Ingrid is home right now, playing with fabric and her stuffed animals. We just did puzzles together and read in bed while Otis is napping. She's not sick, it's not a day off. We just didn't send her back to school after the holiday break. I couldn't be happier.
The past month or so has been very trying. Lots of temper tantrums and crying, lots and lots of yelling on all of our parts. I felt a real disconnect and was just not happy. I didn't understand why my daughter was acting out, why our house felt so stressful, why my life felt like nothing was getting done.
And then we had the holiday break, and after our travels to MI and the kids getting over sickness (more or less) things calmed down. We had our nice slow mornings of coffee, breakfast, playing, reading, games, and happiness. Otis' naptime was time for Ingrid and I to spend together, or for her to have rest time and me to get things done. There was peace in the house, there were so few temper tantrums I've almost forgotten how horrible they were. Tears are still there sometimes, but only when it's time to eat or rest.
So when school started back up again, we just decided not to send her back. Instead, we painted.
And then threw the kids in the bath with some shaving cream to "paint" with.
And did more puzzles.
And went to story time, which Otis LOVED! He thought singing songs and clapping hands was pretty okay.
We'll try again in the fall, but if it gets back to being that stressful, forget it. I used to wonder if I could be a homeschooler, if I had the patience, or could follow through with it, but now I know I can do it if it's what's right for us.
3 comments:
I'm glad you figured out what works for you! Emma and Johnny are loving school and coping - and Johnny definitely needs the speech therapy he gets there - but it has its cost. Especially on Lily, who loses her friends for a few hours every day, and gets dragged out of the house to take Emma to school (this morning it involved pulling Lily out of the tub against her will - major nightmare). Johnny is on the bus now (free for him, not for Emma), and I think we'll be paying for Emma to take the bus to her school in the fall. The drama is not worth the money saved!
Good for you! No reason for Ingrid to be miserable. She'll be in school for like 15 years! What's another semester off?
Key Question: how in the world did you keep Otis from eating all the paint? :)
I didn't! He totally was licking his fingers, but it's nontoxic and I used it with Ingrid at this age so I don't think it does any harm.
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