Americanics

The simple life is a life lived with a single focus. The more
responsibilities a person has, the more complicated life
becomes. For generations the focus for women was their families.
I have often longed for the past, thinking how wonderful if we
could turn back the clock to a simpler time. But, here we are,
in a 21st-century world, and now most of us have at least two
major responsibilities in our lives: 1) homes-families and 2)
homeschooling. Some of us have added the responsibility of a
home business. Others are involved in a ministry or a church
that takes a good portion of their time. You may even be
attending college, working at a job or doing something else that
divides your focus.

If you feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities, here is a
unique schedule that you might like to try. Since more can be
accomplished when you concentrate on one thing at a time, do
just that. Each week will have a different focus. That week most
of your activities will be related to that major area, although
there will be some things that will have to be done each day,
whether or not they are part of that week’s focus. These daily
activities will be few, and will include meals, dishes, Bible
and devotions.

Week 1 Homeschooling Week.

This week, morning to evening you will focus on your children’s
education. You will read homeschooling books privately, plan
homeschooling, set goals, monitor progress, give tests, read
aloud, hear narrations, do projects, research, give your
children assignments and tasks for the week(s) you will not be
homeschooling. Having “Homeschooling Week” every other week for
a year would give you sufficient hours “at task” but if your
children can work independently, you could have this formal
homeschooling week less often.

Week 2 Cleaning Week.

Yes you can clean for a week! I spent a whole month on our house
one time! This is when you do the major jobs appliances, walls,
scrubbing and perhaps even painting and sewing for the home. See
HREF="http://www.easyhomeschooling.com/frtechniques.html" rel="nofollow">Easy
Homeschooling Techniques for details on cleaning and organizing
your home.

Week 3 Cooking and Baking Week

Cook one day a month for meals to have on hand for your other
weeks. (See Once-A-Month Cooking by Lagerborg and Wilson,
Dinner’s in the Freezer! or Mega Cooking by Jill Bond for the
how-tos of freezer cooking.) This can be a great timesaving
activity. Although you and your family will work very hard on
cooking day, this system saves a lot of time on all the other
days. Another day bake several loaves of whole wheat bread,
along with other breads such as muffins and bagels to accompany
your freezer meals. This is the week to make some extra-special
meals and invite friends to dinner.

Week 4: Business Week (or other major focus area)

This is the week you focus on your business if you have one.
Read related books, work on marketing and those important extra
projects you can’t usually fit in. Your children will be doing
independent study, helping with the business or just enjoying
their free time.

Week 5: Repeat the cycle or go into another of your focus areas.

You may choose to alternate your weeks like this.

Week 1: Homeschooling Week 2: Cleaning and Cooking Week 3:
Homeschooling Week 4: Extra Curricular for Mom (or business
activities)

Many are already dividing their days into:

Morning: Homeschooling Afternoon: Business Evening: Cooking,
Laundry, Cleanup

Or you could divide your week:

Monday: Homeschool Tuesday: Cleaning Wednesday: Homeschool
Thursday: Shopping/Cooking Friday: Homeschool

No matter what the focus of each week, never neglect responding
to your children and their needs. With many responsibilities, it
is even more important that we includes more prayer, Bible
reading and meditation on the Scriptures. I’ve found that when I
do this my productivity goes way up. It can’t be explained. It
is a supernatural law.