Schedules & Flexibility

People are constantly telling me that flexibility is the best part of homeschooling. It makes me want to scream!!! It generally comes up when something crazy is going on like a household disaster, five sick children, etc . . . Yes, flexibility is one of the good things about homeschooling, but for a teacher with a plan and children who thrive on structure, being flexible isn't always easy.

With that being said, I prefer to be flexible on a weekly to monthly basis as opposed to a daily basis. Frequently changing daily schedules is confusing and frustrating for most children. I prefer to stick with the same daily schedule regardless of the chaos around us. However, some things can cause our weekly or monthly schedules to change. For instance, this week and next week my husband will be working on Saturday. Because Daddy will be gone on Saturday, I am reworking our schedule so that we will continue school Monday through Saturday this week and next. I know, I know, cruel and unusual punishment for children as young as mine. The kids love school, though, and probably won't even notice, and I will go into September having completed 35 lessons.

We do take school breaks occassionally, but I try to plan for them as much as possible and continue with school even if one or more of the children are sick.

Some of the things we plan specific breaks for:

1. Anytime Daddy has time off work!
2. Church Events - special meetings, programs, outreaches, etc . . .
3. Special Activities - field trips, classes, etc . . .
4. Thanksgiving and Christmas :)

What extra-curricullar actvities are most important for your family? How does your planning and scheduling work best? Leave a comment and let me know.