Am I the only one?

Fridays I normally run light just so I can catch up on a few things. Today, I actually graded all of this week's work. Often I don't get around to it until Sunday (bah humbug).

Does anyone else feel like they have so much to do that they need a weekday to catch up? Does anyone else have problems teaching or keeping the children focused because you yourself cannot focus because you think there is just too much that needs your attention right now? It doesn't help that I'm awful at delegating.

Someone please tell me this is normal. Or it's at least ok to need time to do things.

Aaaarrrgh!

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Misti
wife of Scott
mama of Nick, Matt, PJ, Gianna, and Alex in Heaven

I personally hate correcting work. Thankfully this year I only have one doing Saxon...that's the worst, and my senior in high school isn't doing any math. But some of those study guide questions in high school...they just go on and on.....

I know what you mean about a weekday. Saturdays are just as busy with activities, laundry, having to actually fix lunch since husband is home Laughing

instead of letting the kids just forage on their own. Weekday afternoons can be much free-er, unless there are evening activities for which I have to be home for.
Christina

You are not alone. We've actually changed our schedule to 3 days a week year round to manage my stress level. We do school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. Wednesday is our fun outing and we skate at the rink for the morning kids session over in Citrus Heights. Friday, we run errands and grocery shop. I use Wednesday afternoon to catch up on correcting and school administrative paperwork type stuff.

Nice to see another local family. Smile

S

Anyone under High School still gets Friday afternoon and the weekend off, but the High Schoolers and I work all weekend long.Having a DEFINITE Quality not Quantity attitude we do NOT do everything in the CPs. The kids are all feeling that sigh of relief that comes from being in the first week of a new quarter, while I struggle to catch up on grading, Posting and Reporting all the school for five kids for the quarter we just completed.
STILL, it is so much better than the alternative. WE have the choice and we school when we want. What really works for me, is pulling an all nighter (well we crash around 3am and survive one night on three hours sleep) with my high schoolers and getting caught up on everything. It is great for teenager/parent bonding, I let them drink soda and eat junk food, and we get SOOOO much done when the littles crash around 10PM. This works for us though only because my dh is a fireman and is gone three days at a time. I could never do it if I had to attend to a dad/husband too. We usually do it once or twice a quarter. We are probably going to have one soon as the kids want to go into Easter caught up and it seems impossible when we look ahead at the calendar. Home school Play days on the feasts, Saint Joe's and Annunciation, my kids wouldn't miss for the world. Youth Day in Anaheim another day gone, Yesterday, 30% coupon for Kohl's we went and got all our Spring/Easter/Summer shopping done but lost a day of school. We live in the mountains and it is three hours in driving. Two sets of out of town visitors between now and Easter, etc. etc. We all have the same stories, but basically it amounts to this. Precious time with our little ones that no public schooler could ever understand, and an education we can be proud of. That alone is worth all of this.

Most of us take most of Friday off here too. My high schooler does a full day, but the others do only math and catch up that day. Friday is supposed to be for grading and writing out of the next week's plans, but I frequently crash too and do not always get that done. I like having that light day. We still call it a school day- we do math and catch up, PE, maybe some art and music and lots of free play (call it saving up a week's worth of recess!)

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Volunteer Kolbe Parent

thank you, everyone! Some weeks are just soooooo intense trying to get everything done. Usually we just do spelling tests and catch up on Fridays so I may theoretically catch up on admin stuff and housework. All of you had helpful ideas...thank you once again!

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Misti
wife of Scott
mama of Nick, Matt, PJ, Gianna, and Alex in Heaven

Just had to add...yes, I feel like I am going crazy working outside the home 3 days a week, sewing, piano, children, husband, elderly parents.....you all know! But, I would NOT trade it for anything. We did the public school thing.

I am having a hard time keeping up with grading, but I try to remember the children are here with me, and the grading can wait for now!!

We do a LOT of homeschooling in the afternoons and evenings and the weekends due to my work schedule. Yesterday, we took my wheelchair bound aunt to confession and went out to lunch with her, and I was a little stressed inside because it was my day off, and we were gone from 10-2....the prime hours to school on my day off. But, the children are also learning compassion and service, and those are things they more than likely won't learn on the same level in conventional school.

So, yeah, I feel the pinch of time, and it seems more pinched lately...but in the grand scheme of things, my job is to try to get the children to heaven.

But, yes, I am right there with you!!

Not sure if this will sound really out of line with any high schoolers, but what really helps me is having my ds correct his own Alg/Trig work... I find that he learns a lot from this! He can see whether he's notated an answer correctly, etc...

The funny thing is he doesn't like correcting his own work, and he's learned how much of a pain it can be to correct papers. But obviously he feels great when he gets his answers right!