Week 1 recap

Okay, so I was expecting a hard first week of our new structure. But it was really really fun. Perhaps we are in the honeymoon period? Next week will be crappola? I'll do what I try to do in parenting...enjoy it while it lasts.

Reducing tv was a success. There were no rainy days at all, so we were down to 1 1/2 hours of tv all day. Down from...well, let's just say A LOT more. The kids have done really well playing without me needing to be involved all the time. I just tell them WHEN I'll play, and they do pretty well waiting for that time.

Andrew and Lily really enjoyed it. I even caught a few moments where all 3 were engaged together:

Projects went well. One thing I already love about doing our own thing...is we can do our own thing. I had a Wet n' Wild activity planned for Wednesday, but the kids got really excited about just playing in the pool I had set up. So we scrapped the activity...and then used it on Thursday when Jeff was late getting home from work. Just having the activity planned and ready, but no pressure to do it...fantastic. To me the benefit of this over an actual camp is the flexibility...we can drop everything and do what we want to do if necessary. Downside? I have to stay on top of things.

This morning, the kids were playing together while I cleaned up the kitchen. Andrew and Lily just decided to clean up the toy room. Andrew has been given 3 jobs a day, and he loves it. I make them fairly easy and at least one of them has had an element of fun. Today he finagled his sister into helping him...Love it!

I was most worried about Michael. But he has been playing nicely (mostly) and really wearing himself (and me) out. Sometimes he brings me the tv remote and asks to watch, but mostly he is easy to distract. We've been reading more books and learning letters and having a great time together. -insert mother guilt about too much tv here-

There HAS been a lot of fighting and chasing...to the point that I think I'm going to assign uniforms for the summer. I'll be the one wearing the black and white striped shirt with the whistle around my neck.

Overall, an encouraging start. I've really enjoyed them this week. Next challenge? Getting myself to stop watching dumb tv at night. And also, I need to be more committed to my toy rotation...I've always kept a bin of toys out with the plan to rotate. In order to keep up this momentum of play, I know I'm going to have to change things up every once in a while.

Okay! Enough boring stuff! Have a nice weekend!