A Healer’s Geste

Tweaks

I instituted a few tweaks to our daily routine last week, and they have both met with success.

Recess First

Bad attitudes and frustration cropped up way too frequently in school time the first week of this term. Suddenly, one morning, I heard myself.

“Good morning! It’s time to get up! Get dressed. Breakfast is on the table. No, don’t just toss that on the floor. Where should it go? Put it there, then. Your shirt is backwards. Jaeger, hop to! Hans, shut your dresser drawers. … Sit properly at the table, please. Jaeger, keep your hands to yourself. Hans, sit on your bottom. Jaeger, chew with your mouth closed. Stop messing around, boys. This is the breakfast table. No, you need to drink your milk. Eat over your bowl, please. Your shirt is not a napkin. Your shirt is not a Kleenex. … Yes, you may be excused. Hans, what time is it after breakfast time? That’s right, so you need to do your job, not sit and read. No, no complaining. You won’t be paid if you whine or complain. Jaeger, hurry up and drink your milk. What’s your next job, Hans? Jaeger, clear your place then wash your hands. Did you get both garbages, Hans? Did you put new bags in? Ok, please wash your hands. Jaeger, put away the silverware and plastics now. …

And THEN we started school and it was just one thing piled on another. And before beginning, I was finished with instructing and the boys were finished with being kept in line.

So, instead of beginning school at 8, we start at 8:30 and the boys can go run and play ball (but not dirt!) and frolic from the time they finish their morning jobs until 8:30. So I don’t have to keep on them so we’re ready around 8, I can just shrug my shoulders and say, “Well, the longer you take getting dressed/eating breakfast/dragging your feet , the less time you will have to play outside before school.”

Also, a little sun-time and exercise-time has helped their concentration and mood considerably.

And, I moved my “morning chore” time from after school (which was rarely happening anyway) to after breakfast and as long as I don’t get sucked into checking my email or Google Reader, it works out better for me and for the house than after school. I just have to actually stop and call them in at 8:30. But, I decided I was the grown-up and if I can’t do that, I have no business homeschooling. :) My business is homeschooling, and so I’d better do it!

Tomato-Staked Quiet Time

Two weeks ago both boys, both of them almost every day, got into things obviously off limits and both attempted to hide their crimes. Scissors, paper cutter, sharp frames, shaving cream, shampoo — none of which were in their way, all of which they had to purposefully get at; they did not happen upon any of these unawares and start messing around without thinking. Quiet time was becoming the most exhausting part of my day. So, Matt and I reevaluated the situation and came up with a workable solution.

After lunch is cleared away, each boy gets a quiet table activity (Wiki Sticks, coloring, pattern blocks, etc.), sits at the table (with plenty of personal space, enough so touching is not at all feasible), and I turn on an audio book. I can then have computer time or handwork time, and the boys must not talk. However, I do have to stay in view, or the boys will attempt to disobey. If I stay near, there is no rebellion and it is a peaceful and enjoyable time.

We listen to one CD, so it’s about 50 minutes, then they each choose 3 books from a container I pull out (I put Usborne science books, art books, and others that have lots of interesting pictures in it), and Hans can choose a book or two he wants to read as well (he’s reading Little House in the Big Woods currently). Then they each sit on separate chairs in the living room and I sit in my own chair as well, reading myself. Jaeger has actually fallen asleep in his chair, holding a book, most days, and I think sleep was a key missing factor in his little life. He simply wouldn’t rest on his own, and even if I checked on him frequently enough and enforced a “stay in your bed” policy, it only involved a lot of — enforcement — and if he did end up falling asleep, it wasn’t until AFTER quiet time was supposed to be over. Even Hans has taken a short nap a few times. So, this plan has actually worked out remarkably well.

The only wild card is Ilse. She is often sleepy at 11 or so, and I try to hold her out until 1, but even so she sleeps anywhere from one to two hours. Two hours starting at 1 works perfectly, but that is rarely the case. After she wakes up, she wants to be sociable. Still, surprisingly she has yet to wake Jaeger up, even while patting his head and playing with blocks right in front of him. So, so far, so good. We’ll stick with this until the next unexpected disruption at least. :)