The kids are home ALL day...now what do I do? AND...brother and sister reading pals...

As teachers we are used to having structure.  Our day is organized just so from the moment we wake up until the instant our heads fall to the pillow-usually due to exhaustion!  I don't know about you, but I thrive with structure and so do my kids.  So these first few days out of school can be tricky, to say the least.

My kiddos ended their school year gradually.  My daughter finished up first allowing for us to have a week to transition back to the three of us (my littlest, my daughter, and me.)  Then my son, Brennan, finished his second grade year last Thursday, giving us a bit of time to adjust into everyone being home.

Friday was a breeze!  The kids were happy to see one another and spend time playing, but then Monday afternoon hit and I knew from that very moment, a routine needed to be put into place.  I wouldn't make it through summer without one.

Here is ours:

5:45-6:30AM-I wake up and run! 
6:45AM-kiddos begin to trickle onto the couch for some cartoons
7:30AM-breakfast
8-9:00AM-get dressed
9:00-11:30AM-oldest has basketball/baseball/football camp-we head to the park/library
11:30AM-pick-up and lunch
12:30-1:30PM-playtime without hurting one another
1:30-3:30-naptime for littlest and reading/math time for 5 and 8 year olds
4:00PM-more outside time
5:00-6:00PM-dinner outside, if possible
6:00-8:30PM-baseball games/baseball practice/swim lessons/outside time
8:30-9:00PM-bathtime/showers/shows/books and littlest goes to bed
9:00-9:30PM-shows for big kids and then bed

REPEAT!

Certainly things change with adventures to places, days with no camp, and when we hang out with friends, but this is a pretty good schedule for my family.

Here are a few things we have tackled in our few short days altogether:
bookmark-making, Perler Beads, Pipsqueaks with the littlest, and a tea party!

      

             

I know summer has just started and there are a bazillion other things we will tackle!  The fun has just begun!

As a teacher-mom, I try to inspire my kiddos at home as much as at school!  Therefore, reading is BIG in our house!  As a reading teacher I am sure to keep books everywhere...baskets here, bookshelves there, book buckets over there! My oldest has taken on the task of reading a great deal to his almost kindergarten sister and one year old brother.  It makes my heart melt.  So much so, I have had him take on some reading buddy stuff and he has created an interactive notebook to work on with his sister.

This is a tool that is used with our reading pals at school, but is perfect for sharing about authors, illustrators, main characters, etc.  Here is the start...she is going to be a whiz when kindergarten starts!

I will keep you posted as it fills up with brother sister reading pal fun!  Who knew such authentic reading could take place on vacation!  Happy Summer!