In Western Australia, we are now on a “term break”.  Over the years I have found it easier to take a different routine during traditional school holidays in order to catch up with our friends who are in the school system.  I have also found that our family functions a lot better if we have some goals and direction – some routine in our day.  The last few holiday periods I have worked on the basis of the children having one hour of table time on the days that we are at home.  Mostly this table time has been self-directed activity.  This holiday though I am going to set the work that needs to be done.  They will be working on their math and language arts programmes. 

 

I have laminated a copy of our basic routine so I can mark the alterations that will come as we have visitors or get out of the house for various reasons.  I would like to be able to look at our overall day and reassign time slots to achieve the main goals for these few weeks.  Eg.  If we go out in the morning I would like to reassign productive or free time to table time for the day (considering that table time is a main goal and productive time is not).

 

Our routine for the next 2-3 weeks goes like this….

 

Goals:

1. Declutter the house (I have targeted particular problem areas)
2. 1 hour table time – Math / LLATL / Speech
3. Room time training (independent, solo, play time in their bedrooms)

 

8.00–10.00am                    

Home blessing and decluttering

Children – outside time, board game, and free time.

 

10.00–11.00am        

Morning tea and our family devotions

 

11.00–12.00noon     

Table time (Math / LA)

 

12.00-1.30pm                      

Lunch prep, Lunch, Chores

 

1.30-3.30pm             

Project time for me

Reading time, Room time, Computer time & Productive/Free time

I will be available to help with the children’s creative projects.

I will spend ½ hour with Daniel (reading stories, studying Space, folding laundry, playing ball etc)

 

3.30-5.00pm             

This is focus time for me (Office work, Homeblessing, Cooking, catching up with Friends, Blogg)  

The children have free time if they can make wise use of their time (rather than being just silly).  They will listen to the radio/Odyssey during this time.

 

 

I would like to reintroduce “Read Alouds” – maybe at lunchtime.  Read Alouds used to happen over dessert at our evening meal but since we have started listening to the 7.00pm sermon on the radio we don’t do this.  Read Alouds will only happen at lunchtime if I prepare lunch and we all sit down together rather than bits and pieces all doing our own thing.

 

I need to spend the hour of “My project time” in the family room – this is to allow me to see where the children are “at” in staying in their rooms.  Daniel especially needs help in learning to play by himself.   During this time I can work on my Photo Albums, work on embroidery projects, read or write.

 

The biggest challenge to this routine working is my early morning routine.  I need to be available to the children, in the kitchen at 7.00am.

 

I see the benefits of this routine not only to assist us to be wise stewards of our time during these weeks but I believe it will be a good launching pad into next term where my goals will be on the discipleship and moral training of Nomi and Daniel (as opposed to finding our natural footing in balancing life and academic studies as was the case over the last few terms.)