Day in the Life: Our Typical Homeschool Monday

I will try to do one of these a week, for the next five weeks, highlighting a different day each time. They may or may not be in order, as I want them to be "typical" days, and unfortunately I have no control over what life throws at us.

Our Typical Homeschool Monday:
Mondays are our back-to-the-grind days, as they are for most people. After a weekend of coming and going, staying up later than usual, and just plain over doing the fun, Mondays are for quiet regrouping. This is the one day I try not to leave the house.

This was our day, on March 31, 2014. It was a very typical Monday.

To begin, I had coffee, checked the news, and watched my 4 year old play with blocks and snack on cereal.

Next, I woke the late sleepers, and made breakfast: bacon, egg, and cheese burritos for the older 2, cheese toast for the youngest, and fruit for all.

                          

Then, after we had all washed up and completed morning chores (basically just feeding the cats & letting them out, and emptying the trash & dishwasher), we were ready to work. My daughter started with spelling and language arts, my oldest son did his algebra (with the help of an online tutor program), and my preschooler worked on letter formation, then cutting practice.

About 45 minutes later, I taught my daughter her math lesson, while my oldest son read his civics lesson, and my 4 year old played with Unifix Cubes. Whatever works! 

Once the concepts were grasped, my daughter answered math problems from her book, my oldest son answered essay questions from his civics book, my preschooler played somewhat quietly, and I folded laundry, while attempting to catch up on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Ha! (I remained available, to answer any questions of course.)

After the morning's assignments were completed, we headed outside for a bit of fresh air.

LUNCH!!! Today we had leftover spaghetti & meatballs and salads.

My preschooler was whiny, so after cleaning up this adorable mess, I laid him down for a nap.

                                     

Then, my oldest worked on his literature studies, and my 9 year old knocked out a little science.

Once they finished those assignments, my daughter worked on a social studies/map skills project, and my 14 year old worked on an earth science experiment.

Projects/experiments completed, they both moved on to their afternoon reading. I jumped back on the laundry for a bit, then picked up some clutter, and swept the kitchen. 

Little one's up! Quick snack...

...then back outside, for him! The big ones have "free time," and can do as they wish, within reason of course. My oldest jumped on his iPod and Play Station to play games, and chat with friends. My daughter shot hoops for about 20 minutes, before hopping on her iPod.  

This is where our homeschool day ends, and our family evening begins. I'll cook dinner, while the kids hang out, probably watching TV or playing....or both. Then, we'll have family dinner, do dishes, get everyone clean, spend some time together, and get everyone off to bed. It was a pretty good Monday.

Keeping a Preschooler Busy While Homeschooling: Simple and Cheap Ideas

I work with my preschooler right after breakfast, when he is the most likely to pay attention. This usually lasts about an hour to an hour and a half. After that, he's over it. So keeping him busy during the rest of the school day can be a challenge. I don't want him in front of the TV for the 4+ hours I'm teaching my older kids. Not that he doesn't watch TV, he does! Nothing wrong with a little Nick Jr. every now and again, but not all day, every day. Here are a few of the ways I've found to keep him engaged, while we work. These are not crafts. Those require more supervision. These are ways to keep him occupied, while my attention is on the older kids.

First up is what I call "Hallway Bowling." The set up is pictured above, and clearly simple. Stack some paper cups in a pyramid, and hand them a ball. They delight in both knocking down the cups, and restacking them. See:

Next is my love of pom-poms. I love these, and their many uses. Here, my preschooler is sorting them by color, in an old egg carton, using tweezers. Sorting, color recognition, and motor skills...score!

I have this white board, that hangs above my desk. It's not the one we use for lessons, but the place I write myself little notes. I pull it down, and hand it to my preschooler, along with a few markers. He'll sit like this for at least 20 minutes. Yay!

Here is a great idea, for those magnets lingering about. Write the alphabet on a poster board, and stick it to the fridge. Then, have him match the letter magnets to their corresponding place on the poster. Simple.

Cutting Practice: Just a few sheets of scrap paper, and a pair of safety scissors can keep a preschooler busy for a while. If you prefer, give him specific shapes to cut out. Remember to be encouraging. Cutting can be a difficult skill to master.

Sensory Play: Fill a plastic bin with dry rice or beans, or water. Add a few cups, spoons, or toys, and you have an hour of engaging fun!

One more tip: Toy Rotation

I don't suggest hiding his favorite truck, or her favorite doll. But I do have a shelf where I keep things, like play dough, a bin of potato heads, lincoln logs, puzzles, paint, etc., out of his reach. Then, I pull one out when I need him busy, and he's all the more engaged, because it's not something he has on hand 24/7.

Here's to a peaceful, successful homeschool day!