Summer schedules

I work best with a schedule. That probably ties in with my penchant for list making. I find fulfillment in making lists and checking them off which means that I also find frustration in making lists, running around in circles and not being able to check anything off. So from list making happiness to schedule making happiness. I like a schedule, and believe that it works best for my family (probably because it works best with me).

School has a tight schedule of when to get up, when to get out the door for carpool, and when to do all the other things associated with school. Summer is the break I crave from the school schedule but not a break from a schedule. We just call it the summer schedule. It is much more relaxed and it certainly invites spontaneity but it does give framework to our days.

Because I'm also a believer in year round learning, my summer schedule for the three future greats involves schoolwork review and practice. For example, we practice the previous year's math skills and spelling words. We also visit the library for the summer reading program, and I'm encouraging the future greats to read a portion of a Psalm daily and then write down one thing they learned. The other writing they do is in their personal journal where I've supplied a topic, ie. my favorite game is...

Fun things thrown into the schedule are movie hours, swimming, camping out, picnics, ice cream shop treats, and playdates, etc. The fun things give variety to the schedule without the wallet being drained because of a constant demand for entertainment.

A sample schedule looks like this:
Breakfast
Bible Time
Outside play (while it's cool)
Math sheet/Spelling/Journal writing
Inside play/Listening to book on tape
Lunch
Individual practices (piano, fencing)
Reading--alone or out loud
Inside play/Movie/Drawing
Swimming
Supper
Outside play (if time permits)
Reading out loud by great dad
Bedtime

Three significant benefits come out of our summer schedule. One, because the day is broken up between "work" and play, I don't hear the "I'm bored!" whine because they don't get bored. Two, because the day contains some "work", when they have the opportunity to play, they really enjoy and are grateful for the opportunity to play. And three, because the day is broken up between "work" and play, I find myself with more time for my own work and play instead of being shadowed by "bored" and "ungrateful" persons.

The summer schedule flexes each week based on that week's camps or VBS or vacation. But even when condensed into mini portions, the framework remains. I like the order of it and the future greats like the variety.