Monday, June 6, 2011

Menu Monday

Since we have VBS all this week (yeah!) I don't have to cook. So, no need for a menu this week.:)
With summer now here, I've heard alot of talk about summer schedules. So, I thought it would be fun to talk a little about that. For the last two years I've had a summer schedule. It helps alot! Without it the kids and I would float aimlessly through the days, getting nothing done, and they would complain of being bored. I love schedules:) Most important, though, is that the schedule does not control us. If I feel like spending most of the day in the pool, taking the kids to the park, going to the library, etc. we do it. The schedule is there as a guide, for some sort of structure. but it will not run are summer!
So, here is an example of our schedule, just to give you an idea.
8:30 Breakfast
9:15 Chores
11:15 Schoolwork/Free Time
12:30 Lunch
1:00 Nappers go down/Reading Time for the rest
1:15 Free Time
3:30 Snack
3:45 Pickup/Putaway
4:15 Free Time
5:00 Dinner Prep
6:00 Dinner

After a long and busy weekend, like this past weekend, the kids are tired. So, I let them sleep till whenever. If we have a fairly normal week, I will wake them so we all can have breakfast at 8:30. I've got 1-2 kids that would stay in bed till lunch everyday!
The pickup/putaway is I want everyone to spend that time just roaming the house looking for the things that don't belong, and need to be put in their correct spot. For example, the baby doll on the bathroom floor, the legos on the living room floor, the pair of shoes on the couch, the hairbands by the kitchen sink, the bowl in the family room that was from snack time last week...you get the idea:) By doing this, I hope to prevent a) me from picking all that up, b) all of that sitting there for weeks.
I, also, have intentions:) of having one child per night help me make dinner. I'll let ya know how that goes.
Well, that's pretty much it on the Reinbeck Summer Schedule. I would love to hear what others do. It's fun to share with each other, everyone has such different ideas. Have a blessed day!