Updates on all my schemes.

I have these plans and schemes in my continuous quest to organize, clean, and homeschool. I'm always coming up with new plans. Some of them are keepers and some aren't. Here are some of the latest things I've tried. You'd think I could just pick something and go with it, but the things that worked well when my kids were 5, 2and 0 don't work now and parenting, as life, is constant change, so I'm always trying new things.

The Dishes Scheme - My plan was to assign everyone a bowl, a cup, a plate and have them wash them themselves to decrease the amount of dishes that I had to wash. It worked like a dream for the first few days, but lately, the dishes have started piling up again. We may need to reassess. I think other people besides me may be cheating. I know I am, but I'm the dishwasher to maybe I have dishwasher's immunity? Like diplomatic immunity? Above the law. That's it.

The Continual Changing of the School Lists Scheme - I've changed them again, but only slightly. Adding in Sheppard Software for Geography, adding in decluttering 1 item a day for each person. Everyone has got their math, spelling, reading, science, computer, art, language arts, geography, civics, algebra etc. covered by the current lists. Nonetheless, I'll probably change them again in 6 weeks or so. That's just what I do.

My Exercising By Working Outside Scheme - This one has lead to a lot of chiggers from working out in the yard. I may need to postpone so much working outside until after the first frost or just spray on some OFF. However, the huge gravel pile is slowly diminishing and the pool area is getting gravel so I may continue.

My Screen Time Limits - After struggling with each child having a certain number of hours a day and my never knowing how much they'd used, if they'd saved up and trying to be on the honor system, I finally put the computer and TVs on a schedule. This is working well. You can tell when it's screen time because most of the noisy interaction and running around stops and everyone gets engrossed in the various screens. As soon as it's over, the running around and noisy interacting starts all over again. This one is definitely a keeper.

The Homeschooling with Checklists Scheme - This is an old one so I forget about it sometimes, but this one works well for us. When we first started homeschooling, we tried schedules and lists, deadlines and every time management system I could think of. We've ended up using simple checklists for everyone. They can do these checklists in no particular order (which my youngest likes) as long as they get them done by a certain time each day, usually 1:00 pm but sometimes we push it back a little depending on circumstances.

If only I could get a housekeeping scheme that we would all love ... dreaming, I know.