Back At It--The Love Hate Relationship with Schedules

Around these here parts, school starts on August 7. Since my high school son will be heading out the door bright and early that day, I plan (hope?) to start homeschool with the remaining five little learners that day as well.

Seeing as how it's coming right up, I got out my pocket PC to look at all of the ideas I've been writing to myself over the past many months, to help me be more organized, and I also picked up my copy of Managers of Their Homes in case it had any good ideas for me.

I read MOTH way back probably more than 10 years ago, and we thrived with our MOTH schedule for years. Then we fell off the wagon (bedrest and a baby avalanche will do that to ya) and every time that I've tried to get back on, the schedules have felt like a turtleneck with a too-tight neck.

And we can't have that.

But somehow I need a plan. I have observed the kids and their behaviors all summer long, and usually about once every day or so I say to myself, "And if I had a schedule, this would not be happening right now."

I think I'm going to call it my Day Map. A map to get me from A (waking up!) to B (going to sleep!) on a route that includes all the things that need to happen in a day to keep all the wheels spinning.

Hopefully I can find a route that doesn't feel like a noose.

Wish me luck!