This has been a weird adjustment back into our school schedule after Christmas. I had the first semester basically planned out weeks ahead of time, thinking I'll worry about the second semester later. Then it snuck up on me and I've been scrambling to get my head into this new semester. We started this week, bare bones and I'm glad the week did not drag by. I finished today with our next two weeks of planning. I did map out the rest of the semester (science units, history units, etc.) so I feel a lot less overwhelmed.
I feel like a recluse this week. I haven't talked to many people outside our four walls or had any play dates. I needed some isolation to ease myself back into our new routine. But when you are a people person like me, isolation comes with it's own horrible drawback---"feeling down in the dumps". I need it sometimes, but it just doesn't agree with me. Adding a dog to our home in the past two weeks has been a definite adjustment. He is a very sweet dog, but it is a total lifestyle change. I'm trying to add some things into my day that I really need to get done, but that has been hit and miss this week. I'll just keep trying--tomorrow is always another day.
Switching gears, that is what we are doing for a while in certain areas of school. My biggest struggle is change, stepping back and looking at things. Getting off the plan. I like the plan, feel secure in it. Off the plan, well, that breeds chaos (or so my emotions tell me), but we are going off the plan around here. Monday starts BOOT CAMP. Daniel is progressing through math very well, when it comes to learning new operations and processes, but not when it comes to the basic math facts. He has to think way too long to answer what seem like "easier" problems, so we are taking some time from the book and working on all our facts to cement those in his brain before we hit long division with remainders (which was the lesson for today, but I conveniently skipped it for both our sanity's sake). Tera wanted her own BOOT Camp, so I focused on Spelling and States and Capitals. Basically, it's a list of activities to do with each subject area. I'll post later about some of the specifics.
JP had an allergic reaction to seaweed , so I felt very busy and alone on Tuesday. Wednesday, I finally got my leg checked out. The one that has been bothering me since last May. Ruled out vein issues and most likely it's a tight IT Band. I've been doing the weird stretches the doctor prescribed along with ibuprofen and I feel a whole lot better.
I feel like a recluse this week. I haven't talked to many people outside our four walls or had any play dates. I needed some isolation to ease myself back into our new routine. But when you are a people person like me, isolation comes with it's own horrible drawback---"feeling down in the dumps". I need it sometimes, but it just doesn't agree with me. Adding a dog to our home in the past two weeks has been a definite adjustment. He is a very sweet dog, but it is a total lifestyle change. I'm trying to add some things into my day that I really need to get done, but that has been hit and miss this week. I'll just keep trying--tomorrow is always another day.
Switching gears, that is what we are doing for a while in certain areas of school. My biggest struggle is change, stepping back and looking at things. Getting off the plan. I like the plan, feel secure in it. Off the plan, well, that breeds chaos (or so my emotions tell me), but we are going off the plan around here. Monday starts BOOT CAMP. Daniel is progressing through math very well, when it comes to learning new operations and processes, but not when it comes to the basic math facts. He has to think way too long to answer what seem like "easier" problems, so we are taking some time from the book and working on all our facts to cement those in his brain before we hit long division with remainders (which was the lesson for today, but I conveniently skipped it for both our sanity's sake). Tera wanted her own BOOT Camp, so I focused on Spelling and States and Capitals. Basically, it's a list of activities to do with each subject area. I'll post later about some of the specifics.
JP had an allergic reaction to seaweed , so I felt very busy and alone on Tuesday. Wednesday, I finally got my leg checked out. The one that has been bothering me since last May. Ruled out vein issues and most likely it's a tight IT Band. I've been doing the weird stretches the doctor prescribed along with ibuprofen and I feel a whole lot better.
Overall, that's how it's going around here right now. The first week back under my belt and ready to start the rest of the semester.