Catholic Family Vignettes

What a lovely start to the school year! Our new schedule has been well received by the scholars of Sacred Heart Academy. I apologize for the poor quality of the photos...I'm not the photographer that my dear daughter is.
Nonetheless, we are quite pleased with our little classroom...though the toddler did take great offense, at not having been given her very own desk (the picnic table must suffice, for the time being!)

Here is our current schedule:

The Sacred Heart Academy
Schedule

7:00 – Mom rises, prepares Dad’s breakfast and lunch
7:30 – Mom eats breakfast, researches Saint of the day
8:00 – Children rise, eat breakfast while Mom reads aloud (we call this Breakfast At The Monastery!)
8:30 – Morning Offering and “10 minute tidy”
9:00 – Classes start

(Mom will start class with morning directions for older students and “Calendar Time” and “Bible Story” for little ones)

12:00 – Lunch
12:30 – Rosary
1:00 – Classes resume, if necessary

(At end of class, each child will receive another “10 minute tidy” assignment)

Free time when school is done!

*Schedule will be altered to accommodate Friday a.m. Mass/Little Flowers Group and Tuesday a.m. Schola – most Fridays, we will not have school, unless we have to substitute for a field trip or sick day.

What is the "10 minute tidy"?

Years ago, I utilized this technique to stay on top of the housework during the course of the school day. The primary goal is to accomplish a great deal of work, with as little effort as possible.

Slips of paper bearing the names of household "problem areas" and four or five "quick fixes" are placed in a jar. For example: the slip of paper has "kitchen" on one side and on the reverse, it contains a list...sweep floor, pick up trash, empty dishwasher, etc.

Twice a day, each child will draw a slip and devote ten, concentrated minutes of effort to the "problem area." I have actually labeled three slips with "10 minutes of folding laundry"...my personal dragon!

Having drawn a slip, each child is quickly excused to accomplish as many tasks as they can on their slip during the 10 minute period, while mom sets the timer. It is simply amazing how very motivated the children are, when the work is broken down into bite-sized pieces. Within minutes the "problem areas" are no longer a problem.

And the real beauty of the "10 minute tidy"? With six young children at home, and two "tidy" periods...I'm getting two hours of concentrated effort for the "price" of twenty minutes. Tidy house, motivated children...happy, happy mommy!