A Mom's Guide for Getting Through the Day

We all know how busy we are during each and every day, so on most days having a schedule can make things a little easier. I will tell you how my schedule is and then maybe you can get some ideas on how to set up your own schedule. I know schedules don't always work, but even having a roundabout idea of when things need to get done by can and does help.

My schedule will be different from the average as I home school my kids.

Wake Up Time: The kids will get up no later than 8:30 a.m. most days. A trick I learned is to have them get dressed before they come downstairs. This helps them wake up a little bit before breakfast.

Breakfast Time: Within 10 minutes of them coming downstairs they are sitting at the table eating breakfast. Now most days it is just a cereal and milk breakfast, it is easy and quick. There are a few days per month that I will make eggs and sausage or they can have toast with peanut butter, sugar, and cinnamon on it. During breakfast time I like to start laundry and pick up the house.

Breakfast Clean Up: Next comes breakfast clean up. During this time they pick up their dishes, wash their hands and face, and brush their teeth. Now they are ready to start their days. During this time I will pick up the kitchen and wipe down the table.

School Time: Just like others are taking their children to school or to the bus stop at this time, we also start our school day. I have learned to make sure I know exactly what we are doing the night before. The night before would be a great time to make sure backpacks are ready to go and by the front door. Now our school time runs from around 9:00a.m. Until 2:00 p.m. Just so you have an idea. We do some before lunch and then finish after lunch. During school time I will switch laundry loads, do dishes, and do some other chores.

Lunch Time: We eat lunch between 11:30 a.m. and noon. Our lunch can be just about anything, but the kids really like macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets and fries, or a few other quick meals. I like the quick lunches because it makes things easier for me.

Lunch Time Clean Up: Just as with breakfast clean up, this is when the kids take care of their dishes. They also wash their hands and faces. I will wipe down the counters in the kitchen and once again wipe down the table. Sometimes I am even able to sweep the kitchen and dining room at this time.

School Time Continued: This is where my schedule can come to a screeching halt. After lunch my youngest will go down for a nap, but as any mom knows they don't always take a nap. When he does, then the kids stay busy with the rest of their schoolwork and I can sometimes finish the laundry and pick up the living room and bathrooms. I also will make sure I have whatever meat out for dinner. This would be the time to go and pick up your child from school or from the bus stop.

After School Snack time: Once we finish with school time for the day and the baby gets up from his name, we have snack. What snack we eat really depends on the day. Some days it may be cut up veggies with ranch dip and other days it could very well be some homemade cookies. We have also been known to have chips, so it really does depend on what we want.

Pick Up Time: After snack we all go around the house and pick up any messes that I may have overlooked or just didn't get to. This would most likely be the time for any homework to get done for those that go to school outside the home. I make sure all laundry gets put away, even though leaving it in the basket and hidden in the laundry sounds so much better.

Break Time: Now it will be around 4:00 p.m. This is the time for the kids to play and stay busy while Mommy starts dinner. If you have older kids this may be time for them to get their chores done.

Dinner Time: Now we try to eat dinner around 5:00 p.m. It does not always work out that way, but if we are even close then I am happy. To me dinner time is family time, but for some this is also when the child has to be taken to an activity or picked up from one, this depends on your family. My kids as of right now are not in any activities, but that will change when summer comes.

Dinner Time Clean Up: Everyone picks up their dishes and gets them as close to the sink as possible. During this time I will do the dishes and the rest of the family kind of just hangs out. For some this could be time to make sure all homework is done.

Bath Time: depending how many bathrooms you have in your house this can be a crazy time. We are lucky and have two full bathrooms down stairs. I get the tub filled in one of them and then my oldest will take a shower in the other. The baby takes a quick bath and then my 6 year old gets a chance to soak or play for a few moments. This is when I figure out the things for the next day. What are we doing for school, lunch, dinner, and snack. This would be a great time to check backpacks and get things ready for the next day.

Bedtime Snack: Usually this is just a glass of milk, but it can be a fruit like an apple or orange. If you do not have bedtime snacks then you can skip it.

Bedtime: This is usually about 8:00 p.m. After snack the kids go and wash their hands and faces and also brush their teeth. Then it is time for everyone to go and get into bed. Sometimes the kids will go straight to bed and other times it can be a fight. We all know how that is.

After the kids are in bed I will take one more look around and make sure we are ready for the next day. If we are then it is mommy's break time, if not then I go and do anything that is needed. Every day is different, but this is our general schedule.