I do enjoy reading a good ‘day in the life’ post. So I thought I’d share what we got up to on a typical home school day with our 5 children.

This was a weekday of homeschool and home stuff  a few weeks ago.  (I’m typing this while breast feeding Willow haha!)

5am – Feed Willow in bed and doze

6.20am – Luke leaves for work and a 2 year old girl appears in bed with me followed by a 4 year old. There are three cute little wiggly girls in bed with me!

7am – I roll out of bed and rescue the baby as Holly (the 2 year old)  is banging a book on my head she wants me to read.

7.10am – Gather up the washing from 3 different baskets and set a load going in the machine.

7.15am – Shower for me and getting ready for the day.

7:40am – Give the children breakfast then eat mine. They are having natural greek yoghurt with honey or muesli. I have muesli with coconut yoghurt. Then I take my supplements and hand out the kids ones. I give them cod liver oil and vitamin C everyday.

8am – The children begin their ‘morning routines.’ They have a morning routine written on the fridge which they are required to do everyday. Things that my 5 and 6 year old boys need reminding of like get dressed, put pj’s away etc. I have started them on new chores too this term which they do as part of their morning routines. They also practice their instruments they are learning – Francis piano and Arrow drums.

8.20am – I start the dishes (by hand, we don’t have a dish washer at the moment)

8.30am – Willow wakes up and wants a feed – I stop dishes and sit to feed her while listening to Francis on the piano.

8.55am – Finish feeding Willow and get back to the dishes. I put Willow in the bouncy chair and turn around just in time to see Holly trying to shove a battery in Willow’s mouth! What?! She’s at a challenging age! I tell her off firmly and pull the battery out of her hands which makes her cry. I give her a peeled apple…she’s happy now and toddles off.

9.20am – Two children realise Holly has an apple and want a peeled one too so I peel 2 more apples.

9.35am – Morning tea outside time! We do this everyday, to give us some fresh air- I love being outside and really need this time. Plus I find the children are more settled to do their school work when they have ran around outside for a bit and had a snack. I have a cup of green tea and sit on the swinging chair with Willow. The children have oranges and rice crackers.

10.10am – Put Willow to bed for  a nap then hang out the washing while the kids are still playing outside.

10:35am – School work time. Francis (6.5), Arrow (5) and Savannah (4) sit at the table with me. We pray and read out our memory verse;  Psalm 95v1-4. Then the boys do maths and phonics. Savannah does a preschool workbook and draws a picture. Holly is sitting on the floor playing with her money box we made her for school time.

11:20am – We are finishing up school work session. (I was still waiting for some new curriculum to come in the mail so school was short and sweet that day) The children cut pictures out of magazines and catalogues and glue them in their scrap books. I pack up and work on a meal plan then put a load of towels in the dryer.

11.50am – Francis asks me for a hot chocolate so I make one for everyone. I start browning some mince on the stove for tea but then Willow wakes! I turn it off again and sit to feed Willow.

12pm – Luke gets home from work, he had a short early shift.

12.35pm – Make lunch for the kids. They have peanut butter  or tuna sandwiches. I make some chick pea flour pancakes for my lunch. A new recipe from my mum I’ve been meaning to try.

1:15pm – The house is trashed…but I choose to ignore it. It’s quiet time. My favourite time of the day! For quiet time everyone must choose a silent activity and play/read by themselves. No one is allowed to talk to or touch anyone. This saves my sanity. If I can hear the clocks ticking…it’s bliss. I do my devotions and Bible reading during this time. I use this time to pray silently.

Francis is reading a book, Arrow is doing a puzzle on the floor, Savannah is laying down on the couch with a blanket and cushions, Holly is in her cot napping and Willow is on the mat in front of me having tummy time. And Luke is doing the lunch dishes. It’s organised, chaotic, bliss.

1:35pm – I feed Willow again to make her sleepy

2pm – Quiet time is over, I read The Magic School Bus to Savannah, Arrow and Francis because they really want me to.

2:15pm -Get back to cooking that mince and encourage (nag and hoot and holler)  the children to tidy up the lounge, passage way, their rooms…everywhere. They get to watch Netflix once the house is tidy on Wednesday afternoons so they are feeling motivated and are doing an okay job.

2:35 – I leave Luke in charge and head out for a walk. I stop by the opp shop on my way home.

3:35 – Back home and feed Willlow. Luke leaves to go down the street to have his hair cut.

4:30 – I fold the washing straight off the line and bring it in. I give the kids some dress up things I found at the opp shop. They have a blast trying everything on!

5:10pm – Prepare tea and we eat tacos.

6:35pm – Luke cleans up from tea while I give one of our sons a head lice treatment. He picked it up from school and it took me a while to get rid of the pesky things! (Our eldest son has been joining us for home school since term 3 week 2.)

We do our evening routine which includes pj’s, brushing teeth etc and Family Worship. We always sing a worship song together every night. Luke usually plays guitar, I do as well sometimes but I’m usually either too pregnant or feeding a baby. We put the children in bed between 7:30 and 8pm.

7:10pm – I feed Willow on and off until 8:45pm when she finally settles to sleep for a while.

Ahh the house is quiet.

 

I feel so blessed to have my precious family. Even though there are hard times, having this many kids really is doable. Even delightful.

Blessings,  Peta