How we homeschool

This is a general synopsis of our day, it fluctuates like waves on a beach. I try to be the moon and pull an even tide, but I wane and wax, too.
With just the first week under our belt, we have found that getting up at the same time works best - when I get up, I get them up, somewhere between 8-9. With late nights at the store, then insomnia in some degree or another, I need to ignore Commander's alarm.

The boys start with Bible reading and verse practice while eating breakfast. Next is Daily grams and Easy grams, We do two daily grams on MWF so we have T, TH off, but also will finish the year earlier by about 36 days. We are required 186 days in our private sector.

The boys then follow a daily checkoff schedule meant to keep them from needing the computer or the same book at the same time. They have helped line out this list as to what they want to get out of the way first. For Herogian it is;  World Geography, Hawk - Math, T12 - grammar.
THe boys have 11-13 different subjects to cover in the week. some are every other day, to once a week. "Better THinking Skills" only takes five minutes. (You heard about that one yesterday). S.A.T. Prep is one chapter a week for the older boys. They need to know what is coming, so it won't be overwhelming. Typing and Foreign Language are computer lessons, this allows them to get away from the books.

The boys work at their own pace, but have a time schedule to follow. If they finish a subject early, they can get a chore done, or tell me that they are taking a short break. Sometimes they use this time to do a lap on their bike, or Herogian takes Penny for a walk.
Lunch is between 30 minutes to an hour, but  if lunch is finished or not- they start back to work at 1:00. If they played around and missed lunch, too bad.

THe workout for me is staying up on the daily check of their work ( 3 against 1) and making sure, right now, that they are doing complete notes from the chapters. During this first quarter, they will be allowed to use notes for test. Then those will drop away, but they still must take the notes.
I look at Jr. High and High school as college prep training. They need to have the study skills engrained, beat into their heads, established by their sophmore year in high school.

The boys know that if they mess around during the day, they will be doing their work when Commander comes home. In the past I've left T12 at the table working with Commander while I leave for work. School isn't over until their work is finished.  During this frustrating period for all involved. If they need a break - they can go do a chore and burn off their frustration getting something accomplished, or they might be allowed to take a bike ride, or run a loop around the neighborhood.

Hawk has especially learned to sit down in the evening with his ice cream and start on the next days assignments. Herogian will also do some reading in the evenings. T12 is still fighting this concept.

Yesterday Herogian learned that I won't be so eager to take him places that he wants to go - Ducks Unlimited Banquet, last night, if he hasn't completed his chores. The chickens depend on him. So when he was so eager to go at 4:30 last night, I asked if his jobs for the last three days were done. What a look came over his face when he realized he had three jobs to complete before he'd get to leave.
When we finally left, (remember this is the kid that loves to hunt and hates geography) I told him, he would have to give me directions. A deer in the headlights look blossomed on his face. So I gave him a hint. DeSoto, 10th or 20th street, which one do you want me to take?   He chose 10th.  We drove about four miles down this road before he decided that we were on the wrong road and asked if we could go to 20th. I turned on Spruce. That's when Commander called and asked him where were we? When Herogian told him Spruce. Commander thought I was lost and gave Herogian the directions. OHHHHH! I asked Herogian how he would have found the place if we had given him the keys to the car and told him to have a great time. His reply:  "I would have driven around until I found it."    OR RAN OUT OF GAS!
I like dishing out life lessons.

As I'm typing, Hawk asked, "do you want a grape soda, cream soda, or a root beer for lunch?"
"I don't know."
"You sound just like Hawk!"
Takes one to know one. Indecisive parent, Indecisive child.