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Parenting / schedules

September 9, 2009

Making Homework Time Easier

Filed under: Children, Ideas, parenting, schedules — Chris @ 3:17 pm

Navigating the afternoon of homework and enrichment activities has proven to be a challenge here at my house. Now that we are several weeks in I have discovered some things that are working for me and helping to make this time of day less stressful. I hope you will share your ideas as well.

1) Set time to do homework.

At first I was allowing them to come home and immediately go outside and play with their friends. Mostly because I felt bad for them having been cooped up at school all day. Then I realized that it was impossible to get them back into the house to do their homework later on.

So now, homework happens as soon as they arrive home from school.

2) Have a snack ready

I have a snack sitting out at that table ready for them to eat as soon as they walk in the door. They sit down and eat and it gives me the opportunity to go through their backpacks and check if there is anything that I need to do.

3)Eliminate distractions

No television or video games are allowed on school nights. Period. End of discussion. This is why God invented the dvr.

4) Have all the supplies ready

I have containers of pencils, markers, colored pencils, scissors and glue sticks at the table. Various kinds of paper are nearby. Any sort of assigment they need to complete, we have the supplies ready.

5) Be present and interested

I can remember as a child going to friends house and having her parents ask about assignments that we were doing and being interested in the subjects we were studying for. This was very unlike my family where homework was considered my job. No one ever asked about it and certainly no one was ever interested in what I was studying in school.

What other sort of ideas do you have to make homework time go more smoothly at your house? How do you motivate the reluctant student?

March 31, 2009

Family Meetings

Filed under: Children, Ideas, Keeping It Real, Making It Work, parenting, schedules — Chris @ 9:35 am

I have a huge desk top calendar hanging inside my pantry door.  On it I write the schedule for everyone – doctor appointments, sports practices, games — you name it.  As well as our weekly menu.  I call the calendar my brain. 

But as  my children have gotten older, I have felt the need to add weekly family meetings to the mix.  Now we don’t do anything hugely formal like some families, more like a Meet and Greet.  A way for us to all look at each other and say, “Wow, you still live here?”

We all get together on Sunday night, usually very late, and discuss what is coming up in the next week.  I’ll take dinner ideas from the kids before I plan the menu and grocery shop for the week.  The kids will have the opportunity to tell me about any sort of party invitations that have come in and are lingering around in their pockets or bedrooms.  We will discuss plans and expectations for the upcoming week.  Talk about the past week, both the good and the bad, and how we can improve.

I don’t remember any of my friends having family meetings when we were all kids growing up.  I have to wonder if it is because as families we have all gotten so much more busy.  Family mealtimes, once an American staple, have fallen by the wayside as more and more of us have children involved in after school activities that last well into the evening. 

This week alone I have three days when at least some of us will be gone from 4:30pm until  10:00pm.  There is no way for all of us to sit down together and have a family meal.  Also, this is why I love my crockpot.  And sandwiches.

So what about your family?  Have you found the weekly family meeting as indispensable as I?

August 23, 2007

I Need A 12 Step Program

Filed under: Children, Ideas, Just For Fun, Keeping It Real, schedules — Chris @ 1:57 pm

Hello my name is Chris, and I am an office supply addict.

The paper, pens, notebooks, pens, rulers, more pens, more different notebooks, calendars, organizers… ACK, I can not be trusted in the local Staples. Especially at this time of year when they are offering all the loss leaders on products for kids going back to school.

Yesterday I went there with a list. My kids didn’t need much. You know since I am the teacher and don’t require bulk purchases of glue sticks, kleenex, and pink pearl erasers.

the stuff

Things bought from the list:

some new colored pencils (the good ones, not crayola or rose art that rip holes in your paper when you try to color),

regular pencils (since my children eat them. No really, that can be the only explanation),

pens (black ball point. Though I personally have a penchant for the fine rolling ball black pens I don’t like them using that kind because they end up smearing the ink with the back of their hand. But never blue. dear god in heaven NEVER blue),

Wall calendar (large, but without any pictures, for me to hang up and have a broad overview of my insanity. I already have a pocketbook sized calendar thing),

agenda books for me and my three oldest (so I can use them like a syllabus and have a record all in one place.)

pocket folders (3 different colors for 5 kids, and then a fun one for my 2 and 4 yr olds because they like to be in on the action)

Things I bought that no one needed, but I couldn’t resist:

personal three hole punches to fit in their 3ring binders (can you have too many little paper holes on your floor and scattered throughout your house? I think not)

pencil cases to fit inside the 3 ring binder (wishful thinking on my part that they will actually keep track of their pencils)

clip on calculators (what? they were cute and also cheap, though this morning I realized that I only bought three. Why three? I have no idea. But guess I need to head back to Staples.)

new scissors for my 4, 6, and 8 yr olds (their old ones have become dull, probably from all the cutting of hair, clothing, and other unapproved items)

an obscenely large bag of Skittles (for me, to help ease my post purchase anxiety. Note they are not in the photograph because I ate them on the way home from the store)

Things I needed but forgot:

3 ring binders x 5: now that I bought hole punches and pencil cases that go inside of 3 ring binders it might be nice to say, actually have a 3 ring binder

Index card boxes x3 (not the cheesy plastic kind that break. Don’t they make sturdy ones anymore?)

Bound Index cards (package of 3) I was just looking at the index cards I bought that are bound together (for vocabulary words) and thought these would be perfect for what I need. And also cheaper. How often does that happen? I’ll answer, Never.

And here is a random photo to show you the key to my organization this school year. Matching agenda books for us. Now to actually use them. Unless just owning them makes you more organized? Because that would be awesome. Anyone know?

we will be organized even if it kills us

Notice I have the blur effect going on? Quite possibly it was because I was unable to hold still after eating my body weight in sugar.

Oh, and while I am there I might as well buy another bag of Skittles. You know to reward myself.   I am sure I deserve them for something.

August 18, 2007

The Most Difficult Part

Filed under: Children, Ideas, Keeping It Real, Making It Work, schedules — Chris @ 11:12 pm

For me making up a schedule is easy. It is more routine oriented than a minute by minute scheduling of our days. A master plan. A list of tasks in the order they should occur. A list of wishful thinking (some days).

No, for me the most difficult part is trying to use that d#@& spreadsheet generating computer program. Seriously, I think I am mentally deficient whenever I try to use it.

“Sorry kids, no school this week. Mama can’t figure out how to print out your syllabus.”

I vow to figure it out tonight.  I am comfortable on the couch, my laptop open, a glass of wine in my hand, you know to help me think better.  Or not care quite so much about my mentally deficient state.

August 16, 2007

Back to School Means Back to Schedules

Filed under: Basics, Children, Making It Work, parenting, schedules — Chris @ 10:39 am

I know many of you have children that have already started the new school year. Which, wow, what happened to the long lazy days of summer, huh?

Next week we are starting back. Since we homeschool, we have some flexibility to take a day off here and there and enjoy the still nice weather. Soon enough winter will be here and we will be trapped inside, huddled around our wood burning stove. Okay, maybe I exaggerate slightly about being trapped, but I really dislike winter… the cold, the ice, the need to wear sensible shoes.

But back on topic, it is the time of year when suddenly schedules need to come back to the fore front of our lives. Even those of us who are the most schedule adverse, still need to have them since activities have a way of happening at specific times. I know, imagine that.

I am working on our basic schedule right now. I’ll try to post it in all its rough form tomorrow. But, I would love to see yours. Do you have one? Even for the time before and after school? How do you fit everything in?

This is the first time that I am doing enough freelance work that I will need to designate a time for working.

So, show me yours and I’ll show you mine.

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