A Week of BARF! What to do during those bad days.

Ugh!  If I need to wash one more bucket or blanket covered in puke,  I may run screaming from my house....so if you see a crazy woman careening down the road...please don't look at me weird,  just have some sympathy.  7 days of puke and poop is enough to try the best of a Mom's soul.

So....I have been pondering or homeschool....and trying to think of ways to start off afresh...as these seasonal breaks...which happen due to sickness and can't be planned open themselves to a fresh start and a new plan.  I love many aspects of the curricula we are using,  but I feel it is not the best fit for my very active boys without some serious tweaking.  Since I am a natural tweaker,  this hasn't been too much of a problem. 

I am working on our schedule,  re-reading the WTM,  re-devouring the Ambleside Online site and enjoying the WTM forims more than ever....amybe too much. (But as I am trying to rest a lot and allow my body to get healthy again,  I may as well exercise my mind!)

A post that struck me today was "what to do on a bad day....when the kids don't wanna...and quite frankly,  you don't wanna...When there are tears, or harsh words, or down right  obstinance.  What about those days when you are sure that kid is dumb as dirt because he still can't remember that 2+3=5 or a noun is a person, place or thing...although you have been repeating everyday for the past 2 yars....sigh....

There were some good ideas.....One especially that I plan to incorporate into our daily schedule.  We are going to walk to school from now on.
I love this idea!  Thanks Hunter!

I really think this will help get us started fresh...get a little exercise and fresh air....help our minds get ready to begin our day.

I will post the new schedule in another post.

 Here are things I do during those BAD days:

On bad days....I usually..
Organize something...anything...take a before and after picture to see your progress...feels so good!

Take a walk

blow off school and read good books to my kids

make everyone go to their room and play or read quietly

put on a movie for the kids while I read a book

send them outside with instructions not to come back in until I call them. (make sure there is a pitcher of water and cups on the deck, and they all went potty BEFORE going out. Only bloody booboos are a reason to break this rule.)

Give them the choice to sit down and get their work done or clean their room...whichever sounds more pleasant.

Make a list of things I need done...and set the little army to work. No griping or I may add to my list.

Get someone to take them for a few hours (I rather stay home) Grandpa, or an Aunt or older sibling, so I can either rest, or clean ..whichever is more needful.

Pray

Be nice to me....go to my room and rest, or read, or web search, or take a nice long shower.

A bath with a glass of wine and a good book...and a "do not disturb" mandate.

Go to the park and let them run it off

Call a friend and cry...let it all out and then get back to business.

When all else fails...I Love Lucy Re-runs and ice cream usually do the trick....for me anyway :-)

Faithe