Kids Schedule for School Days

School is starting up and I want to get organized.  Including my kid's daily schedule.  I know there are some people who get freaked out by schedules, but for me it's calming.  It makes me feel like I am in control of the chaos that a family of 6 brings.  But most importantly, there are so many people talking at me, calling, emailing and just chores in general...that my brain gets distracted soooo easily.  The kids and I need a schedule so when they ask, "can I go to Izzy's house" I can refer them to the schedule to make sure everything gets done before first and before bedtime.

Cause guess what?  After the kids go to bed, I'm off.  I am DONE!  The hubby and I go to our third floor "man cave" and cuddle on the couch watching hours of senseless television.  It's GLORIOUS!  I don't get back on my computer, I don't clean, I don't do projects and I definitely don't answer the phone! LOL!  That is my down time so I've got 13.5 hours each day to get everything else done, no more.

I once went to a psychiatrist hoping that she would diagnose me with some kind of anxiety disorder.  I wanted to be clinically "something" so that I could get a pill to fix my crazy.  I wanted drugs! Well, unfortunately she said I was fine and just needed to change my way of thinking about life.  Then she said that each person needs 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work and 8 hours of play/downtime.  Yeah, I laughed!!!!

Over the years I've tried to pencil in play/downtime for myself and it just seems impossible.  But I know it's necessary since I tend to live life in the future...always thinking about what's next.  I want to live it in the NOW and enjoy the beautiful moments.  That requires a peaceful mind.  So, each day I try to give myself a few minutes here and there to just sit and mediate.  But I definitely clock out after 7:30pm.  Nothing done after that time would be productive anyways, so why bother? :)

Anyways, here's what our new school schedule looks like.  This year I will have from 9:30am-1:00pm to do whatever I need to without kids!!!!!  HALLELUJAH!!!  Those 3 1/2 hours will be grocery shopping, errands, doctors appointments, chores, working from home and volunteering at the school.  Yeah, I'm thinking I'll be pretty excited next year when they are all in school for 7 hours a day! ;)

But here it is!  My kids love knowing what's coming next and it certainly makes transitions a lot easier!  My oldest keeps the kids on schedule most of the time...and I LOVE that!

• My girls wake up first at 6am.  They have sunshine alarm clocks that get them up and then they come and wake me up! :)  I don't have an alarm clock so that I don't wake the hubby.  He doesn't sleep well so I always want him to get as much sleep as possible.
• They get dresses, with their clothes laid out from the night before.  I make breakfast, finish packing their lunches, do their hair and get their backpacks ready to go.  Then we head for the bus stop!
• After the bus stop I have 35 min. exactly to exercise before the hubby leaves.  So I usually walk my dog when it's not raining.
• Breakfast is laid out for the boys while I'm gone and they will be eating at the counter when I get back.  They get to watch a little TV and then dressed for the day.  I shower at that time.

• So I'm hoping, while I am getting ready, that the boys will sort the laundry.  We'll see how that goes.  But I always throw all the laundry on the floor and have the kids sort them into baskets by what belongs to whoever.  Makes folding it easier.  Then we gotta head to the school which is only 5 min. down the road.
• *Insert my 3.5 hours of errands, work, chores, volunteer time...child free :) 
• Then I'm back at preschool at 1:15 to pick them up and head home while we talk about our day.
• They then can have computer time (while I prepare snacks) before the girls get home and take over the computer.  A lot of their homework is on the computer...and yes, they are only 1st and 2nd graders.
• We get the girls off the bus at 2:20pm and then come home for snacks and chat about the day.

• After snacks the kids need time to decompress, so they get 1 show to watch.  Then chores begin.  
• They each have the same chores each day to do.  They don't like it, but they do it.  I'm usually right alongside doing mine.
• Homework consists of worksheets, word study and a math program online.  So they do that while I monitor.
• Then they have to read for 20 min. each day for school as well.  I should read at this time too! :)
• Now, the exercise time is important to me.  They need to get their wiggles out and we try to do it in fun ways.  Either they go on the trampoline, ride bikes, obstacle course, do a kids exercise DVD or CD that I have purchased or run our stairs.  The stairs is their least favorite! LOL!
• And the last of their chores is to prep for the next days.  Get their clothes picked out, help pack lunches, snack and waterbottles.  That makes the next morning so much easier.

• After chores they get to go play in the playroom or their rooms while I have quiet time making dinner.
• The hubby always gets home at 6:30pm and I have dinner waiting on the table.  They all run down and jump in his arms and come to the table...the hubby loves the attention!
• Then we sit at the table and I begrudgingly tell the hubby everything that broke in the house today via my hands or the kids, unexpected bills we have to pay, actual blood that was shed or how I went over budget.  Yeah, reality happens and the fantasy bubble is busted.
• Then they bathe, brush teeth, get on their PJ's and we head to bed...while I clean up from dinner.  I spend about 5 min. per child in their room tickling, zerberting, kissing, hugging, wrestling, ect.  Honestly, I'm ready to just go to bed, but I push through and do it because I know it's important to reconnect at the end of the day so everyone goes to bed feeling loved....but seriously, I can't get to the man cave fast enough!
• When all is done, the hubby and I head to the man cave and get lost in shallow TV.  And that's my life with 4 kids!

School Schedule Printable