For divine reasons unknown to me, we have to leave the house early this morning even though its not our day (Wednesday is the day we leave the house, just to go to CC and then come straight home). Matt has to go somewhere really early (like 8 o'clock) and so
I and the children have to make the exhausting trip next door (its like 20 steps) for Morning Prayer which means
1. Getting dressed.
2. Getting everyone else dressed.
3. Packing up school so we won't waste time.
3. Considering momentarily whether to take food or just eat cookies out of the cupboard in the church (I think you can see the obvious answer).
4. Remembering where Morning Prayer is in the prayer book (just kidding, I remember) and 5. Not freaking out about the cold (too much).
Going on the wisdom of a friend who knows about these things and in a bold attempt to make Elphine and Alouicious slightly more independent in their work, I made up fancy laminated charts with every scrap of work they need to do during the week. I explained carefully that even though they need my help to do just about everything on the chart, they can self direct the process and come to me at the time they would like to do it. The result was Elphine getting in my bed at 5am this morning asking if we could do math, reading and geography.
'Are you kidding me?' I mumbled.
'No,' she said brightly.
'Well, I'm not doing that right now. You'll have to come back later.' And by later I meant like sometime next week. Undeterred she got out of my bed, picked out clothes for her little sister, got dressed herself and is now packing her school bag. She's decided to draw the world this morning and do math.
Now I feel guilty for lying here blogging. So I guess I'll get up and start this monumental work of getting us out the door on time.
5 comments:
Please read this by Sally Thomas from First Things - http://www.firstthings.com/article/2009/12/the-killer-instinct - this perfectly illustrates your boys with their swords and shields. From the article: "What I think I have come to understand about boys is that a desire to commit violence is not the same thing as a desire to commit evil. It’s a mistake for parents to presume that a fascination with the idea of blowing something away is, in itself, a disgusting habit, like nose-picking, that can and should be eradicated. The problem is not that the boy’s hand itches for a sword. The problem lies in not telling him what they are for, that they are for something—the sword and the itch alike. If I had told my aggressive little son not, “Be gentle,” but, rather, “Protect your sister,” I might, I think, have had the right end of the stick."
Thomas goes on to describe a boys group at church that takes the idea of knighthood even further - it's a great piece.
I just want to know who won that battle?!
I just want to know who won that battle?!
Love your pics! Especially the first pic of the "fallen knight" next to the dog. I am in awe of Elphine - I have to get up at that hour myself but am not nearly so enthusiastic.
Oh! I am so excited! I love the charts. I hope yours get and stay excited about them.
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