Scheduling Woes

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With the New Year comes the revision of many things, in our home that includes the revision of our homeschool schedule. With our baby no longer needing an hour and a half morning nap we have been thrown for a loop around here.

“He who every morning plans the transaction of the day and follows out that plan carries a thread that will guide him through the labyrinth of the most busy life… But where no plan is laid… chaos will soon reign.” Victor Hugo

 

My first attempt at scheduling (a few years back) started out with a 15 to 30 minute interval scheduling plan, by the end of the week I was ready to pull all the hair out of my head and throw “scheduling” out the door for good! My scheduling woes were not for a lack of trying but more so for a lack of “fit”. The scheduling plan I was using was not the right fit for my family for the time and season of our lives. I felt as though I was constantly rushing and as if I were punching a clock.

I may revisit that form of scheduling in years to come but for now I am using a very simple block schedule. Block scheduling is very conducive to a home with lots of littles, which means lots of little interruptions! Block scheduling has allowed us to have a calm, unhurried homeschool day, one where we really can enjoy the journey and not get stressed by time-lines that are not being met.

We simply break our day down into 2 to 3 hour blocks, Block 1 starts at 7am, Block 2 starts at 10am, Block 3 at 1pm and so on…

Our schedule is the map for our day but as with any map there is more then one way to get to our destination, we can always take a surprise turn and or veer off the road for unexpected detours. We do attempt to stick to the schedule as often as possible and our boys know the schedule, so there is no squabbling or whining about what to do when.

A few helpful tips for successful scheduling…

There are many reasons why our schedules fail us… lack of discipline, disorganization, procrastination, laziness, over scheduling, under scheduling, and or no motivation. Unfortunately, I have learned this through my own personal struggles.

Be sure to work some flexibility into your schedule. Be flexible!
Don’t set yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations.
Examine your day and seek the Lord for direction, allow him to order your days.

This one last tip I would like to share, is one that helps me accomplish a great deal throughout the days many stumbling blocks… keep moving!!! Make your schedule work for you by going about your day with a skip in your step and joy in your heart! When I start to slack, feel lazy and or loose motivation I think of this poem…

Do it immediately; do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His Hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
Leave all resultings, “DO THE NEXT THING.”

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,