Multiple Age Gap

We have a wide age spread too (14, 13, 9, 8, 6, 3, 2). This is what we do:

Everyone does Bible and scripture memory together. We also do a read-aloud for history and literature together. The “fine arts” (music and art appreciation, handcrafts, hymns) as well as a few other things (poetry, map drill, “personal development”) are done once a week together.

Then the older two (high school age) do an extra history book (same time frame as our family one but a “harder/older” book) and another literature book (again, it’s an older/harder one) separately. They also do English (grammar, dictation), written narrations, science, foreign language, math and a few other things separately.

I do science together with all the under 11’s, English with the 6-11’s, some separate younger kids reading books with the little’s (ages 6 and down). All the kids between 6 and 11/12 do separate math, copywork, literature, history readers, science readers, phonics work, dictation on their own.

So for us, our day looks like this:
Everyone starts some independent work as they get up (we let them wake up as they want between 6:30 and 7:30.
Bible/Scripture memory at 7:45 (this year it was 15 minutes but will probably be 30 next year so starting at 7:30)
Literature read aloud during breakfast at 8 (I eat before they are all up)
Chores then independent work until lunch. The under 7’s finish fast, the under 12’s finish before lunch also so they all go out and play or do a quiet activity inside until lunch.
Lunch-sometimes with music appreciation or discussion of something from the morning
Chores, then really littles (under 4) down for naps
History read-aloud as a family for the rest (the 4-6 year olds are in the room but not always participating)
Freetime/quiet time/finish up independent work if didn’t finish in the morning
Snack with “fine arts” and other once a week stuff

This has worked well for us for the past couple years. It gives us a lot of “whole family, together learning” while allowing my older two to get in the needed study for the high school level stuff.

HTH, Rebecca

Thank you Rebecca. This is what I’m trying to figure out.

We have DS in middle school (12), two DSs in elementary (11, 8) and DS and DD (both 5) starting K work this fall.

We generally have time together in the morning too, but I am usually eating standing up trying to do some reading. I never thought of eating first! I am going to do that starting next week.

We usually have chore time after breakfast/family reading/devotional time as well. By 9:00 or 9:30, everyone is doing some independent work.

I need to figure out a way to be more scheduled and yet be flexible. It just seems everyone comes all at once needing my help, and it gets me frazzled at times. I am thinking I will have a scheduled time for math with our 11 and 8YOs, and another time for oldest DS to come to me if he needs assistance on independent work and/or for some math review we’ll be doing together in the fall.

Any other ideas, please do share. Thanks!

I sometimes have everyone listen to our literature audio book during breakfast – I can eat and start getting out the things needed for littles and everyone stays happily occupied. =)