Summer Days Schedule

Summer time is finally here. We live up north where kids are still needed for planting season which was going strong until we had 4 days of non-stop rain. This means that we still get out of school early. Kind of like how they did when there were one room school houses that dotted the country. We are some of the first that I know of to get out early and that just means that I have to get my summer act together so that the long, hot days don't get too long and boring for the kids and I still have some sanity when school starts again.

Last year at this time I was prepping for a major surgery (Like really major, hospital at least 4 days and no lifting anything over 10 pounds for 6 weeks! And I have 3 kids... you get the picture.) and wanted to make sure that when my help arrived shortly before my survey that it was not a chaotic wreak they were walking into. I came up with a summer weekly schedule for our family. Hey, we are on a schedule during the school year that works, why not during summertime. It worked so well last summer that my hubby and I decided to do it again. And, because I started this blog, I get to share it with you. YAY! =) (I can feel your excitement through my computer! Ha!)

If you want to skip all my blabbing, you can click here to get our schedule. It is very simple since I made it in Word, but it works for us. The kids even start to ask, "Okay, what's next?" while staring up at it posted on our fridge.

For those of you still with me, here we go.

I like to get exercising done first thing in the morning so I wake up and start exercising. My kids usually wander in through my exercise time and they usually join in. Next we do breakfast. It gets pretty hot here in the summer time so we work out in the yard. I give each kid a specific job to do while I work in the garden. When they are done, they each pick so many weeds out from the garden. Then they get to play outside. I usually am working, cleaning, or organizing something outside while they ride their bike, draw with chalk, or whatever they choose. We usually have a snack around this time too.

After this, its into the house to wash up and have piano time. While each child gets one-on-one time with me at the piano, the others can read or color. Finally (at least it feels that way for the kids somedays) it is lunch time.

After lunch its nap time. My youngest still takes a nap, but my others don't. I still make them lay down a bit and relax or read. After nap, my kids' favorite: School Time. This year I have specific goals for each child. My youngest who is starting preschool needs to snap his pants on his own, count to 20, write his name, and begin to write the alphabet. My kindergartener needs to tie her shoes, begin reading and learning sight words, and work more on number recognition. My 1st grader (tear, can't believe she is in 1st grade) needs to work on not being so bossy, reading chapter books, and more complex thinking skills and reasoning in math. Can you tell I'm a teacher? =)

When school is over, we alternate cleaning time and art/craft time each day. Then its time to make and eat supper. Each night we do a different family activity. Monday=Wii night, Tuesday=Game night, Wednesday=Movie night, Thursday=Family night (we have a bible lesson or discuss things that our kids need help with socially), Friday=Free time.

Finally, (for mom its usually with a long sigh) its bed time.

This year we are doing swimming lessons and t-ball which will through off our schedule a bit, but we don't stick to it like glue. It is just merely a guideline. If it is really really nice out, we would probably stay outside longer. This year, I hope to run more with our dog, so I will probably move around the exercise time. The idea is to have something planned so that its not a summer full of "what can we do?" This tends to get rather annoying and usually drives me crazy.

This is from last summer. This is my once a year every year do the same pose picture. 

Enjoy, and have a happy summer!