Day in the Life // 2020 School @ Home Edition

Many of you requested a Day in the Life post when I asked you for blog post ideas that you'd like to see from me this year.  That's very nice!  I hadn't done one since January so today's the day.  

This is a typical day in 2020 trying to do home at school for Olive (2nd grade), Fletcher (PreK) and keep 5 month old Leo entertained.

Olive is currently going to school in person every other day.  

I'm thankful she gets to go to school, but we are missing the routine of 5 full days of learning.  Don't get me wrong.  We are thankful and enjoying our extra time together, but she reminds me often, "Mom, you know I'd really rather be learning AT school."  She loves school and I'm super thankful for that.  Fletcher's PreK program has been delayed until October.  It looks like he's set to start in just a couple of weeks.  He's unsure about it, but I think he'll love it.

I documented our day yesterday.  I always enjoy looking back at these post throughout the years to see how life looks very different from year to year.

Day in the Life // 2020 School @ Home Edition

I don't usually set an alarm on Home School days.  Partly because the kids always wake up between 7-8am and because the baby was up 4 times the night before.  I was exhausted.

7:30 The big kids woke up and headed out to the playroom to play.  I was taking care of Leo and moving slow.

8:00 I head out to wake up the house - open the curtains, turn on all the lights and make something for breakfast.  Cinnamon toast and milk is the #1 request.  I get everyone situated - Leo in his exersaucer to play, big kids eating breakfast and I hop on my computer to take care of some Monday jobs.

9:00 Kevin heads out for the day with a coffee in hand.  I packed his lunch the night before and he gives me an ETA for when he'll be home.  We all wave goodbye and head inside.  Olive hops on the computer to do some math games her teacher assigned.  I'm her tech support.  It's a stressful job - there are a million passwords, websites and games that I inevitably have no clue how to play.  She gets frustrated because I don't know how to fix her learning games and I'm frustrated because there are no directions other than - here's the fun learning website and this is your child's password.  The text book websites are all user friendly for reading her weekly stories, but the interactive games give me a headache.

*Bless your heart if you are trying to juggle doing school at home with multiple kids.  If you're trying to log into so many different online programs, zoom meetings, classes and hours of computer work with your kids.  That's not the way that school is supposed to be.  We just do a little computer work here and there and, while it has its place, it is no replacement for in person teaching and learning.

9:30 I grab some iced coffee, make Leo a bottle and sit down to feed him.  He's grumpier than usual (teething?!?!) and needs to go down for a nap ASAP.  I try to shush the big kids so he can nap usually in his swing.

10:00 Big kids play together.  *If we have to run errands or want to go on an adventure, we usually head out around 10:00.  This day we stayed home.  I take care of dishes, prep bread for dinner, tidy up the kitchen from breakfast and zoom through some to dos while Leo is asleep.  I get ready for the day - hair, make up, make bed and get dressed.  The big kids get dressed, tidy up their rooms and make their beds.  We all get ready every day. I make some oatmeal for everyone for a filling snack.

10:30 Leo wakes up after a short nap and we head to our bonus room for some school time at their desks.  Olive has a long list of school work to tackle.  I let her pick the order and she gets busy while reminding me she'd rather be at school with a smirk on her face.  Fletcher's PreK curriculum is totally up to me.  We work on him writing his name, identifying letters, tracing shapes, making patterns and letter sounds.  Olive picks to work on spelling words, math, reading fluency and phonics.

11:30 We head outside for some fresh air.  The big kids decide to rake leaves today and Leo and I supervise.  The baby loves being outside.  The sunshine and fresh air is good for all of us.  The kids chat with their favorite neighbor kid who's also home today.

12:30 We go inside for lunch.  I make everyone's favorites and we eat at the kitchen island. I usually try to use up leftovers when we eat lunch at home.

1:00-3 Leo goes down for another nap & bottle.  I take care of cleaning up the kitchen, chores like laundry, blogging, text friends to check in and such.  Kids craft, do art, play together or watch a show together.  We usually try to do some more school work while Leo naps.  They quietly read or work on more assignments from school.

3:00 We try to be done with school by this time so that we finish when real school finishes.  Snacks for everyone and they usually want to watch a show.  We often go outside and play and I try to get some dinner prep done while Leo plays in his high chair.  I water flowers, the kids play, we tidy up the house and get excited for Kevin to get home.

5:00/5:30 Kevin gets home.  I do final dinner prep stuff, we play outside, debrief about our days and the kids usually show him all the things they did for school that day.  I prep, cook and clean up and Kevin does fun stuff with the kids to keep the out of the kitchen for me.  They'll play basketball in the kitchen, go for a walk, bike ride, swing, pick up sticks in the yard, etc.

6:00 Dinner time.  We eat together 95% of the time.  I plan our meals around what time Kevin will be home from work. I cook 5-6 nights a week and he picks up take out once or twice.  Take out seems like the easiest dinner option when you've got little kids.  Especially now with all the COVID craziness we've been trying to take advantage of drive thrus, Door Dash and Easy take out.  We eat, chat about our days and clean up.  I usually pack kid lunches at this time when I've got out leftovers and the kitchen is already a mess.

7:00 Clean up is done.  I take care of the kitchen.  Everyone works on the rest of the house together - toys get picked up, things put away and sometimes I do a quick vaccum.  Then we head outside until it starts to get dark around 8.  We usually go on a family walk or one parent will take the big kids on a bike ride.  Sometimes I go on a solo bike ride.  Each night is a little different.

7:45 Come inside - baths, showers for anyone that needs one, snacks, pjs and books.

8:30 Bedtime - divide and conquer.  Kevin puts the big kids to bed.  He's currently reading The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe with them.  They've read a lot of books together - the whole Ramona series, Box Car Children, Bible Stories, etc.  Fletcher falls asleep first most of the time and then Olive drifts off after being chatty about her day.  I put Leo to bed.

9:00 Grown up time!  We watch a show (currently blazing through Longmire) while having a dessert together.  Brownies, ice cream or popcorn are our favorites.  Lately, Leo has been crashing our party and wanting to be held while he sleeps.

10:30 Take care of Leo if he's up again, tidy up the house one last time and say goodnight to Kevin. I  pack his lunch for the next day.  I get busy working on blog stuff, catch up on to dos from the day that didn't get done, laundry, lay out all the things we'll need for the next morning to make our morning easier.  If Olive has library, I get her books together or if she has PE I set out her shoes.  I look forward to quiet, late night time to myself all day long.  I get a burst of energy every evening about this time.

12:00am I try to head to bed.  I usually feed Leo a bottle around this time and then put him in his bassinet for the night.  Ideally, I'm asleep by 12:30ish.  

Goodnight!

That's a wrap on a really regular day at home in 2020.

Some snapshots throughout the day on 9/21/20

Leo does school.