Summer vacation is coming ya’ll. This is probably not a big deal to most of you. Your used to sending your kids to school for 9 months and then having them home for 3. I love my kids dearly but sometimes I struggle with getting the things done I need to and having whiny kids. Just having them all home together adds such a different dynamic. Its no longer the little ones playing quietly. The best remedy for my summer fears is to have a plan.
When our oldest was born A and I wanted to home school our kids from the very beginning. We bought the preschool curriculum and I had dreams of doing preschool with him even before he was 4. Then I had number two and he was a different bread. There was no way when W was 4 that I could do any kind of “school” with him with a newborn and my rambunctious 2 year old. So the preschool curriculum sat in a closet and became a point of irritation especially when the kids would take everything out and they were too small to put all of it back. I was exhausted and shouldn’t have even tried.
When W was 6 we started kindergarten. I did it very relaxed. He didn’t get very much other than learning to read. He loved school and reading and basically grandma taught him how to read and I only encouraged it with the book I used. When W was in first grade I was already at my whits end. I had dreams of having everyone sit down and listen to read alouds and working together. We eventually got through most of the year and the summer and starting D in kindergarten was fun But I was just overwhelmed. I couldn’t keep up with all the demands.
We then decided to send our kids to the local public school. I have now gotten used to having the older ones gone during the day and only having my little ones. This will be my first transition to summer from having them in school.
I am not very good at keeping schedules. I can make them just fine but carrying them out is a different story. So my plan is to have a schedule. I hope I can follow through with this schedule and not loose my mind in the process.
6-8 Wake up watch morning TV. (yes I have one that wakes at 6)
8 Breakfast
8:30 chores
9:00 bike ride/ walk
10 snack
10-12 Outside play
12 Lunch
12:30-1:30 rest/nap time
1:30 craft time (J Sleeping)
2:30 read aloud
3 snack
3:30-5 free play inside or out
5-6 evening tv time
6 Supper
7-8 Play outside
8:30 Bedtime
This is my plan. One day a week I plan to go to the zoo, park or science center.
The other thing that is a challenge to me is feeding my clan. We used to have three hot meals a day and I just could not keep up with the work and dishes it produced so during this summer I am going to try a new routine for my meals. This is my plan.
Breakfast will be Cereal, toast and Jelly, eggs (for Adam) and oatmeal or a shake for me/the kids who want that.
Lunch with be strictly cold things Sandwiches, egg salad, chicken salad, ham or turkey, PB &J. on the side will be fruit or fresh veggies I will cut those at the beginning of the week after my grocery shopping trip. Maybe chips once and awhile.
Dinner will be on the grill most nights. Steak, pork chops, chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs. I will marinade all the meat the day I buy them and stick them in the fridge.
Friday nights I have pizza night probably family night through the summer. Saturday breakfast is always pancakes, Lunch is always hamburgers. Sunday breakfast will be bacon and eggs (We are going to a new church that starts later so we can have a nice Sunday breakfast now 🙂 )
Maybe with this blog I can stay on track with this plan. I will certainly post updates about it through the summer. Happy planning.
Signing off from one woman to another
Jenny Ren