Getting Back on Track
Update - Oh my word! Never underestimate the power of 3 hours of homework a night to completely upset your whole schedule. Soooo many things not getting done this week. We are REALLY struggling with Eli's learning issues and his homework. Everything makes sense now that we know what's going on and we're desperately trying to find a way to help him learn. I am really praying about homeschooling right now. Those who know me fear for me.. and my kids! haha. Our family dynamics are not the best for homeschooling. Each child would do good on their own, but all together.. all day long? But I am spending several hours a day reteaching what they're learning in school AND I spend ALL my time trying to figure out ways to teach them in the way that they learn mess. It's a jumbled mess right now. Ideally, I'd like them in school so I can devote some time to Noah and Naveen, who don't get much attention when the other two come home from school. But at this point, they may end up failing and being held back next year. Decisions... Decision... Decisions...
Back when I was working, I had my daily routine down pat. I'd get to work and make my one and only cup of coffee for the day and I'd hang around the microwave talking to my coworkers about what happened on last night's episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Party of Five (am I dating myself here??) and then head to my office. Once there, I'd check my email and my voice mail and my inbox. I knew exactly what work needed to be done for the day, what meetings I had scheduled, what phone conferences I had to participate in. And, sure, sometimes things didn't go as planned. Sometimes, I'd have to meet with students or an angry parent, but life, for the most part, was running pretty smoothly.
That's something that hasn't been happening in the 9 years that I've been home. My one cup of coffee has increased to five or six. I stay in my sweats until 3pm, and basically feel that life is one big free fall and I'm walking in circles without really accomplishing anything.
I do my best when I have a schedule and a plan, and, lately, I feel that so much is being thrown at me that I'm in danger of just sitting on the couch all day and wondering how it got to be 5 o'clock so soon. So, today, at least, I've decided to make a schedule for the week. Not minute by minute or even hour by hour... just a list of things that need to get done, written out in one place, with no pressure to get it all accomplished today or even tomorrow. But having that list will help me see everything that needs attention and, hopefully, will help me prioritize things a bit better this week These are not the only things that need to be done, but things I need to pay special attention to...
Appointments
Urologist - DONE!
Nephrologist - DONE!
Chiropractor - DONE!
Brain Gym - DONE!
Occupational Therapy 2x -DONE!
Noah's Stroller Fitting
Piano for Nandi - DONE!
Pediatrician for Naveen's UTI - DONE!
Classmates Birthday Party (Nandi)
Around the House
Clean Bathrooms
Sweep 4x
15 minute kitchen clean-up before bed
Laundry - every day
Dust
Organize Laundry Room
Organize Nandi's clothes. Go through hand-me-downs and pass on the ones that are too small and box up the ones to grow into - DONE!
The Kids
Work on the 5's multiplication tables with Eli -DONE! (And ongoing.. huge drama!!)
Math homework with Nandi - DONE!
Spelling words for Nandi and Eli on M,T,W, Th - DONE! (Test is Thursday instead of Friday)
Try Lavender essential oil with Eli for anxiety - DONE! (Forgot about his sensory issues involving smell. Oops! Must come up with something else...)
Finish the 3rd Percy Jackson book with Noah and start on A Wrinkle in Time DONE!
Read to Naveen before bed each night
Play Zingo with Noah and Naveen 2x
Do puzzles with Naveen 5x
Do Noah's neurodevelopment exercises 5x (and have Mozart playing in the background while doing so and clove/orange/lemon essential oil mixture in the diffuser)
Read next Story of the World chapter to Noah
Finish Howliday Inn on CD during trips to appointment DONE! Next up, A Celery Stalks at Midnight. (All Bunnicula books)
Do math with Noah at least 1x (Math is my weakness.. doing it at least once will be an improvement!)
Let Noah and Naveen play with the bean tubs at least 2x and shaving cream 2x
Make fingerpaint
Go for a walk with Naveen and Noah 2x by ourselves and 2x with Daddy
Give Elderberry extract to Nandi and Noah
Clip nails for all 4 kids - DONE!
For Me
Make green juice (head of romaine, 4 cups of spinach, kale, one cucumber, handful of parsley, slice of ginger, and tsp of cayenne pepper) 3 x
Drink apple cider/honey tea (2tsp of Bragg's Apple Cider + 2 tsp of honey in 8oz of water) 5x
Errands/Misc Things to Do
Drop off copy of learning disability testing to school - DONE!
Make bone broth
Teach Nandi how to make Congo Squares (not healthy at all, but her favorite dessert and handy to eat in the car this week)
Write a Thank You note DONE!
Complete Naveen's 1st CARA report and mail off to Holt
Send birthday present to niece Ffion in England DONE!
Buy birthday present for Nandi's friend
Pick up raw milk from local Mennonite Farm - DONE!
Research
GAPS diet
Diane Craft (for learning disabilities)
Pocket camera for Nandi's Christmas
Making homemade cough syrup (currently looking at this onion/honey mixture - Nandi is our Cough Queen)
We have such a busy week this week that I'm not even sure we can get it all done, but writing it all out makes it seem much less intimidating and makes my head seem much less cluttered!
I wanted to thank everyone for the kind comments on my last post. You know.. the one where I had a mental breakdown on my blog?? Thanks for the sweet words and suggestions (Heather, you rock!!). And to Anonymous, who suggested that maybe "Gotcha Day" was offensive to my kids... I didn't take offense at all to your suggestion... and please don't worry... I didn't think you were rude at all. Thanks for the input. Because I'm an over researcher, I'd heard about this before and we sit down each "Gotcha Day" and talk about it with the kids. Right now, they're totally fine with the term because it's the day we "got them", but we'll change it if/when they want. The important thing is to make sure the kids feel comfortable... and to celebrate the day that we all became a family.
I'm off to print off my to-do list and get busy! Have a good week!
Back when I was working, I had my daily routine down pat. I'd get to work and make my one and only cup of coffee for the day and I'd hang around the microwave talking to my coworkers about what happened on last night's episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Party of Five (am I dating myself here??) and then head to my office. Once there, I'd check my email and my voice mail and my inbox. I knew exactly what work needed to be done for the day, what meetings I had scheduled, what phone conferences I had to participate in. And, sure, sometimes things didn't go as planned. Sometimes, I'd have to meet with students or an angry parent, but life, for the most part, was running pretty smoothly.
That's something that hasn't been happening in the 9 years that I've been home. My one cup of coffee has increased to five or six. I stay in my sweats until 3pm, and basically feel that life is one big free fall and I'm walking in circles without really accomplishing anything.
I do my best when I have a schedule and a plan, and, lately, I feel that so much is being thrown at me that I'm in danger of just sitting on the couch all day and wondering how it got to be 5 o'clock so soon. So, today, at least, I've decided to make a schedule for the week. Not minute by minute or even hour by hour... just a list of things that need to get done, written out in one place, with no pressure to get it all accomplished today or even tomorrow. But having that list will help me see everything that needs attention and, hopefully, will help me prioritize things a bit better this week These are not the only things that need to be done, but things I need to pay special attention to...
Appointments
Noah's Stroller Fitting
Classmates Birthday Party (Nandi)
Around the House
Clean Bathrooms
Sweep 4x
15 minute kitchen clean-up before bed
Laundry - every day
Dust
Organize Laundry Room
The Kids
Read to Naveen before bed each night
Play Zingo with Noah and Naveen 2x
Do puzzles with Naveen 5x
Do Noah's neurodevelopment exercises 5x (and have Mozart playing in the background while doing so and clove/orange/lemon essential oil mixture in the diffuser)
Read next Story of the World chapter to Noah
Do math with Noah at least 1x (Math is my weakness.. doing it at least once will be an improvement!)
Let Noah and Naveen play with the bean tubs at least 2x and shaving cream 2x
Make fingerpaint
Go for a walk with Naveen and Noah 2x by ourselves and 2x with Daddy
Give Elderberry extract to Nandi and Noah
For Me
Make green juice (head of romaine, 4 cups of spinach, kale, one cucumber, handful of parsley, slice of ginger, and tsp of cayenne pepper) 3 x
Drink apple cider/honey tea (2tsp of Bragg's Apple Cider + 2 tsp of honey in 8oz of water) 5x
Errands/Misc Things to Do
Make bone broth
Teach Nandi how to make Congo Squares (not healthy at all, but her favorite dessert and handy to eat in the car this week)
Complete Naveen's 1st CARA report and mail off to Holt
Buy birthday present for Nandi's friend
Research
GAPS diet
Diane Craft (for learning disabilities)
Pocket camera for Nandi's Christmas
Making homemade cough syrup (currently looking at this onion/honey mixture - Nandi is our Cough Queen)
We have such a busy week this week that I'm not even sure we can get it all done, but writing it all out makes it seem much less intimidating and makes my head seem much less cluttered!
I wanted to thank everyone for the kind comments on my last post. You know.. the one where I had a mental breakdown on my blog?? Thanks for the sweet words and suggestions (Heather, you rock!!). And to Anonymous, who suggested that maybe "Gotcha Day" was offensive to my kids... I didn't take offense at all to your suggestion... and please don't worry... I didn't think you were rude at all. Thanks for the input. Because I'm an over researcher, I'd heard about this before and we sit down each "Gotcha Day" and talk about it with the kids. Right now, they're totally fine with the term because it's the day we "got them", but we'll change it if/when they want. The important thing is to make sure the kids feel comfortable... and to celebrate the day that we all became a family.
I'm off to print off my to-do list and get busy! Have a good week!
Comments
Okay....I can't wait to come back and see how much you've crossed off. I will live vicariously through you, and the more you get done, the better I'll feel. Almost like I've accomplished something, too.
:)
And since I can't go crawl back into bed I from the shame I guess I'll have to make my own list.