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joann10
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| Posted: Aug 01 2014 at 11:56pm | IP Logged
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I am totally overwhelmed with trying to schedule this school year. If fact, I need to schedule every part of our life.
I am coming out of the hardest year of my life. I am lucky I made it through.
We are in total chaos around here. Take this morning for instance. Some kids were up, some were not, some were dressed and some were not. I got out math worksheets and called the kids to then find out that one child hadn't eaten yet...so math comes to a halt. Later it was time for religion but I have forgotten to copy the test..I head out of the room to make copies and the kids disappear.
Should our days be scheduled to the minute? I don't think my anxiety could handle that. So many things things need to be reigned in. Groceries (we usually run out of all money several days before payday) I need a schedule to avoid running out of food. Plans for Chores, out of control computer time , and children's chores.
I am so fearful of what could happen as the year goes on. I dread the dark days, which run into months. I don't think I would make it through another time like I faced this past year.
Do the kids need their own planners? Do I need a planner to schedule everything in my life: money, school, housework.
We seem to like out projects around here. We do science experiments, or artwork, or create..but then the house begins to fall down around us. Total chaos.
I like paper and pens and pencils. I can't schedule on the computer. Are there planners that can cover everything from school to home management? money is so tight, are there printable forms online? Would the kids use planners?
I just don't know really what to do. I want to do what is right for the kids...I have books but end up only pulling a few out during the day and not hitting all I think we should be doing.
I'm afraid of what's to come...Pray that my medicine continues to help and I won't have to face the dark scary times I went through this past year.
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Aagot
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| Posted: Aug 02 2014 at 4:18am | IP Logged
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Hugs to you, Joann. Take it for what this is worth, I don't live in your shoes, but your spiritual, mental and physical health needs to be a priority before you start worrying about school. Maybe you already do these things but I will throw this out for your consideration:
1 prayer life. Morning offering, daily readings ( or some Scripture), the Rosary ( just a decade even), examen, short night prayer. If you find you are trying to do every single novena possible, maybe you need to simplify?
2 sacraments? Confession monthly or more. Communion weekly or more.
3 is there anything within your control that is drivng you crazy? A cluttered house? Pretend you are moving and pack up 80% of everyones stuff and store it in the garage or basement. Are the kids pulling their weight with chores? Money is tight. Can the older kids who are home get jobs to pay for their extras? I have a friend who had paper routes since she was 8!
3 Are you getting enough exercise and sun? Have a different child wake you up each morning and go for a walk with you for 30 minutes ( or pick one consistant walking buddy)
4 Are you getting the right food? For example, skip the soda and chug some cod liver oil with cranberry juice. This won't make life's everyday problems go away but it will make you stronger to deal with them.
5 school - simplify. Yes there a billion great resources but pretend you are in the pioneer days ( okay maybe not so limited. You have more books than they did). Reading (science, history, literature and Bible/ Saints) maybe one subject per day. Writing one written or oral narration per day. If your younger kids are not up to written narrations have them copy a line from the psalm for the day. Math, a lesson per day ( or less if needed). Yes there are many other things they could be doing but make those free choice ( art, experiments, poetry). You are not going to stress out if they don't get to it.
6 schedule. One big chore for each kid ( living room, kitchen, bathrooms) everyone puts away and tidys their "stuff". Everyday.
Sample schedule:
7:00 wake morning offering, dress, go for a walk
8:00- 9:00 kitchen is open for breakfast. Eat now or wait for lunch (snack time)
9-9:30 chore time
9:30-12 school
12-1 lunch and game time ( for the critical thinking you want to get in)
Now there is time for rest/ scripture reading/ appointments/ prep for dinner/ another walk around the block etc treat the morning time as sacred. No interuptions. Make it predictable for you and the kids. If an emergency comes up just pick up where you left off the next day.
7 Food bill. Keep it simple. Meat, eggs, veggies, fruit, water. Snacks popcorn or apples ( or similar)
Take an afternoon to plan out the food needs for the month. Have the kids help you to prep or cook several meals ahead of time to freeze ( home ec). Make one box or shelf for snacks. When they are gone they are gone ( you could have a stash to replenish once a week). No raidng anyother food because it is already set aside for meals. Maybe one or two of your kids would like to try a year around garden bed to supplement the veggie budget.
Do not be overwhelmed by all this. It is just to give ideas.
I hope something here helps.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Aug 02 2014 at 4:57am | IP Logged
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I think Aagot's suggestions are wonderful.
I think that if I were you and I were to choose one place to begin, it would be with meals both planning and scheduling. Once you have a routine in place for those, you can start to tag other things to them.
For instance, decide when breakfast will be. Determine which chores need to be done before breakfast and those done after. Food is a great incentive to getting chores done!
I also attach screen privileges to chores and tidies. The television does not come on unless the main level of the house is tidy. Can we watch a Wild Kratts? Clean the main level. Can we watch another one? Clean the family room. Can we watch another one? Vacuum the porch.
I think that you could get by with a notebook instead of a planner. Here is a more involved one, but I think you could just divide a notebook into sections to keep track. A ledger is a pretty straight-forward way to plot expenses. I used to keep the back section of my notebook for tracking expenses. I had a new page or two for each month and would write the name of the month at the top of the page, write down the money I had to spend, and then just start keeping track like I would a checkbook ledger. I would also pencil in things I knew were coming up that month but I hadn't actually bought yet, so it was different than the actual checkbook ledger in that respect. I would also make lists of the things I knew we needed to buy in the months ahead at the top of their pages so I could plan out bigger purchases.
I liked my simple notebook, too, because I would use it to brain dump. I think that you could easily make a handwritten checklist for the lessons you want to cover in school,too. It doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to be a place for you to get things out of your head and onto paper where you can put your hands on them again. If each month you need a place to plan menus, make grocery lists, plot expenses, etc..., you could either have it divided by month or by subject. Your planner for these things does not have to be your calendar, which is how most purchased planners are oriented.
If you want to print out a traditional planner of your own, Donna Young has terrific free resources.
You are in my prayers, JoAnn.
I am also going to move this post to the planning forum because I think you will get more responses there to help.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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ekbell
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| Posted: Aug 02 2014 at 10:07am | IP Logged
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When I realized I needed a routine or lessons wouldn't happen, the first place I started was making oatmeal on lesson days and having everyone sit down for breakfast. Oatmeal because the kid's like it when it's cooked with milk, it's very simple to make using a microwave (18 mins for seven people) and it gives me enough time for my morning prayers & a bit of spiritual reading.
That way everyone has had breakfast and *knows* there will be lessons.
The other simple change I made was physically organizing the day's work the night before so that I know we have everything we need.
I agree with making screen time dependent on doing chores (and lessons). A word of warning, I've found this ruling is better at controlling screen time then getting work done as some of my children will choose to skip screen time rather then do their work.
BTW I personally find taking a daily walk BY MYSELF to be a sanity saver. Currently I take a walk between breakfast and lesson time - giving my children time to get ready (some of them are not up to much before breaking fast - low blood sugar and getting my second or fifth dd to do something productive is a nightmare) and myself time to think through the coming day.
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ekbell
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| Posted: Aug 02 2014 at 10:55am | IP Logged
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A few other notes
If you have a smart phone or similar device -a reminder app can be a great aid to staying on track. I currently have about a half dozen daily reminders set on my IPod touch.
Starting a routine and getting more organized works much better if you work on it as a family. There's nothing my children like better then reminding me of what we are supposed to be doing right now  And it's remarkable how family rules clearly stated and discussed beforehand reduce quarrels over screen time and chores.
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Martha
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| Posted: Aug 02 2014 at 1:47pm | IP Logged
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Idk what all happened this year for you, that might make a difference in my advice...
The standard here is:
Everyone up and eating breakfast, then chores, then school work.
So there's flexibility as far as the times, but the routine and order is set.
I get up at least 1 hour earlier than everyone else. I need my morning quiet start. Have some coffee, some scrambled eggs and a banana, check my emails... This sets the tone for the rest of my morning.
I have lesson plans for each child. I try to keep them filled in at least for the week. I usually fill them in the previous Friday so it's out if the way before the weekend starts and I don't have to franticly do it on Mondays.
I have a weekly checklist for my younger ones for what teaching I want to cover with them.
We all school in the same room as me. This helps keep everyone focused. Sometimes I'm in the front room with them at the school table, sometimes they are scattered around me wherever I am doing something else, such at the kitchen table while I cook or the living room while I knit or in the van while I drive all over town.
Hope you have a better year ahead,
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Martha
mama to 7 boys & 4 girls
Yes, they're all ours!
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Aug 13 2014 at 10:21am | IP Logged
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Hi, Joann..... 
I've been thinking of you and praying for you! I saw this post on using a spiral binder as your planner last week and thought of you.
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Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Overwhelmed
