Your Personal Day

[Guest]

What does your personal day look like? When do you clean your house? What time do you get up to get ready for your day? When do you plan what will happen in your day care. Lunch, games, snacks, crafts.

[heyhun77]

Personally, most days I get up by 5:45 or 6 am. I shower, get myself ready for the day, start my coffee and then do household chores mixed in with daycare tasks. I start more laundry, empty the dishwasher, bring out the daycare table and chairs, pick up any random family items that got left out the night before, set up the infant's pack and play, bring up anything I need from the basement storage for the day and then start prepping breakfast and setting up lunch stuff. In the midst of that I make sure my 13 year old gets up/eats breakfast/dressed and out the door (early most mornings for orchestra) and my 6 year old gets up/dressed (he usually ends up eating after kids are arriving before leaving for school). From 7:15 to about 8:30 I have kids coming, usually one family at a time and they all play until 8:25 when my 6 yo leaves for school at which time we clean up our toys and wash up for breakfast. I am usually doing tasks while families are coming in for the day and the kids are playing because this is the last little bit of free-movement that I have for a while. Our mornings are busy so other than starting something in the oven or stirring something in the slow cooker I really don't do a lot of housework, ect. I have sticky notes that I will write ideas on for menu/activity planning/ect for later though. Lunch is typically ready to go the night before other than oven or simple cooking so it doesn't take much time to get on the table. Once everyone is down for nap I have aobut 45 minutes (depending on the day with the infant I have and when he goes down for his nap) to clean up lunch, clean the bathroom, work on the laundry again, prepare pm snack, do paperwork/planning, ect. Once everyone starts waking up we're pretty active again until the end of the day. For me, my nights are pretty busy with prepping but since we usually have something every night of the week I try not to leave much to do during the week. I get dinner ready, we eat, we leave (or stay on the rare occassion!), get the kids to bed, sweep the floors (mop if needed), do more laundry, run the dishwasher, prep the food for the next day to the fullest extent possible and set out things that we will need the next day.

The bulk of my cooking, bookkeeping, planning ect is done on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday afternoon has become my cooking time. In about 3-4 hours I can prep most of what we will need for the week. Our lunches for the spring/summer menu rotation are all box lunches so I just pack 10 lunches and put them in the fridge so they are all ready. I usually economize my time. For instance, I am currently waiting for the dryer to finish, have dishes washing, waiting for bulgur to soak so I can prep lunch for tomorow and I'll watch a show online soon while I'm cooking.

I try to do my activity planning a month or two in advance so all I have to do is prep the stuff I planned. That way I'm not rushing around looking for ideas when my brain is empty. I try to find a Friday or Saturday night when my dh and oldest son are out of the house and my 6 year old goes to bed by 8 pm and I'll pound out everything for the coming month in a few hours. Of course, I don't do "crafts" so that helps. I do all hands-on, experienced based learning so it's usually a lot of supply gathering more than anything. I LOVE that it's nice out and acting like summer finally because we are off from most of our planned learning experiences and onto unlearning by just being out in the world and experiencing community. That really gives me a chance to relax with the kids and I can usually sketch out our school year during the summer which helps later when I need to get it all detailed out.

Sorry if that's more than you wanted to know. I'll return to my soaking bulgar now in an effort to get to bed sometime before the sun comes up again!

[sharlan]

Interesting. I'd like to see more post their days.

[Lianne]

I get up between 6:30 and 7am. I get dressed, make my bed, let the dog out and start coffee. Then I scoop the litter boxes, clear the sink of dishes and pour my coffee. Three days a week my first arrival comes at 7:30 and the other two days the first arrival is at 8am. I eat between 7:30-8am so just after my early kid arrives and before my 8am arrivals. Housework depends on the day of the week. I usually do most of it on Mondays because the kids tend to play well together after a weekend away from each other and, after busy weekends with their families, the kids are happy to simply play all morning. So, I'll change my bedding and start laundry when I get up or just after the 8amers arrive and once everyone is here I scrub the bathroom, vacuum and mop the floors, dust, clean the hamster cage, restock diapers & wipes, reorganize daycare toys/books, etc.

What I do depends on what needs to be done and how well the kids are able to entertain themselves as well as what I'm in the mood to do. Keep in mind that I live alone with no kids of my own so I have two loads of personal laundry, a load of my own bedding and a load of the kids bedding per week. I live in a two bedroom, one floor, 800sq ft home and am a tidy, minimalist person by nature. I hate waking to an untidy house so, for the most part, I pick up and put things away before I go to bed.

Each afternoon after naptime the kids each have a chore to do. Their chores are simple but age appropriate things. It's important to me that the kids work with me to help keep our daycare home running in a clean and tidy manner.

Some of their chores are:
*Cleaning and refilling pet dishes - I have three cats, a dog and a hamster plus the kids and I foster for the SPCA and almost always have kittens living here, sometimes the mother cat, too. We currently are fostering six kittens and their mama.
*Wiping down the toilet and vanity - I give the child some Lysol wipes and they wipe down the toilet lid, seat, outside of the bowl, floor if needed plus the sink, counter and taps.
*Wipe down high chairs/booster seats - using a wet cloth the wipe down the kitchen seats and usually that mophs into the table, too,
*Clear all toys from under the couch - I have a broom stick (no broom head attached) that the kids use to bat any toys out from under the couch
*Folding bedding - They fold up all the naptime blankets and put them & the pillows away
*Prepare Snack - They help fill the water cups, pour snack into the bowl, wash/cut up the fruit or vegetables (this is a favorite chore)
*Dusting - If I have more kids here than I have daily chores or if some of the kids are too young for the chores, I stick and old sock on their hand and tell them to go dust something, .

Chore time lasts 10-15mins and gives me enough time to get snack ready. The kids are always eager to help out so why not take advantage of it!

If I'm not doing housework, I usually am online for a bit, catching up on my boards in between kids arriving. Sometimes we go outside right away, other mornings they free play til 10am then we go out or or do our circle time/activity. Often in the nice weather we do our circle and activity outside. If the kids are playing, I'll work in the garden or mow the grass or clean out the dog's pen. Other days I get the kids involved in a game or I just sit and read while they play. Some days we go to the library or to a playgroup program, to the park or another provider's house for a playdate. Every Friday, three other providers come to my house with their kids for a big playdate. We all contribute a portion of lunch and the kids eat on the floor, picnic style. Once the weather is more reliable, we'll move our Fabulous Fridays (as we call them) to the park and spend the day there. Everyone packs up and heads home in time for naptime, nice and tired and ready to sleep

I sometimes make extras at dinner to use for lunch the next day. Sometimes I throw something in the crockpot the night before or first thing in the morning. Otherwise, I get the kids to start tidying up around 11:15-11:20 and I start making lunch. If they finish tidying before lunch is ready then they get the books out and read. After they eat, they wash their hands and faces, dump their garbage and put their dishes in the dishwasher. They can then go back to reading but they're also allowed to turn the tv on. At 12:30ish, I set out the napcots and change diapers, kids use the washroom. By 12:45 they're ready to hear a story (currently reading Charlotte's Web a chapter or two at a time) and they're lying down by 1pm until 4pm...sometimes 3:45 if I'm feeling kind, . When they get up I change diapers, they use the washroom and we start our chores that I listed above.

I do some housework in the evenings if I feel like it. I do some prep/planning in the evenings if I want to. I refuse to stress out because something isn't done....I can always do it tomorrow, if I need to.

[WImom]

I throw a load of laundry in every morning and then switch it over sometime during the morning. I fold it at nap and put away at night.

I get up at 6am and my first arrives at 7:10. (Shower, let the dog out, get my kids up for school, make their lunches)

I do housework on Saturday mornings most weekends (Kitchen and daycare room, bathroom get cleaned daily). My kids have the job of cleaning their own room and changing their sheets. My husband does all the outside work.

I plan most of my cirriculum during nap and I also take one Sat. a month and do a whole month of cirriculum. I cut stuff out during nap or free play.

Lunch time I fill the dishwasher while the kids are eating.

4:30 - kids leave and I vaccum the daycare room, wipe down the bathroom, and spray the toys that need it.

[tulip1969]

I am up at 5:45
coffee and computer time
Straighten the main floor of the house
Get myself dressed and my sons clothes layed out
Make my own kids lunches
My first kid arrives at 7:15
I eat when they eat and usually get the craft ready right before craft time (That I really need to change and not be so last minute with).
The kids are all picked up by 4pm
I pick up my daughter from sports at 5
Take my other daughter to piano or voice lessons most days
Cook dinner and help with homework
Clean the dishes and maybe throw in a load of laundry
by 8pm I am showered an watching t.v. in bed (I make this a priority because this is my ONLY "me time") even though my kids laugh at me!!
I go to bed at 9:30 on weeknights
On the weekends I usually wake up at 7:30 and clean the entire house and do laundry. Oh, and on Fridays I order my groceries while the kids nap and they get delivered on Sundays!! I Love Peapod! On-line grocery shopping for those of you who do not have it in your neck of the woods.

[meganlavonnesmommy]

5:30am wake up, shower, let dog out
6:00am start coffee, tidy up house, first child arrives
6:30am 2nd child arrives, wake my 9 year old (5 year old gets up whenver)
7:00am 3rd child arrives, serve them all breakfast, pack lunch for 9 year old
7:30am help 9 year old get off to school
8:00am clean up from breakfast, answer emails
8:30am 4th and 5th children arrive
9:00am storytime, calendar time, arts and crafts
10:00am outside playtime
10:45am clean up outside, come in, kids watch cartoons and I make lunch
11:30am lunchtime
12:00 naptime for half the group, other half plays comptuer games
During nap I read, clean, do dishes. I cant do laundry cause its in our upstairs.
2:00 kids start to wake up
2:30 snacktime and get ready to play outside
3:00 outside time
3:30 daughter gets home from school and starts homework
4:30 clean up outside and get ready for pick up
Two kids are picked up at 4pm, the other three at 5pm.
5:00pm make dinner and clean up
6-7pm soccer and art classes most nights, a trip to the grocery store or walmart usually once during the week too
8pm my kids in bed
9pm Pass out exhausted on the couch with a glass of wine. ::

[meganlavonnesmommy]

Lianne:

I LOVE your idea of giving the kids chores to do! I'm going to start that next week. Kids LOVE LOVE LOVE to help, and I know they will be excited. My group is 2-5 year old, so they are old enough for small chores. Thanks for the idea!

[laundrymom]

I love the chore idea too,..
And, I love this thread.

mine is

445 wake up, potty , put on shoes, shorts and jacket, leash dog, and head out door by 450am.
be back by 525-530 from our walk run jog poop session. with little blue bag for the garbage.

530start coffee, go to bathroom, wash up get ready for the day
540 eat and have coffee, check woot, email, etc.
550 start laundry
6 wake daughter
630 first kid arrives
7 wake husband
7 text oldest daughter and tell her how luch I love her,( she lives at her dads thru the week to help with her younger brother there)
7run sweeper in playroomliving room to get up laundry fuzzies,
710 kiss daughter heading to bus
715 every day friend is here (10)
715wake other daughter
730 breakfast
730 kiss husband goodbye
8wake son
815kiss youngest daughter goodbye for bus
830 hug son goodbye for work or school
9 diapers bottles
930-945, get ready for outside play
1045, come in and get ready for lunch
1115 lunch, nap diapers etc,...
230 snack
3 kids start going home,
3 daughter comes home on wednesdays
330 daughter is home from school
5 daughter and husband come home,'
text older two kids and see if they are coming home for supper, or working or whatever, (they are 19 and 17)
6 eat
hang with the family, mow, shop or whatever
9 youngest two to bed
930 husband to bed
this is my "ME TIME" I do laundry, dishes, watch tv, plan, make lists, whatever I want until Im tired, usually between 11 and 1 I head to sleep.
Rinse and repeat.