If you were to visit on a school day...

I've been asked how do you homeschool with little ones always around and what does your day look like by several people.

So I thought I'd share with you how we do things around here.

First thing in the morning it is quiet time until 7:30.  You may read books or play quietly in your room, but no yelling, talking loud, or fighting.

Around 7:30 all the kids (except Felicity) are sent to get dressed and then they have their morning chores to complete.  Their morning chores usually consist of making beds and getting rooms ready for the day and folding laundry or sweeping the kitchen. 

8:00 Brings breakfast time and after breakfast they finish up any uncompleted chores or play quietly.  During this time I start a load of laundry and empty the dishwasher, and start supper if it needs to go in the crockpot.

By 9:00 we are ready to start school and everyone is called to come.  We begin with the pledge and if anyone is slow coming they start moving quickly when they hear us saying the pledge.  Then we pray.  Each day we have a specific topic/people that we pray for.  On Monday's we pray for our missionaries of the month.  We rotate through the other following categories: our country/government, our extended family, our direct family, those sitting next to you, anyone in particular that we know needs prayer, etc.  After prayer Kaomi will go to her room to play quietly.  Then I send Kent off to his room to work on something he do can by himself for the day, usually it is CIM science homework or copywork.  While Kent is doing that Katy learns her phonics lesson.  If Felicity is roaming I will either pick her up and hold her or try to give her something that will keep her busy for a few minutes.  Then I will get Katy started on her Fine Motor Skills. 

Between 9:30 and 10:00 I usually put Felicity in her bed, even if she isn't sleepy.  Then I don't usually get her back up until around 11:30.  She will play in her bed and take a nap most days.

While Katy is completing her work I will call Kaomi to me and we usually read a book together and then do a craft or find a coloring page that has something to do with what we read.  She usually gets to pick the book she wants me tho read to her.  Now that Kaomi has had "school" she will go play again.  Usually Katy will join her for a few minutes playing while I do Math or History with Kent.

When Kent is working on his math pages, Katy and I will read her history and work on her Bible Verse.  Then she has rhymes and motion which Kaomi usually joins us for.  Katy usually finishes up the rest of her school by 11 and can play quietly with Kaomi, color or read on her own.

We will finish up whatever Kent still has to complete and work on his Bible Lesson/Verse.  Kent usually finishes his morning work around 11:30.  (He likes to ask me if he can take a break, but he likes to look out the window and not do much during the first 1/2 hour or hour of school, so he already had his break.)

We eat lunch around 12:00 and then the kids all do a jurisdiction cleaning that doesn't usually take very long.  Then they get to play.  During their play I usually try to get the laundry in the dryer and clean-up anything else that needs it at that time.  Sometimes I join them in their play or read more books to Kaomi or play with Felicity.

We reconvene in the living room sometime between 1 and 1:30 for storytime.  Everyone participates in this.  If Felicity took a morning nap then I usually hold her in my lap while I read, otherwise I put her to bed for the afternoon.  We read Kent's assigned book for storytime to everyone and then do any activities that might go along with it.  After storytime I complete Kent's reading with him, while the girls have a few minutes to play quietly or pick up their room.

When Kent finishes his reading he is usually done for the day, unless he was assigned something to complete at quiet time.  Quiet time begins at 2 pm and lasts until 4 for everyone in the house.

Then I begin any supper preparations I may need to do and the kids get a snack.

I'm not sure how well this explains what we do, you might just have to be present to see it.