Frenetic Heart Attack-Inducing Pulse of our Homeschool

I enjoyed Lucie's post at Homeschool Diary  about "The Pulse of Learning" at her house, or how her family routines goes.  I was more than a little envious of the relaxed and serene descriptions of people drifting in and out of activities and learning and playing.  Not quite how it happens here!

Since I work full time from home and  we have outside activities most weekday evenings and some afternoons, there is not typically any relaxed drifting going on around here, lol.  A typical day at our house so far this year (since September) would be more like this (of course, every day of the week would be different, but on average)...

I get up at 7:30 or 8, and check and respond to emails (work).  Kids wander out of bed whenever, usually around the same time as I do, and putz around on the computer for awhile.

Around 9 I say, "Time to get to work... I mean, uh, time to get to fun learning adventures!"  Kevan groans and says, "I don't want any fun learning adventures today," and I crack up at how that sounds.  Then I say, "Tough."  I give them their "lists" which are weekly to-do lists that I create on the weekend for the following week.  I say, "I need to do <insert something I need to do *with* them> right now, because I have a conference call at 10."  Kevan says, "I'm hungry!"  So we eat breakfast.

Around 9:30 I say, "Ok, who needs me?"  I do math with Ben while Kevan does some Literature or History on his own (usually consists of reading and some comprehension checking) and then asks me to do the "discuss with mom" part.  I say, "Sorry! Got to get on a conference call!  Do something else!"

They both play around on their computers or games while I do my conference call and various other work related activities.  Between noon and one Kevan will usually get hungry again and fix some lunch for himself and Ben, or start asking me to fix lunch.  I'll turn on Judge Joe Brown or Judge Alex while I fix lunch and we all eat.

Afterward, I will realize how little work Ben has done since I have been too busy to work with him, so I tell him to come over and do some Language Arts with me.  Kevan says, "I need to discuss with mom!"  I say that I can't because I'm doing Ben's Language Arts and to go do something else.

In the middle of Language Arts someone will call (work line) and I will have to go to the phone and work some more.  After the call I will say, "We don't have much time.  We are <insert whatever is going on that day here>.  Ben, go do this to finish Language Arts.  Kevan, have you done math yet?"  Kevan needs to do math with me but doesn't do it very well at this time of day so it can be frustrating if we don't get it done early.  We still haven't gotten around to that "discuss with mom".

I check my email and discover a new crisis that must be averted, and work some more.  Then I call Ben over for a History or Science lesson.  Kevan is still wanting to discuss with mom, but by this time has given up asking.  William calls and needs to be picked up from school, so off I go to get him.

When I get back I get some more work done, and then try to get some "discuss with mom" time in.  Then it's time for evening activities - gymnastics, cub scouts, boy scouts, and/or tae kwon do (3 nights a week) depending on the night.  At tae kwon do I bring my laptop and work since I have to sit there for an hour and a half anyway 3 nights a week!  Fortunately my wonderful husband will have dinner ready whenever we get home from wherever we are, usually pretty late.  Then we try to relax (unless I have more work to do) and fall into bed.

Notice there was no house cleaning or even straightening going on there?  No, that happens once a week, usually on Saturday.  Notice also there was no exercise?  Except for the kids... well, we pay the gym, we just don't go to it!  Notice there was no down time?  Yeah, except on Thursday nights when Will and the kids go to grandpas house for dinner.  I wish I could go too but it is really and truly my only alone time ever where I can have a quiet house and do whatever the heck I want.  I think I would go crazy without it.

So the weekends are reserved for cleaning, lesson planning, catching up on any work that didn't get finished, planning for Cub Scouts, and... oh  yeah... relaxing with the family if there's time!

Please note that I am *not* complaining!  I love my job and I love being with the kids so much and I love homeschooling!  I don't necessarily love the way things get done though.  It is good to reflect on how things are and how one wants them to be at this time of year.