I had a flip-out looking for the mini chocolate chips on Thursday. I needed them to make cupcakes for River's preschool on Friday. Only they weren't by the cake flour and the new bag of sugar. Had they fallen from the cart? Had they never made it back into the cart after I paid for them?! Now I needed to run back out after Sage's nap just to buy more *curses* mini semi- *curses* sweet *CURseS!* chocolate chips.
Then Jason called me (having read my ranting email) and told me that they were in the fridge where I had insisted they should be placed to keep them from melting.
Things like *this* happen often around here.
Those-- 'Where are my glasses?!" "They are on your head!"--type brain slips.
I blame it on the fact that my thoughts are like a small, frantically barking toy poodle. As long list of what I have to do, remember to do, what I have to remember for you to do and you to do and even you to do, and what I need to do at certain times on certain days.
I keep a planner and post-its. I even keep a post-it to make sure I make enough "time" *wink wink* for parental "work-outs" *wink wink*.
Yeah, I'm not even kidding.
I have lists of things I'd eventually like to do around the house. Lists of things I'd eventually like to own. Lists of things we need to buy but can do without (ie: more chandelier bulbs). Cleaning lists, lists of things I'd like to get to this week but it's okay if I don't, and daily lists of what to do and where to be.
I need to remember River's vitamins and mine each night, to fold the laundry that's been sitting in the dryer all day, to start the squash roasting during nap so it will be ready to go at dinner.
Let's not even go into the insanity that is cold weather + trying to get out the door.
Her coat, his coat, my coat, her hat, his hat, my hat, her gloves, his gloves, my gloves, her shoes, his shoes, my shoes. Grab keys, phone, diaper bag, purse...reusable shopping bags...fuck forgot them again. Did I pack water, snacks, enough diapers? Yes? No? Holy hell, get in the car already. Nap time approaches like Doom's Day on the horizon and you DO NOT want to be outside when that shit happens!
So, maybe it isn't surprising that my mind is Swiss cheese.
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Now homeschooling adds a whole 'nother load to an already busy life. And here is how I do it.
1. I highlight my days on the class calendar and write them in my planner.
2. I order books on my topic at least three weeks in advance online through my local library (this way they have time to come in before I need to write my lessons and I can hunt for books without a toddler running away)
3. I sit down and research idea for lessons online and jot down what I think I could use two weeks in advance
4. I sit down to write my lesson two weeks before I teach with my stack of books and my list of ideas. I use the same format each time so I can cut and paste a lot of bits.
5. I send Jason things to print, including a hard copy of my lessons, to be done the week before I teach and I send him daily reminders to print it until it is done.
5. I make sure everything is out and ready for the lesson the night before I teach. I use my lesson plan and go down it to make sure everything is out and organized for the morning.
It takes a lot of organizing,planning ahead, brain storming, research, and time. Usually a few evenings go solely towards preschool prep work. And this also means I should be starting my planning this week for teaching the week of January 9th!
River's education is important to me and when I sign up to do something, I give it my best. The little boys shouldn't pay the price of me not doing my job or holding up my end of the bargain. It would be easier (on me, not my wallet) to just send River to a preschool and pay someone else to do all the leg work. Since I'm not, that work is on me. I treat it the same way I would a paying job.
So here goes.
Ocean Life it is! Let's see what I can find....
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