The bluest sky possible is overhead and every branch is cloaked in ice. In the wind the branches crackle and tiny icicles rain down around us. It is so magical. I look up, lost in the texture of the snow around me and see that my kids are doing the same. We're all just sitting there in silence, absorbing it all.

These days I feel such deep appreciation for homeschooling my kids. We get to learn together and play together out in the beauty and then come home and warm up with tea and cocoa around the table together. Everyday. Together. I am so grateful.

Yesterday I set the intention to restart our weekly and daily rhythm. And for me, the first day of a new rhythm is always the best. It was seamless. (Well, if I hadn't chosen the craft myself for the kids – which one loved and which brought the other one to tears – it would have been seamless, but that's another story.)

But the rhythm. The rhythm was perfect.

I think we all thrive with rhythm. Sage has stopped pushing against chores since they became just a normal part of our week. It's just what we do. And since shutting off the computer for 90% of my day I'm hitting my rhythm too. When to work, when to be with my family. I feel more rooted, more present, and more aware of the joy that is my everyday. Because really, my kids are awesome. But when my computer is on I sometimes forget that. But they are. Freaking awesome. And I get to hang out with them all the time. Seriously. How good can it get?

Our daily rhythm is broken into an early block, a morning block, an mid-day block, and an evening block. We made time to play outside together, to walk the puppy, to read, to clean, to do chores, to craft, and to restart our chapter and tea tradition. And at bedtime last night the house was clean. (This is one of the biggest shifts of honoring rhythm.)

In case you are curious, here is how our days will shake out. The times are loose and flexible, but those times are an accurate estimate of the times we transition from one phase to another.

Daily Rhythm

Early Block (6-9)

• Mama works until 8:30
• Breakfast and Clean-up with Papa
• Morning Checklist (brush hair, brush teeth, get dressed)
• Laundry (kids fold and put away)

Morning Block (9-12)

• Morning walk with dogs
• Outing (optional): library, park, sledding, etc.
• Lessons: Reading, writing, spelling, math, science, etc.

Mid-Day Block (12-4:30)

• Lunch and clean-up
• Mama's quiet writing time ~ 1 hour (kids play quietly inside or outside time)
• Afternoon chores
• Tea and chapter
• Crafts and handwork
• House clean-up

Evening Block (5-8)

• Dinner and clean-up
• Free time
• Books and evening checklist (brush hair, brush teeth, floss, tidy bedroom, pj's on)
• Lights out by 8

The "lessons" above are free-form. As unschoolers we don't follow a curriculum, but Sage has academic interests that I need to make time for and Lupine is obsessed with addition, numbers in general, and learning letters. It gives me time to stop washing dishes or folding laundry and ask them what they're curious about. While these "lessons" are a part of the flow of our whole day, I now have additional time to focus on them.

And now it's time for me to get back into our rhythm. Because life is calling.

Love,
Rachel