Scheduling Your Day: First Week Notes

Five O'Clock
George Dunlap Leslie

This post is a follow-up of: Scheduling Your Day: Why Bother?

First Week Daily Scheduling Notes:

~ Reaction From Family: The boys, ages 8 and 10, normally use check-off sheets to order their school days. So while used to a routine, they weren't used to a timed schedule. We used one for a while last school year, but with Beth's new arthritis diagnosis to contend with this year, I hadn't implemented one for the 2011-2012 school year.

The boys loved it and raved about it to Daddy the second he came in the door the first night. They remarked that they weren't wasting their time, which birthed greater productivity. The day went along faster.

I noticed that with a tighter schedule, the boys got along better and spent less time comparing each other's academic prowess. Peter, age 10 and in fourth grade, perfoms at grade level in most things, but reads and comprehends above grade level. Paul is two years ahead and uses the same materials Peter does for the most part, though his reading comprehension is lower. Peter has a fine-motor delay and can't manage cursive yet, while Paul loves cursive and does it beautifully. They hear all the time that God gives us different gifts, but as boys, they seem to be hardwired for competition.

Winter returned here two weeks ago (most of the tulips never bloomed), so getting them back inside after recess hasn't been a problem, though when spring weather arrives again, coming back in promptly may require an incentive and possibly a pre-decided consequence.

The girls liked having more individual time with Mommy, something I can better manage now that Peter's  behavior shows improvement.

I will need to organize more materials for the girls, hopefully this weekend. We have a whole lot of preschool materials, but the key is getting them all re-organized and ready to go in tubs, to be used during the times the girls must be in the playroom.

Beth suddenly stopped following asleep at naptime, except on the day she goes to her physical therapist. Her nap may be added back in...we'll see.

~ Laundry:  I put wiggle room into the schedule so I can shuffle laundry without actually scheduling it in. The boys and girls both have an afternoon segment of helping me fold clothes. We save the washcloths and small towels for the girls, as well as their own pajamas.

I've revised the schedule a few times. You won't see science or social studies specified, but the boys are currently reading mostly biographies and historical fiction. Two days a week we discuss their readings and use some support materials with the novels/biographies, but that isn't on this schedule.

Some Curriculum Notes:

Science:  They are currently raising tadpoles and watching their container pond outside for signs of life. Peter added frog eggs recently, from the drainage ditch across the street from our house. The boys are also planning our garden. In a couple weeks they will join the 4-H club, which offers many science projects. They've decided to start with a joint weather project, then Peter will either get a bunny or another hamster for a project, and Paul will do the aerodynamics booklet he saw offered on the 4-H website.

Reading:  I pull suggestions from Honey For a Child's Heart, and from Sonlight, and from Ambleside Online (Charlotte Mason). The first half of the year they read mostly classic fiction novels, and the second half of the year it's mostly historical fiction and biographies--a plan we started this year.

Math:  Teaching Textbooks - a CD Rom program with the best instruction you'll find (IMHO). Again, Peter began thriving in math when we began this his third-grade year.

He also needed Times Tales to master multiplication, which includes wonderful mnemonic devices (stories). My husband and I are amazed at the difference this mnemonic program made for Peter!

Paul, because his brain clings so easily to patterns, does math effortlessly. Both boys love Teaching Textbooks.

Spelling:  We use Avko Sequential Spelling. I dictate 125 words a week, all with similar patterns. The boys write them (25 per day) and if they make a mistake, they correct it immediately and then we go on. Peter has some learning disability that makes spelling very difficult for him. He is at least a year behind in spelling, but since we started this program, he's growing amazingly well. The problem wasn't a lack of spelling knowledge--he could recite spelling rules, but his writing never reflected the knowledge. This program, designed for dyslexics, contains the repetition Peter needs. It requires him to use the patterns over and over, so that his brain internalizes them. (He is not dyslexic.)

Paul is an excellent speller because his brain, highly visual, easily groups like entities. He spelled very well before I ever began instructing him. He does this program along with us because I believe it's the best, and because he likes it better than what he had.

Writing:  We use the Institute For Excellence in Writing's DVD student writing course for grades 3-5. The boys watch instruction one to two days a week, and on the other days I work with them on the writing projects.

Art:  Two days/week, not on this schedule


Here is the current breakdown for three days of our week:

7:30 Girls: wake up, dress, playroom  Boys:  wake up, make beds, get dressed

8:00 Everyone: Breakfast, Prayer

8:30  Girls: Storybook Bible w/mom  Boys:  Read your Bibles

9:00  Girls:  Coloring, ABC video or early reading video  Boys:  Spelling with mom

9:30  Mom in shower; Beth storytime with Peter;  Mary storytime with Paul   The boys are paid a nickel for every book the girls sit and listen to. This keeps them on task, trying hard to be engaging in their reading styles.  It also enables us to teach the boys some money managing skills. They will open savings accounts soon. The girls are paid a penny for listening.

10:00  Everyone:  recess/snack; mom sweep floors

10:30  Girls: Mary - reading instruction w/mom; Beth - coloring, counting  Boys: Read novel or biography for 30 minutes

11:00  Beth - physical therapy w/ mom; Mary - computer PBS.com; Boys - computer Cool Math games strategy, 15 mins. each, working together

11:30  Girls:  puzzles, dolls, dishes  Boys:  Write in journal   Mom:  Make lunch

12:00  Everyone:  lunch and prayer

12:30  Mom - dishes; Girls playroom; Peter - math; Paul - cursive, then read to girls (not paid this time)

1:00  Everyone:  recess  Mom: chores

1:30  Girls: video in playroom ( They can't interrupt me for the next hour, during which I do writing with the boys, in turn.)
Boys:  Peter - writing with Mom; Paul - math

2:00  Girls: free time in playroom  Peter - read 30 minutes; Paul - writing with mom

2:30  Girls: stories with mom, make beds with mom  Boys:  Peter - AWANA verses; Paul - read for 20 mins.

3:00  Everyone: recess/snack

3:30  Girls  help mom fold clothes; Boys  clean room, put away clothes

4:00  Girls - puzzles, playdoh  Boys  - help Mom fold clothes

4:30  Peter - read to girls (not paid); Paul - AWANA verses  Mom - put away clothes

5:00 Children free time, mom make dinner

Scheduling Your Day: Why Bother?

Motherhood, 1805
Marguerite Gerard

The day our first baby arrives home from the hospital, we don't instantly clothe ourselves in self-denial. 

Though....wouldn't it be wonderful if we could? We'd raise some mighty fine children if right out of the starting gate, we knew how to die to ourselves.

We g r o w into our parenting role, just like we grow into any role, be it student, employee, friend, wife.

God puts us through trials those first months, with breastfeeding fits and starts, sleepless nights, giving up dinner to sooth a colicky baby, waiting hours for a shower, and wondering what we can possibly do to entertain a baby for the four remaining hours before bedtime. 

Yes, indeed. Those first months resemble boot camp, blessed though they are. 

But baby boot camp doesn't cure us of our selfishness. We continue to serve ourselves. As descendants of Adam and Eve, we're hardwired for it.

The longer we parent, shouldn't it get easier to give up what we want, for the sake of our children? It should, but it doesn't. Self-denial never gets easier.

God sees our selfishness and he can make things pretty miserable for us, if we continue to cling to a "me first" lifestyle. I've learned that when I'm miserable and nothing seems to be going right, I need to do a heart check. 

Who am I living for? Am I sacrificing for my children, my husband? Or am I being selfish?

When my heart check leaves me convicted, the next thing I hear from the Holy Spirit is this: Write a schedule.

What's that you say? A schedule? What does a schedule have to do with self-sacrifice?

Well, it seems to work like this. As stay-at-home moms, we have no boss. We can slack off and no one says anything. We don't get fired. We don't get reprimanded. We don't get demoted.

We just get miserable, eventually. And everyone else in the family does too.

The schedule is like a boss. And friends, we need a boss. God is our ultimate boss, and he wants self-denial from us. No mom mothers well without first clothing herself in self-denial.

Not an easy truth to swallow, is it? 

Living by a schedule can be brutal at first. It may take everything you've got to keep on giving, instead of checking e-mail and reading the news. The computer seems to be universally appealing to stay-at-home moms, probably because it breaks the monotony and makes us feel connected to someone older than ten. And to something more significant than folding socks and underwear.

We may give up on ourselves, but the Holy Spirit never does. Never ever. He loves us, guides us, and picks us up after our failures.

Our job? It's simply to be responsive. And to pray for more wisdom. More grace. More love.

The way through is to keep on going. Schedules help keep us focused on the daily tasks He has for us.

Pray before you write one. Pray while you implement it. Pray for Him to revise it when necessary.

Some perks of a schedule:

~ Prayer and Bible reading will actually get done, 85% of the time. 

~ No day is ever perfect, but schedules sure help wayward days get back on track. When things start out horribly, we tend to give up far too easily. Take the day back from the enemy.

~ It's easier to be an intentional parent, with a schedule to remind us of our priorities.

~ We can save money on gas by scheduling errand days.

~ We can rest in peace knowing the bills are paid on time, because we wrote a bill time into our schedule.

~ You'll have time to read to your little ones, because it will be on your schedule.

~ You can write in time for cuddles. Or for personal time with every child.

~ You'll feel better about your day, every single day.

~ You'll grow in self-discipline and maturity. And peace.

~ You'll notice rough patches in your day, and learn to smooth them by rewriting parts of the schedule.

~ Your husband will be proud of your accomplishments, and so will your ultimate Boss.

~ You'll get more sleep, because your evenings won't be spent on catch up.

~ Your children will notice that you're consistently giving of yourself. They'll internalize that parenting lesson.

~ Your children will feel less stress because they'll know what's expected. They'll grow in self-discipline and maturity.

~ You can schedule in fixed time for prayer, to keep your heart on track with His.

~ You'll have a more organized home, because scheduling helps you stay on top of paperwork and laundry clutter.

~ You can schedule time for your children to work alongside you on chores. They need the training and discipline. You need the help.

How to get started:

I buy rolls of butcher paper for my children's painting time. I find that the rolls work well for writing my master schedule, too. I use pencil and a ruler to make five (or seven days), and my times start at 7 AM and go to 5 PM. If you have a baby at home right now, you might want to schedule your entire day, up until bedtime. 

Yes, it's grueling, but well worth it.

Unfortunately, I can't give tips on how to make your rows and columns, since you have unique family sizes and ages. Experiment on a small piece of paper until you have squares that work. Then, transfer the design to larger butcher paper and hang it in the hallway. Start filling in the squares.

At first, write out a schedule for just Monday. Use pencil always. See how it goes. Revise. Then go on to write the other days, one at a time. Think about library time, a day for doctor visits, a day for errands. 

Make sure you have enough days at home, because the thing is? Kids like being home, though they can't always articulate the need.  Make sure you have enough down time in there for yourself, too. Maybe a half-hour of me time before dinner prep? Or a half-hour after lunch clean up? Most employees get at least a half-hour lunch break. Find a half hour somewhere, or two, fifteen-minute segments.

Keep praying. Revise as necessary. It may take a month to write a really workable schedule. It's time well spent.

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Happy Resurrection Day!

He is Risen! Hallelujah!

And he departed from our sight that we might return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed, and behold, He is here.

~St Augustine

Happy Easter to you and yours! I've been sick recently and now it's time to get caught up around here. Blessings to you this week.

The Prayer Warrior Life: A Prayer System For Busy Moms

Prayer does not fit us for the greater work, prayer is the greater work. 

Oswald Chambers

I've had my fill of personal prayer systems that rely on paper...any kind of paper. It's not durable enough no matter how it's bound, especially when there are curious little ones around wanting to imitate mommy. They're known for taking the books Mommy's reading and hiding them--no, not purposely--in obscure places. The places in which they were last playing let's-pretend-we're-a-mommy. Except that hours later they can't remember where it was they were playing let's-pretend-we're-a-mommy. 


Or is that just my house? 


Are you looking for a practical, durable prayer system--one that's portable, even, and can be kept on high shelves when necessary? 


You're supposed to say yes.


$1.99 Mead 4-pocket index card keeper, holds up to 100 3x5 index cards, stretchy band to keep it closed, sticky labels to label compartments 


$3.99 assorted colored index cards (I bought both these products at Marc's discount grocery store, but the price on the card holder was only ten cents cheaper than the Amazon price above.)

Try card stock! In the form of index cards! Carried in a holder with compartments! 


You know I'm really excited when I start breaking important writing rules. Like the one about no exclamation points.  


Are you kidding me? A durable, portable prayer system? Of course the exclamation points are necessary. My three-year-old Beth likes to crinkle up her nose and eyes, put her hands on her hips, and say, "Are you kidding me!"


I bought colored index cards to go with mine. Below I'll detail a handy system you can use with the card holder and index cards. The blank sticky labels that come with the card holder will be needed to label the compartments using day(s) of week. 

1st compartment: Pink cards = Pray these every day

These cards will list urgent prayers, such as those for salvation, on-going health issues, and critical situations such as job losses and relationship breakdowns

2nd compartment: Green cards = Pray these Tuesday and Thursday

These prayers are for church and country--pastors, leaders, spiritual direction, the economy, family values, pro-life concerns, materialism, wars and critical international situations.

3rd compartment: Blue cards = Pray these Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

These prayers are specifically for our children, our husband, ourselves, and our own extended family, but not salvation, health, or critical issues, since they are covered on the pink cards (every day prayers). Include issues such as sibling rivalry, our children's spiritual habits and growth, their purity, specific heart issues you've noticed, their study habits, their friends, their future spouse/marriage, in-laws, and children. For husbands, perhaps prayers for strength as they lead the family, purity of thought and action, consistency in their spiritual habits, wisdom and holiness in the workplace, and parenting strength and wisdom for them as fathers, as they build up their sons and help them become men, and for wisdom and gentleness as they parent their girls. 

Remember to include prayers for your own spiritual growth, consistency of habits, purity, strength, and stamina. I always forget myself when I pray. How silly is that? 

4th compartment: Peach cards = Pray these Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday

These prayers will be for your friends, neighbors, and church family, but not for salvation or critical issues, since those belong on the pink every-day prayer cards.

This is just a sample. There are many different ways you can do it. When we pray before each meal, we always pray for our Compassion children's food supply and for their salvation. We also pray for them using the prayer jars after every meal. In my personal prayer system, I have their needs on pink cards, since their abject poverty makes all of their needs urgent ones. When we get their wonderful letters in the mail, there are never any pictures of their homes or living circumstances. It's easy to forget the shocking living conditions they endure on a daily basis. They desperately need our prayers!

There you have it. A durable, portable, small, hide-it-from-little-hands prayer system. Ready. Set. Go pray!

Photo: Simplicity and Innocence, by John Ernest Breun

Saturday Devotions 3/31

Sunday in the Backwoods
Thomas Faed

My Saturday devotions: Colossians 3

¹ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 

Let us not get too busy for family and personal devotions this weekend. They help focus our hearts, our minds, on all things Christ. Let us not forget what we were saved for. We receive vertical love and grace from our Father, and we are then called to distribute that love horizontally, to those around us. Let us not forget the poor and needy, who need us to represent their causes. Can we write a letter to our sponsored children this weekend, and send them a colored picture for their walls? Can we bring food to a local food pantry? Can we go through the kids' piggy banks and help them count out 10% to give to the church? Can we get our own tithe written ahead of time, ready to give in church tomorrow? Can we get our prayer journals/jars/records in order, ready to work for us? 

What can we do to pursue your kingdom and your righteousness this weekend, Father?

⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.^[b] 

Let us pray, "Lord, search my heart. What impurity is in me, what greed or evil desire? Help me identify it and put it to death Lord, through your strength."

⁷ You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸ But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 

"Search my heart, Lord. Am I angry with someone, or with you? Have I spoken ill of someone? Have I used language that is displeasing to you? Help me, Lord. Cleanse me." 

⁹ Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ¹¹ Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

"Have I been dishonest, Lord? With you, with myself, with my friends or loved ones? Create in me a clean heart, help me to see myself as I really am."

 ¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

"Have I made time to properly love those around me, Lord? Have I taken the time to show compassion, kindness, gentleness? Have I been humble in heart? Help me choose and do what is pleasing to you, Lord."

 ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

"Have I had a thankful heart this week, Father? Show me my ingratitude. Help me repent and start anew, counting my blessings. Help me to remember your faithfulness, and give you all the praise and glory." 

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