Atypical homeschool day with an 8-year-old

This morning while catching up with the blogs, I came across an invitation to share your homeschool day in the life.  It sounds like a fun idea to see how we spend our time on any particular day.  Since there is no typical day in our homeschool anymore, I thought today is as good as any day.  I must say, on hindsight, that today is an atypical day, since yesterday didn't look like this at all, and tomorrow will be different again, next week is yet another story altogether.  Nonetheless, here's my best shot at capturing this particular Friday. 

8:30am - After saying goodbye to Tortoise, Tiger and  I have our breakfast.  Tiger then makes sure that he has done his morning chores before I finish my cup of coffee, as that signals the start of 'lessons'.  This morning, Tiger is all fired up to go and he decides what he wants to learn today:

9am - I've finished drinking my morning coffee while checking emails and the news.  Lessons start.  Tiger wants to start with Classical Civilisations this morning so we discuss whether he wants to continue with studying the myths or wars.  I have a new book on Greek myths that I am eager to start with Tiger, but he chooses to study battles.  He looks through the "textbook" of his choice for this topic:

This is one of Tiger's favourite books.  He reads it very often and uses it to choose a certain character or battle to study.  Today Attila the Hun has got his interest, so we watched the following documentaries together:

We always watch documentaries together as there are frequent pauses in-between when we stop for discussions about what we are watching.  For example today's discussion range from the character of Attila, his upbringing, his lineage, his battle strategies, to the fall of his kingdom after his death and whether how he had spent his life had been worthwhile.

While all that is going on, I laminate some Latin flash cards that I had printed off a while ago and make them into small piles to be ready for use at some point in time later.

11am - Break for fruit and yogurt.  After food, I tidy up a little around the house while Tiger reads to himself.

 

11:30am - I set out the art supplies for Tiger to put an entry into his nature journal.  He was not enthusiastic about it at first, but he changed his mind after I showed him what I have done in mine and said that we will work together.  He gets on with his entry happily while I draw alongside him.

 

12pm - I'm starving so I put the pizza in the oven, and go back to work in the nature journal. 

12:30pm - Lunch is ready, and so are we!  Tiger has completed his entry.  We packed everything away from the dining table, Tiger does his kitchen duties, and we have lunch.  More talking and discussion about various topic take place over lunch.

 

12:45pm - I remember that we have to collect a parcel so we jump into the car and go out to do the errand.

1:30pm - Back home.  I try to persuade Tiger to add to his journal entry (so that I can complete mine at the same time) but he says he has done enough art for today and he has decided to replace Art with Maths.  He knows what he wants to do with Maths so while he is busy working through coordinates problems, I work in my nature journal.  Every so often I am called to see what Tiger has done in three games he has found and worked through by himself:

1.  Cops and Robbers (he broke the record in this by solving the answers in 3 steps)
2. Lost
3. Archery (he scored over 3000 points in this)

3pm - I've completed my entry.  It's time for afternoon tea.  I empty the dishwasher and do another round of quick tidying up.

3:30pm - Tiger puts on an audio book and spreads himself out on the floor with paper and Sharpies.  Since he is busily engaged, I carry on with housework.

4pm - I ask Tiger whether he wants to do science together.  He tells me he is preparing to go on an expedition.  I think it's not a good idea to stop a boy from going on an expedition so I left him to it, after he has explained his route on the maps that he has just drawn.

4:30pm - I start to prepare dinner.  I also ask Tiger to start tidying his room for the day.  He asks for a 15-minute extension because he hasn't completed his expedition yet.  I said ok.

4:45pm - Tiger goes to tidy his room.  Wow, if only he were so obedient every day!

5:15pm - All the preparation for dinner is done.  While dinner is cooking in the oven, I offer to help Tiger tidy his room together.  The level of cleaniness is not the same when Mum takes action.  Everything has to be put away, straightened up, dusted, and hoovered.  His room is now spotless.

6pm - Tiger has his dinner while I continue to potter around the kitchen and lounge.  Where does all the endless mess come from?!

7:30pm - Tortoise comes home, gets changed and spends some time with Tiger.  Tiger is exceptionally tired tonight so he gets himself ready for bed by 7:50pm.

8pm - Tiger is in bed.  Tortoise and I say goodnight to him then have our dinner together.  This is our time to catch up with each other's day.

10pm - Tortoise and I catch up with our respective emails and web browsing.  I start to type this blog post.  It is 11:15pm now and I have had enough of this post.  That's it for today.  I'm going to stay up a little longer to catch up on the news.  It's Friday night so I'm allowed to stay up late.  :-)


This post is linked up to:
1) All Year Round Blog Carnival: Winter 
2) Hearts for Home Blog Hop #2
3) History and Geography Meme 60
4) Weekly Wrap-Up: The One where I Considered Drinking
5) Homeschool Mother's Journal: February 1, 2013
6) Collage Friday - From the Beach (Beech)
7) It's a Wrap
8) Hobbies and Handicrafts - Feb 1
9) TGIF Linky Party #61
10) Share it Saturday
11) The Sunday Showcase - 2/2/13
12) Hip Homeschool Hop - 2/5/13