Since we will no longer have my income and I won't be working outside the home all day, we have canceled the cleaning service (last cleaning was two weeks ago, so I'm starting with a nice dirty house!) and the lawn service and now I have to figure out how to manage all the household chores in addition to taking care of the children. That's the one part about this role that I don't like. I love having a clean house, but I hate being the one to have to clean it and I have no clue how to find the time to clean while taking care of two young children who are too young to do any real help. For example, RJ wanted to help me vacuum the oriental rug full of cat hair, which doubled the amount of time it took.
Before I can even get into my "Preschool At Home" project, I need to set a schedule for getting things done around the house and set aside time for those preschool activities. In writing my first draft, I realized that Logan is really the wild card because he still nurses every 2 hours during the day. Sometimes I can get a 3 hour stretch, but usually over a nap. I'm hoping that this will change once we start baby food when he's 6 months. I'm also hoping that RJ will eat better once we're feeding Logan too - since now he dawdles through any meal.
However, this is my first draft schedule, which gives me some time one on one time with both boys and hopefully allows time for the chores so that we don't have to do them over the weekend anymore. While this looks rigid, I realize that a good schedule needs to be flexible, I just need something to keep me on track, especially in the beginning. Things will change. This week, my goal is to see how the daily flow of activities works. Next week, we'll make any changes to the schedule that we need to. I plan on starting my "preschool" curriculum the week after RJ's 3rd birthday (6/19). Most preschool studies examine children from 3-5, so I wanted to stay consistent with the age. Also, realistically, I won't have any curriculum planned until then anyway!
First Draft:
Summer Daily Schedule
6:00 Wake/Feed Logan/Bring RJ's Breakfast upstairs
6:30 Exercise / Planning time
7:00 Shower, get dressed
8:00 Calendar time, Feed cats, water plants
8:30 Feed Logan/RJ Free Choice Time
9:00 Playground (or extended Free Choice + Mommy/Logan time if too hot)
9:30 Logan Nap/ Snack/ RJ-Mommy Play (implement theme activities)
10:30/11 Feed Logan, Read Theme Books/Talk time
11/11:30 Child Directed Theme Activities/Logan Self-Play/Minor Chores/Prepare Lunch
12:00 Lunch Time
12:30/1 Feed Logan
1:30 Nap Time/ Mommy Free Time
3:30 Feed Logan/ Snack Time / Chore Time/ Free Play/Errands
4:30 Backyard Time (water play) or Errands
5:00/5:30 Dinner Prep/ Playdough/Sensory Play
5:30/6 Feed Logan
6:00/6:30 Dinner
7:00/7:15 Clean up time
7:30 Bath Time
8:00 RJ Bed Time
8:30 Feed Logan
9:00 Put Logan to Bed
9:30 Parent Time
10:30 Parent Bed Time
Also, I set up a 4 week rotation of chores.
Mondays - Meal Planning & Groceries
Tuesdays - Week 1 & 3: Dusting; Week 2 & 4: Clean Bathrooms
Wednesdays - Week 1 & 3: Library Visits
Thursdays - Diaper Laundry, Week 2 & 4: Clothing Laundry
Fridays - Cat Litter, Vacuuming, Sweeping Week 4: Steam Floors
Any Day in Week 2 & 4: Mow Lawn/Weeds/Pruning
Also, I hope to get play dates worked in too, so some chores and curriculum might be skipped or moved to a weekend.
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