A Homeschool Day in the Life {2016}

We are in another season of change, as our fifth child was born in late January.

I wouldn’t say we’ve been slacking, but our school time has decreased quite a bit since the new year began. Between work commitments, couch rest, and then Lincoln coming earlier than expected, January and February flew by.

I knew the first of the year would be rough, so we worked a few weeks extra in December, to keep us from becoming behind. We’ve continued our Foundations and Essentials work since then, but have taken a break on the other subjects. That break is officially over, and we are back in the saddle! I’m thankful for the return of normalcy and routine.

6 am – 7 am – I’m up for coffee and to feed Lincoln. He usually eats every two hours, but can be extra-fussy in the early morning hours, so Shane usually takes him for a bit so I can get some rest. The other kiddos tumble out of bed and begin a variety of activities that include working on Memory Masters, snuggling with the baby, Bible time, making beds, and breakfast.

 9 am – We usually start school at 9, but sometimes it begins earlier. Shane leaves at 8:30, and if everyone is ready, we just begin then. Lincoln will usually nurse and go down for a nap around 9:30. Sometimes, he sleeps in his bed, and sometimes he sleeps in my lap. His disposition is different every day.

Right now, we are in transition, so school happens in the living room. We rearranged the living room, even getting rid of a few pieces, and the office has become a catch-all for a few reasons: one, it’s my work space for Young Living and it has aaallll of my stuff to mail laid out on a table; two, it always becomes a catch-all over the Christmas break (oops); and three, we moved some furniture out of the living room into the office (and vice versa!) and I haven’t cleaned up from that yet. The living room is about to be in an uproar again when my chalk paint comes in and I can begin spiffy-ing up an old dresser!

During school time, Campbell plays in the playroom or living room with us, and is constantly asking for food. He’s a mess! All three girls have independent work, and will take turns working on it and working with me. Spelling is hands-on with mom right now, and math is both: sometimes I work through the set with Abby Grace and Reese and sometimes they go through it on their own. It depends on the lesson and the day. Meleah and I work on everything together, although she is becoming more independent with her math.

@amylnorton on Instagram: Back in the groove! #Homeschooling in the living room because the office is a mess!

12 pm(ish) – Shane comes home, and we break for lunch. Most of the time, we are finished with everything, except maybe guitar and piano practice. The girls also have the afternoon for reading, playing, and working on Memory Masters. (Memory Masters is part of Classical Conversations, where a Foundations student can choose to memorize every piece of information learned in that year. The student then recites it back to both parents, her tutor, and finally her director. No mistakes are allowed in the tutor proof or director proof. I do not require any of my girls to do this, but Abby Grace has been a MM for Cycles 2 and 3, and wants to be one for 1, as this is her last year in Foundations. This would be Reese’s first year to attempt MM.)

1 pm – 5 pm – The kids play or practice or read or do their daily chores. On Tuesdays, the girls have piano lessons, and Abby Grace and Reese have art lessons following piano. They’re gone from 1:00 to around 5:00. Wednesdays are our CC community days, so we are gone from 8:30 to 4:00. The boys and I play while the girls are gone, and I also work on the next day’s lessons and grade today’s math. We use spiral notebooks, and it has worked SO SO WELL.

5 pm – 8 pm – Shane is usually home by now, and we are starting the supper/evening/bath/bedtime routine. Lincoln is ready for bed around 8:00, so we try to get to bed around that time as well. Early, yes, but with L nursing every two hours or so, and Shane getting up extra early, we need the extra sleep!

I don’t know for how long this routine will last, but it is what works for us in this new season!

Linking up to Simple Homeschool’s Day-in-the Life.

Other Day-in-the-Life Posts:

• 2015
• 2014 (uummm… oops! didn’t do one!)
• 2013
• 2012

photo credit: If at First You Don’t Succeed… via photopin (license)