Tuesday, December 4, 2012

I Stumbled On This...


I was surfing around on the internet, using Pinterest to take me from place to place and, somehow, unfortunately, I stumbled on a post called "10 Ways to Make Your Homeschool Day Run Smoothly" from a blog called The Homeschool Classroom.  The author's name is Roan.

Why do I say unfortunately
Well, let's look at the ten ways to make your homeschool day run smoothly that are mentioned in the blog post:


1.  Wake up before your children
2.  Have a supper plan each day
3.  Create a routine
4.  Tidy your school area each day
5.  Tell your children the “Plan for the Day”.
6.  Avoid answering the telephone.
7.  Stay offline during school hours.
8.  Have your children’s schoolwork planned
9.  Serve snacks daily
10.  Smile.  

And now let me tell you why this blog post is unpleasant for me to read:
  1. I generally wake up after my son. He wakes up at about the same time as my husband. John John usually gets online even before he eats breakfast. 
    I'm certain that this is incredibly unhealthy for him and I would prefer that you NOT comment on this... 
    Now that we are down here in Australia, he tends to call friends back home at this time and spends time talking with them and playing games together with them. (sometimes even Hide and Seek!)
  2. LOL  I often don't know what is for dinner when I walk into the kitchen to make dinner.
  3. Routine? The truth is, John John does do far better with a routine; I'm sure he would benefit from one.
  4. We often have to go looking for our books each and every time we need them.
  5. Oh GEEZ! Again?!  John John asks me, almost every single night, "What are we doing tomorrow, Mom?" 
    Sadly, my usual answer is "I don't know."
    I'm pretty sure John would thrive in Roan's house...
    Addendum: I just asked him about this and he said "NO, this doesn't bother me, why should it?"
  6. If someone calls, we are excited to hear from them!
  7. We use our computer for lessons much of the time, so this one doesn't work for us either...
  8. I do plan lessons for both John John and Elizabeth, but I'll bet my plans have no similarities to Roan's plans. I have a lesson book for each child and write their daily lessons for them.  ...when I do it.
  9. Snacks? Yes, I often do provide a snack. It's lunch they have to get themselves! 
    And:
  10. Smile? Oh yes, I do!
So, I confess that I am not organized. I make efforts, but it's just not me. I further confess that John John prefers structure and organization and I can't offer him much of that. And I won't pretend that that isn't an issue for him...

But Roan is completely right:  
A happy, loving attitude will make every school day flow more smoothly!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you enjoyed this post you might try this one:  Barely Out of Tuesday

9 comments:

  1. Like you, I don't get up before the kids. They are early risers who like getting up at 6 or 7 & my light doesn't go off until 3 or 4. So, I am not getting up before them. They're old enough to get themselves breakfast & know what they should be doing before I get up. I don't plan out dinner, either. It's so much more fun to figure it out as I go. The most planning I do for dinner, usually, is choosing which meat to pull out of the freezer the day before, or picking out specific ingredients while I do grocery shopping. I generally ignore posts like that, because what works for one person doesn't work for everyone else. My day simply could not resemble her day, ever.

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    Replies
    1. "My day simply could not resemble her day, ever."
      Same here. In fact, I'm pretty sure she would be APPALLED at my day.
      *grin

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  2. If I wanted to follow someone's list, I wouldn't have homeschooled. My list pretty much says don't kill the kids, and keep their minds busy.

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  3. Love the tip, I'll keep it mind, ha-ha! :) Danica

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  4. Hi! I see you have a LHSHS.com button on your blog, and I think I've seen a post or two of yours over at the site. Having said that, I'm creating a blogroll of blogs that blog (at least occasionally) about homeschooling high school. (http://letshomeschoolhighschool.com/homeschool-high-school-blogs/) I came across yours today and would LOVE to add it. If you would consider this, could you email me? katie@letshomeschoolhighschool.com. Thanks in advance! :)

    Katie

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  5. Yeah, it would be very hard for us to strictly follow that list. LOL
    If it wasn't 2012, almost 2013, then maybe it would be easier to pursue.

    ~ The Doctor

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  6. Ok, I'm thinking that the list might work wonderfully, make the day go so much easier...but like you, I can't seem to get that organized. I have an only child, but everyday we get up (usually me first because my kid is a late sleeper!) and then we figure out what we are going to do. I'm fortunate in that our homeschool curriculum (Time4Learning) plans my lessons for me, means I don't have to be so organized. And what's for supper...I don't know, in the mornings I have 2 meals and a snack or two to figure out before I worry about that one!

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