Folding in our afternoons

I have struggled with our afternoons and trying to bring in practice time and project times (baking, painting, or crafts). After our conference call today I was really thinking about how or why our afternoons are so unproductive.

I know part of it is that I get tired and so it is too easy to just not do anything but allow for a long amount of quiet time or self-directed play. But also it is because it isnt folded into our rhythm. Initially I thought I really needed to work on that this fall when we get our lessons rolling again, but now after thinking on it for the afternoon I believe that I will begin to fold this in beginning this week. Even if it is just something simple like some practice sheets, or a simple summer craft. I know our mornings are pretty solid, so it will be easier for me to add those in later.

I think this will help us to review some things from last year, and gear us up for the coming lessons this fall, help prevent burn out by folding it in slowly, as well as helping me to iron things out without feeling like I am messing things up if I dont have it all "together" from the get-go.

We have had a really nice break, taking it easy and allowing ourselves to unwind from all lesson style activities. I am looking forward to starting the boys on their practice work and having them brush up on their skills, gearing us up for this fall. It will be pretty easy to start, especially with all the practice activities that we now have from Enki.

So for now I will begin with practice time. We have a lot going on this week with the house renovations, so this will be a good starting point for us. I believe I will start them both off with math practice. We will do that this week and switch next week to writing/handwriting practice. I will also begin folding their reading time into things again. We have slacked off our daily reading over the past few weeks so I want to get back on that train and keep those skills strong.

While I think it is important for skill development and mastery, I really am more interested in the self-discipline and regulation that comes from having something of this nature become a part of their day, and assisting them in forming good habits.

As things come together with some of the in-house renovations, we will begin to bring in more crafts and painting. While GM does Origami quite a bit, and GD draws almost daily, I would love for them to get to explore areas that maybe they dont naturally feel drawn too.

The boys have spent the better part of the summer putting their skills to USE in our lives. Through baking, building, gardening, helping and exploring their daily lives. I love this style of learning and living and will certainly encourage it as much as possible. This practice time, as I mentioned, is about habits, regulation and discipline. Helping them to feel the confidence of mastery in a format that isnt necessarily natural to them. I can recognize the importance of this and want to support it via this afternoon practice time.