For some time now I've realized that Steele does much better with structured activity incorporated into his day. I don't think he's unique among children in this aspect - I think most, if not all, children (and grown-ups) thrive with at least a little bit of structure in their lives. Eating, sleeping, recreating, learning, exercising - whatever it may be.
My little Steelio is an energetic, curious, funny and exuberant (almost) three year old. With and without direction he often lacks impulse control and logical thinking skills. Sometimes it's outright disobedience and often it is pure curiosity - think "cause and effect" here. Left to his own for hours or even minutes on end - he could get himself into a fair amount of mischief. Coupled with these traits, Steele also loves to learn. He can focus for surprisingly long amounts of time on books, puzzles, flash cards, etc. - even without me by his side. I've observed that he learns well by simply hearing information and seeing it on a page.
As I've mentioned before - it is a challenge for Steele to be kind to Adia. He does not naturally nurture and care for his sister. I have had to teach him how to do this. I'll go into this subject more later - but recently after checking out some manners books from the library and reading them to Steele he was all of a sudden asking me sweetly for things, apologizing to me (ie. "I'm sorry I yelled at you Mama.") and being more kind to his sister. After reading him stories out of a book! Even though I had been verbally (and physically) training him on this subject for months! He picked up on it that quickly from one simple book. I am trying to convince myself, though, that the book clearly only cemented what I've been teaching him all along....
While I tend to agree with the "better late than early" philosophy of homeschooling, I also want to be logical in my approach to teaching Steele. Amy and I were having a conversation about this the other day and she made a great comment. I was saying how that if Steele really wants to be doing some structured school time and if it helps our day go better - then who am I to not take him up on it!? She totally agreed with me (usual for us - probably why we're such good friends) and said, "Yah! You totally have to ride that wave while it's there! You're not gonna tell your child he can't learn even if he really wants to just because he's not seven years old yet." Good point Amy.
So here I am. Steele wanting to do school. Me wanting to meet him there and realizing that our days (and his behavior) go much more smoothly with some sort of a plan. What do I do? Remember this post? Well, I'm eating my words just a little bit. And I can do that. I like to think of myself as an extremely humble person. (hee hee) ;-) I checked the book out at the library and have been perusing it today. I made a whole-hearted decision to not do exactly what it says or even read it all the way through - 'cause that's how I am. I'm taking the parts that fit me and I'm using them. The parts that say, "you need to make sure you're flexible", "don't turn your schedule into an idol", "be sure and make room for spontaneous God-ordained moments" - well, those don't apply to me. I have no problem with those things. Believe me. But some of the other parts are great. I do need them. And they've helped me organize my thoughts a little bit and that's cool.
So here's what I've got goin' on. I decided to do a flow chart/loose schedule for our days. Our family schedule is a little unique due to Justin's work schedule. He works (at the most) 9 24 hour shifts/month. Basically, 9 days a month. And he doesn't work regular days - it's never the same during any given week - which also makes formulating a plan a little more of a challenge. When he's home, especially in the summer, we like to be able to do things like pick up lunch and take it down to Boulevard Park and then go for a walk. Or walk over to the city park and stop at the Dutch Bakery on the way back. We almost always do our shopping together as a family and make a day of it. Trader Joe's, Costco, Costco dogs.... So I figure we'll do the schedule when we want to - especially when Justin's at work - and if we have other things to do we'll do those things instead.
Justin and I also really value the time that he and Steele get to spend together doing things. When Justin is home and it's nice outside there is no place Steele would rather be than outside working side by side with his papa. They do everything together - purposefully. When Justin is mowing the lawn or weed eating, Steele is on his back in the pack. If Justin is digging out flower beds for me - Steele has his little shovel right next to him. If Justin takes the car downtown to wash and vacuum it, Steele goes with him. If Justin is cutting wood for my raised vegetable garden.... Steele is sitting in the car with the radio on. He's scared of the table saw. But you get the idea. There is no amount of school that we would trade for these times that Steele is learning how to be a man and how to work hard. Any schedule we incorporate into our lives will have to support these types of values first and foremost.
So do you wanna see it? My flow chart? I think I'm happy with it. I might have to tweak it here and there but I think it will make our days "flow" much more nicely and will encourage peaceful, cheerful hearts and attitudes - for all of us ! We were already doing most of these things - this just streamlines it a bit more. I'm excited to get started on it.
6:30 wake | Cutzi (and/or Justin since he does much of this also) | Steele | Adia |
Bible/Prayer time | Mr. Rogers | sleep | |
Exercise/shower/computer | Sesame Street | sleep | |
8 ish | Breakfast | ||
Kitchen clean-up | Chores | free | |
| 1/2 hr | Circle Time | ||
| 1/2 hr | Pre-school w/ Steele | Pre-school | Alone w/ books in crib |
| 1/2 hr | Activity w/ Adia | Alone Activity | w/ mama |
snack | |||
Purposeful play together Or outside Time | |||
12:00 | Lunch | ||
1:00 | Read to Steele | Read w/ Mama | Nap |
| 1:30 | Jazzercise work/ Computer time | nap | |
Nap | |||
| 3:00 | Cleaning/chores/errands | w/ Mama | w/ Mama |
5 ish | Dinner (prep/eat/clean-up) | Helping | helping |
Family Devotion/ Read aloud w/ both | |||
7 ish | Bed | Bed | |
Date Nights When your kids go to bed early it's a date every night! |
I also want to make a note here about tv. For a long time we were a "no tv for kids" family. Steele wasn't really allowed to watch any tv until around age 2 - except a show here and there. Now, since he wakes up so early and has sincerely benefited (and enjoyed) Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street we let him watch those two in the mornings. I'm motivated, but not motivated enough to wake up at 5 am to start my day!
14 comments:
Perfectly organized with enough room to be flexible! Nice! Can't wait to hear how it goes! xoox Christine
Nice work hon. Your a great wife. I'm not motivated to start the day at 6am either. That's why I sometimes bring my blanket to the couch and sleep while Steele watches his shows. That's ok right? Just sometimes.
It's really cute that Steele and Justin do everything together, as they do. It's the same way around here with daddy and son time. My boys and my husband thrive on it!
I can't wait to hear how the new schedule works out. It sounds like Steele will do well with it.
My oldest son Caeleb has always been a kid that can't do without structure. Even as a baby, he went to sleep the exact same time every night and woke the same time every morning. He would have a melt down if we ever went anywhere within the first our of him waking up from nap..things like that.
Now he is four, and he really likes to know what is going on in the day and have a very predictable schedule. For example, every afternoon when Brady is sleeping, Caeleb knows that is mommy and Caeleb time to play a game or do an experiemnt. We try to throw some spontaneous things in once in a while, just to try to help him become a bit more flexible. It just has to be subtle. haha.
As far as schooling goes Cael loves anything to do with science books, learning how things work, and he loves loves doing experiments. He could care less about writing his letters, even though he knows them all and the sounds they make...he just isn't ready for writing. Although, he has been very interested in numbers and how money works, so I've been taking advantage of that curiousity...
I find it really interesting how childrens minds work!
sorry I rambled again!
Wow Cutz. I am so impressed! Most of all with your wise ability to be willing to change you way of thinking a bit when it is necessary. This is not easy for any of us to do!
I literally want to print your schedule out to see what we can and need to add to help my little people make better choices. Idle hands I tell ya! It's like it's Biblical or something!
Love ya!
". . . Steele is sitting in the car with the radio on. . . " The image of this is hilarious. So cute.
I'm very impressed, Cutzi. It sounds like you've got a great plan and have given yourself a lot of flexibility for life to happen. Can't wait to hear how things go!
I now we thrive on a schedule here - if we divert from the biggies (naps, meals) by anymore than 5-10 minutes, I have crabby kids!!
Love your schedule! I can't wait to hear how it goes. I do a "day of the week" schedule in the summer. So Monday is library, Tuesday park, Wednesday trip (shopping zoo etc.)
Be sure you update us!! I think Mr. R and SS are great educational shows, my kids love them too.
Love it! We've been off any sort of schedule for a while now and I'm so anxious to start structuring our days again. I guess that really just translates to me needing to pull my booty out of bed earlier.
I love your insight and wisdom. And now I'm off to put some manners book on hold at the library. :)
I love this post, every single bit of it. I think my comments would equal a whole page, so for now, I am just going to leave it at that! Also, after reading this the first time, I slept in a little AFTER turning on Sesame street.... pure bliss I tell you! Can't wait to hear how it works out this week!
Cutzi,
We're right there with you and the flexible schedule/routine, in fact our day looks very much like yours does! I too looked over the MOTH book with a kind of overwhelmed awe... I have incorporated some tips I gleaned from it but wow that's a lot of sticky notes to move around on one paper. Don't get me wrong, I love being organized. Really love it. My mom asked my five year old what I wanted for my birthday. He told her I love to be organized and I would want some more bins to put things in. :)
Being more purposeful about my time and my kids' time too has been super helpful as we make the transition to full-time homeschoolers. All this talk about my routine... Actually, since our newest baby was born, we haven't had much of one. My goal is to be in a pretty good routine by the Fall when we start our homeschool co-op again. Have a super day! Sheesh, I wrote a lot.
Rebecca (of Bob and Rebecca)
C - I just wanted to comment that I think it's great your kids are going to get "alone" time during the day without you, and without the other sibling. IMO, that's really important. It was something I had to learn as a parent of twins - that although it's important to spend quality time with your kids, quality ALONE time, whether alone with you or alone by themselves, is really good for them. I'm not saying that you lock the kid in their room for hours or anything, but having some quiet time to play or read by themselves is so healthy. I was glad to see that in your schedule.
Great schedule! I"m excited to read your updates about how it is going.
I just wanted to comment on the whole TV issue. For a while I was a "No TV for kids" mom too, but then I realized that there are some really good educational shows out there that have a.)helped my kids learn some things that I didn't realize they were ready for and b.) has given me a way to have some much needed free time on occasion. I'm not advocating the TV babysitter approach but as a work at home mom, there have been times when the TV was a blessing.
Our PBS station doesn't shoe Mr.R and Sesame Street isn't on until nap time, but Word World has really helped reinforce the alphabet and their sounds for Uly and has taught Gar many letters as well.
Anyway, I have a crying kid. Gotta go fix that... :)
OK Cutzi - the last sentence of your 1st paragraph I had to read and reread. And reread. And reread. And reread AGAIN. Until I was able to read the word how I finally assume you intended. Because I kept reading it "REE-create" instead of "REH-create". (Hmmm... did she really put that in her blog?) Had to change the "ree" sound to "reh", then I understood. I get it now. A little slow, but I get it. :)
I am inspired, by the way. I/we totally need this in our household!!
Camee :)
If the jazzercise, cleaning, chores and errands can miss a day, on Friday July 25 you should bring Steele and Adia out to watch and cheer the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage.
Runners will start at Blaine's Marine Park as early as 8am, but our team doesn't start until 2pm. The course doesn't include Lynden, unfortunately, but we'll wind by Birch Bay and run through Ferndale about 5pm, which would delay the Jobes dinner ever so slightly.
More details at www.ragnarrelay.com/northwestpassage/coursemaps/.
Your global readership posts...
If Steele is showing any interest in reading, BOB books are the way to go! I've taught my little Parker ( 3 yr old I nanny for) how to read with these awesome books. She is reading AND writing and LOVES it! BOB books are available at your favorite store, COSTCO! Well not sure if it's your favorite store but I've run into you there a few times and your mom too. I digress, sorry for that...
Anyway try them out!
A little hint about teaching letters.. It's easier come reading time if you teach children the letter sound instead of the letter name, IE: "This is the letter Ahh (A). I'm not sure if this is the correct way to do it but it's made it SO much easier for Parker.
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