Monday, September 27, 2010

So what the Blog?

So am I writing yet another self gratifying blog? I sure hope not.

This is why I have stopped so many times before. I think what is the point if no one reads it? What will people think of me if they do read it? Am I coming off like a know it all?( oh Gd please no!) Do I sound/ look illiterate? Basically I can be totally self conscious. I am a bad writer. I can't spell or properly grammar my self out of a : unless it is apart of a :O). Yet that is why I am doing this. It's me not them right!?

So, this site is a place for me to keep a record of what I am doing to educate my self, my little and track my parenting journey.


You, NOT Them

You, not them is the seventh key to great mentoring according to A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver Van DeMille. I not only see Mentoring as a part of my child's education but also in my parenting. If I look at what Pam Leo calls 'old tapes' to see what is the root of my action or more typically reaction I can parent and teach my child how to make better choices.

What dose this mean for us more importantly me. It means that I need to work on my self first. I need to go into my head and root out the what and why, I am fill in the blank. Why do I want to start PreSchool with my two and a half year old? Why dose her whining, constant whys, ignoring me when I say stop make me what to lash out? What makes me start blogs or writing and then quit? So many more and so little space on the page.

So, what to do? Mope, cry just parent or educate your kid they way you were?

My Answer No! Stop you can make a choice. It's not always going to be the easiest or emotionally safest but change. Focus not on your child's actions or education but your own.

Schedule vs Rhythm

In our home we strive to create a dependable rhythm vs a set schedule. Living by a clock when dealing with young ones can cause strife. For me the action or activity occurring is far more important than the time in which it occurred at.

You may ask if this means our home is a free for all where our child stays up till what ever hour and eats what ever when ever. This is far from it. In our home our Little Miss, earth side can expect that events to occur in a dependable order. It also means that there is a lot of flexibility for adventures, tantrums, work schedule changes, extra food or naps during growth spurts. Let me share the rhythm that we are using right now with general time frames.

7-8:30 am
Wake Up
Morning song, cuddles
make beds, straiten up
fix breakfast, eat, have morning meeting -What shall we do today? or Lets talk about todays adventure!
clean up dishes/Kitchen
Brush teeth, hair, get dressed, showers

10 am- noonish
Little Miss- Play, do crafts, read books
Mama- Prep projects, do home chores
Together- Snack, learning to do chores, story time cooking

Noon- 2 pm
lunch
Together-chores, cleaning up, projects

2 -4 pm
2 stories
Little Miss- Nap
Mama- Nap, Read or me time

4-6 pm
LM- Play, craft, books
M- dinner, chores
T- Snack, craft, dinner prep, stories

6-8 pm

Family time!
Dinner, clean up, stories, walks, baths, Pjs, games, crafts, ect

8 pm
teeth and hair brushed
2 stories
Bed for Little Miss.