COMPLICATING SIMPLE THINGS: GETTING BACK INTO ROUTINE

Four pages. That's all. I only gave them 4 pages of activity sheets to work on tonight.

School starts next Monday. We started our wake up schedule this morning and our bedtime schedule this evening.  But getting them to work through four (super easy -- like two grade levels below where they're at) pages was almost as difficult as it was potty training them. At the same time. For that week when they both ran around with no pants.

I mean, there was yelling. Actual yelling. And tears, even.  And tantrum throwing that I don't think I even saw when they were three.  And tirades regarding personal freedoms and self-expression that were dripping with so much sarcasm and pure disdain as to make any smartass proud cringe.

But they did it.

They pouted. Did a few problems. Crumpled a few pages.

They shouted. Did a few more problems. Made giant Xs across the whole page.

They time-outed.  Did the rest of the problems. Got them reviewed, corrected, and re-did them with such ire that they went through 3 pencils from popping the leads because they were pressing down so hard.

But they did it.

It took us TWO AND A HALF HOURS (!!!) to get through those four silly little pages. So let me just put it out there, folks. If you haven't yet started your kiddos back on a homework/activity book schedule yet before school starts, DO. IT. NOW. Because it's really really frowned upon to take your kids to school with a margarita in your hand at 8 o'clock in the morning.
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