Friday, October 2, 2009
Our growth curve
We've now completed 7 full weeks of our fall/school routine. Overall, it's been a great 7 weeks. We've had hiccups, but I actually expected a lot more, to be honest. I think the difference this year is that I spent a couple days prior to developing our routine just watching/observing the kids and myself: how do we do/accomplish things; what are our most productive times/hours; what are the most difficult/frenzied hours; how are my children best motivated; how am I best motivated? Instead of making some idealistic and-- let's be totally honest-- unrealistic schedule of what I think our days should look like, I figured out what they do look like and how we could make minor adjustments and changes to best suit the needs of this season.
And now it's been several really great weeks, but I'm starting to see the next set of minor adjustments that could really benefit us all.
1. More outdoor time.
My oldest loves playing outdoors. My second-oldest hates it. (She often cries and cries and cries when I say it's time to head outside.) My third is generally swayed by his older brother, but occasionally joins in with his big sister.
[My fourth would spend her whole life outside, running into the middle of the road right in front of mack trucks and climbing trees that are too big for her if I'd allow it, but that's another issue.]
Regardless of personal preference, it's good for them to be outside. Not just good for their physical bodies (though I am right now especially aware of how necessary the fresh air is for them since what's now inside is that lovely recycled-through-the-furnace air that we breathe 6+ months out of the year), but also good for their minds and imaginations.
Our outdoor time usually happens, but all-too-frequently doesn't. I want it to happen every. single. day that isn't rainy or single digit (or worse) temperatures.
2. More diligence in chores (me).
I have a weekly housekeeping schedule because-- honest confession-- I am totally "over" housekeeping and I would otherwise put off the necessary cleaning. True: I love a clean house. But I am so bored with the process of having one.
The thing is, housekeeping is an important part of my job. And there have been too many days lately when Daniel is rummaging through the baskets of clean-but-unfolded laundry for an undershirt. *wince* I need to buck up, renew myself in the why behind housekeeping, and just. do. it.
3. Less "screen" time.
This means less movie-watching on the kids' part and less computer time on mine.
I actually heard one of my children say to me the other day (after being told no about watching a movie), "But, Mo-om, we didn't watch one yesterday or today!!!"
As if going 2 whole days without a movie is such a terrible and cruel thing.
Now, I'm no freak about screen time. Really, I'm not. I see a lot of benefits in some movie-watching (not only do I get a breather while the kids are watching something, but they actually do learn quite a bit, so long as the viewing is in moderation so that they're brains aren't being turned to mush) and I honestly think facebook and email, etc., is an amazing gift for stay at home moms who otherwise can easily feel totally cut off from civilization.
But I know we need to guard our time, especially from these time-suckers. I'm not entirely sure yet what that will look like, but I think setting up a schedule for when movies will be watched and when the computer will be used is probably the place to start. I'm okay with making exceptions, but I want to know it really is an exception and not just the norm.
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You are a very wise Mom! Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteWe used a system of "TV tokens" to keep the screen time undercontrol. Internet time was never an issue. Our system gave the children some choice and eliminated much discussion about TV. I'm sure Daniel could give you his opinion of what worked and what could be improved upon.
I'm with you on the housekeeping. I just had that same talk with myself this morning, after dragging my feet two weeks in a row over cleaning the bathroom. Good heavens. Aren't I a grown woman? And don't I ADORE a clean bathroom? WHAT'S THE PROBLEM???Can you tell more about your original observations and how you planned your routine? So interesting to me... :)
ReplyDelete@danicasinclair - Well, I should have also written that I think our routine is working best this year because we really need it, and so I'm less apt to deviate a whole lot! It's weird, but I actually have kids who are in rather varying stages at this point (i.e. Gabriel doesn't nap, Aubrey naps late morning/early afternoon, the middle two nap late afternoon, etc.).But just really noticing things like, do the kids do best when they do all their work back-to-back without breaks, or is it best to split things up a lot with shorter play times in-between? And what times tend to be so zoo-ey around the house that I really shouldn't "plan" much for then? (For us, the answer is shortly before dinner, so my goal is to-- most days, anyway-- not make a meal that requires a lot of last-minute prep but can be mostly made ahead.) Also, what are my most productive hours? After I took note of that, I figured out what the most important thing(s) I need to do each day are and I do them then-- and I really try to guard that time (not be going out of the house, for example, which will zap all that energy, plus).I think when the kids were all smaller, life just had a rhythm that worked very easily for the most part. But now that I've got kids who are needing different things at different times, I have to be more conscious in my daily planning in an effort to avoid meltdowns!Is that what you were wondering? Let me know if I'm still being too vague!
ReplyDeleteNo, that's not vague at all! I just like to hear people's strategies, and yours especially. Thanks!!
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