#20

I knew that the first goal I wanted to knock out this year was #20: Establish a daily schedule for the family, including home-school, preschool, and therapy. 

It's something that has been a long time in the making, and I think I've finally got it down. Our detailed schedule has been working out great...but this week Chad switched to evening shift (he goes to work at 2:00pm), so I had to re-work the schedule and make a second version. Now I have the "Evening Shift Schedule" printed out, in a page protector hanging on the fridge. I can flip it over to "Day Shift Schedule" when Chad switches again.

The time frames help me keep my day in perspective, and even when I'm behind or ahead, having all of my "to-dos" listed out helps immensely. It has also had the added side-effect of my kids watching less movies. They used to ask for movies all the time. Once I had the schedule, it became easy to say, "No, it's time for _____." And now they don't ask as much.

So at the risk of looking like a Type-A control freak, here it is in all its glory (the Day Shift Schedule has all the same things, except we start school at 9:00am, have an earlier dinner, and exercise when Chad gets home at 6:00pm):

Evening Shift Schedule
8:00--Wake up, breakfast, vitamins
8:30--Brush teeth, get dressed, make beds
9:00--Exercise (Chad and I are doing P90X) (Bree and Mason free time)
10:00--Reading time (15 min) (kids)
10:00--Shower (me)
10:30--Snack/Lincoln Therapy
11:00--Language
11:45--Fix Lunch
12:00--Lunch/dishes
1:00--Math (Mason: blocks, puzzles, DVD, PC, number flashcards)
2:00--Lincoln nap
2:00--Phonics (Mason: toy computer, DVD, PC, letters, writing)
3:00--Snack
3:15--Outside recess/Mom free time
4:15--Science or History or Study Island
5:00--Music or Art
5:30--Free time until dinner
5:45--Prepare dinner
6:30--Dinner
7:00--PJs and movie time
9:00--Brush teeth, scriptures, story, bedtime