Does your stress level go up when school is in session?

[Jean in Newcastle]

It does for me and it's making me sick. All I'm doing right now is lesson planning and I've gone into a fibro flare from the stress. Add in the stress of trying to get all our subjects done during the day, keeping up with grading, making sure that I have books/materials for experiments or projects in time for us to actually use them, trying to manage the house and cooking while schooling and I'm usually a mess by October. So how do I manage the stress of homeschooling?

[BakersDozen]

:bigear:

 

We're due to begin school after Labor Day and already I can feel my stress level rising. I love our days now even though we are doing "light" school (finishing up from last year) and wish I could figure out how to carry this relaxed attitude over to when we do full school. The better prepared I am the better my stress level yet there is always something to worry about (for me it is making sure all supplies/books are in the house and ready to use).

[Impish]

Heck yes.

 

I've also realized that I need to have things completely planned out so that Wolf can take over after baby is born...and I don't usually plan things out to that degree, just kinda go with the flow to a point. Wolf needs more precise plans than that.

 

Bah.

[Pink Fairy]

Yes! I get stress migraines, and I've been keeping one at bay this week with copious amounts of ibuprofin.

 

A few things that help keep my stress levels from going through the roof during the school year:

 

1. I do all my lesson planning before school starts. I use a computer program, and if I plan each subject in the summer, during the year I just have to weekly update completed assignments and print out the next week's lessons.

 

2. The kids have responsibility for a lot of the day-to-day stuff around the house.

a. DD14 - lunch and lunch dishes, clean bathrooms, laundry with sister, clean dinner dishes with sister.

b. DD12 - breakfast and breakfast dishes, laundry with sister, clean dinner dishes with sister.

c. DS11 - keep backyard picked up (including dog poop), vacuuming

d. All kids (including 9yods and 4yods w/ help) - Keep your bedroom clean/picked-up, several daily quick clean ups of play areas. Dusting. Whatever mom and dad ask you to do.

 

3. Keeping the house relatively picked up is important for me. Clutter makes me stressed, but I can live with some dust. So I prioritize accordingly.

 

I don't know if any of these ideas will be helpful, but be comforted that you aren't alone! :001_smile:

[hsbaby]

Mine actually goes down. Our summers are so busy....playdates, camp, VBS, gym, etc. Starting school seems to calm things down. I have also started cooking freezer meals every two weeks which has been awesome in giving me extra time in the afternoons. Oh, and I filed everything this year and, as if week 3, it is a tremendous time saver!! Maybe you just need to make your summers crazier so school seems less stressful:)

[2_girls_mommy]

Yes, it does naturally here too. For me, it not necessarily the school. It is trying to get all of the other things done, when school is priority, but those things have to be completed also.

 

This week, I have 2 ped. well check ups (not necessary, but as a hs mom, I choose to have them as a reference that my kids are well cared for, etc.) a church meeting in my home (which means house must be reasonably clean!) and I am trying to get ready for a consignment sale where the items have to be cleaned, ironed, tagged and turned in by Sat! (which means the house is not clean, as I am going through boxes and closets!) I do NOT have to do the sale, but it gets me to clean out outgrown things and gives me some spending $. So I feel like I HAVE to do it.

 

Then, my girls have 2 bday parties this weekend, so I have some extra shopping to do to pick up gifts. Yes, they need to go. These kids both came to their parties and brought gifts and they are good friends. Oh yeah, and my sister scheduled her vacation for next week and is coming to stay with us even though I asked her to quit doing that during the school year (she is special needs, and messed up asking her boss to get off during the summer. It happens.)

 

Then I am supposed to lead girl scouts again this year, and I just can't do it. I don't have the energy.

 

To eliminate some of the stress, I looked into another girl scout troop for my family. I did have to tell our troop leader that I can't do it, and she now doesn't have a leader for juniors but I can't do it. Period. I told her last year I didn't want to do it, but she has nobody else, so she assumed I was going to anyway I think. So I feel great relief now that that is done, and someone else can lead and put their all into which I can't. Luckily our talk went well, and she understands, and may send her youngest to the new troop with us, and she will continue to lead the older girls.

 

 

Oh, and with everything going on this week, we had friends from out of town surprise us by coming into town this week. So we spent hours with them on Mon. and Tues. We went and stayed with them for 3 days last month on our vacation, and she took us all around their town doing touristy things. We rarely see this family, so we dropped everything and spent some wonderful time with them! Their school (public for one child and hs for the others, doesn't start until next week.) But whew, I am worn out, and the year has just begun!

 

Every week won't be like this for me, thank goodness. But this one is a doozy! No help, just sympathy.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Yes! I get stress migraines, and I've been keeping one at bay this week with copious amounts of ibuprofin.

 

A few things that help keep my stress levels from going through the roof during the school year:

 

1. I do all my lesson planning before school starts. I use a computer program, and if I plan each subject in the summer, during the year I just have to weekly update completed assignments and print out the next week's lessons.

 

2. The kids have responsibility for a lot of the day-to-day stuff around the house.

a. DD14 - lunch and lunch dishes, clean bathrooms, laundry with sister, clean dinner dishes with sister.

b. DD12 - breakfast and breakfast dishes, laundry with sister, clean dinner dishes with sister.

c. DS11 - keep backyard picked up (including dog poop), vacuuming

d. All kids (including 9yods and 4yods w/ help) - Keep your bedroom clean/picked-up, several daily quick clean ups of play areas. Dusting. Whatever mom and dad ask you to do.

 

3. Keeping the house relatively picked up is important for me. Clutter makes me stressed, but I can live with some dust. So I prioritize accordingly.

 

I don't know if any of these ideas will be helpful, but be comforted that you aren't alone! :001_smile:

 

Very helpful. Thank you!:001_smile:

[*Lulu*]

YES!

 

What has worked for me is to school year round. 6 weeks of school, 2 weeks off. I use the two weeks to do the administrative things I need to do to be ready for the next round. I get less stressed because I can tell myself that 6 weeks is a really short time.

 

ETA I also save my time consuming household projects for during these breaks that way I am just focused on maintaining the house during school weeks.

Edited August 17, 2011 by BLA5

[enviromommy]

I can't tell you how relieved I am that I'm not the only one. I have been feeling so incredibly stressed out the last couple of weeks. It feels like all the other "life stuff" is already such a full time job, adding full-time school seems near impossible.

 

Someone else mentioned starting after Labor Day but doing "light school" right now to finish up old curriculum - that's exactly what we are doing right now. And since I have (self-diagnosed, of course, that's the best kind) ADD and executive function disorder, I am second-guessing myself every.single.hour on whether I should be doing school catch-up or just letting the kids play so I can focus on getting ready for the new year. I have a huge stack of mail and bills, lesson planning barely begun, the school room covered in clutter, unfolded laundry, and a to-do list with 54 items on it. Literally.

 

It is so hard for me, when my heart is pounding with anxiety from my to-do list, to sit still next to a child who knows how to do his math (for example) but wants me to simply sit there watching him so he doesn't have to do math alone. I'm very fidgety right now, to say the least!

[Elizabeth in WA]

Summer is driving me crazy. I hate the nonstop running I seem to have to do, and can't wait for fall schedules where we do not have to leave the house until after 3PM on week days. We do some school year round and the lighter summer schedule can be challenging with all the daytime practices, extra playdates for my daughter, neighbor kids playing outside, etc. Add in doctor's visits, physical therapy, classroom driver ed, and, when he is healed enough, behind the wheel driver ed, for my poor, injured oldest and I feel like I am slotting summer school work in between endless running.

 

Keeping up with checking work (I don't really grade, and give high school grades based on SAT II's where possible) does get to me (and will be worse with our full schedule), and I find that I need to mark it all myself in order to know what the kids are having trouble with.

 

My biggest challenge is on demand teaching. The kids really enjoy it (in the sense of teasing me) when their teacher is unable to shift gears and has to check a solutions manual/translation key before tackling it for them on the whiteboard. I try not to let this happen too much because I have noticed that my older boys have more respect for the goals of our home school when they believe that I, as their teacher, meet those goals as well. So keeping up with refreshing my high school Latin and less used math topics (polar coordinates anyone?) also adds time stress to my day.

 

Stress gives me headaches, sometimes triggering full migraines, and I have been having a lot lately. I am actually hoping that fall schedules will reduce the stress though, since we can at least stay home and do school until after 3 in the afternoon most of the time.

 

I handle housework like a previous poster, by assigning the kids a significant portion of the work.

[shanvan]

It does for me and it's making me sick. All I'm doing right now is lesson planning and I've gone into a fibro flare from the stress. Add in the stress of trying to get all our subjects done during the day, keeping up with grading, making sure that I have books/materials for experiments or projects in time for us to actually use them, trying to manage the house and cooking while schooling and I'm usually a mess by October. So how do I manage the stress of homeschooling?

 

 

Well, Jean, we haven't started school yet, but I am experiencing more fibro symptoms lately just from getting materials ready and planning out our year. I haven't even started making daily lesson plans. I was just trying to explain to my Dh last night that the fibro fog is so bad right now I can only do so much book work before I have to take a long break. So, planning is very slow going for me. I feel like I'm slogging through mental mud daily. Also having some physical symptoms too. So, yeah, I'm afraid I'll be in an all out flare once we start.

 

OTOH, I agree with the poster who said summer can be stressful. We've had so much going on with horseback riding, shows, clinics, dog classes and training the new puppy (our Eng Springer). I suspect the summer activities may be the real cause of my issues.

 

Anyway, I'm going through the same problems right now. These are suggestions I have gotten:

 

Cooking: My mom thinks I should give over some of the cooking and grocery shopping to Dh. The trouble is we would have to be content with what he buys/cooks. Can you settle on a couple of nights of easy meals? Right now I cook two huge home cooked meals which have leftovers, so that takes care of 4 nights, we have one easy meal that Dh cooks, a night of pizza or sandwiches, and a quick meal night for me. I try to make some big meals that I can freeze occasionally so I have something ready in the freezer, but that's only occasionally. This year I'm going to work on getting Ds proficient at cooking several basic meals so that maybe eventaully I can assign him one meal a week.

 

I agree about making the kids responsible for a lot of the household chores. Only trouble there is if you have any distract-able kids (and I do have one who is highly distract-able) then it can end up being harder to keep them focused than it is to just do the job yourself. I find chasing Dd around to check up on her exhausting. And then there is the problem that I sometimes forget to check up (fibro fog again).

 

Is it possible that on some assignments the kids can check their own work and then show it to you? That way you aren't making them completely responsible, yet you don't have quite as much work.

 

I do find that if I can manage to exercise I feel better--especially if I can get out for a walk outdoors alone. Sometimes I can almost feel my shoulders relax as I walk. Sorry I don't have better suggestions. I can certainly relate.:grouphug:

 

Shannon

[shanvan]

Reposting this for you Jean. I posted this on the HS board a few days ago. It sums up my feelings about trying to cope with everything.

 

You know the picture in The Cat In The Hat where the cat is balancing on the ball and holding all kinds of stuff? That's me right now, and this is what I sound like as I try to add more and more into our day......

 

"Have no fear!" said the mom.

"I will not let you fail.

I will keep standards high

starting this fall.

With a book in one hand!

And a cup of coffee- no bother!

But that is not ALL I can do!"

Said the mother....

 

"Look at me!

Look at me now!" said the mom.

"With a cup and a (fresh baked) cake

at my disposal

I can hold our school books!

while I feed our new fish!

And take you to practice,

any event that you wish!

And look!

I can hop up and down on a ball! (for phys ed)

But that is not all!

Oh, no.

That is not all... the mom said.

 

"Look at me!

Look at me!

Look at me NOW!

It is fun to have fun

But you have to know how.

I can hold up the cup

And the books and the cake!

I can plan all your lessons,

and make sure the yard's raked!

I can hold on to dinner

as we sail out the door

And look! With less time

I can do even more!

I can fan with a fan

as I start to perspire

As I hop on the ball!

But that is not all.

Oh, no.

That is not all...."

That is what the mom said...

Then she fell on her head!

Shannon

[rootsnwings]

I've been watching montessori videos before the littles get up and it helps me SO MUCH with my patience with them. Not to mention all the wonderful ideas I get!! e-how has lots of videos, and youtube, of course. Just search montessori on those sites.

[Blueridge]

It certainly could, if I wasn't super organized before we started. There have been years past when I thought I had to start on such-and-such date, but wasn't completely ready...a disaster was inside my head even though I tried to wear a smile. So now that I am down to 2 students, the 3 of us are taking several weeks together to make steady progress with our organizing. Today we cleaned out the drawers that hold the supplies like pencils, art things, rubber bands, etc. I labeled each drawer this year so *I* would know where things were. This afternoon we're cleaning our and restocking their school baskets with new notebooks, school boxes, and I'm tweaking my lesson plans and daily schedules and routines for the girls. We have worked on closets and kitchen cabinets, tamed the laundry, have a few meals in the freezer and a shopping list hanging on the fridge. I have a place for the bills and mail, the clutter is almost gone from the living room where we do our reading, and the dining room where we do school work is clean and organized. (It won't stay that way lol, but at least we can start that way.) I have taken over the summer, the whole summer, to wrap my mind around what we'll be doing, and have gathered my curricula. I *finally* feel refreshed this year, and the stress level is down tremendously because I am taking things slowly. September 6, here we come! I refuse to stress out. I refuse to stress out. I refuse to stress out! :001_smile:

[regentrude]

IAdd in the stress of trying to get all our subjects done during the day, keeping up with grading, making sure that I have books/materials for experiments or projects in time for us to actually use them, trying to manage the house and cooking while schooling and I'm usually a mess by October. So how do I manage the stress of homeschooling?

 

We do a few things differently that would greatly reduce stress (I have to, because I work 25-30 hours each week):

I don't worry about doing every subject every day - it is enough if it averages out over the weeks. Just make sure my kids put in the required time.

 

I do not grade everything. The kids self-check their math problems and let me know if there were issues. I look sporadically. I give ONE exam per semester that gets graded - on that I base the semester grade. Same for science. For English/history, all I grade are essay assignments. I do not comprehension quizzes (I know my kids can read an understand) etc.

 

My kids are not big on projects. Which saves a lot of time. They do not need so-called "hands-on" activities in order to learn.

 

Also, HUGE time saver: I do not lesson-plan. I know what materials we use, so we start from the beginning, get as far as we get, and resume work the next time where we stopped. For my 14 y/o, I broke down the textbooks roughly into weekly chunks so she can pace herself - but I don't micromanage.

Edited August 17, 2011 by regentrude

[RoughCollie]

This is what kept me from stressing out, as long as I actually worked the plan!

 

Lesson Plans

My lesson plans for each subject were not dated, they were numbered (1-90 or 1-180). If a child missed a day, they just picked right back up with the next numbered lesson. The kids could work ahead. The subject was over for the year when the lessons were completed.

 

Back when everything was dated, it was a real hassle to keep things sorted out.

 

The key to the lessons plans was for me not to schedule more work than I had allocated time. I also had to plan time for the kids to actually learn (memorize, study) the material, and for reviewing the material with them several times.

 

Daily Schedule

 

I made a daily schedule - Monday through Friday - for each of us, in side-by-side columns. Each row was 1 hour in the morning, and 1/2 hour in the afternoon (when activities occurred).

 

The schedule included wake up and bed times, meal times and cooking, shower times, appointments, classes, outside activities, quiet time, transportation and getting ready to go time, chores, free time, paperwork (bills, phone calls, etc.), laundry, yard work, taking care of the dog, errand time (including transportation), teaching time, supervising schoolwork time, grading time, writing tests time, researching curricula time, etc.

 

We combined Breakfast & Bible and Lunch & Lit. Just in case, math, grammar, and writing were scheduled first.

 

It was a real PITA to put together for the first week, because it showed for every hour of the day what each of us would be doing. I had to figure out ahead of time what to do when the 5 schedules conflicted. This could have happened when Kid A had to be at karate, and at dinner at the same time. Or when Kid B had to take a shower when I was running the dishwasher.

 

The first week's schedule became the template for the later weeks.

 

It was well worth the trouble. If anything came up unexpectedly, the free time slots were available to take care of the missed opportunity to follow the schedule.

 

The key also was to be realistic about how much time it takes to do something, so I'd time my obligations. If a kid took longer than an hour to do math (always because of dawdling), they'd finish during their free time (which was scattered throughout the day and evening).

 

School "classes" were 50 minutes long. The kids used the remaining 10 minutes to put away their schoolwork, go to the bathroom, get a drink.

 

The benefit was that I stayed organized. No more too much too do and too little time to do it in. The schedule wouldn't allow it.

 

The biggest benefit was that the kids, who balked at hearing about it, were much better behaved and took to the schedule like ducks to water. I gave them each a copy on Sunday nights.

 

The worst part is that I do not like being tied to a schedule. It was really hard for me to accustom myself to it.

 

Good Enough

 

I also, when faced with the reality of time constraints, had to convince myself that "good enough" was okay. One biology course at a time is good enough. The curriculum I had selected is good enough - no need to switch horses in midstream or supplement so much that it is impossible to do the work required in the time allotted. The kitchen floor's cleanliness is good enough if I sweep and clean up spills when they happen -- no need to mop every day.

 

Realistic Assessment of Energy Level

 

I had to be realistic, because I had limited energy due to my heart condition. Before I knew I was sick, I pushed myself to the max because I thought I was lazy and stressed out. I was a Brownie leader who absolutely dreaded troop meetings every week for no reason I could figure out. The day after a troop meeting, I had emergency cardiac double bypass surgery. I was the hospital's mystery patient -- cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and cardiology residents flocked to see me because no one could figure out how I could still be alive to have surgery.

 

Lo and behold! I was not lazy! Brownie meetings were the icing on the cake -- I did not have the energy to that, no matter how much I wanted to. I dreaded doing it because it made me feel worse physically.

 

So Rule #1.5 million is that I try not to send myself over the edge by planning too much unnecessary activity. I still have a heart problem, and I found out last night that if I do not take a nap, I should not make plans for the evening. Pacing oneself, when one has a chronic health problem, is essential. Just because I want to do something and it is needed by someone else and I am a great choice for the job, all that is not enough reason for me to volunteer to do it.

[Orthodox6]

:grouphug: to you from another "fibro-fighter". Yes, my fibro, ADD/ADHD, Asperger's, insomnia all skyrocket straight up the chimney to celestial-heights during school months. (which are year-round. Oops!) We shall resume next Monday, and I have only two to teach this year. Double from last year, now with a 12th grader included.

 

Do only what must be done, with "must" defined rationally. (obtain outside suggestions for this) Reward yourself occasionally with whatever works best for you -- dinner out with a friend, time alone with a great book, ticket to a wonderful concert, etc.

 

One of the best helps to me throughout these sixteen years of teaching has been my children. They always are urging me to take time and "go play with my friends." DH backs them, too.

 

All the best to you!

 

 

It does for me and it's making me sick. All I'm doing right now is lesson planning and I've gone into a fibro flare from the stress. Add in the stress of trying to get all our subjects done during the day, keeping up with grading, making sure that I have books/materials for experiments or projects in time for us to actually use them, trying to manage the house and cooking while schooling and I'm usually a mess by October. So how do I manage the stress of homeschooling?

[Random]

Jean, I think a lot of us can relate. I am so edgy, I am yelling constantly and my husband (who is very meek and never 'corrects' me) brought it to my attention. I knew the stress was building, and a few nights ago, I couldn't keep my arm raised long enough to brush my teeth. I knew I needed to cool it!

 

A few things that I am finding helpful:

1-Realistic expectations. Kids are immature. You have a lot to do.

2-Easy meals and bulk cooking

3-Daily Schedule, or Daily Checklist of things to accomplish

4-Kids must help with chores. Even if they don't do a good job, they must still do their best. (An example: I expected one son to sweep the kitchen after breakfast, and he always did a horrible job. Then, I asked him to use the ShopVac instead of the broom. All of a sudden, it's a 'fun' job and he does it well.)

5-For lesson planning, I divide number of lessons by number of weeks to record how much we should do in each book week-by-week. For our school year, I go by weeks, not dates. That way, we are never, ever behind! It's glorious! As long as we are done by June 1, it's all good.

6-Rewards for the children when they complete chores or schoolwork with good attitudes and on time.

7-Time away for Mom. I never feel guilty about not spending enough time with my children. ;)

 

 

Know your limits and just do your best. You are still the best teacher your children could have.

[Mimm]

I did so much planning and work over the summer that our first few days have gone extremely smoothly. Kids have a great attitude, they're getting all their work done, we've finished early every day. I'm just holding my breath that it lasts. :)

[SeekingHim77]

Actually, my fibromyalgia symptoms decrease when school starts. Everything is much more routine so I sleep and eat better and that makes my symptoms almost nonexistent. I find I get migraines, stomach issues, fibromyalgia pain, etc. when we're off schedule, running around, staying up too late, eating unhealthy, etc.

 

However, I use a Charlotte Mason approach in our homeschool and love reading and learning with my children. If I were trying to use a boxed curriculum or do public school at home, I would probably be very stressed. If I followed TWM to a tee, I would probably be very stressed out. However, I love Karen Andreola's description of a Charlotte Mason education-The Gentle Art of Learning-and that is the what I'm shooting for in our homeschool. We've been using this method of education in our home for 8 years now and I am very pleased with the results. It's only when I stray from this that I become overloaded and stressed out and my health suffers.

[LibraryLover]

This sounds so sane. :)

 

We do a few things differently that would greatly reduce stress (I have to, because I work 25-30 hours each week):

I don't worry about doing every subject every day - it is enough if it averages out over the weeks. Just make sure my kids put in the required time.

 

I do not grade everything. The kids self-check their math problems and let me know if there were issues. I look sporadically. I give ONE exam per semester that gets graded - on that I base the semester grade. Same for science. For English/history, all I grade are essay assignments. I do not comprehension quizzes (I know my kids can read an understand) etc.

 

My kids are not big on projects. Which saves a lot of time. They do not need so-called "hands-on" activities in order to learn.

 

Also, HUGE time saver: I do not lesson-plan. I know what materials we use, so we start from the beginning, get as far as we get, and resume work the next time where we stopped. For my 14 y/o, I broke down the textbooks roughly into weekly chunks so she can pace herself - but I don't micromanage.

[gardenmom5]

yes. little one has SPD and probably ASD (made me feel good when a church member, who is a special needs facilitator with the school district and 18 years K-1 classroom experience watched him for one and a half hours in a classroom setting with only eight children and said probably ASD, high IQ, and needs redirection/input every 30 seconds. it's. not. just. me. anymore.) and if he doesn't want to work, it can be like pulling eye-teeth to get cooperation. I've even learned to be devious and "trick" him into thinking it's a game.

 

we're on the wait list at the UW child dev. center.

 

yoga has helped my blood pressure. when he crawled over me while doing it, I told him it helps me be a nicer mommy, and asked him if he wanted me to be a nicer mommy? he got off.

[Jennifer3141]

I feel LESS stressed as we get back into school. Kids running free for days on end stresses me out. Having to get stuff done and accomplishing stuff, relaxes me.

[raceNzanesmom]

It does for me and it's making me sick. All I'm doing right now is lesson planning and I've gone into a fibro flare from the stress. Add in the stress of trying to get all our subjects done during the day, keeping up with grading, making sure that I have books/materials for experiments or projects in time for us to actually use them, trying to manage the house and cooking while schooling and I'm usually a mess by October. So how do I manage the stress of homeschooling?

 

Honestly, after feeling this way for over 5 years I switched to Heart of Dakota. Best hs'ing decision ever! Planning is done for me, books are great, it's guided yet flexible, and we're done by lunch time each day. Truly wish I'd had it for my now graduate.

 

:grouphug:

[Parrothead]

No, actually I find that once school starts things settle down into a normal routine pretty quickly.

[8circles]

Is the sky blue?

 

That would be yes.

[Jean in Newcastle]

No, actually I find that once school starts things settle down into a normal routine pretty quickly.

 

I have a normal routine all year for both myself and my kids. So school doesn't provide anything different for me in that regard. It does provide more work for me;) It is work that I believe in. I just need to make it work in a way that they will still have a mom by the time I've worked myself out of this job.

[MorganClassicalPrep]

Nope, for me the stress level goes down with the start of school.

 

But... we spend the summers with my parents, so the stress has more to do with a certain grandmother overstepping her boundaries and trying to be mommy instead of nana.... :tongue_smilie:

[justamouse]

Not anymore. Last year? I was INSANE. Really, I was NOT nice to be around.

 

We started homeschooling all year long (yes, even today) with long, holiday breaks and fun when we want.

 

I do what I can for the day-and I let the rest go. We stop around 3 (late for us because we're getting UP late :D )and after that it's done. I forget about it until the next day. They get to play, I relax, that's that.

 

I don't plan. Plans mock me. I look about a week in advance to see what I really want to do-what fun I can pull in- and other than that, I live by the Do the Next Thing, rule. Once I pick the curric, we keep plugging away at the next thing until it's done.

 

The more organized I became with the house, the easier it all got. THAT SAID, I don't freak over dishes in the sink overnight (we do three loads a day, it's not like there'll be none the next day :D:D). If everything is MOSTLY in control, I don't freak. If I take too much time away from what I should be doing and it all hits the fan? Then I have anxiety attacks.

 

I'm another one that doesn't grade. We fix what was done wrong and we move on. If too much is wrong, then obviously I taught it wrong and we go back.

Edited August 18, 2011 by justamouse

[AuntieM]

I am approaching critical mass and it's only Day 2. Haven't started back with my eldest yet.

 

Hopefully by this time next week I will have settled into the groove. But this evening? Dang, I'm tired! And mulling over the same thing I do every year at this time... how am I going to fit it all in???

 

Hope your fibro settles down soon, Jean.