• Apr. 15, 2008
Do You need Nanny 911?
This week has slipped away from me. Organization has
basically gone out the door and it's only Tuesday. Once
it begins to slip I feel like I am paddling up stream with
only one oar. If I let one thing go then that goes into another
thing left go and it grows and grows till I want to give up the
struggle. Maybe read a book, blog or take a nap. Only I
know I can't do that. For Some reason every Monday when
I am all organized and ready to begin Spirit is moody. He
doesn't like us having structured time. He wants to participate
but because of his age an activity might only last 2 minutes.
So then he begins distrubing everyone. Poking Superboy,
trying to sit on Princess lap and on it goes. Which makes
learning hard when you have all those distractions. In particular
for Princess who has her own distractions in her head.
Then there are the toys. The endless toys scattered about
while I do get some lessons in. All day I feel like I am
prompting to pick up. No sooner than its picked up ,then
Spirit has it all back out again. That kind of mess makes me
crazy. It makes it hard for me to think much less stay on task.
I dont know why I am like this but I just cant focus when
chores need done.
Today as I was looking around at my afternoon chores
and then feeling completely overwhelmed, I sat down
with my lunch and watched Nanny 911. The kids had eaten
earlier and were playing in their rooms. Much needed mini
break for mom. On Nanny 911 I'm sure it was a repeat
was a Homeschooling Family!! I was so excited to
see one and at the same time skeptical about what the Nanny
would say about homeschooling. I was truely surprised
to see that she neither accepted it or condemned homeschooling.
It was just what the family did and it was excepted without
question.
The homeschooling family in question was doing fairly well
with their endeavers. The mom was a bit frazzled as most
of us are. The school day was a bit chaotic
and bedtime. The resolution
was so simple. The Nanny implimented a few school
organizational tactics. Simple yet so effective in getting their
lessons completed without so many distractions.
Bedtime was just a matter of dad not laying with
each child each evening. Which was harder on dad than
on the kids.
Most of the time that is my problem. The problem
of keeping things organized. I am either great at Organizing
The home and then not at school or organizing school
and then the home falls apart. Doing all is really hard
sometimes. I organize a lot of things for our church family.
I honestly am very good at it. Maybe to good at it because
then I feel I fall short at home. I want it to be completely
organzed and we all know things come up in home
and in life. I dont have that extra time like I do
when I plan a church event to think it through. Quite
honestly if I did have time and thought my day
though throughly I probably wouldnt be able to
enjoy that time. Watching Nanny 911 made me think
a little about our schooling day and how I could make
things go a little more smoothly.
Last week Superboy was losing all of his
belongings and we had stopped and cleaned our school
room or was it the week before. Anyway, that hasnt
really helped him. He is still losing his belongings and
not able to locate them. Nanny had created cubbies for
the children so that when school time came around they
just took out the work that needed finished. Princess
with her difficulities has a checklist but Superboy has
nothing. I am thinking that organizing his belongs ahead
Of time might help in time wasted and distractions for him.
I still want him to learn responsibility but maybe his job
can be to put those things away at the end of the day.
I also created a box for our completed work. So
the kids just drop them in and then mom checks
them when I have time. Princess is alway in the drawer
beside me so we have baskets now with our own
personal pencils, crayons etc.. but I had to add sharpies
to hers because she loves using them instead of washable
markers that the boys use.
My home is as organized as it can be. Just that mom has
to actually follow it. Its just been one of those weeks.
If you have any organizational ideas or tips please leave
them in the comment area. I will comment to your comment
there as well so check back.
Tomorrow I want to discuss children that are to
attached to a parent and what things we
as homeschoolers might be able to do to teach
them to be able to do things more on their own.
