Bye bye, summer

I think I may have been in denial about school starting this month until the past couple of days.  How can summer already be over?  We've had a blast (most of the time) swimming, playing on the swing set, running through the sprinkler.  I love the spontaneity of summer.  I love not having to be anywhere at any certain time.  I love just being able to play, explore, roam, relax...

Ok, I'll be honest: Those moments were intertwined with crazy meltdowns, moments of sheer insanity, and constant mischief.  Such is the life of a mother with small children.

It's time for structure.  I won't say I'm ready for winter.  I hate the cold.  But I am ready to have a more specific schedule with guided times of learning and play to help reign in all that crazy spontaneity.  I am actually ready to dive into home schooling these two precious hooligans and see how we do.  I've already got my daily schedule outlined, and before you chuckle at my lofty expectations, they are really only four short blocks of school work interspersed with plenty of play, snacks, meals, and other fun activities.  The point is, there will be a specific purpose and direction to each day, and they need that.  I am a firm believer in allowing children unstructured play time to expand and indulge their imaginations, but too many hours of unguided time will end up being filled with normal four and five year old shenanigans.  You know, like squirting yogurt all over the furniture on the porch and licking it off.  

There is plenty of flexibility and extra time blocked into this new schedule, but I am ready to have some structure again and stop feeling quite so scattered and inefficient.  I think it will help minimize the meltdowns that have begun rearing their ugly heads again.  I believe it will provide margin and security.  I believe it will help all of us to know what to expect out of our day.  And somewhere along the line, I hope they learn something, both academic and practical.  Thankfully, they are both young enough that we can ease our way into these waters without the pressure of heavy subject matter.  

Six months in I am still having to leave feelings on the sidelines, rather than freaking out that some days I seem to be moving backward instead of forward in attachment.  It's time to let go of those expectations that have crept back in and just do what needs doing.  So here we go.  Wish us luck.  Pray hard.  Check back in a few weeks and see if this is a success or if I've just managed to find a quicker road to losing all my marbles.  Only time will tell.  For real.  Pray.  Geronimoooooo!