What Our Days Look Like Now
When we first started, we thought we needed a proper routine. Set times, structured lessons, something that looked a bit like school. That didn’t last long.
What we’ve found now is something much simpler, and it fits our days a lot better.
Our days are a lot more relaxed. Mornings usually start slow. Kia and I are up first, making coffees and easing into the day, and the kids roll out when they’re ready. There’s no rush, no packing lunches, no trying to get out the door on time. We’ve got time, so we take our time.
Most days we’ll get moving early. We’ll head out for a run together, go for a ride, or do a quick bodyweight session. It’s become a big part of our routine and sets the tone for the day. After that, we’ll come back, have breakfast, sometimes head to the shop for bread rolls and eggs, other times just use what we’ve got. It’s simple and it works.
Once everyone’s settled, we try to get some school done. We keep it basic, reading, writing, and maths. It’s not hours of work. Most days it’s somewhere between 20 and 40 minutes, sometimes closer to an hour if everyone’s focused and it’s flowing. Other days it’s quick and we move on.
We don’t force it if it’s not working. If it turns into a battle or they’re not focused, we pull it up and come back to it later or the next day. Over a week, it balances out. What’s made the biggest difference is sitting down with them properly, talking things through, asking questions, and helping them understand what they’re doing instead of just handing something over and hoping for the best.
We’ll write out lessons ourselves if we need to, keeping it simple and relevant to where they’re at. We also alternate between us depending on the day. Some days Kia takes it, some days I do. It takes the pressure off and keeps things fresh for the kids.
Once that’s done, we get on with the day. That might be heading out to explore somewhere new, meeting up with other families, hanging out at the beach or pool, or just letting the kids play. A lot of the learning happens there anyway without us even thinking about it — money, directions, conversations, new environments. It’s constant.
Some days we don’t do anything formal at all, especially if we’re travelling or have something planned. We’ve stopped worrying about that. The biggest shift for us is that we’re not trying to make every day look the same, we’re just building a rhythm that works for our family.
I work when I can rather than in set patterns, and Kia has found her energy again and is starting to take on some remote kinesiology clients. The kids are active, we’re spending more time together, and there’s a lot less stress around getting through the day. We’re not rushing out the door or arguing about getting ready. Everything just feels calmer.
We’ve got time, and we use it differently now.
And right now, this works.