It seems that every minute of every day we are reworking our schedule but the big overhaul comes when we start our new curriculum.  So, here’s how I homeschool all of this bunch AND maintain a resemblence of  sanity.

Breakfast time:  Before I got pregnant my goal was to have breakfast on the table at 7:30.  Now, we’re blessed if it gets there by 8.  And no one is complaining.  The first rule of the day is GET DRESSED.  That was taking up the biggest chunk of our morning.  Getting dressed after breakfast would consist of me telling, disciplining, telling, discipling, yelling, and finally they would be ready for the day.  Now, every one is dressed and ready to go when we sit down at the table.  Which turns out to be a good thing because at breakfast is when we start school.  After I finish eating we crack open the books and they are free to continue eating or to sit still in their seats and listen and comment when necessary. 

At breakfast we do Bible, journaling (we have one family journal and everyone contributes what goes in), History, Science, calendar, and poetry (for Liam but everyone listens).

After breakfast we do quick chores including brushing teeth, putting away laundry, emptying the dishwasher, sweeping and mopping, dressing toddlers and brushing their teeth (those are my chores).

Morning time:  Zoe and Ace work on their schoolwork.  They each have a checklist that they run through each day and then we go over their work as needed.  I work with Josiah, Ceili Rain, and Liam through their school work.

Lunch:  After I finish eating lunch we read, I select one fiction book and one non-fiction book.  Right now we are enjoying The White Knights by W.E. Cule and The Adventure of Missionary Heroism by John C. Lambert.

Afternoons are reserved for playtime outside, rest time, and finishing up any work that had not been completed in the morning.  As the months go on, I’m hoping to work with Zoe on teaching her how to sew and learning stitchery (her choice, not mine).  The boys listen to our daily Bible reading in the afternoons and Zoe will read her Bible first thing in the afternoon. 

And that’s how we do it.  It sounds simple when I type it out but if you were to come to my house you may find a two year old looking for someone to play with, a five year old who is hanging upside down reading, a seven year old who is looking for an excuse to stop working, an eight year old who is tolerating the distractions and doing her best to finish her work, and a four year old who is playing with trains.  Oh, the one year old is still taking naps in the morning and when he’s not doing that he’s usually running around the house with a ball.  Trust me, there is order even if my house doesn’t look like it.  I think.