Need some scheduling help/advice (long)

[Alana in Canada]

You all have been so wonderfully helpful to me, I kind of hesitate to ask for more help, but there's no one here to turn to for advice. If you have a minute to help me think through this, I'd be so grateful!

We took off so much time in Sept, Oct, Nov and Dec., that we are now a 1/2 year behind.

This is now our sixth consecutive week of school, since beginning back in January.

At the end of this week we will have the following left:
Math (Singnapore 2A&B for the girl, Singapore 3A&B for the boy)--28 weeks each
SoTW2 (History)--31 weeks
The boy's writing program: (CW-Aesop A&B) 35 weeks (flexible)
Girl's grammar (FLL): 88 lessons (at 4/week: 22 weeks)
Boy's grammar (R&S3): 100 lessons (at 5/week: 25 weeks)
Boy's Bible (Memoria Press, Christian Studies): 29 weeks
Girl's Bible (Explorer's Discovery): 29 weeks
Spelling (SWR): 23 lists (1/week) flexible.

Other course I'm not worried about--Canadian History, Science, and Art. We'll just do those as we go along, as long as it takes.

If we do NOT take any breaks whatsoever, we will be done in about 30weeks or so: Sept. 12th.
That's unrealistic, of course. And we have a three week holiday booked for May.

Normally, I planned taking a week off every six weeks. Our summers are very short: May, June and July are the best months to spend outside. (I always feel so sorry for the kids in school during May and June!)

From Friday, Feb 15th to to Friday May 9th is 12 weeks.
So how much time should we take off between now and then?
Maybe none?

I do NOT want to take a week off right now--I feel like we have just hit our stride--however, tempers are fraying. So, should we or not?

And if we do, what shall we do after our vacation in May? Should I just resign ourselves to working through the summer? I'm afraid I'll have a full scale rebellion on my hands.

[Karen in CO]

You just cut to the minimum - whatever that is for you if you want to "finish" during the summer.
That could be math and grammar with SOTW and Bible readings at night or during breakfast. That way you feel like you are accomplishing what needs to be done, but your kids are getting a break and you all get to enjoy the summer.

And RELAX. You don't have to do it all this year. If you are in a groove but tempers are flaring, then relax a little. You aren't ruining your kids.

Its okay - slow and steady.

[Lenora in MD]

I missed a similar amount of time about 3 three ago. It is tempting to try to catch up quickly, but I would advise taking it slow. If you need some breaks along the way, take them. But don't take the whole summer off. Definitely make an effort with the vitals, like math and grammar. YOu could just do them in the morning over the summer and take the afternoons off to enjoy the weather. You can always catch up with spelling and writing. YOu could just do a family bible reading and discussion time and forget the workbooks. Don't worry about sotw, you can always just take longer to do it. Life happens and we need to be flexible. Instead of stressing ourselves out, I ended taking an extra year and a half for sotw. We did it in 5 1/2 half years instead of 4. My 6th grader is still trying to catch up in math, but this past year she has made remarkable progress and is almost there. My youngers are ok.

[Cadam]

I think you are going to have to do a limited schedule through the summer. Do just what you must and cut out any busy work you can. You can probably get it done in about 90 min. so put school time first thing in the morning or after lunch during the summer. Really they could be done by 9 or 10 in the morning and have plenty of play time during the summer.

[BizyPenguin]

Since it seems like your school year really didn't get under way until six weeks ago, I would suggest you call January 2008 the start of your school year and just strike Sept-Dec 2007 from your records. There are many homeschoolers who begin their school year in January and it really seems like a great way to begin a new year. It also sounds like you're a year 'round homeschooling family, so simply carry on with your idea of taking one week off every six weeks since that seems to fit your schooling style. Now, since you've got a three week vacation coming up this spring, you're going to have to rearrange some of your breaks. I suggest getting your calendar out and penciling in school breaks right in your calendar. Then, count the weeks and make sure there is enough time allotted for the kids to finish all of their lessons for the school year. Then stick with it! Don't let the kids' whining and complaining pressure you into taking extra time off. If you don't want to get off track, you're going to have to try hard to stick to your schedule. I, personally, would split one of those week's off into 5 separate days off to use for a burn-out day here or a sick day there. (Does that make sense?) In other words, don't schedule one of your weeks off on your calendar, but keep track of that "extra" week by using a bright star sticker or something like that on your calendar. When you need a day off, take it and then put a bright sticker on your calendar. When you've got 5 of those stickers on there, you know you've used up your extra week and when it's gone, it's gone. Well, I HTH in some way.

[Alana in Canada]

Hmm--light school in summer--or ploughing through--with a sick day here and there. I like that idea Stacey-Tea--but perhaps for the sake of my sanity--I could figure out a "school-light" week here and there--instead of allowing the kids and I to take a whole week off here and there.

We just don't seem to want to come back!

Fortunately, in a way, I do not have to report school days or time spent on school--so no legal worries--it's all psychological, in a way.

And somewhat practical as I need to buy the following year's curriculuum (mostly) in April. So, I'm working on next year--and we're not even finished this one!
Frustrating.

Thanks all. I wish one of you could come over for a cup of coffee and just hold my hand!--or kick my butt!