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Raising a large family can be a daunting task, especially if you add homeschooling into the mix. The number of people depending on you, the sheer amount of cooking, cleaning, laundry and little eyes wanting attention can sometimes feel impossible to contend with. But as a mother of ten children, I've learned that a little planning goes a long way in keeping your home running smoothly.

In dealing with baths, it seemed to make sense to bath the children who stayed dry all night before bed, and the ones who didn't would be bathed in the morning. This will usually mean the older children will be the ones bathed at night. After three or four, they don't need to be supervised so closely in the tub, keeping the door open and your ears listening is enough for most children.

When bathing the little ones who need supervision, bring your cleaning supplies or towels that need folding into the bathroom with you. As you run the water for them, pour in baby bath or baby shampoo to make bubbles. Give them a cup and some toys, and let them play, while you clean the toilet and sink or fold towels. By the time the bathroom is clean and your towels are folded and put away, the children have soaked clean. Usually all that is left to do is run a soapy washcloth through their hair and rinse. Now you have a clean baby and a clean bathroom to start out your day.

When you dress the child, go ahead and comb (and put up into ponytails for a little girl) their hair at the same time. Your child is now ready for the day.

Breakfast doesn't have to be a major ordeal for a very young child. Peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread and a banana is a good breakfast for a toddler. Keep yogurt cups and string cheese for a quick breakfast. Trail mix cookies and granola bars are also well liked. Older children, especially boys, usually like a more hearty breakfast. Teach them to cook, and even make it one of their chores. Stay close and keep the atmosphere cheerful. Usually in our house, we take turns with the dishes, with me taking the morning load and the older children taking turns with lunch and dinner.

Once breakfast is over, gather everyone into the main room, and have a cleaning time. No one stops until the main rooms of the house are picked up and neat. If you will do this at least once, and sometimes twice a day, your house will not get so overwhelmingly dirty. Now you can start your homeschool hours with a clean house, which makes it easier on the mother to concentrate.

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