Making Schedule Adjustments

We have survived our first week of school!   And only three apples have been swiped and abandoned (guess what they got with their lunch today?).

Teddy's says "Play All Day School"

The plunder

Today we completed the week with a Weekly Meeting.  I used this form courtesy of Jen MacKintosh, and I also intend to use the Weekly Prep form tomorrow to prepare for the coming week.  The biggest thing that stood out while chatting with my older three scholars is that the little boys are a big distraction.  They really are.  They need constant supervision or they will hurt each other, themselves, or the house (or all three at once!)

We've tried different things this week, including having the two big kids alternate spending time with Froggy and Teddy, but it's not helped.  Maybe in a different season when they are not such puppy dogs!  And at some point the big kids really do need to focus on their own studies.  So I spent some time this evening brainstorming and going over the plan again and moved some things around.  (Use the link at the bottom of this post to see my previous plan.)

{Click to enlarge}

A few big changes were made. I made our Morning Time (Circle Time on the chart, I use both terms interchangeably) more for the reading and our afternoon Tea Time is where we will do our Memory Work Binders.  Also, instead of directing the big kids on what work they will do when, I gave them a big block of time for Independent Work.  It was not working trying to stay on top of the time slots (little boys, remember?).    I was also more realistic with myself.  I am NOT going to get up and go for a walk before I've had my coffee!  But, I don't mind getting up and doing my MuTu core.  So Mass and going for a good walk will alternate days.  I have that big block of Exercise Time that includes shower time, but I'm also going to be realistic here....probably not going to happen as much as I'd like.  Let's face it.  I'm wiped by 7.  But walking and my core are the most important pieces of this for me, so if I get that intensive workout in great.  If not, I'm not going to sweat it. :)

The whole reason this plan has changed is to figure out WTDWTLB (What To Do With The Little Boys).  So in the first block of time, the younger three will stay with me in the school room while the older two take their work to their rooms and close the door.  I will work with Froggy and Sunflower and then set the boys free for play time (preferably outside when it's not 500 degrees).  I'm going to have to suck it up and give up some of my afternoon quiet time so I can teach Ladybug and Fritter while the little boys are resting.  This is a bit dicey, because we are forcing out Froggy's naps due to night time sleep issues, so he is still up and a potential distraction, but it's the best I've got.

The biggest point of all of this is that you can't be afraid to tweak the schedule.  Take the time to build one.  Print it off.  Follow it as you can, see how it flows and then tweak it.  And relax.  If you are anything like me, you are probably not going to follow completely anyway.  But the schedule brings peace to those moments when you are not quite sure what you are supposed to be doing in a certain time, or how to best adjust when something is not working.

Have you had to tweak your schedule recently?  Any other tips for homeschooling with toddlers/preschoolers/boys?!  Oh my!

You can see the other posts in my recent planning series linked here.