Went fairly well, or at least better than I was expecting. After a long summer, I was concerned about my girls getting back into the swing of things. Having my 8th grader doing homeschooling this year through an online school allows her to have more control over what she does, as well as holding her to a higher level of responsibility.

Other than a couple software issues, things are going smoothly. I check in everyday to look at her assignments she submitted to verify she completed them. She will have a bi-weekly phone call starting this week with her homeroom teacher.

With that being said, I had a more hectic weekend than I expected, and did not get to verify her Friday work until this morning. Said 8th grader may not be happy when I wake her up to let her know she has 3 assignments she did not submit. I definitely learned my lesson, and will not miss my check in again.

She is good about getting things done that I ask of her, so I know she will be back on task this afternoon. And it looks like a sunshine filled Sunday in West Michigan, so I think she will still have time to enjoy what is likely one of our last warm, sunny days for the year 🙂

Do you have motivating techniques when your homeschooler gets off task?

There are some days when I come home, and I literally question my girls if someone broke into the house; it is that destroyed 😦 There is a pile of dirty clothes upstairs trying to make its way through my bedroom door (I am not sure where the hamper went, probably sitting in front of the washer in the basement full of dirty clothes). There is a Wii controller upstairs on the bathroom sink. What??? (I have a basement, main floor, and upstairs where our bathroom and bedrooms are). There is no Wii system upstairs, anywhere 🙂  )

How does this happen? Probably the same way I found the television remote in the refrigerator, the milk in the pantry, and food that I could not even tell you what it once was underneath the furniture. I have come home to my frozen vegetables in the living room (my leg/arm/face hurt, I needed ice), the refrigerator door left open all night, and something burned in the microwave that lasted longer than someone could stay awake.

It has gotten to the point that nothing even shocks or surprises me anymore. The entire bathtub is purple? Ehh, someone dyed their hair. Your very expensive pan is on the stove full of hardened candle wax? Someone wanted to remake the candles.

Do not assume that I am never home minding my children 🙂 I have been at the kitchen table doing my college homework only to discover 3 very quiet girls in the living room who had a nail polish disaster.

With that being said; I would not trade it for anything. Because we laugh, we play games, we watch movies, we read stories, and we spend time together.

And I cannot think of one thing yet that they have done that is worse than anything I ever did to my parents!

…and my life can get back to the everything-is-on-a-schedule-including-my-kids rhythm that I love so much. And have missed so much! One is a junior, one is homeschooling 8th grade, and one is going into 5th grade. And of course my oldest who is in her Senior year of college! How did that happen so fast???

Are you and yours ready for the new school year?

…to get my girls all set for the new school year. And even though I have been procrastinating, terribly, I am doing a serious Happy Dance on the inside. It has been a long summer break of non-stop kids in and out of my house; pretty much every single day. Just yesterday I said “No one over, and no one goes anywhere”, and I somehow ended up with 3 extra kids in my house at one point.

I told them last weekend we would get all of their shoes, folders, pens, etc that they need yet, as soon as they do some chores. So no, we have not gotten those things yet. I am pretty sure when it gets down to the wire and there is a chance they will be wearing last year’s shoes to start this school year, my house is going to be looking pretty clean.

And then there is the whole homeschooling situation with my 13 year old 8^th grader. She is doing all of her classes online this year, and although I managed to get all of her books and supplies unpacked, I still have not downloaded the software we received, or even showed her how to get around in her virtual classroom. (In case if I never mentioned it, I am a horrible, horrible procrastinator).

I have been busy every single day this week, running kids back and forth to drivers training, marching band, and anywhere else they felt they needed to go. I am busy again tonight, and have a pretty full weekend. I am in my 4^th week of my college class, and although I enjoy the class and am doing very well, I do miss all of that free time I had.

And last, but certainly not least, I need to get everyone’s things organized. We are all going to be very busy into the beginning of the school year, and I do not have the time, or patience, to be hunting for school folders, backpacks, hairbrushes, socks, etc every single morning (which is pretty much what happens every day). So if anyone has some great organizing tips and tricks that you use, I would so very much love to hear them.

Are your kids ready to go back to school?

…is a very difficult thing to do most days. I have to say I have been having a less than pleasant week with a busy schedule, my girls demanding things for school, and refusing to do anything in our house. I will not even get into the details of what they were doing to wind me up, because it will just wind me up again and I need to try to get a couple hours sleep before work tonight.

Being awake for the majority of the night, which is normal for my 3rd shift body, I got up before the sun, got my camera, and went down to the beaches on Lake Michigan. There were a few people out and about, and a lot of fishing boats in the water! After that I stopped to get a cup of coffee, went to the store to get some things I needed in the house, and headed to church.

It was a nice, peaceful morning not listening to kids bickering with each other non-stop. I am not sure what I expected when I got home, but they were once again bickering. In fact, they are arguing right now. Over what they are going to watch on television.

I need more mornings like today, so I can relax, reflect, and not be a referee.

What do you do to relax when your are feeling overwhelmed with your environment?

If you ask me a question, and I have given you an answer, you are NOT allowed to ask me that question again. Period.

For days I have been listening to the same question being rephrased in 10 different ways and repeated to me, hoping for a different answer than the previous one received. I explained that if I change my mind about an answer; I will let them know. Continuously asking me is only going to make me frustrated, and just strengthen that “No” I told them several times in the previous 3 hours.

Maybe I should explain that what is happening here, is that I will be asked something, and literally (Literally!) within 10 minutes, I am getting asked again. Example:

9 year old: “Mom, can Jane come over to make bracelets with me?”

Me: “No she cannot. She spent the night last night, and was here until 4 pm this afternoon. I have to do homework so I need some quiet.”

Less than 10 minutes later…

9 year old: “Mom, can Jane come over and sit with me on the front porch?”

Me: “I am making a new rule!” …see above 🙂