It’s Monday!!! I am thoroughly looking forward to a new week of school, cooler weather, yard work, trips to the beach/lake, and good food. I have set new intentions this week for myself and am hoping to lower my stress level and get more done – including more time for myself.
Daily/Weekly Rhythm
7:30-8:30: Coffee and yoga/mama time
We woke up around 8, and I enjoyed several cups of coffee while I washed the dishes, tidied my room, and caught up on social media.
8:30: Get outside! Take a walk/play hard
It is a beautiful, sunny, comfortable morning and the kids had a great time playing with chalk on the patio before breakfast. We need more sidewalk chalk!
9: Breakfast
Oatmeal for the kids, banana nut crunch cereal for myself. I’m going to try to remember to eat breakfast this week.
9:30: Circle Time
So, keeping it honest, circle time was a disaster this morning. lol Eliza was not in the mood to sit still or listen or participate or do anything other than exactly what she wanted to do…and sometimes that is okay. We scrapped circle time after our first morning songs and Eliza went off to play while Chase and I jumped into reading.
10-11: Read together
Lots and lots of reading this morning. First I had Chase read an easy Level I reader about boats on his own while I reset with another cup of coffee. Then we sat on the couch together and he read the book to me. I explained that even though he thought it was easy, it gave him a chance to practice reading the words on the page (instead of making up words to go with the pictures, which he tends to do). Next, I had him finish the final 30 pages of Sammy the Seal which took the remainder of reading time and went into workbook time. He did a really good job, but encountered some new words. It was pretty slow going, but I was very pleased with his determination. I told him that if he can read the whole book for Chip today or tomorrow I will add it to his Book It! pizza rewards reading list.
(Meanwhile, Aidan fed the big stuffed Dalmatian sprinkles while he and Eliza watched The Magic Schoolbus)
Next, we moved on to some spelling work. I wrote out a list of question words (plus a couple more that had tripped him up in his book) and had him copy them. Then, I wrote out a fill in the blank question for each spelling word and had him copy the sentences with the correct word. It took a long time, but he got everything right on the first try and worked very hard at it.
11-12: Workbook loop
We actually had lunch before workbook today since reading/spelling ran so long. When we picked it back up, Chase completed a page in his addition workbook that helped him practice his skills counting from 100-150.
12: Lunch and leisure
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, apples, and The Wild Kratt’s.
And….this is pretty much where we left it today. Chip took his boat out on the ocean all day, and by 2pm I was exhausted, had a headache, and was ready to quit for the day. The kids drew with their colored pencils at the kitchen table for a long time then were happy to call it quits and build a tent in the playroom.
In other news, Aidan said “apple juice” and “me turn” for the first time today, and learned how to pedal his tricycle.
Not too shabby for a first day back after a weird week.
The Sudderth School for the Education of Free Thinking and Spirited Children 