This article about forming good habits in children was posted on one of the Homeschool groups I belong to, and I figured I'd post my thoughts here as well as to that group. I am not opposed to schedules and routines, and as I've said before I have seen the good that can come from them and try to keep up with some form of a routine within my own home. However, to me this article (while it doesn't openly specify "schooling") implies that "school" is one of the things that must fit in the little box allowed in the daily routine. I have seen so many homeschool families struggle because they feel that pressure to make the daily routine work, so I took this as a challenge to which I had to reply.
I agree with Mr. Michael's premise, but his conclusions make me wonder if he has any children or has had any kind of regular interaction with children.
We all need routine. We need to know what to expect and kids especially need to have things they can rely on (like Mom and Dad are going to stay together until "death do them part"). However, in the article the main arguments seem to be based upon natural rhythms more than man-made routine. Nature is cyclic and this universe created by God for us, is designed to meet our needs (or you can take the evolution POV that still concludes we are very much designed to live on this world). We know Spring follows Winter and that day will follow night and this knowledge brings us comfort and helps us plan our survival without relying on animal instincts. Routine, however, is a man-made creation that allows us to utilize natural rhythms to their fullest extent. With routines people have been able to care for their families and communities through farming and creating/selling goods which leads to robust civilizations.
It is great to strive for as much routine as fits for your family, but keep balance in mind. Just as the seasons have variations (summers too hot that kill all the plants needed for harvest or too cold so not enough grows) so do our lives. You have to be flexible to deal with illnesses, a new baby, visitors for an extended period, a job loss, etc, and you have to keep our modern age in perspective. As much as I love the idea of living in small communities where we grow a lot of our own food, raise our own animals for food and/or clothing and trade with neighbors for anything else we need, I do not believe all the trimmings of "Modern Society" are evil or bad.
We have doctors who can cure many illnesses that used to kill people, esp children. We have engineers and scientists who have created a safer building, car, better farming practices so that things like the Dust Bowl are unlikely to happen again. If those brilliant researchers and inventors had had to dedicate their lives to farming just to feed their own families, would we really be better off? Also, the internet allows us to stay connected in many ways. We can learn about the latest advances in science, medicine, etc; follow what the Pope (or Archbishop) has to say on issues or situations; learn more about our Church and Faith; keep in touch with family and friends who have had to move away for one reason or another and so on. These are not bad things, however, if you spend most of your days obsessing over these things (even learning) or looking up things that diminish your soul instead of enhancing it, that is bad and can be evil.
Having all the options offered by modern technology puts us in the situation where there are no natural rhythms, so as a parent you have to be that much more vigilant to make sure you don't neglect those natural rhythms, nor the routines that allow us to use those rhythms to their fullest extent.
It is wonderful to have a "school schedule" with all your daily subjects, the Liturgy of the Hours and daily Mass as well as meals intertwined perfectly every day, but it really isn't feasible for most families - nor should it be if you look at the way nature is designed. Any homeschooling parent will tell you that you cannot expect your kids to be able to think or behave the same way in Winter as they do in Spring or in Summer. We are very much creatures of this Earth (remember designed for us by God), and therefore have cycles in how we think, sleep, exercise and play.
I am not saying to disregard the article, I think it is right on in many ways and we should utilize as much as fits our unique family situations. Just don't feel like you have to over-do it or use the same routine every day of the year. Keep the natural rhythms Mr. Michael talked about in mind - planting and tending in Spring, more vigorous tending and harvesting/preserving in Summer moving on to preserving/preparing in Fall and preparing for the next year as well as resting in the Winter.
For a homeschooling family it may look more like: in the Summer, let the kids stay up later, include them in projects around the house and/or garden and let them be outside being very physical. In the Winter let them sleep in a little later, rest a little more and use that time to work on things inside (cooking/cleaning skills, sewing and other repair skills, book work if that works for them, classes or other opportunities to be with other kids, etc) and Spring and Fall are nice times to transition between the two using a little of both.
Don't feel like you have to stick to anything like that for your own family, just keep in mind your kids' natural cycles (as well as your own) and adjust the routine to fit that time in your life whether it is for a few days, weeks, months or years, and don't feel like you are going to irreparably damage your children if you don't have a daily routine that is the same year round.
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