School Experiment!

We've been struggling with our schedule since we've been back from vacation. Griffin still gets up so early (5:50 this morning- although he went back to sleep in my bed). And the big boys have just grown out of their naps. So all afternoon while Griffin is sleeping I tell the big boys "Be Quiet" or something similar. They don't want to be quiet and I don't want to yell at them all afternoon. No matter how great the day has been stress levels raise in the afternoon and by the evening when we are all together as I family, I am ready to run far far away for a while. Not exactly the way we want our evenings to go.

So today we are doing something TOTALLY new. We always do school in the morning but today I have lots of bread bowls to make for a dinner party this weekend and I am doing that before lunch while the kids play. They've played play-do and are building hot wheels tracks now and playing indoor croquet. So far (although we are only a few hours into this experiment) there hasn't been much fighting. I don't pretend to think that won't change. I am getting to do somethings I need/want to do and they are getting to play without being told to be quiet. Also Griffin isn't getting into mischief while we try to get our school work completed.

Then this afternoon after Griffin is down for his nap, we will have school time. Griffin isn't really old enough to participate in the sit down work and often creates distraction anyway. It is quiet work so they shouldn't get in trouble for making too much noise. When we have a field trip or other appointment in the afternoon, we can do the sit down work in the morning before we go. Or they can take it with them and keep them busy while we wait for our appointment. And if there is a fun science or social studies activity Griffin can participate in, then we will do that in the morning while he is awake.

I am hoping that it is a better use of all of our time. Now if I can just figure out where a shower for me fits in, the plan would be perfect. :) We'll get it all figured out just in time for thanksgiving break. LOL!