Today

I was going to write that I was feeling overwhelmed, but I watched The Secret today and the thought that came was that if I focus on that, I'm just going to keep bringing those feelings into my day. Which is EXACTLY what has happened this afternoon! So let me focus on the positives:

I set up a schedule. The 16yo had no complaints, although was surprised that I only gave her 45-minute blocks. I'm not sure it helped her go faster because she had signs of being sick this morning. (Interestingly enough, both she and my niece showed up sickish (cold-like), but by the time they left, today, they were fine. The 16yo had made a point of saying out loud, "I'm not sick. I'm fine," every time she felt sick.) So her brain was foggy and she seemed to move very slowly through stuff. But that's okay. I had the feeling I was trying to cram too much into this week anyhow. The schedule, though, really did help her keep on task.

For dd and the 13yo... I felt better about how things were. I still need to tweak things a little bit, but they weren't taking off playing, except once during their break time. They also got a fair amount done, which was the whole point of having the schedule: building up a work habit! I definitely do not want to keep doing this forever, but will for this week then look at working out work plans with them next week.

Other than that... We didn't go to park day because I thought my niece wasn't going to be well enough to go, so we started the movie late, then I had to find library books--there's still one somewhere, due today, only thing I know is the library bar code number and that it's a juvenile paperback--and went to buy my son shoes. He has had the same pair of runners since March or April, I think. And they weren't super big on him then. He's grown 2 sizes. Woops! But that was easily done.

Also, I need to figure out a way to work with all the kids. The 16yo is really finding the work this year challenging and just being left to read on her own some of the stuff is leaving her feeling abandoned. She still wants 'a teacher'. I may be rushing too much. At the same time, I have her brother who DEFINITELY needs my one-on-one for his language arts (or ANY reading) and just for general 'policing'. I'll keep going with what I'm doing for this week and we can talk on Friday about potential changes for next week.

I just had the crazy thought of creating a social studies and science program that is sooooooo easy in reading that he could do it on his own. Of course, he'd find that boring and wouldn't want to do it. Ah well. Time for me to go do some cleaning--and see if I can find that library book!