Home Pre-K Schedule

Well, since we can’t afford the pre-k thing right now, I’ve been inspired to be my own pre-k for Jonah and get Carly in on it too, by trying to be more structured throughout our day and having actual activities to do in mind, besides just “play with the toys in the playroom”. I know there will be days (maybe even more often than not) that we won’t follow the schedule to a T or get everything done, but I feel like this is a good jumping off point. I took the schedules of a local day care’s toddler class and combined it with their 3-year old class, then tweaked it to make it my own. Here’s what my preschool schedule looks like for my 1 year old and 3 year old:

8:00 Alarm/iphone poking or snooze
8:15 Wake-up/Devotional
8:30 Get Myself Dressed
8:45 Diaper/Potty/Get Kids Dressed
9:00 Make Breakfast/TV Time
9:15 Breakfast
9:45 Jonah’s Lesson Time
10:00 Carly’s Lesson Time
10:15 Diaper/Potty/Wash Hands
10:30 Morning Snack
10:45 Clean Up/Chores
11:00 Themed Activity (goes along with our weekly rotated toys’ theme)
11:15 Learning Activity (art, math, motor skills, social skills, etc)
11:30 Outside/Exercise
11:50 Music Time
12:00 Free Play/Make Lunch
12:15 Diaper/Potty/Wash Hands
12:30 Lunch
12:45 Clean Up/Story Time
1:00 Quiet Time
2:45 Diaper/Potty/Wash Hands
3:00 Afternoon Snack
3:15 One on One Jonah Time
3:30 One on One Carly Time
3:45 Centers/Free Play
4:45 Clean Up/Chores
5:00 Outside/Exercise
5:30 Daddy Time/Make Dinner
5:50 Potty/Hand Wash
6:00 Dinner
6:20 Family Time/Bath
6:40 PJs/Teeth/Clean Up/Watch Curious George
7:15 Story Time
7:30 Lights Out/Chores
8:00 Unwind Time
11:00 Get ready for bed
12:00 Feed Carly/Potty Jonah/Sleep

We sort of started following the schedule this weekend, but tomorrow morning is my real starting point. That thing I said about it being “off” more days than not, yeah… that’s definitely this week. Tomorrow we’ll mess it up with a trip to the library, Tuesday we’ll mess it up with going to get groceries and going to a PJ Puppet Show, Wednesday we’re hosting playgroup and I’ve signed up for listening to a photography webinar… Thursday and Friday look to be “normal” though! hehe

Update (after about a month):

We have definitely had to tweak the schedule even further, to make it really work for us. The main thing that I try to keep consistent is the 1-3 quiet time. We are in and out and all over the place more days than not, so a lot of the activities fall through the cracks. The kids are really loving the one on one time, so we make sure to do that at least once a day too.

I thought while I was here posting an update, I’d also add a couple of the resources I use to find great activities for the kids. The original schedule layout was from Kiddie Academy. They have a different schedule for each age level, so mine is a combination of the 1 & 3 year old classes. I get a lot of craft ideas and book recommendations from both No Time for Flash Cards and from Letter of the Week. They both make it easy to produce a cohesive themed unit with crafts, stories, songs, and games.

Preparing to Pre-School

Since pre-school isn’t currently an affordable option for us, and I have the privilege of being able to stay home with the kids, I’m henceforth making a point of trying to do more pre-school-esque things with the kids… especially Jonah, now that he’s 3. There is a whole realm of untapped adventures you can have once you turn 3! So to get that party started, here’s what I’m doing…

Step 1 – Each week, rotate out a big bin of toys (I’ve already sorted them by themes… things that go, zoo/circus, farm, home/pretend play, and music/art/puppets) and use that as a building block for coming up with a “lesson plan” so to speak.

Step 2 – Search the internet (and stay up way to late apparently!) to gather ideas for all sorts of crafts, songs, games, activities, and excursions that have to do with that week’s “theme”.

Step 3 – Try to break out of my OCD themey-ness and find other activities they can do… like VBS, swim lessons, free movies, free bowling, legos at the library, puppet shows, etc. etc. etc.

Step 3 – Then drive myself crazy because of all the scheduling details I’d like to plan out, but shouldn’t because it’s late.

Step 5 – Just jot a few things down, bookmark a few sites for later reference, and get myself into bed!

Getting Ready for a Change

Jason has been out of town all week on business, and will be back late Friday night. We decided that we’d go ahead with our plans to officialy start potty training Jonah, even though his trip cut his long weekend short. Mostly because Jonah’s being very interested now, and if we wait two weeks until the next long weekend, he might not be so interested anymore. It’s also because we’re very close to the end of a box of diapers and I’d really just rather not have to buy more.

So tonight I told Jonah that we’re going to have a special Potty Party when Daddy comes home in a day or two. That he’ll get presents and will get to start using the big potty all the time, that he won’t have to wear diapers any more. He seemed like he liked the idea cause he was nodding and grinning and telling me “Daddy come home, potty party, big boy unnerwears” and such. Oh I hope this works well… he’s really smart so I don’t doubt that he CAN learn it quickly, it’s a matter of us not doing anything in the process to piss him off about pottying or he’ll outright refuse the whole idea… that’s just the way he is about stuff. If he’s happily eating his dinner and you tell him to not swing his fork around with food on it…. he’s likely to sulk up and shout “ALL DONE!” and refuse to eat another bite. We’re just going to have to do a lot of tounge biting I imagine.

I am glad that it’s working out with Jason being gone because it will feel like a major shift, like I said “when Daddy gets home” it’ll be time to be a big boy.

The New To-Do List

With only 5 days left to get stuff done before baby comes… I’ve revised our “to-do” list down to the things I really want to get done most, assigned them a day and who’s doing them (Me, Jason, or both of Us)

• Wednesday
  • Do a whirlwind “home blessing” cleaning spree throughout the house (Us)
  • Install 5 nails over the crib for her name letters (Us) … oops, can’t do cause the spacing will be different depending on which letters we need to use.
  • Give boy child a much needed haircut (Us… may be a 2 person job!)
  • Boy Child Bath (Us… usual routine)
  • Watch Lost (Us)
• Thursday
  • Last day of work (Jason)
  • Address the rest of the announcement envelopes (Me)
  • Write a few Thank You notes (Me)
  • Finish writing down boy child meal options (Me) … eh, save it for tomorrow.
  • Charge extra batteries for the camera (Me)
  • Go to Ghengis Grill & Watch the Mavs on TV with Brent (Us)
• Friday
  • 3-4 Hours to do last homework assignment (Jason)
  • Last Dr’s Appointment (Us)
  • Go somewhere and do something fun with the boy child (Us)
  • Start painting the dresser and side table (We’ll say Us or Jason, but know it’s really Me hehe) was forecasted to rain today… start it tomorrow.
  • Visit the Fosters? Or maybe on Saturday, whichever they’d rather. (Us)
• Saturday
  • Start laundry and change sheets (Us)
  • Move the queen mattress to the dining room and inflate air mattress for boy child in his room (Us)
  • Call people who haven’t looked at/rsvp’d to Jonah’s b-day evite (Me)
  • Paint 2nd coat on dresser and table (Me)
  • Gas up the van (Jason)
  • Buy Stamps (Jason)
  • Take care of Mother’s Day & Giving-Birth-Day Gift(s) (Jason)
  • Vacuum out the van (Jason/Us)
  • Get a video of the belly jumping (Me/Us)
• Sunday
  • Go to Church (Us)
  • Buy Groceries & “Berries” (Me & My Mom maybe? or Us)
  • Pay Bills (Jason)
  • Paint the likely needed 3rd coat on the dresser and table (Me)
  • Finish Laundry (Us)
  • Pack Jason’s Bag (Jason)
  • Finish Packing My Bag (Me)
  • Load the truck (Jason)
    • My Bag
    • Baby Bag
    • Jason Bag
    • Pump Bag
    • Laptop Bag
    • School Bag (Jason’s SUPPOSEDLY going to study for his exam, while we’re in the hospital.   We’ll see.)
    • Boppy
    • Picture Frame

A Growing To Do List

With less than 2 months, now, before our little girl arrives, my brain has started churning over all the things that I have to, and would like to, get done before that time. My friend Sarahjenne made a similar list on her baby blog, so I guess I’m stealing the idea from her!

Need to Do Before She Comes:

• Make arrangements for going to the hospital (with back up plans)
  • Write down Jonah’s schedule, routines, and weird habits
  • Write down Jonah’s usual snack/meal options & preferences
  • Write down Jonah’s most difficult to understand phrases
  • Get volunteers that can come watch or come get Jonah from the hospital, if I go into labor before the c-section date, until my parents can gather up their stuff and make the 2 hr drive here.
• Get baby clothes and bedding ready
• Get baby bottles ready
• Pack for the hospital
  • Her bag. Since she’ll be rooming in with us most of the time at the hospital, and because I’ll be there for 3-4 days, I plan to take:
    • (3) newborn t-shirts
    • (3) 0-6 mo gowns
    • (3) burp cloths
    • (6) pairs of baby socks
    • Her cherry-print onesie for a twinkie photo op w/ Sarahjenne’s baby if they come to visit.
    • Her homecoming dress, shoes, socks, hat & hair bow (I plan to clip the pink bow to her little white hat)
    • Baby Nail Clippers
    • Pacifier
    • Pink gingham print blanket & ladybug blanket for photos
    • Her Baby Book
    • Nursing Cover
    • Video Camera & Power Cable
  • My Medela pump bag just in case I need it at the hospital like I did last time.
  • Boppy Pillow
    
  • Shop for & purchase a big brother t-shirt and a few small surprises to have for Jonah at the hospital when he comes to visit.
  • Buy a picture frame from Ikea to take for visitors to sign like we did for Jonah’s arrival. (w/ tax return $)
  • My hospital bag.
    • Birth Plan
    • Insurance & ID
    • Cell Phone, chargers & Headphones
    • Laptop (load the announcement files on and include internet cable just in case!)
    • DSLR Camera & USB Cable
    • Hair Brush
    • Hair Bands & Clips
    • Deodorant
    • Toothbrush & Toothpaste
    • Chap Stick
    • Going Home Outfit
    • Slippers
    • 3 Pairs of Socks
    • 3 Pairs of Throw-Away Undies
    • 2-pc PJ set
    • Nursing Bra and/or Tank Top
    • Nursing Pads
    • Snacks
    • Hard Candy
    • Jonah’s 4 big brother surprise gifts
    • Gift bag and tissue to put his gifts in
  • Jason’s hospital bag… who knows what he plans to take.
• Install the car seat
  • Buy another vehicle seat protector, like Jonah’s, to install under the baby’s car seat
  • Get the car seat’s instruction manual from the internet (bought on craigslist, so it didn’t come with one)
  • Install the baby’s car seat
  • Have the car seats checked for correct installation at our hospital for free
• Pre-Register at Centennial Hospital
  • Fill out the forms
  • Drop them off at the hospital or mail them in
• Buy a few last things for Jonah’s Easter Basket
• Prepare for the Playgroup Easter Party at our House
• Prepare for the Baby Announcements
  • Make a few templates
  • Load templates onto laptop
    
  • Order & address envelopes
  • Order pre-paid prints
  • Buy stamps

Would Like to Do Before She Comes:

• Finalize Jonah’s Birthday Party Plans
  • Send out invitations/Call those who don’t check email!
    
  • Put together party favor bags
  • Order the party favors online
  • Buy the rest of the party supplies
  • Do a 2nd practice run of making the train cakes (first attempt failed miserably)
  • Get the rest of Jonah’s birthday gift(s) and wrap them
• Finish the nursery
  • Get Jason to raise the mattress back up on the crib
  • Paint the picture frame mat and the lady bug in the middle
  • Hang the picture frame and 2 heart canvases up behind the chair.
  • Find a place to hang her 1st year calendar.
  • Buy the side table and unfinished crib-side mini dresser from Ikea (w/tax return $)
  • Get the mini dresser primed and painted white
  • Get the side table primed and painted white
  • Organize the dressers and the hutch
  • Buy and install a new ceiling fan/light fixture & dimmer switch
  • Hang the letters for her name
  • Find and buy a heavy ladybug garden ornament to use as a door stop when we have the windows open.
• Finish the guest bathroom makeover
  • Install a hand held shower attachment in the guest bathroom
  • Hang up a new shower curtain
  • Replace the bare bulb light fixtures in the guest bathroom?
  • Install trim around the mirror?
• Buy some Velcro and finish up the Boppy cover I made
• Make a Taggie blanket or burp cloth to match the Boppy cover. (buy ribbon first)
• Do some gardening
  • Plant something in the new back yard flower bed
  • Plant some tomatoes in the new back yard flower bed
  • Add in the 2nd back yard flower bed on the other side of Penny’s gate?
  • Till up the garden spot and plant some veggies?
  • Clean out the rest of our front  flower beds and plant something there
• Make the train table operable and the area semi-presentable for Jonah’s birthday party
  • Buy & hook up a power supply & locomotive (w/ tax return $ maybe?)
  • Cut, Finish, & Attach the nice wood sides
  • Install the cork board or picture frame with sketches and diagrams of the finished plans above the table
  • Install the 2nd and maybe even 3rd level of plywood just for looks?
  • Install the light above the table
  • Install the shelves for the HO scale trains
  • Hang a couple of picture frames with the shelves
  • Swap the small black arm chair for the big red one in the office
• Mothers Day/Birthday Presents
  • Mamaw’s Mother’s Day and Birthday Present
  • Nonna’s Mother’s Day and Birthday Present
  • MY Mother’s Day and Giving-Birth-Day Present (nudge nudge Jason!)

Need to Do at Some Point:

• Get roof leak fixed (call insurance company during the next big rain)
• Make her Christmas stocking
• Buy & Install new blinds in our bedroom
• Get window screens for the whole house
• Have A/C serviced or replaced
• Replace the ceiling fans in the playroom and master bedroom (at least)
• Get chimney swept
• Start working on her 1st year scrapbook (traditional style)
• Do family scrapbooks for 2006, 2007 & 2008 (digital style)

That’s all I have the energy for right now. I need to be napping while the boy child is down, so I’m sure I’ll come back to these lists to add more later.