A Darling friend (Hi Em) with two little kids wrote up a 'daily schedule' and it made me think. Wow, so organised, scheduled, routinish (In a positive way). But then it made me want to nut my own schedule out. Because, I don't have one. Really, I am just so blah bler bla!
With (my) lots of little kids the day varies depending on a good night sleep, who got it and who didn't.
The next part of the day can depend on what happens where and with what kind of attitude. A screaming, crying, "neh" attitude can mean without correct intervention a terrible morning for all in the house will follow. Sometimes with or without correct intervention a fight will ensue whether you want to be a part of it or not. Being the parent of lots of little kids you are usually brought into every fight. But the good thing is your also brought into all the wonderful things that go on... like that moment... you know the one? Where one child will so lovingly and adoringly hold another child's hand and speak softly and quietly and gently before swipeing that child in the head with a duplo hose... Just sayin..
Which brings me to wonder why it is there are so many different kinds of 'parenting' books that handle the 'text book' kids but not quite the reality ones? If every child is different why are parenting books so... so... conformist like.. I degress.. It worked for my first not with my second. It worked for the second but not for the third.. I'm over it, well I was over it before it began. Hey! I was born a natural parent until he hit about 4 months of age. Go Me! A Pro for FOUR WHOLE MONTHS! But those days are over. Just sayin..
With lots of little kids I have discovered that a flexible attitude and behaviour plays a key role in keeping up with everything that needs doing at our place. I'm not called spagetti brain for nothing you know! Although we do have set 'things' that happen at 'set' times of the day. Like bed time. Bed time always happens at the END of the day, usually after dinner. And lunch time. Lunch occurs (usually) between 12 & 1pm when the Papa is home for lunch. & Breakfast. That happens before lunch time. Because our days vary an exact schedule is quite simply not possible.
So. Our Schedule:
We begin the day. We wake up and make sure everyone else in the house is awake whether they want or need more sleep. The man of the house gets up, has his shower, finds his clothes and leaves but not without kisses and saying Good Bye, More kisses, and I Love You's.
Next we (generally) start by clearing up the kitchen for breakfast. The children are just-about-trained in this area. They need to clear the table, wipe the table, set the table and then we get to eat breakfast.
Children get dressed either before or after - Fairly flexible/No set rules. Except the toddler who messies his pjs with cereal and milk before getting dressed into clean clothes. Cos I am smart like that.
After breakfast we (usually) get stuck into cleaning. We clear the table (again), wipe the table (again), stack the chairs, sweep the floor, pick up the stuff off the floor, wash dishes, fill the water container, feed the chickens, dog, cat, and sometimes put the dishes away. On a warm day we might head outside for a bit of sunshine while I hang the washing up or just play and watch.
On occasions while still in PJs we might lay on the floor and do a bit of home schooling academic work, or lie in bed and do some. We are flexible like that and sometimes I can predict this to be the BEST time to some of our official school stuff. It works for us but not every day. We can start this at 7:30 and by 9am have finished a whole days worth of school work before getting stuck into breaky & loads of playing or an outing.
School work is *always* ready to do at the drop of a hat. It sits out of the way in its 'spot' until needed but it is sitting their waiting. Actually lots of our education stuff is like that. At any given time we can suddenly stop what we are doing if the conditions are right and do our 'formal' school stuff. And then put it away. Actually I don't think I've been 'caught' with home school stuff out very often.
So during the clean up I might put some washing on, or do a weekly clean in one section of the house. (Monday is master bedroom & washing, Tuesday is Kids room & bathroom, Wednesday is school room & Toilet, Thursday is washing & list writing (for groceries/menu planning), Friday is shopping, errands and our new development KINDY GYM). Of course the children help in all these areas according to willingness and abilities. The children sing alot during this time. I am often asked to put "One Thing Remains" by Jesus Culture. It's their current fave song atm. Hosanna was the last favourite song.
Around 11am I pull our academic studies and an activity. The activity is to keep the 2yr old occupied, while the 3 & 5yr old 'does work'. The 5yr old I "focus" on while the other two just do their 'thing'. Sometimes we bake, or I prep dinner or prep lunch. Sometimes we color in, or do an activity.
Around 12 noon the man comes home, and we have lunch. Together.
After lunch is "quiet time". It is the time where little kids have their afternoon nap (by order since birth) while the Mumma rests. Sometimes with morning sickness, other time from sheer exhaustion, other times just because it is Quiet Time. For the non-nappers of which I now have THREE they have to be QUIET, on their OWN, with NO playing. Some days one might get to watch a "Living DVD" (if your in-the-know of what a 'living book' is then a 'living DVD' is the same thing except a DVD). They always have adequate morals, a message and are relatively educational unless we are talking about "Auslan" Australian Sign Language. That is FULL ON Educational - but now you know I'm just showing off. Surprisingly musical DVDs are a hit but children wont often be quiet. Other times they might get a puzzle, small quiet toy, or a book. Lately they are loving Duplo.
I am not sure what we do after quiet time. Perhaps because it varies from day to day. Some days we might bake, or prepare dinner, others we might go out. Some times we have afternoon tea or a quick snack and others we don't. Some days we just play, other days we do more home schooling stuff and others we might just keep on resting. Some days we all watch a movie together and just cuddle.
Around 4-ish it gets REAL busy at our house. I have to prep dinner and prepare for Michael to arrive home and prep the whole bed time / evening thing. I guess it is busiest because it is often my 'down time' as in my energy levels drop and I don't WANT to do my jobs. PLUS it seems that EVERY baby I have had wants feeding and cuddling and communication right around the time I need to get our evening meal prepared. I've lived through it this far I can only imagine I shall continue doing so. Although I am just about desperate for a better back sling carrier so she can sit behind me and pull my hair. Children are instructed to get PJs on, clear up home schooling stuff, pack away toys and pick up anything that needs picking up. Often they are outside playing, or playing together.
We often play together and we often work together. I like it like this.
Michael returns home anywhere between 5 & 6pm. We eat, sometimes clear the table, have a tiny bit of family time and the kids get put to bed. Hubby leaves and I'm alone with a cuddly bubba until late. Most nights. We don't do 'jobs' after dinner because at this stage in our families ages and stages I suck at putting little kids to bed. Actually INTO bed. Because they wont stay there for me. The 'after dinner jobs' get done 'before breakfast'. UNLESS I do them all on my own at night. By myself. With a cuddly bubba. It doesn't often happen. But it does happen.
So there you have it. A very shortened version of what MIGHT happen in our house on a relatively regular basis. I told you it was flexible. Flexibility is a MUST at our place in their ages and stages. They work well with flexibility which means that they adjust to change quickly and introducing a new baby is fairly easy as well as sudden outings, and fun things. Yet they also know what is expected of them and what needs doing. They're good like that.
I am often curious of how it works in other people's homes. In particular how it WORKS when you had/have LOTS of little kids. Or just a few.. like me.
Bless Ya xx
5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Flexibility of home schooling
2. Time spent working, learning, and playing together
3. Organised school stuff
4. New Job Lists
5. Hubby at work (means routine-ish stuff is easier and set by actual real times!)
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