Morning Routine Questions for Julie

[coastalmom]

Hi there,
I am hoping Julie can help me here, but I welcome any comments. We are in a very busy season right now with 5 children (3 school age/3 guides -, and 2 preschoolers), and several outside the home activities. I do not create order well and could really use all the help I can get. HOD is the biggest blessing to our homeschool family as not only is it an amazing curriculum in every aspect, but it puts our school into order for me. We thank the Lord everyday for it!

My question pertains to morning routines. I have looked over Julie's morning charts/routines and chore lists here and on her blog. My first question is what is your routine for your children on non school days such as over breaks and on the weekends? Specifically do you have wake times for them (as opposed to letting them sleep in) and how do you handle personal Bible Quiet Time for non school days (We want this to be a habit not just for school time).

My other question is - do you schedule all of your weekly home cleaning chores in the morning during chore time, or do you have another time set aside in the week for your children to help you get your main house cleaning done? I know that each family is different but I would like to hear what has worked well for you using HOD while managing the home. Morning chore time works well here as it seems to be the time we are most consistent to get it done. On Fridays we have been setting aside some time to do bigger house cleaning chores, but this has been hard with busy school schedules and wanting to do extra fun things on Fridays that we don't have time for Mon-Thur. I look forward to hearing back!

Blessings!

[glperky]

Wanted to bump this up for you. I was hoping to get some help from it too especially on Personal Bible Quiet Time.

[8arrows]

We have gone to just having room and kitchen clean up after meals on school days. There is a general pick-up now and then for a few minutes when it looks bad and I announce a 10 minute clean. On Saturdays we clean the house. This is working better for us.

[Motherjoy]

For us, chores work best in the afternoon, before daddy gets home. That way, the house is clean when he gets here, and we aren't sidetracked from school. Everyone does basic room and hygiene chores plus one morning job, but major cleaning takes place in the afternoon.

We don't have many outside activities, however. I've found that stopping all activities goes a long way for my sanity. There were several years where all we did was church on Sunday morning.

[Nealewill]

I am doing the same guides as you minus the preschoolers

I am not overly structured but approach chores and cleaning from a "what do we need to do right now?" approach. I work from home - usually 6AM to 10AM and then with a little bit of time in the afternoon too. For us, my oldest must get up by 7:45 and my youngers get up by 8:00. They usually make their own breakfast or I make something in advance that they can eat (for example, I made pumpkin pie Sunday night and that will be breakfast for a few days. I do this with muffins or breakfast casseroles - other than that they can have cereal or make eggs / toast / bagel on their own). Before breakfast or after, depending on when they get up, who ever is awake unloads the dishwasher. Usually it is my two younger kids that do this. They can all play until 8:30. School starts by 8:45. For my youngers, I have a check list that they follow of things they need to do alone (cursive, practice AWANA Bible verses, independent reading, listen to their music CDs and they play the piano). We recently started independent stuff at 8:45 for them because I was working and the younger kids were distracting the oldest. So this works well for us. For my oldest, I just give her the manual and she does her independent stuff.

They all get breaks off and on during the day. If they were playing, they have to clean up the space before they leave it - not vacuum or anything, just pick up their stuff. They do a general sweep through the house before lunch, again before dinner, and then another before bed. We don't do any major clean except on Saturdays and usually we spend about 2 hours cleaning max. This includes cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, running the vacuum cleaners, organizing, whatever. I do laundry twice a week and everyone must fold their own clothes as they are done. Usually, we do this after lunch. I let the kids listen to books on tape or their CDs or anything they are into at the moment while they do it. We rarely run errands during the daytime because honestly, I work from home and just don't have the time once I am done working. We usually have something going on 3 nights a week as well. We attend a co-op once a week. To help offset some of the busyness, I do a lot of crock pot meals or quick meals. I make the kids load the dishwasher and help with the meals most days if they are done with school. Once a week I make rice, eggs and veggies. I also try to make something with pasta once a week. I will make one casserole meal a week as well. And I try to make my evening meal a double or almost double portion. This way I have lunch for tomorrow. If the kids don't want leftovers, I will let them have something simple for lunch. And once a week, I make homemade pizza with the premix crusts that you add water too. I stock the house weekly with fresh fruits and veggies for snacks or accompaniments to meals. I just try to keep everything as simple as possible or it won't get done.

Other than that, I just plan to live in chaos for the next 10 years probably LOL . Not really, but probably the next 5 at least. I guess for me, I make the kids help as needed and they are good about it. If they complain at all, they sit in time out and get extra chores or they lose media time for poor attitudes. In general, my kids are used to this schedule and it works well for us. Hoping you find something that works well for you.

[Nealewill]

I am doing the same guides as you minus the preschoolers

I am not overly structured but approach chores and cleaning from a "what do we need to do right now?" approach. I work from home - usually 6AM to 10AM and then with a little bit of time in the afternoon too. For us, my oldest must get up by 7:45 and my youngers get up by 8:00. They usually make their own breakfast or I make something in advance that they can eat (for example, I made pumpkin pie Sunday night and that will be breakfast for a few days. I do this with muffins or breakfast casseroles - other than that they can have cereal or make eggs / toast / bagel on their own). Before breakfast or after, depending on when they get up, who ever is awake unloads the dishwasher. Usually it is my two younger kids that do this. They can all play until 8:30. School starts by 8:45. For my youngers, I have a check list that they follow of things they need to do alone (cursive, practice AWANA Bible verses, independent reading, listen to their music CDs and they play the piano). We recently started independent stuff at 8:45 for them because I was working and the younger kids were distracting the oldest. So this works well for us. For my oldest, I just give her the manual and she does her independent stuff.

They all get breaks off and on during the day. If they were playing, they have to clean up the space before they leave it - not vacuum or anything, just pick up their stuff. They do a general sweep through the house before lunch, again before dinner, and then another before bed. We don't do any major clean except on Saturdays and usually we spend about 2 hours cleaning max. This includes cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, running the vacuum cleaners, organizing, whatever. I do laundry twice a week and everyone must fold their own clothes as they are done. Usually, we do this after lunch. I let the kids listen to books on tape or their CDs or anything they are into at the moment while they do it. We rarely run errands during the daytime because honestly, I work from home and just don't have the time once I am done working. We usually have something going on 3 nights a week as well. We attend a co-op once a week. To help offset some of the busyness, I do a lot of crock pot meals or quick meals. I make the kids load the dishwasher and help with the meals most days if they are done with school. Once a week I make rice, eggs and veggies. I also try to make something with pasta once a week. I will make one casserole meal a week as well. And I try to make my evening meal a double or almost double portion. This way I have lunch for tomorrow. If the kids don't want leftovers, I will let them have something simple for lunch. And once a week, I make homemade pizza with the premix crusts that you add water too. I stock the house weekly with fresh fruits and veggies for snacks or accompaniments to meals. I just try to keep everything as simple as possible or it won't get done.

Other than that, I just plan to live in chaos for the next 10 years probably LOL . Not really, but probably the next 5 at least. I guess for me, I make the kids help as needed and they are good about it. If they complain at all, they sit in time out and get extra chores or they lose media time for poor attitudes. In general, my kids are used to this schedule and it works well for us. Hoping you find something that works well for you.

[MelInKansas]

We also are a busy family with several outside-the-home activities each week, especially during the school year.

Routines for non-school days: after breakfast would be when I have them practice piano (because that never takes a break) and work on scripture memory. Then free time unless there are other home/outdoor projects that need to be done or we are doing an outing as a family.

Daily Bible/quiet time for us is right before the kids go to bed. This is the family worship time. So while I would like my kids to pursue their own quiet times, really only one of them is old enough to do much with it, and this time we have together of reading the Bible, discussion, prayer, and singing is what I count as daily devotional time for them. Hubby and I of course should do more (though often I don't).

Chore time for us is right after lunch. Between breakfast and lunch we have a schedule and the goal is to get as much school done as possible, with those not working with me (and not able to work independently) entertaining and serving younger brother as much as possible, and/or doing what chores they can. Like Nealewill it is generally understood that when something is gotten out by a person or group they are responsible for picking it up. I have to nag on this far more than I would like, but at least with one reminder they usually do it since it is the expectation. After lunch is a one hour or so sweep of the house and I assign jobs/chores to each and do my part. For example: They clear the way and I vaccuum. Dishes get done (we have a dishwasher so all except the 2YO can help with putting them away or loading the dishwasher, and he even likes to try). I actually have cleaning ladies who do more of the scrubbing stuff and we have to pick up and leave the house for them once every two weeks. It's well worth the money if you can afford it. I also have a teen who is my "helper" one afternoon a week. Anyway, after the one hour of chore time after lunch usually little brother goes down for nap and we sit down and finish up whatever school work remains that didn't get done in the morning (there is always some unless my kids get up early). So on days off, after lunch is still chore/clean up time. And as I previously mentioned, I try to get the kids involved with me and my husband in projects whenever possible.

We don't wake the kids up even on school days unless we have to be somewhere. And sometimes the perfect storm happens and they actually let ME sleep until 8:00 (and I am actually able to sleep until 8:00). That happened this morning. It almost never happens though. Usually the 2YO is up by 7 and he wakes everybody else up.

[my3sons]

Hi coastalmom! I'd be glad to try to help!

My first question is what is your routine for your children on non school days such as over breaks and on the weekends? Specifically do you have wake times for them (as opposed to letting them sleep in) and how do you handle personal Bible Quiet Time for non school days (We want this to be a habit not just for school time).

This is a good question, and one with a varied answer. This year, we do school 4 days a week, taking Thursdays off. On Thursdays, I let the boys sleep in. However, as they are used to getting up pretty early, we usually are all up by 8 or 8:30 AM anyway. They finish part of their chores before breakfast, and before doing anything else, they have to finish their remaining chores right after breakfast. On weekends or breaks, my dh is usually home, and he is an early morning riser. He loves the boys to get up with him pretty early, usually by 7 AM for sure, and they love to get up to be with him. Usually they watch Sports Center or a hunting/fishing show together and hang out before we have breakfast. On these days, they don't do any chores until right after breakfast. The rule is they must finish all of their chores right after breakfast before going to do anything else.

As far as Bible Quiet Time, in the summer I would call out "Good morning" to the boys and let them know that I was starting my Bible Quiet Time and that I'd love it if they did too. My two oldest usually did a Bible Quiet Time then, my oldest always - my middle 80% of the time - my youngest 10% of the time. He was still tired and sleeping! During the school year, my middle and oldest sons do their HOD Bible Quiet Times first thing in the morning. My 7 yo doesn't yet. On Saturdays, they don't do it. On Sundays, we go to church and don't do it, as we love to focus on talking about the sermon from notes we each took in church on the drive home, and this functions more as our Bible Quiet Time or Bible Study together.

HTH! I'll answer your next question in its own post, as I have some pictures to attach.
In Christ,
Julie

[my3sons]

My other question is - do you schedule all of your weekly home cleaning chores in the morning during chore time, or do you have another time set aside in the week for your children to help you get your main house cleaning done? I know that each family is different but I would like to hear what has worked well for you using HOD while managing the home. Morning chore time works well here as it seems to be the time we are most consistent to get it done. On Fridays we have been setting aside some time to do bigger house cleaning chores, but this has been hard with busy school schedules and wanting to do extra fun things on Fridays that we don't have time for Mon-Thur. I look forward to hearing back!

I have done this all different ways through the years. In general, I always have scheduled 90% of the chores our kiddos do first thing in the morning, Mondays through Fridays. This has worked well in the past. I have used numerous charts, tear-off pads I created (1 for each child), dry erase laminated checkoffs, etc. I usually had standard daily chores for each of them, and also rotating chores for each of them, so that all of the house would be cleaned by Friday. All of these plans have worked well through the years, and changing the way they were displayed (consumable charts, tear-offs, laminated charts, etc.) annually, keeping mostly the same chores but adding a new one or passing one on for each - giving the oldest a new chore/skill - passing down from the oldest to middle 1 chore and having oldest train that child - and passing down 1 chore from the middle to the youngest and having the middle train the youngest - worked well!

This year, however, with 1 in high school, 1 in middle school, and 1 in 2nd grade, and with me working more hours and dh traveling more, I decided this was too much to try to accomplish before school. So, I put only the personal hygiene reminders/chores that I feel have to be done to start our day. I have 2 copies posted of the personal hygiene/room chores, one in the bathroom and one near their bedrooms. As we are all getting ready, I have the younger 2 read off the things that are specific to them, and they must have them done before they head downstairs to do their chores...


I posted a copy of their daily chores on the fridge. They do these before breakfast. At breakfast, I do a quick run-through with each of them asking if they did the less obvious chores. If they didn't, they don't get their 30 minute computer time that day...


I moved all other chores to general charts - weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually. I post dates that they have to have each chart done. For example, this week's chores must be done by Sun., Oct. 19; monthly must be done by Fri., Oct. 31; quarterly must be done by Nov. 30; and annually must be done by Dec. 31st. They cross of the chores as they finish them, circling who did what. In general, the oldest is expected to do the most, and the youngest the least, the middle a middle amount. If the chart is not completed by the date noted on it, no computer time, DVDs, videos, etc. until they are done. We only allow 30 minutes of computer games a day, with an educational video for the youngest each day of about 30 minutes (middle watches too, but youngest chooses), and the older two occasionally choose a video or watch a specific show with me or dad, and it's special. One time, so far, they did not finish by Sunday their weekly chores. They had the remaining chores done, working all together on them, in about 20 minutes. This has worked very well for this season in our life! Also, I do have a young homeschooled gal that is now in her mid-20's come and help with laundry and a little homeschooling a few times a week. That has been worth every penny for me! That is why you see laundry listed by Kaylene. However, on the weeks that she is unavailable, I just do the laundry on her days, put it in neat piles, and we all fold it together until it is done.

I hope something here can help as you determine how best to approach your chores this year!!!

In Christ,
Julie

[my3sons]

P.S. I am sorry this took me a bit to post! I knew it would take some time, and I didn't want to rush it. The other ladies had great ideas too!!!

In Christ,
Julie

[raindrops]

What are some of Emmett's chores? (I cannot read the writing, pic too small on my phone.)
My son is the same age and I need some chore ideas.

[my3sons]

What are some of Emmett's chores? (I cannot read the writing, pic too small on my phone.)
My son is the same age and I need some chore ideas.

Emmett gathers each bathroom garbage, ties each, puts in a new bag, and puts all of the tied bags in the kitchen garbage. Then he ties the kitchen garbage, takes it out, and puts a new bag in the kitchen garbage. He also has run soapy water in the kitchen sink (we put our dishes in it when done with breakfast and give each dish a quick swipe before putting in the dishwasher; we hand wash big dishes/pots all together). He also has sprayed and wiped the bathroom counters and cleaned the bathroom mirrors. He has put away the clean silverware tray from the dishwasher, after Riley has cleaned out all of the sharp items. He has also dust busted the edges of the kitchen, or swiffered them. He has 'shark' vacuumed the kitchen as well. He has sprayed and wiped the inside and outside of the dishwasher. I just have gone to him using a spray bottle with hot water and a few drops of dishwashing soap for most of these chores. He uses glass cleaner for the mirrors. Now, in the mornings, all he is responsible for is the garbages and dust busting or swiffering the edges of the kitchen floor. He helps clear the table with everyone too. Throughout the rest of the weekly/monthly/quarterly/annually chores, he does the other things I mentioned. I have taught him to fold washcloths, towels, and socks when we are all folding laundry too. He often sings or whistles while he does his chores - he loves being a contributing member of the household. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[coastalmom]

Thank you so much for your replies, and Julie, for all your helpful information on what has and is currently working for you in this season. I find your charts so helpful!

I like the idea of giving them a weekly deadline for completing their chores rather than trying to manage it all in the morning on a daily basis. I am having some issues with silliness and fooling around from my boys during chore time, but they are highly motivated by a privilege of screen time (since it's a rare thing), so I think having a time for that as a reward for completing their chores will help tremendously! I read on your blog about having them earn screen time privileges and I think this is brilliant... even in the way it's communicated. I always thought about taking privileges away, but I like the idea of starting from scratch and the understanding be that they have to earn this privilege in the first place by being diligent in completing their work.

I have another question... for your weekly, monthly,...charts... do you specify which child is to complete which chore? I see that they circle who did the chore and I am wondering how that works?

Thanks again!

[glperky]

Julie has a blog? Where In the world can I find it?

[my3sons]

Julie has a blog? Where In the world can I find it?

Thanks for asking, but I fear my blog will be a disappointment. I am so NOT active on my blog! As in 'years' of not posting much! However, I always hope to do more with it. Most of what the poster is speaking of can still be found on my blog, and also in the 'chart's section of my photo bucket account...
http://my3sons-julie.blogspot.com
http://s268.photobucket.com/user/happym ... t=3&page=1

HTH, and thanks for the interest!

In Christ,
Julie