My Daily Schedule During COVID-19

In my previous post, I wrote about survival techniques to help parents who suddenly found themselves homeschooling. I mentioned that I would share how I run my day for maximum productivity, that is, my Daily Schedule, so here it is…….

Even though we are a seasoned homeschool family, under the current circumstances we also find aspects of our lives challenging. My children lead an active and social lifestyle, so they too are feeling the strain of staying at home. I now have my teens home – ALL day. As a result, my kitchen is in constant use (which translates to continual mess). Dad is home, which is a great novelty for the boys. Dad needs to be re-trained on when it is an appropriate time to announce the next manly project for the boys (that is, not in the middle of a Grammar lesson!) I would like to share my schedule in the hope that you find calm in your day, allowing you to focus on what is most important to you and your family.

You may have already seen US-based photographer and mum, Jessica McHalethe’s routine that went viral. I believe there are 2 reasons for this.

A way of life……….

The first reason it is so popular is that Jessica not only included the academic activities for the day but her routine outlines activities for the entire day. This is the true essence of homeschool. Our academic life is infused into our day in a way so that it is a natural progression from one activity to the next. Therefore, we can identify the best moments in our schedule to place the academics, the chores, and the fun activities based on our individual children’s personalities and needs along with our unique family dynamics.

Simplicity is king…………

The second reason it works is in the simplicity. The day is broken into blocks of time. Each block is treated independently of the other, with its own mini routine. By doing so you create the freedom to move the time blocks around without disrupting the activity associated with that time block. Or, in some instances remove a block when an activity captures the family’s attention and you don’t want to move on. It provides you with flexibility within a structured framework.

Keep things simple and doable to prevent overwhelm and anxiety. At the end of the day, my family feels like we achieved something when our “to do” lists have more ticks than blank boxes AND we are still happily interacting as a family unit. When this occurs, our day was a success.

There are some guidelines that make the system work, which I will share in this post, however, the one essential thing to do is switch your mindset from schedule to routine…….trust me, I have tried the full schedule and it brought nothing but grief.

Schedule Overload:

In the early days of homeschool, I drew up a strict daily schedule. It consisted of 15min increments outlining exactly what was to be done and when. Looking back on the schedule it is horrifying! I don’t think we ever saw a week through without a sense of failure. The problem was me, not the kids. You see, I didn’t schedule according to our unique family dynamic. The clock was in charge, not me. Who would have thought that 3 hyperactive, little boys were not up to the task of following Mummy’s militant schedule?

It was no wonder this led to stress, arguments, lots of yelling at the kids, frustration because we were not achieving, and an overall sense of failure. Of course, something had to change!

I learned a lot from those days, most significantly, I learned how to ease up and relax into the day. At this point in time, I discovered routine was our answer and I have not looked back since. So, what is the difference between a schedule and a routine? According to my Macquarie Pocket Dictionary (which my son looked up for me -Dictionary skills ✅):

Maintaining daily routines can make it easier for children to deal with stressful events…. An organised and predictable home environment helps children and teenagers feel safe, secure and looked after…

raisingchildren.net.au

The Switch From Schedule to Routine:

Rehearsed and habitual actions are key to a successful day. Our routine has become a habit in that the kids do things without even thinking about it. Throughout the day we mostly operate on autopilot where the completion of one activity is a trigger for the next. For example, brushing their teeth in the morning is the trigger to go into their bedroom to get dressed (into the clothes they laid out the night before) and make their bed. It is a process and takes time to develop each new habit, but the benefits are worth the effort. Your daily routine has the power to reduce stress and anxiety for you and the kids. You don’t have to constantly repeat yourself to the kids and the kids feel they have some control as they are aware of your expectations of them.

My Simplified COVID-19 Daily Schedule:

This routine covers everything for us, however, it may not be entirely suitable for your unique situation. In this blog post, you can learn how to create your own schedule, unique to your family’s situation.

While I have written actual times in the routine, they act as a guide only. What I mean is that we are no longer ruled by the clock; we are flexible. Changes can be made if needed, for example, if an impromptu game crops up we are free to enjoy the activity. We can jump back into our routine at any point. It is a more relaxed environment resulting in fewer arguments and less stress. Each family member knows what they are doing and when, more importantly, they know who has the Play Station and when!

Be patient with yourself and allow time to tweak it. Use this as a guide and don’t be afraid to adjust it as needed. Remember to be patient with yourself and your children, especially if this is an entirely new process.

In Summary, your routine is one tool to help you and your children stay in control of your day. Here I have written further survival tips when homeschooling during the isolation period of COVID-19.

This post shares my experience and opinions only and is not professional advice. Please make your own decisions on what is right for your child and family given your individual circumstances.