What Does a (Home) School Day Look Like?

As a college student I studied how to structure a school day.

As a new teacher in a different state I learned the regulations for how many minutes we were supposed to study each subject.  (They need to add those up - first-graders really do need time to go to the bathroom - that's important.)

As a (home)schooler, though, there aren't rules about what to do when and for how long, and that's one of the best things about it.  We can totally do what works for our family.

Our kids need a lot of sleep and family time is important to us, so those two factors are being big in determining our schedule.  When my husband gets home from work (after commuting to another county), we eat a late dinner together - usually around 7.  That means that baths are around eightish and bedtime (hopefully) by 9.

We grown-ups then finish clean-up from that day and prep for the next.  We all now go to bed later than we used to....

but, that's okay, because we can also sleep in more.  The kids are serious about their sleeping, so while one gets up around 7, the other gets up somewhere between 8 and 9.  That gives one-on-one time for me with the oldest - sometimes talking, sometimes playing a game, and sometimes just snuggling in on the couch to read together.

Breakfast happens between 9 and 10:30.  Yes, I know that's late, but that's what works for us.  Afterwards we start some laundry and clean up any messes from breakfast.

Then everyone makes their way to the playroom/schoolroom.  My Big Helper works on independent assignments while My Little Man writes in his journal and reads to me.  I review her work as needed, and then everyone does math.  When we're finished with that, we break out a computer for a virtual online tour, snuggle up on the couch for some read-aloud time, or find the art supplies to create something new.  We might pull out our science books and read a chunk of the next chapter, as well.

The kids have separate reading and math assignments, but we do everything else together.  They're actually becoming so close in math that we may study the same topic at the same time this year, as well - at least sometimes.

I always think we'll be done by lunchtime, but invariably we end off on a rabbit trail.  Somebody wants to practice more spelling words or read through the dictionary or find the country that was mentioned in the book, and off we go.  We usually end up finishing things after a late lunch, when we read our read-aloud book and then do a few chores.  

The kids then have free time until supper, when they must be picked up and ready to eat as a family.

And then we do it all again .....

What do YOUR school days look like?  I'd love to know.  I'm always curious as to how others get things done!