…and for life in general.
I’ve been reading this free e-book (Education is…) as well as the instruction manual for this P.E.G.S system, and I’ve been feeling like a bad mother.
In that e-book on Charlotte Mason-esque education, it lists 60 or so good habits and suggests working on them one at a time for about 2 months each. It also points out that at that rate it would take you ten years to get through the list. For someone like me who wants instant results, that seems like an awfully long time. But it serves as an excellent reminder that raising children into decent adults is an awfully long process.
Among the habits is listed Use of Time. Since our move last year, followed a few months later by the birth of Mary, my personal use of time has been less than stellar. And, unfortunately, when I fall apart (in one sense), it is unrealistic to expect my little children to keep things together. So meal times have not been at a regular hour, laundry is often done “as needed,” and bedtimes for me and the children have been later than I want.
I’ve been working on a schedule (with plenty of “margins”), and plan to implement some changes with the children beginning next week and taking a few weeks to fully affect. But this week, I’m working on me. I must, as much as possible, keep my own priorities in mind as I choose how to spend these lazy summer days. Is the laundry rotated? Is dinner prepped? Have the children done their chores? Did I spend any time reading to the children or playing a game with them?
Interestingly enough, I began my planning by first outlining a school day. I think a non-school day should resemble a school day as much as possible for consistency. The difference, of course, is that school work hours become free time.
And now, as the hour approaches 7 am, I must get off the computer and make some pancakes for my kiddos. If I’m really good and get my chores done, I’ll get to come back later!
Reit This Way 
Michelle,We are a military, homeschooling family too, and I’ve come to find that having a loose schedule is all that will really work for us. We need to remain flexible in our lives in order to be sure we have open time for Dad when he is home. Our men often work odd hours and endure days, weeks,and sometimes months away from home and I hate to think that when he is home he has to fit into our schedule. When my hub is out of the house we adhere to as much of a schedule as we can manage, but when he is home, I have to be willing to throw it all out for him.Come to think of it, this also applies to us when we have a baby in the house. Their needs are soooo much more important than following a schedule.You are a great mom. You’re making pancakes for your kiddos. It doesn’t get better than that!
We have very similar lives. I’ve been reading the same book and been eyeing that PEG system. Except, I don’t have the excuse of just having moved. 😦 We’ve been getting to bed late, getting up late, the laundry is behind, and I’ve started lessons on only one child. We’ve got too much packed in our last month and a half of summer, and I have no time to plan for school. You’re post has inspired me. Thanks, and good luck!
Michelle,I am no where near as busy with you since we only have one (so far), but while I was sick for a couple of months in the beginning of this pregnancy, things began to fall apart. It’s not easy to just jump right back into your old habits and schedules. I know you already know about Flylady. I’ve used her off and on a couple of times. This time, I really didn’t know where else to go, so I started back up with the baby steps for a month (although it took me a little longer). I’ve finally gotten a routine down that I can stick to and things have been running more smoothly and I’m finding more time for myself. I fully expect things to fall by the wayside again when #2 is born. Then I’ll have find another routine that works.Just take your time. I think your idea to find time for yourself first is a good idea. You won’t be able to give your all if you don’t have all to give.I will be keeping you in my prayers. God bless.
Oh man is it that time of year again already! Where did my vacation go! I’ve been obsessing over school too!
Guilty of all the same, Michelle. I have been meaning to read that e-book, though I have the Mason volumes taunting me from a shelf…I just have been binging on other books. But you’re right. **I** need to get things together for **me**…and then the rest will follow.I’ll start on that……tomorrow.🙂
Michelle,I’m not married to a military officer but I was the child of one. And now, I’m married to a television producer, who does live, remote productions. He’s gone most weekends. He was at work at 3:30 this morning to do a special broadcast of the morning show. He frequently takes the kids to work with him–all over the country. And sometimes overseas too:-). Anyway, you get the point. I couldn’t nail down his schedule in any kind of chart if you paid me. I’ve found that *I* need a schedule just to give my kids something to hang their hats on. But I’m not married to the schedule. I’m married to him. So, he always, always trumps the schedule. We work within the schedule or outside the schedule to be available to him and I work particularly hard to make the house function in his absence as well as his presence. I need the schedule to make that happen. I need the visual reminder of what I’d ideally be doing. But no one else needs to be chained to it. And in order for no one else to be chained to it, I have to let go of it whenever necessary with a smile and a peaceful, gracious nod. Schedules are great, as long as they are subject to common sense and administrated with love.