My Routines

Here are my routines. I do these at about the same time each day. Sometimes they take a long time depending on the temperments of my children and I finish on routine just to start the next. Usually we breeze through them and have free time in between the routines. I'm generally not strict on what we do. Sometimes we go to the library, play groups, or play games.

Morning Schedule
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Laundry – fold (15 Minutes) and start a load
Get Ready
Scripture Study
Organize Photos (I do not scrapbook during this season of my life. I slip the photos in an acid free album and label – I only do about 5-15 minutes a day, but it adds up.)
Computer Time

As soon as a child wakes up I stop the above morning schedule and let them watch one PBS show. Then I have one on one with the child if the others are not up. When everyone is awake we clean everyone’s bedrooms and put away the laundry that I folded. We even clean my room together. It’s pretty fun.

Tuesday and Thursday
Put in a load of laundry
Leave to workout at the gym for one hour
Come home and start the morning routine for MWF until all my kids are awake.

Then 6 yo gets everyone’s cereal out. (No, I don’t cook warm breakfast’s everyday. I make pancakes or waffles once or twice a week. Other days are cereal – cold or warm. I let my kids choose their cereal.) 3 yo gets the milk out.

After breakfast each child brings their plate to the sink. Even my 1 yo likes to do this since he sees his brothers do this. Then they help put away the cereal and milk. Then I send each boy to a different room to quietly play while I finish cleaning the dishes and table and sweeping the floor. I have found this clean up important to keeping a clean house and it only takes about 15 minutes.

Mid-Morning
On Tuesday and Thursday I do Yoga. Tuesday is 3yo computer time and the others either do yoga with me or take a bath. Thursday is 6yo computer time.

All of my other mornings are open to do what I need to do. We either play outside, play pretend, make bread, meet with friends, or run errands. (I try not to run errands because I just don’t like to do so with three little ones. I haven’t figured a way to come away not being worn-out.) Before we do any activity we have Chore Time. This is usually a little chore that each child is assigned. I used to do my own chores when they did theirs, but I found it works better for me to help them with their chores and then do mine when they are having quiet time. I will post what their chores are in a later post. They are simple and just enough to let them know we all have to help in a family, but not so much that they dread them.

We eat lunch and then we walk 6yo to the bus stop.

Then the younger two have quiet time.

Quiet Time Routine
Monday and Friday
Tidy
Exercise
Make Dinner
Organize something if no one is awake yet (1 hour)

Tuesday and Thursday
Make Calls
Tidy
Scriptures (If I haven’t already)
Make Dinner
Clean (1 hour) – I have a newly devised cleaning schedule that I will post tomorrow if I have time
3 To Do’s (This is just the random things that need to be done.)
Free Time
(I have never gotten to the free time, but I’m always hopeful.)

WednesdayMake Calls
Tidy
Scriptures (If I haven’t already)
Make Dinner
Free Time (Computer, read, nap, etc.)


I pick up my son from school because I found that he was always in a sour mood when he rode the bus.

When he gets home and everyone is awake then I vacuum the house and then take 5 minutes to clean our van.

Night Routine
Tidy (15 minutes)
Wash Face, brush, etc.
Pray
Read something (10 Minutes)
Sweet Dreams

I use timers a lot. That’s how I work. I only tidy for 15 minutes, but that is all I usually need. If I really don’t want to do it I think, “Just 15 minutes. I can do that.” I only deep clean for 2 hours a week. I tidy a lot and clean spills up immediately.

When you come to my house it is usually pretty put together. There will be a few things about because I don’t chase my kids around cleaning after them. I let them have fun and clean up at designated times. Every corner my not be spotless. My windows may have a few streaks, but everything is neatly put away. I will have time to have a spotless house in a few years. Right now I’m playing with my kids and enjoying my homemaking. It is tidy enough that the Holy Spirit may dwell here and I can think straight, but the dust bunnies show up periodically to play.