Daily Routine: Trying to Fit It All In
- Jauné
- Mar 30
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 1
(This is still a work in progress)
Let’s be clear—I’m not some kind of homeschooling guru. I’m more like a contestant on a chaotic game show where the rules change hourly, the prize is survival, and the hosts are my three wildly different kids. If there were trophies for winging it, I’d need a display case.
Teachers—especially the ones working with neurodivergent kids—deserve gold stars, endless applause, and maybe a private island with high-speed Wi-Fi. I’m still figuring things out, one mistake at a time. If you’re on a tight budget, may my chaotic experiences save you some stress, money, or both.
Now for the kicker: I’m homeschooling three kids. Three. With different learning styles, needs, and a shared hobby of testing my limits. Here’s what one of our “lighter” days looks like. (Yes, lighter. Pray for me.)
3–4 AM: The Calm Before the Storm
Yes, I wake up at 3 AM. No, I’m not a morning person. I just need a sliver of quiet to remember what life was like before I became a full-time chaos coordinator. I clean up yesterday’s disaster zone, watch brain-dead TV, maybe sneak in a workout, and sip my coffee like it’s the last drop of sanity on Earth.
💡 Pro Tip: Didn’t clean last night? 4 AM is your redemption window. Future You will want to send Present You a thank-you note.
5–7 AM: Operation Wake-Up
Sonny usually wakes first. If I time the chamomile tea just right, I get until 6:30. If not, it’s 5 AM snuggle time in the rocking chair.
Then comes Jacki—full-sized, smiley, and ready to debrief our dream lives. And finally, Artsy—either mid-stretch or mid-tantrum. She gets a dramatic “GOOOOOD Moooorning!” followed by tickles, kisses, and a whiff of that morning breath that reminds me—she’s not a baby anymore.
💡 Pro Tip: My husband once created a genius system:
Ziploc outfits for each day. No more 6 AM fashion meltdowns.
Prepped breakfasts/lunches for three days. AKA: peace, love, and zero “what’s for breakfast?” anxiety.
Haven’t restarted it yet…but hope springs eternal.
9 AM: Let’s Learn Something (Maybe)
After dropping Sonny off at ABA (today’s mini field trip), we kick off homeschooling with the youngest.
We start with the calendar—day, weather, feelings, and little magnetic people in outfits. It’s adorable and educational. Then we dive into math, while our brains are still semi-operational.
Lately, I’ve realized my daughter’s math skills are more “performance art” than comprehension. She can do it, but does she get it? If I ask, “Does addition make things bigger or smaller?”—I get a shrug. So, we’re doing a little number rehab.
All lesson long, I’m asking:
What’s motivating her today? Paint? Play-Doh? Unicorn dreams?
Does she understand or is she smiling until snack time?
Is she actually listening or planning her next great escape?
We do paper first (veggies), then earn our way to tablet time (dessert). If she’s focused, we hop on IXL. If not, it’s YouTube and a silent scream into a pillow.
💡 Pro Tip: Have everything ready ahead of time. One missing pencil? Whole day derailed. Don’t do it to yourself.
Also—get others involved! Whether it’s Grandma, a friend, or a therapist—when someone else asks the question, I learn what she actually knows. Apps like Reading Eggs have also saved the day with their sneaky-smart games.
💡 Bonus Tip: People > worksheets. Real questions = real understanding.
10:30 AM: Break Time (AKA Mom’s Mini-Reboot)
At this point, we both need a break. Walk, snack, scream into the void—whatever helps. It’s not optional, it’s survival.
💡 Pro Tip: Offer a menu of options. Let them pick. Feels empowering and reduces whining.
11:30 AM: Feeding Frenzy
Artsy has become a bougie food critic with a bottomless stomach. I give her a snack, then a real meal. Afterwards, we dive back in.
💡 Pro Tip: Snacks = secret weapon. A hangry kid will bring your lesson plan to its knees.
12:30 PM: Round Two
If Sonny’s still at ABA, we roll into the next subject. If he’s home, it’s a tag-team switch. Reading, writing, science—you name it. But math and ELA get the most love because #priorities.
💡 Pro Tip: Play theme music. Seriously. Set the tone like it’s a montage from a motivational sports movie.
1:30 PM: The Final Countdown
If ABA is done, Artsy and I shift to skills that prep her for traditional school. Then Sonny comes home, and we see if he’s ready to learn—or just run in circles and scream. I brace myself either way.
💡 Pro Tip: Reset before this next shift. Water, snacks, comedy clip—whatever keeps you from melting into a puddle of overstimulation.
1:30 PM – Bedtime: The Chaos Window
This is where everything else happens: swim classes, social activities, therapy, phone calls, bills, groceries, laundry, car rides, and cleaning... again. Spoiler alert: none of it is relaxing or restorative.
8 PM: Wind-Down & Bedtime (AKA The Last Push)
After dinner, we have a “SCRUM Review”—our little family recap where we talk about our day, ask the kids how they felt, and try to build their emotional vocabulary. Then it’s showers, teeth, stories, and if the stars align—my husband does bedtime (but let’s not count on it).
💡 Pro Tip: Use bedtime for one last round of conversation-building. Sing, ask questions, model responses. But if you’re fried (and who isn’t?), skip the small talk and just tell them they’re loved. That works too.
Final Thought:
Some days I feel like Superwoman. Other days, like I’m just crawling to bedtime. But every day, I show up. And so do they. That counts for something.
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