For those of you who have a routine, either for yourselves or your children, you know how hard it is to come back to that routine if you have been off it for some time. You flop about like a lost fish, hoping to find your rhythm again, but mostly just feeling like you're lost and confused. Maybe not. Maybe it's just me and The Monk. But I can tell you that The Monk...he struggles. In my earlier post I talked about how having a timed schedule has changed our homeschooling experience for the better and how well we were doing on it. Well, let me tell you that after having 3 weeks off from doing lessons (which, by the way, The Monk complained was TOO LONG to be off of his routine), getting back into the swing of things has been a long and arduous experience.
Not only did it take me some time to find my sense of self and purpose again (which included revamping my planning pages and setting up my pacing guide for the next month), but I've also had to contend with The Monk and his need for order. After 3 weeks away from our schedule and classroom, getting him back on track has been really hard. His head is not where it needs to be. He is, once more, easily distracted by what is happening around him or with whatever is going on with his fingernails. He's argumentative, resistant, having a difficult time listening and following directions. All in all, being a pain in the kister. But, and this is what I have to remind myself when I find that I am starting to lose my patience...it's not all his fault.
He thrives on routine. He thrives on knowing that this is what we will be doing from this time to this time, and when that is taken away from him (not to mention the over-stimulus that is Walt Disney World), his brain short circuits and we have to work at re-wiring it all over again. We have to go back to the beginning and set him up for success, not failure. I have to be kind and patient and bring him back from wherever it is that his mind wanders to. I have to be the task-master and stick to the schedule so that he can come back to that sense of security. And when I am met with resistance...well, I have to practice more at not losing my cool when he gets all stubborn on me.
But, we are getting there. We've been back at task for a week and a half, and although it's taking me longer than I had hoped, we are getting ourselves back on track and back into the rockin' rhythm that is our daily routine. It's a slow process, but sometimes, that's just the way things go.
Cheers.
Not only did it take me some time to find my sense of self and purpose again (which included revamping my planning pages and setting up my pacing guide for the next month), but I've also had to contend with The Monk and his need for order. After 3 weeks away from our schedule and classroom, getting him back on track has been really hard. His head is not where it needs to be. He is, once more, easily distracted by what is happening around him or with whatever is going on with his fingernails. He's argumentative, resistant, having a difficult time listening and following directions. All in all, being a pain in the kister. But, and this is what I have to remind myself when I find that I am starting to lose my patience...it's not all his fault.
He thrives on routine. He thrives on knowing that this is what we will be doing from this time to this time, and when that is taken away from him (not to mention the over-stimulus that is Walt Disney World), his brain short circuits and we have to work at re-wiring it all over again. We have to go back to the beginning and set him up for success, not failure. I have to be kind and patient and bring him back from wherever it is that his mind wanders to. I have to be the task-master and stick to the schedule so that he can come back to that sense of security. And when I am met with resistance...well, I have to practice more at not losing my cool when he gets all stubborn on me.
But, we are getting there. We've been back at task for a week and a half, and although it's taking me longer than I had hoped, we are getting ourselves back on track and back into the rockin' rhythm that is our daily routine. It's a slow process, but sometimes, that's just the way things go.
Cheers.