going to boost my own ego with this cushion to keep me motivated. hehehehe

I'm really noooooot a morning person, but I have early risers. If I get up before they do, my day is SO much better than if I had stayed in bed longer and got up when they woke me. I need that quiet in the mornings before jumping right into our day with kids underfoot. I desire it now, and can't seem to make myself do it, but I'm usually up by 6:30 anyway b/c of a kid or my very large and very slobbery american bulldog making his way on top of me in bed- My kids and my dog love me :mrgreen and on weekdays right now, my DS7 has school and gets on the bus at 7, so I have to get up with him- usually 6:15ish . As I slowly get a little more sleep each night, 6am won't be so bad. I used to get up at 5 not too long ago...before getting preggo with baby 4. (I think I'm trying to convince myself 6 is going to work. )

One question for you, Julie...if you get ahead of schedule, like when you have the cushions built in, and you hit your groove and just have a really good day...as you go from task to task, do you still do lunch in the same order even if it comes an hour early, or do you go ahead to the task after lunch then come back? Kinda silly, but I'm wondering.

Bump

I just saw your lunch question, Tamara! If we are clipping along and get finished early with school, we just eat lunch early. We rap up school and lunch and then the quicker that goes the more time to play and explore interests there is available in the rest of the day. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie