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
