Relaxed Homeschool Schedule – WAHM Mom of 6
What was I thinking? Having half a dozen kids and homeschooling them wasn’t enough, so I added a couple of businesses too. Sure, there are times when I feel like there’s a bit of crazy in me to choose this life (and maybe there is), but most days, things go smoothly. It really helps to have a consistent but relaxed daily rhythm that allows me to work and homeschool all of my amazing little monkeys.
I’ve adjusted our family’s routine over the years as we enter different seasons with newborns, farm work, chronic pain/illness, and even the amount of time I need to dedicate to my work, but the basics really don’t change that much. A couple of my priorities are teamwork with homecare, family meals, and lots of beneficial sleep for Mama.
Here’s what’s working for us in this season (my kids are currently B16, B13, B10, B7, G4, B1):
Wakeup!
I wake up between 7:30 and 8 am, make coffee, write some scripture verses, my praise and prayer, and plan my day. My husband and 16yo are usually outside doing chores by the time the baby and I get up, and my 10yo is listening to an audiobook on the couch. The 7yo and 4yo wake and either play or listen to the audio book when they get up, almost always by 7:30am. The 13yo usually needs a bit more encouragement to get out of bed. He heads out to take his dog for a walk (she’s a farm dog so she lives in the barn or in our backyard) and feed the chickens.
Morning Routine:
Our morning routine, the “high 5” starts at 8:30am (my cell phone alarm reminds us). This routine has been a staple in our family for over a decade, and it is nearly muscle memory for most of my children.
High 5s really don’t take that long and I’d love to do Morning Time with the kids—scripture memory verses, singing a hymn, and longer memory-work pieces—but often I get distracted by singing. Or, on nice days, the kids skip outside to play as soon as High 5s are done.
Mom’s Work Time:
By 10 am, I’m working in the office while the older kids do housework and the younger ones play. Some days they interrupt more than others. On days when I really need the focused work time, I might lock the door and assign one of the teens to keep his siblings busy and away from the door so I can focus. Some days I get really lucky and Adam is able to be inside by 10 am to hold the baby (who ADORES his daddy!), but it’s so dependent on the farm work and whether we’re in a busy season or whether something has broken down.
Often the teens and I pass the baby back and forth trying to keep him content. In a pinch, he hangs out in the playpen in my office. Sometimes I come out of the office to find that one of his older brothers has walked him to sleep and is snuggling the baby on the couch while reading a book. (Those are some of the sweetest moments for this mama-heart!)
A huge part of balance is recognizing that life is just constantly pushing forward small sections at a time, rather than doing everything perfectly all the time.
Afternoon Activities:
Adam is nearly always in by noon and enjoys making lunch for us. After eating together, I sip a coffee, nurse the baby, and chat with Adam (about the farm, silly things the kids have done, or errands that need to be done) before he returns to work around 1 or 2 pm.
At 2 pm, I set aside work and to-do lists to help the kids with their learning card activities. It’s busy, with 1-2 kids on my lap and constant requests for help. The baby, now toddling, adds to the hustle.
Snack time is at 3 pm. We used to watch a documentary, but that got tough with different age-appropriate content, so we stopped. Now they snack and chat until the older kids start farm chores around 3:30 pm.
When the 16, 13, and 10-year-olds are out, I take a break. Sometimes I read emails or news, or pick up a paperback from my end table. And I HOPE the little ones play politely.
When the 13 and 10-year-olds return, they finish any leftover chores or learning cards. Then, it’s tidy-up time for everyone. (The 16yo usually doesn’t get back in until 5pm so he often doesn’t participate in tidy-time anymore. You won’t hear him complain about that.) We go through their sticker charts and learning cards to make sure they have actually done what they need to do and everyone tries to catch up so they don’t eat away at one of their favorite times of day.Â
At 5 pm, it’s screen time, which keeps the kids busy while I start dinner, often with a toddler on my hip since he isn’t into screens. He loves plastic containers though so sometimes I can distract him with those or by pulling out a bucket of canning rings. It’s the simple things, right?
Adam (almost always) comes home by 6pm, and we have dinner as a family. Afterward, he and some kids clean the kitchen. The 13-year-old tends to his dog, chases chickens, and collects eggs. Sometimes I join him, help in the kitchen, or attend to the little ones. There is usually loud music and some killer dance moves or air guitar by the younger kids.Â
Evening Routine:
Adam takes the 4 and 7-year-olds downstairs to start bedtime at about 7:15 pm. The older kids and I hang out or read before the 13 and 10-year-olds head to bed at 8 pm. They each get to read a bit more in bed, but have lights out at 8:30pm.
Adam, the 16-year-old, and I might watch a show, play a game, or they play video games while I write. A couple evenings a week I have a work block in my office, or I go to choir or some other music reharsal.
The baby nurses down between 8 or 9 pm and, at 10 pm, we all head to bed. I like to wind down with a non-fiction book on my Kindle, but I’m almost always asleep by 10:30pm, 11pm at the latest.
Maintaining Balance As a Mom:
Sometimes the day goes off the rails. That’s just the reality with farming, mothering, and life in general. My “secret weapon” (that’s really not so secret) is that I’ve found if we can just get our High 5 Morning Routine completed at some point during the day, it keeps the chaos at bay by knocking out laundry and dishes first thing.
A huge part of balance is recognizing that life is just constantly pushing forward small sections at a time, rather than doing everything perfectly all the time.Â
How to Design A Daily Routine That Works for Your Family:
It’s a simple truth: having a plan leads to peace and joy.
- Document Your Current Routine:
- Take some time to write down your current daily activities.
- Be detailed and include everything from morning rituals to bedtime routines.
- Evaluate What Works:
- Look at your list and identify the parts of your routine that are effective.
- Highlight these activities as they are the strong points of your day.
- Spot Areas for Improvement:
- Notice which parts of your routine aren’t working well.
- Mark these areas for potential changes.
- Maintain Effective Practices:
- Keep the aspects of your routine that are functioning well.
- Ensure these successful elements stay consistent as you make adjustments elsewhere.
- Make Gradual Adjustments:
- Start tweaking the less effective parts of your routine slowly.
- Implement small changes rather than overhauling everything at once.
- Review and Adapt:
- Regularly review the changes to see how they’re working.
- Be flexible and ready to make further adjustments as needed.
Follow these steps to create a routine that works well and fits your family’s unique needs.
I recommend grabbing my free High 5 morning routine printable to kick things off. It’s not about instantly perfecting your schedule, but about small changes that make life more organized and joyful. A smooth morning routine is a great step towards simplifying your day.
