Let me check my calendar!

It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks...

Helen Keller

I have heard so many people say, "I admire you for homeschooling.  I just couldn't do it."  My initial response is "Why?", "Why, couldn't you do it?"  If the desire is not there then that is certainly a valid reason.  If the spouse is not on board, I get that for sure. 

Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart.  It is work...time consuming, frustrating at times, rewarding to the utmost.  It is a true labor of love.  However, it is not impossible if you and your spouse have the desire and will power. 

Just needed to say that. 
Changing gears completely on you, tonight I want to write about the awesomeness that is

Freedom,

Freedom to schedule your day in what ever way works best for you and your kiddos. I lurve(Jennifer language for REALLY love) that I can change it up if I need to.  When I was in a classroom, there was very little flexibility and that means the classrooms my kiddos were in had very little flexibility.  That is bad for many reasons.

1. Reteaching, not happening unless lots of kiddos don't get it.

2. Miss a day and get a little behind. 

3. Miss a few days and get a lot behind.

4. Do not have time to complete in class. Take it home.

5. No such thing as an impromptu field trip.

6. Play dates...after school or on no school days. (Kids need to play. Kids learn when they play!)

This list just keeps growing as I think about it, but you get the picture.  I love that I can customize the education my children get to suit their needs.  I love it! If one of the kiddos is sick, they take the day and we pick up where we left off the next day or when they are better.  Speaking of which, sick days are rare around here anymore.  When we were in school and preschool, we were sick at least once a month it seemed.  When one got sick, we all got sick.  

That all being said, I need structure.  My boys, specifically Jay, need structure.  Our day is structured.  The point is that if we deviate from that structure, we just pick right up the next day and keep on keeping on. 

Structure with flexibility is a major, major perk of schooling at home.  

Here is an example of a typical day around our house.  

8:00 am     Breakfast, get dressed.

9:00 am     School begins

                    individual bible time and group bible time

10:00 am   Math

11:00 am   Language Arts

                    Wordly Wise, Grammar, Reading

12:30 pm   Science/Social Studies

1:30   pm   Lunch

2:00  pm   Finish up any work not completed. Pick up the house.

3:00  pm   Out to play, get ready for soccer games/practice, etc...

Library day is Thursday. 4H is once a month and coop meets once every other week, aside from field trips. We do not attend every coop.  It just depends, if we are caught up with school we go.

Rarely do we school until 3:00, but is does happen from time to time. We are typically done by 1:30 and sometimes sooner.  I try to make all of our appointments (dentist, doctor) for the afternoon.  I do have to take breaks in here to feed Amelia, put her down for her nap and include play time for her and Lucie Rose.  Luckily, Amelia typically naps from 10:30 until 1:30.  Lucie Rose is schooling with us this year and while the boys are doing independent work, I work with her.  I intend to blog about schooling multiple age children another day.  I do let the kiddos take bathroom breaks as needed and we also take a break around 11:00 provided we are in the school room and ready to go at 9:00.  If one of the boys finishes an assignment before the other one is ready to move on, they read a library book or draw.  Cooper loves to draw.  I try to incorporate art in and sometimes we just have art days. One of the kiddos favorite art days last year was when we made a wooden block nativity.  That project actually took one day and part of another.  

  

Structure keeps me in check and keeps the boys in check.  Not all homeschool situations require this type of structure.  The way we do it is just that, the way we do it.  It works for us.  Others homeschool differently.  As long as children's needs are being met, you school the way that is best for you and yours. That is the beauty of homeschooling.

Structured flexibility.  I like it and I love it.  It works for us!

How about you?  What works best for you?

Much lurve,