Need tips on how to schedule two children w/ DH working nights

Hi Jessica,

I’ll give this a bit of thought and give you a response.  My kids are almost 8, almost 6, 3 and 1, and I’ve done homeschooling a couple of years.  

My husband also works nights… from 7pm to 3:30 am.  Sometimes he goes to bed right away and gets up around 1 or 2.  Sometimes he stays up until about 6 and gets up around 4… and sometimes he stays up until 10 or 12 and sleeps until 5:30.   I think he was more consistant with it while we were schooling….  but yes, it can kind of disrupt the routine when he is up.  Also sometimes trying to keep the kids reasonably quiet (although some noise is fine) can be hard.

However, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with the thoughts of schooling today – I’ll probably have a clearer head tomorrow and be able to answer better.

Ok, I’m ready to discuss what we did last year.

We had about 2 to 2 – 1/2 hours of schoolwork, and we tended to “go with the flow” a bit.

My kids (in theory) did violin practice in the morning right after breakfast, unless Dad was still up.  We generally started school by 10… Dad was mostly in bed by that time.  (it never seems to work for me to try to do school with Dad watching…. I get self-concious, and things just never seem to go well.)  If for some reason Dad stayed up late, then I’d move school to the afternoon (with the 2yo in a nap)

My 5yo only had a few things I did with her (mostly because she really wanted school.) – reading practice (She could read already), writing instruction, and math.  I think I also had a “rotate” subject with her, generally a reading.  (a geography reading – 33 multicultural tales…,  a character reading – child’s book of values….  etc)

I used the organizer, and each day the kids would get a list from their planner with what was to be done.  They would pick from the list (I’d sometimes pick, so that they didn’t end up with just all readings at the end or something like that.)  If I was busy with one child, the other had to pick something they could do on their own.  At times one would entertain the baby or the toddler while I worked with the other.  

The toddler has a number of items that are for school time only.  Some are Mellisa and Doug items.  A set of wood puzzles, a little thing with balls (sealed in see through plastic with a maze – you move the balls through the maze with an attached magnet.)  Sewing cards.  Huge beads to thread, etc.  There is also colouring.  And as mentioned, sometimes one of the scholars would play with her for 15 minutes or so.  

So we were generally done by about 12:00 to 1:00, and they could have the afternoon to play outside.  (this generally worked best for us.) – that also worked good if Dad woke up around 1:00 or 2:00 instead of waitng to go to bed.

If Dad had stayed up most of the morning, we did the 2 or so hours of work in the afternoon.  It did tend to drag a bit more.

I guess our main difference is here Dad is pretty much always asleep from about 10-1  (obviously more on one side or other of that time) which gives us a nice time to do school.

Let it go, sweetie, let it go!  Speaking as the Queen of Guilt here, I feel your pain and discomfort.  “But I didn’t get everything done on my schedule so I MUST be the worst mother/teacher in the world.”  You’re not.  The kids are still young, they have lots of time to learn and play and grow.  If you get one thing done GREAT!  If you get two done, GREAT!  Don’t beat yourself for living your life and maintaining a home.  

I don’t know if this will help or hurt, but here’s how our day flows for the 2 youngest boys, ages 7 and 5 (including housework).  Keep in mind I have two older boys (both 11) so our lessons are longer for them.  If I were teaching just the younger boys, everything would be 10 to 15 minutes.  This is a 4-day schedule also, on Fridays we do nature walks, experiments, play games, etc.  And catch up on housework if needed.  Here is a blog post I did with some “school activity” ideas for pre-k/K kids.

Clear breakfast dishes and switch laundry, but don’t fold.

Family devotional (30 minutes) – read scriptures, sing a hymn, scripture memory, etc.  5-yr-old will sometimes color or look at a ‘religious’ picture book.

Geography or nature study (we alternate days) – 20 minutes – they sit and listen while I read.  5-yr-old does quiet activities or sits on my lap and gets a back scratch.  7-yr-old narrates, sometimes 5-yr-old does.

Picture study/composer/poetry – 10 minutes (one per day) – both participate

Foreign language – 10 minutes – we all stand up and practice the phrase/dialogue for the day.  5-yr-old usually runs to the bathroom

Science – 20 minutes – I read aloud or we watch a video (depends on the subject) – 7-yr-old narrates.  5-yr-old listens to whole thing or is off playing by self.

Snack/read-aloud – 20 minutes – all at the table with a snack and drink.  No narration required, but they usually tell their dad later

10 minute chore – everyone cleans for 10 minutes – sometimes I clean with them, sometimes I fold laundry and have them put it away at the end of the 10 minutes

History – 25 minutes.  Both sit and listen while I read.  5-yr-old might color or play quietly with his “school activities”.  7-yr-old narrates.

Circle Time – 20 minutes, just for 2 youngest.  I read various picture/history/science books (at their level) and we sing kid songs like Old McDonald and Itsy Bitsy Spider.

Play time – and mom makes whatever meal we’re having….lunch if we did school in the morning, dinner if we did it in the afternoon.

Eat and Clear dishes – we’ll listen to the composer we’re studying or an audio book

Individual lessons – I work with each boy separately for math/reading/spelling.  While I’m working with one kid the others do their independent work or practice piano or do their assigned chores or play

For 7-yr-old….math (20 minutes) and spelling (10 minutes) with reading practice (10 to 15).  His independent work is 1 page of Explode the Code, a math drill worksheet (one page, maybe 20 problems) and handwriting practice (he’ll move into copywork later this year, right now it’s Handwriting Without Tears) – and then he is DONE for the day.

For 5-yr-old…handwriting (5 to 10 minutes, learning to write letters) and reading instruction (10 to 20 minutes, depends on attention span).  He also sits in on 7-yr-old math lessons – sometimes he does the hands-on activity with us, sometimes he does his other “school activities” and sometimes he just looks at books.  Then he, too is DONE.  He might watch a phonics or math movie or do Starfall or one of the iPod apps.  Or listen while older brothers read to him.

After everyone’s individual lessons we have a 15 minute clean time.  I work with them.  Then they go off to play and I fold a load of laundry and have them put it away…and switch another load.  Depending on time of day I’ll get the dishwasher loaded and running or fold another load of laundry.  At some point during the afternoon/evening we do a 30 minute Deep Clean (or less if we get it done quickly) – I pick an area that really needs work and we tackle it together, dust, vacuum, straighten, etc.  Then everyone gets ready for bed and I threaten them with all sorts of things if they don’t stay in bed.

Best wishes!

Heather

crazy4boys- LOVE your schedule and humor! Thank you for sharing that!

And TFH- I’m glad your days are going more smoothly. We had a whole year (last year of just one DD, grade 1) of me just being lazy, full of excuses, and feeling so much a failure. This year (our first with CM, but second year of HS) things are so much better. Mommy’s happy, kids are happy and learning and excited, and Daddy’s happy about all of that. Blessings!