A Great and Horrible First Week

Last week was our first week of school. I hadn't planned on starting quite yet, but thanks to hurricane Irene I was able to spend a few days getting organized and making lesson plans. I spent a whole day organizing and baby-proofing Gracie and Caleb's bedroom to give Caleb and Luke a space to play while I teach Gracie. I have been trying to come up with a plan to keep Luke happy, and I felt like this one was truly inspired. He's always trying to get in there and play with big-kid toys, and I thought if I made it safe and let him loose, he would be no trouble at all.

Monday started great. Gracie got up, dressed, and made her bed without being told. We had breakfast and chores done and were ready to learn at 9:30. We started our day with a Bible lesson. Caleb wanted to join us, and I got out a puzzle for Luke to play with. I had a fresh cup of coffee and there was even cheerful music playing in the background. For like, 5 minutes, we were the perfect family.

The boys were having a hard time sitting still, which I knew they would. So I moved them from the table into the living room to play with some "educational" toys.
        

                                                                                
In became apparent that these toys were not baby-proof and I spent a few minutes chasing Luke around the house and then shoving my fingers down his throat to pull out two foam fishes. No problem, I thought. Time to pull out my ace in the hole, the newly readied playroom.

They stayed in there for 3 minutes.

Luke kept shutting himself in the bedroom and then screaming and yanking on the doorknob. I went to free him, and as soon as I sat down with Gracie, he did it again. And again. Then he tried to crawl through the cat door a few times. Then he pooped. Then I had to sit in the bathroom with Caleb while he pooped (his highness requires an audience). Then Luke hung onto my shirt and screamed. Then they took turns pushing each other and crying about it. Then they were hungry. Then they spent a long amount of time just kind of following and watching me like really tiny stalkers.      

The whole week was like that. The boys are driving me up a wall! We don't have this rigid, structured curriculum that requires silence, but they won't even let me read three sentences to Gracie! Wednesday I collapsed on the bed and cried for a few minutes. Thursday I gave up and put "Thomas the Tank Engine" on repeat play.

*hangs head in shame*                                             

Gracie did an awesome job all week. She never complained and did her best work. I was amazed at how much her handwriting improved since last year! We didn't practice it, but it seems like she is just ready for it and wanted to do her best. She was really proud of her notebooks and showed them to Jeremiah when he got home. She seems enthused about this curriculum. So in that way, it was a really great week. I truly enjoy teaching her.

But I still don't know what to do with the other two. I don't expect them to disappear into another room and play quietly for three hours, but their behavior this week was ridiculous. The fighting, screaming, whining- it has to stop or I will lose my mind! I thought I was prepared- the room to play, the new "school" toys- but I guess not...for me, this is really the hardest part of homeschooling!