The number one question I get with 5 kids and a household to run, is how do you do it all?! Of course I am not doing it all. But I am doing what needs to be done and that’s a huge win! Rhythms and routines are the number one way of setting yourself up to accomplish the things that need to be accomplished.
We all have a daily flow, a way our day starts and ends. It’s no coincidence you sit in that chair to drink your coffee or tea in the morning. You’ve set a rhythm to your mornings. You might not realize it but you have a rhythm and a set of routines you follow. Rhythms are more about a flow to your day then timing and a schedule. Rhythms are an open handed approach to your day, ready for the unexpected.
Here is a look at our daily rhythm:
Morning Time
During our morning time we do the basics, get ready for the day, breakfast and chores (I’ll try to write a blog post on how we do chores). We also include our Morning basket during this time.
Our morning basket includes: 24 Family Ways, Bible reading, The-ology, scripture memory, character cards & a gratitude journal. This year we will also be reading a chapter of a Bible Heroes book alongside Not Consumed To Every Nation Unit.
School Time
Our school time has its own rhythm of sorts. So I will break it down by day how it all works for us: (core subjects are math, la, reading, writing)
- Monday: Core subjects only
- Tuesday: Core subjects, science & fun experiments.
- Wednesday: Core subjects & tea time (art, poetry & music)
- Thursday: Core subjects, history & activities to make what they are learning in their history lessons come to live.
- Friday: FUN DAY! (field trips, groups, friends) or core subjects- if needed to catch up.
Outdoor Play
Once we are done with our schooling it’s time to play outside. I will say, sometimes my kids are in and out as they need to be specially my 1st grader. We usually take a ten minute break after every lesson to just get outside. I think this time is extra special and they can’t wait to get together again and play. Most of the time the younger ones are waiting on their older sisters to play and it is the cutest. They usually have a chance to play for as long as it takes for me to get lunch ready. If they are making their own lunch that day, it’ll usually last about 30 min.
Quiet Time/ Reading Time & Nap Time
After outdoor play and lunch comes our quiet time/reading time and naptime for our 2 year old. As soon as they drop their naps we start quiet times in our house. For our 5 year old it usually looks like listening to a book on the Yoto. For my 7 year old it’s either the Yoto or reading on her own, I encourage both. My older girls will read their “for fun” books during this time or our book club choice at that time, or both! This is also my time to read. I try really hard not to do all the things during this time and actually make it restful. As much as I want to clean or fold or wipe, rest is what I need during this time. So I do just that, rest, read, listen, watch something or go outside.
Together Time + Individual Time
This is a time that I am still trying to figure out. Most of the time they just want to run off and play together and that’s wonderful, and I allow just that! But I want some one on one time with them also. Last year it was only two days a week Mondays and Fridays, when I would spend 20 min with each child individually doing something of their choosing inside the house. This sometimes looked like puzzles, games, music, movie/show, garden, a walk, anything they choose. While I am having one on one time with one I pair up the other four. So they also have some quality one on one with their sibling, and then we rotate. This will be our second year giving this a go my hope is to make it a daily things. But I also want to let them be when they just want to be so maybe I’ll keep it to Mondays and Fridays. We get one on one time in other ways throughout the day also.
After this it’s time to prep dinner, usually someone wants to help or they play outside again. But most of the time they get to go out with daddy to the park or store or just on a walk. If its a running day for me, ill prep dinner and then join them at the park for my run. Then it’s dinner, family time, bedtime routines and off to bed!
It goes without saying that no two days look the same. This is an ideal, the pretty version of things. Does it happen sometimes, yes! and it’s amazing when it does. Does it happen everyday? No! Most days, look like mesh of all of this with somethings that just won’t happen that day and added things like neighbor visits, groups or friends. Life happens to us all, right? But planning and having your routine, will only set you up for success.
I hope this is helpful for you and that you pick up some tips to help you set up your very own family rhythms. So that your days are full of goodness and maybe a little less chaos!