How does one take a break? In need of gentle guidance.

[Tiramisu]

I've heard of people taking homeschooling breaks, but I don't really understand it and I wish I could. I thrive on routine and I feel a strong sense of responsibility to keep at it everyday, because I took on the job, it's the law, and it's my moral obligation to educate my children the best I can. I'm realizing that much of my self-esteem is tied in with successfully homeschooling even if I know rationally how unhealthy that is. Taking a break would make me feel like a total slacker. And practically speaking, my last dd who is at home really needs a regular daily routine. When my grandmother's health issues broke up our routine in December, we haven't really been able to get back on track to the level we were at before. And honestly, lots of other very serious things have come up in the meanwhile to disrupt our days and our peace. 

 

Yesterday, dd was giving me more trouble with getting work done. And I lost it. My eyes are still swollen from crying. I know she has ADHD and has been sick and may have the family tendency toward depression. I understand her challenges but working with her everyday has been so hard. Dh told me he wants me to take a break for my own sake. It's the same kind of advice I get here, but I've just got a mental block about it.

 

I don't really want to hear advice about changing curriculum or methods because I am exploring curriculum option already with wonderful help from people here. And I already consider myself somewhat of an pro when it comes to creative methods with interesting kids. I am an expert in trampoline and play set schooling. I also believe in gentle schooling, even though I've insisted on schooling every day except in illness. I once made the decision to put a child in ps, and seeing the long-term results, it's not an option I would be enthusiastic about at this point.

 

What I would really like is to hear about how other people have taken breaks or specifics about how they've reduced their schedules to give themselves a break without letting their kids lose all their skills. 

 

If it helps, I'll describe my dd. She nine and enjoys reading children's classics on her Kindle for hours at a time. When she is not reading, she is usually in motion. She is doing well in Singapore 3B, when she is focused. She'll write about three sentences a day, and they aren't always very legible. This week she saw a collection box for monetary donations for a local food pantry asked to put in five dollars of her own money, and she has prepared a simple lunch for my grandmother on her own, so I definitely see signs that her heart is developing in the right direction. She has also expressed interest in doing copywork from the Bible which I thought was very precious. She loves board games.

[regentrude]

We simply take a break every summer, one week of spring break, and two weeks at Christmas.

 

When the kids attended ps, they had summers off, and I did not notice that they "lost" any skills. They read a lot over the summer, we traveled, went to museums etc - so while it was no formal school, education was still going on.

Since I have been homeschooling (since 5th grade), we always took summers off formal school work, except for math. We only take a few weeks break from math and then do about half an hour of math each day. Other than that, just reading and travel and field trips and free creative writing if the kids chose to do so (they liked having time for that).

Not even in high school did we school through the summer.

 

With only a 3rd grader, I would not think twice about shelving formal seat work for a few weeks and just do enrichment type activities and lots of reading. There can be a lot of education happening outside of formal seat work.

[madteaparty]

It's almost spring break here at least; are there any local camps you can put DD for a week, for some exercise and to create some space for yourself?

Alternatively, can DH take over a subject or two on a temporary basis? I had to do this recently with math. I'm still  managing more than i want to, but DH helps lighten the load. That is the most frustrating subject here, because for reasons unknown to my conscious self I am sticking to AoPS.

We had a disruption recently when a non-English speaking exchange student joined us. I now prepare the night before, leave a note for each boy with their work. They can at least get started without me, and have some work to do while I assist the other and vice versa. This is not earth shattering here, what with all the organization, and planner, and morning basket threads  that I don't read ;) but I am a do the next thing person so doing some ground work helped.

 

[Tiramisu]

We simply take a break every summer, one week of spring break, and two weeks at Christmas.

 

When the kids attended ps, they had summers off, and I did not notice that they "lost" any skills. They read a lot over the summer, we traveled, went to museums etc - so while it was no formal school, education was still going on.

Since I have been homeschooling (since 5th grade), we always took summers off formal school work, except for math. We only take a few weeks break from math and then do about half an hour of math each day. Other than that, just reading and travel and field trips and free creative writing if the kids chose to do so (they liked having time for that).

Not even in high school did we school through the summer.

 

With only a 3rd grader, I would not think twice about shelving formal seat work for a few weeks and just do enrichment type activities and lots of reading. There can be a lot of education happening outside of formal seat work.

 

I'm sorry for giving the impression that we school through the summer, etc. Dh is a teacher, so we have always been on break when he is.

 

I like your suggestion for enrichment activities. Having had older kids at home until now, I haven't really made time for things like museum trips for this dd like I did when my others were younger.

[regentrude]

I'm sorry for giving the impression that we school through the summer, etc. Dh is a teacher, so we have always been on break when he is.

 

I like your suggestion for enrichment activities. Having had older kids at home until now, I haven't really made time for things like museum trips for this dd like I did when my others were younger.

 

Oh, sorry I misunderstood. You mean taking a break in the middle of the semester?

 

You could schedule regular breaks into your school year. Back home, kids have two weeks off in October, two weeks at Christmas, two weeks in February, ten days around Easter.

 

Or, if you need to take a spontaneous break, simply call it. In 3rd grade, there really is not that much they must do. I don't see anything wrong with taking a mother's sanity break . If you are hesitant to set a precedent, don't call it "break". Just shift focus to more enjoyable educational activities for a while, call it a "theme week", teach her cooking, something to break the rut for YOU.

I know you said not to recommend other methods, but for inspiration you might want to look into unschooling and see if that would help.

[kiana]

Agree with regentrude. Just take a week's break and do something that both of you find interesting, preferably a non-academic subject. Cooking, sewing, knitting, something like that.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I like the term "mother's sanity break"!  When I reached this point last year it happened to be at this time of year and there were some spring break camps at the Y.  I signed dd up despite not really being able to afford it.  I figured that it was cheaper than a breakdown.

 

I find that it isn't a total break for myself unless I can get some distance from the child at least for part of the time.  Is there someone (grandma or auntie or trusted friend) where she could go and bake cookies, do some projects etc. while you do some things just for yourself?  (No lesson planning!)  The rest of the time you can do some projects together or let her do them on her own (but at 9, my dd would have needed me there even if it was just for company)  - I like DIY.org and other sites for ideas.  

[Runningmom80]

My DS and I need a break too.  He's going through something I think.  Thank you for starting this thread. I hope you both feel better after a break. :grouphug:

[Arcadia]

We take spring break in April just to rest and relax. This year we would be tagging along to a conference hubby is attending so it would be a staycation.   When I am sick or just plain exhausted from not having a good nights sleep, my kids just do all their independent work and less of work that need me to help.

 

When kids were in PS, they had two weeks of winter break, two one week spring breaks and random one day breaks for "teacher education" days 

[almondbutterandjelly]

This is the time of the year when I look at what is left to accomplish in every textbook and decide whether I want to finish it.  I cut WAYYY down and eliminate things because I am DONE.  Many years, I have finished the school year in early April.  So maybe you might just plan on doing that.  

 

Note:  We did often do a little math during summers else she would lose it.  And I did require 30 minutes of reading every day.  But that's all, until I decided I felt like starting the new school year.

 

 

[lexi]

At least once in the fall and once in the spring we take several days off in a row. I usually let my kids watch educational DVDs or play outside. I curl up with a book and do some planning. It's our time to have a little break from each other.

I hate taking breaks also but it has been good for us to sometimes Have just a couple days in a row for the kids to explore their own interests and for me to do the same thing.

[Carol in Cal.]

I'd go with field trips that I would also enjoy.

We would go to the local zoo one day, a science museum, and a couple of hikes.

We would talk about crazy stuff.  

We would make up progressive stories in the car, and not necessarily write them down.

I would encourage her to write a play or a skit and perform it for me.

I'd pull out the beads and paints, or I'd get a few refrigerator boxes and put them outside with paint and markers and encourage her to build a clubhouse with a friend.

We would fill the old wading pool with water and go to the creek where tadpoles are common this time of the year and bring some home to hatch in the yard.  

I'd knit something.  Because I like to, and because it makes me feel productive.

I'd bake bread.  Because I like to, and because it makes me feel productive.

I would sit in a living room with a good book, and encourage her to do the same, and we would read silently but together.

Probably the only schoolwork I would continue would be math, because my particular kid loses math very fast.

[PeterPan]

Misu, taking a break from *school work* does not mean taking a break from structure.  You just make a new routine/structure.  What do you use now to organize your day?  Checklists, pocket charts, timers on your iphone?  Whatever you're using, do the same thing. Just make a new routine.  That's what I did last summer with my ds who needs consistency.  

 

Have you thought about signing her up for something at the Y?  They'll probably be about ready to start new sessions.  If you get a couple activities like that, they can be anchor points for your new break routine.  Do this for 6 weeks and see how much better you feel!

 

Possible routines?  

 

8 am--Little House on the Prairie dvds together

8:30--eat breakfast

9:00--read devotional, pray, sing

9:30--go for a walk on a trail or at the park, play for a while

10:30--snack while watching art dvd

11:00--handicraft of her choice

11:30--start lunch

12:00--eat lunch

1:00--quiet time to read and rest

3:00--masterful activity (her activities, crafts, whatever)

4:00--prep dinner

 

You're ALLOWED to do this, and it's so healing!  I had never taken the full summer off with my dd, not in all the years I've homeschooled.  It was such a joy to do it with my ds.  We swam each day, so that created anchor points in our routine.  But that's what we did, not those specific things but that idea of having routine (this followed by this) without having it be school.  Maybe YOU have forgotten how to be at home and enjoy yourself?  

 

You don't need to feel worried.  Your kids test beautifully, and she may be very tired from school work.  Hmm, math?  A little bit each day would not be too much.  I hear you on not dropping that.  20 minutes would not be too much.  Just make it a spot and part of your new routine.  Try to put some lovely things into your week and see if you can reimagine your life without constant worrying about homeschooling.  Would you take field trips once a week?  Would you go visit state parks once a week?  Would you go camping on Fridays?  Make up NEW things like this you wish you were doing and let yourself enjoy doing them!  :)

[ErinE]

If you feel you need a break, you need a break. Treat is as an opportunity to reconnect with your DD. Don't do enrichment activities if those things in any way resemble school.

 

In mid-february, I realized i was exhausted so I stopped all school. The kids and I went ice-skating. We jumped on trampolines. We went to a local museum, but it was an already arranged field trip. The kids played outside. We watched a movie almost every night. Breakfast was cereal, lunch sandwiches, and dinner pre-made or really simple meals. I tackled a few organizing projects, but I like to organize and the mess was contributing to my exhaustion. In other words, I took care of my mental health so I felt ready to start school again once the break was over.

 

In my experience, my kids, around 7-9, realized they don't have to do what I ask. Refusing to do schoolwork was part of it. DH and I had many conversations with the child. Yes, the child has choices, but there are always consequences. I've had to reset a child's school day often at that age. I think SWB suggested take a walk, take a shower, eat a sandwich, or take a nap. I've found those options helpful when trying to reset a child's attitude.

[Peaceful Isle]

I know the feeling of needing a break. Homeschooling is so rewarding, but so taxing as well. 

 

When I am at the end of my rope with homeschooling, I do actually take a day or two off. When I taught at a b/m school, there were a lot of "fun" days that hardly any work got done, but was called a academic school day. eye roll. 

 

Here are some ideas that we have either done, or are going to do that might help.

 

Easter is coming. You could paint eggs, make a craft, and (if you are Christian) read the Bible story account. The next day go to the park for an Easter egg hunt as a family. Bring a picnic and take lots of pictures :)

You could have a home ec day of cooking, cleaning, etc...

Have them watch "educational shows" for history and science. 

Lastly, hugs to you. I am sure you are doing a wonderful job at homeschooling your kiddos. Nothing in homeschooling is worth crying like you did. :( I'm so sorry you had a bad day. 

[RootAnn]

What I would really like is to hear about how other people have taken breaks or specifics about how they've reduced their schedules to give themselves a break without letting their kids lose all their skills. 

 

I'll address just this. We have occasional "half days" or "partial days" built in sometimes -- either due to schedules, sickness, or just knowing that at a certain time of the year, we (will) need it. This helps with keeping a partial schedule and not dropping skills.

 

Half days:  I pick certain classes that add up to less than half a day of their regular schedule. For each kid & year, that looks different. This year, that meant that ds#1 did reading, but no math or handwriting. DD#1 did her foreign languages & math plus one other subject. DD#2 & #3 did grammar, math, Latin, and sometimes history (which ds#1 & ds#2 tag along with). We keep our normal morning routine and then they have the rest of the day to themselves. That also means that after lunch, I have the rest of the day to myself (or as much of it as I can with this many kids).

 

Partial days:  They pick a couple of subjects to work on by themselves and read & play the rest of the day. We use this when they are recovering for sickness, I am sick, or I need focused time with more than one of them in a subject that I haven't been able to get done on our regular schedule. It is sometimes a one-day thing or could last for a full week if sickness is rampant in the household. They usually pick their favorite subjects, but sometimes I "suggest" one - like looking over their consistently missed spelling words or working ahead in Latin. Anything they get done is 'gravy' in my eyes as the real purpose is to keep some sort of a schedule.

 

:grouphug:

[texasmama]

Sometimes we need to arrange/put off a week of school to accommodate life happenings or outside activities.  I just take a full week off and bump things to the future, sometimes quite spontaneously.  I am a scheduled kind of gal, too, but there has been great benefit in a week's flexibility here and there.  And it did not make or break us school-wise.  It certainly helped in other ways, though.

[Ellie]

:grouphug:

 

When I take a real break, I put all the books away. The end.

 

We keep a daily routine, as in laundry and housekeeping chores and whatnot, even field trips, but there are.no.books. And the books stay put away until I feel like doing them again.

 

One year, when dds were 9 and 12yo, I started in the fall with a bang--a book for every subject, Official School Stuff every.single.day, even on park day, and those who know me well know that this was Not Normal For Me. I put the books away at Thanksgiving as usual...and didn't take them out again until the following fall. Really.

 

Some time after Christmas, maybe even in March or April, Mary Harrington started a Latin class in her home, and older dd joined in (this was the precursor to the Modern Day Latin Craze and her Latin in the Christian Trivium). In August, Mary's dd began taking classes at the community college; in January, my older dd began taking classes at the same c.c. (she had her 14th bday in class). Younger dd also began taking c.c. classes when she was 14, so I guess our long break didn't hurt anything. :-)

[Miss Tick]

I have to schedule it in. If it is spontaneous I waste my time worrying about missing something. If it is scheduled I assume I thought it all through at some point (I did). Also, my dc still have to practice twice, still have daily chores, still have to help clear after meals, etc. It is nice. Not as nice as the week they all go to day camp during the summer, but nice.

[AK_Mom4]

We are on week three of spring break here

 

Week one was planned bc it matches the local school district. DD13 spent the week playing with her best friend. I took them skating and swimming and it was lots of fun.

 

Week two was planned bc DS19 was home from college on break. DD13 did limited academics and we spent days playing board games with DS.

 

Week three (now) was planned bc DD21 is home from college on break and DD13 has state testing. So far, the week has included a small amount of book work and excessive amounts of music activities. it has been loud and much fun.

 

Next week, we will dive back into the books full force. I think we will all be recharged and ready to tackle the remaining eight weeks.

[luuknam]

So, if you do take summer break because your husband is a teacher, could you just do a shorter summer break and more shorter breaks during the year? Your husband wouldn't have that time off, but it might be helpful to you and your daughter. Where I'm from summer break in elementary school is 6 weeks long, and kids often get bored by the end of it anyway. We also had a week of fall break, 2 weeks of winter break, and then 2 more breaks in spring and easter or something. Schools there didn't usually half half days, but my son in ps gets half days fairly often imo... teacher training, teacher conferences with parents, etc.

 

And I totally agree with signing her up for camp. That's how I'm planning on retaining a semblance of sanity (that, and my psych meds). The Y's day camps are pretty cheap and you can have your kid sell candy bars to earn their way to camp. Or they could start their own home business of some sort (very educational - could totally do that during 'school time') and earn their way to some other camp that way.

 

ETA: I've got my 7.5yo signed up for a science camp at the science museum this summer. I'm totally planning on including that in my quarterly report if I homeschool him next year (haven't filed paperwork yet). One of the things he'll be doing is dissecting some things that live in the sea, so of course it's educational. :)

[Coco_Clark]

We take a week off every 5 or 6 weeks.  Off means off.  No lessons of any kind, though I still expect time reading to be in balance with time on screens.  

 

We do summers "light".  That means treading water in Math with review or fact practice or maybe specialty subjects like time or money, writing "something" and reading "something" every day.  The rest of our time is spend outdoors because we live in a place where its really only nice outside from May-September. Or following interests we dont have time for during the year, like a sudden love of Astronomy.

 

Neither situation means our routine goes out the window, though!  We just slightly alter our normal routine.        

[SebastianCat]

I intentionally start "winding down" at this time of year.   We took spring break last week, and my kids were pleasantly surprised to find no writing assignment on Monday when we started back to school.   What they haven't realized yet is that they'll have no writing on Mondays for the rest of the school year.   They are both very close to finishing their science curricula, and then they'll just go back and do the experiments that got skipped (because of busyness or because we didn't have all the supplies) throughout the year.   We should finish our school year mid-May, so every couple of weeks I plan to "finish" one subject at a time, within reason.   

 

I've done this for several years now and it is SO refreshing to just know that we have an ending point in sight.   Over the summers, we do keep up with math some, go to the library every week or two, and start a few subjects as early as July, so that we can finish in May.   We start "full blown" school each year a couple of weeks before public school, usually the very first week in August.   By then the kids are ready to get back to school and I'm very motivated.   But by this time of year, we are all in need of a break, so just lightening the load helps a lot.

 

[Doodlebug]

If you're a worker bee like me, I've found that my inner "responsibility voice" often leaves out my own needs.  More than a break, which is what I thought I needed... Giving my desires a place in our day has proven incredibly helpful.

 

Outdoor exercise can come before math.  

 

Digging in the flower bed can come before dinner's figured out.  

 

I know to some, these are obvious... even I can mentally go there.  But the way it played out in my day-to-day was very different.  

 

I hope that's helpful to you... I found it helpful to pay careful attention to the stuff I squashed with the responsibility voice.  "I might like to paint that flower bo.... BUT SCHOOL!!!!!"  Paint the flower box became #1 on the list.   ;)

 

ETA: As the prior poster pointed out, we are winding down at this time of year as well.  It naturally opens your day to things you might actually like to do... And it feels so good.  

 

 

 

 

[MerryAtHope]

My favorite way is to school only 4 or 4.5 days per week. On Friday afternoons, we go to a friend's house (Friday Friend Day). Moms talk, kids play. We all look forward to this each week, and it helps us recharge. Other ideas:

 

1, consider it a teacher inservice day, without all the long meetings!

2, consider fun educational things such as: playing monopoly for reading and math for the day. Putting in an educational video. Letting the kids create with various art materials (especially if you tend not to get to them). Get out of the house to a park, go on a field trip...get some fresh air.

3, Go out with a friend in the evening occasionally, just to debrief. Go out with hubby or put the kids to bed early if a babysitter isn't an option (they can read in bed etc...) for a date night at home.

4, I count days, so if I take a break, it doesn't mean we don't get all of our days in. It means--we needed a mental health day or whatever, and took a break, but we still get our days in later. 

 

For kids as young as yours, consider just the basics of the three r's and the afternoon off to make mudpies.

 

Bake together.

Do a service project.

 

Maybe part of the issue is how you define school--learning takes place in all kinds of ways--sometimes exploring a new way feels like a break.

 

 

 

[lllll]

..

[Rosie_0801]

Dd has multiple learning disabilities and *needs* the regular routine of bum on seat academics to progress. 

 

But bad luck, because at present, she's so stressed she can't cope with the pressure of doing maths and handwriting in the same day. So we are "unschooling." Totally " " because I know unschooling isn't a thing you do while your kid is too stressed to do "proper" work. Maybe we could get away with calling it "natural learning?" Anyway, this phase started about a week ago and I don't know when it will end, so just taking a holiday isn't the right thing to do like it usually would be. I can usually get her to do her handwriting at some point during the day. We've not long finished our early winter cleaning. We're preparing our garden for the winter growing season in dribs and drabs so she doesn't find it too much pressure. We're doing a bit more art than usual. We're looking more often at the small local galleries. I'm playing the piano on and off more often than usual and indulging her in board games because I'm not too exhausted from trying to drag a stressed kid through seat work. We've been doing dissections and watching related Youtube clips for something to do. She's spending a lot of time sorting lego, playing with activity books and has even been doing the maths pages. I have no idea if she's getting them right. 

 

Like I said, with her disabilities, we'll have to go back to our usual regimented routine at some point because she won't learn the skills otherwise. That's just how it is. I'm carefully monitoring, hoping to be able to sneak in another subject, but until it is realistically possible, we're cruising.

 

Try giving yourselves an "unschool-ish" week and write down what everyone actually did. You might find, like I have this week, you are eating more veggies than usual because you are not too tired to bother chopping them. That because you were inspired, while reading 'The Writers Jungle,' to ask your kids about their favourite read alouds and characters from the past, they pulled out the old Beatrix Potter books you read to them two years ago.

[albeto.]

I had a thought that might work for you. When you find a way to take your break guilt free, why not record the things your dd does for your own peace of mind? For example, if she's doing copy work from the bible, you might suggest to her to help you find a magnet picture frame to put it on the fridge. That way, she sees the art and beauty in her work, and you record language arts practice. Preparing for lunch might include writing a menu for Grandma (record language arts). Working for chores to earn $5, she keeps a ledger. Show her how you keep a ledger. Let her help you pay the bills and let her subtract the numbers for your records (record math). I'm thinking that way, you guys get your break, she isn't left flailing, and at the end of your break, you can look back and see how many academic skills she really did accomplish. I saw this blog post with similar ideas that might inspire you. 

 

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you genuinely enjoy your break. 

 

:)

[Guest tainzhiuma]

They can at least get started without me, and have some work to do while I assist the other and vice versa.

[Tiramisu]

Dd has multiple learning disabilities and *needs* the regular routine of bum on seat academics to progress. 

 

But bad luck, because at present, she's so stressed she can't cope with the pressure of doing maths and handwriting in the same day. So we are "unschooling." Totally " " because I know unschooling isn't a thing you do while your kid is too stressed to do "proper" work. Maybe we could get away with calling it "natural learning?" Anyway, this phase started about a week ago and I don't know when it will end, so just taking a holiday isn't the right thing to do like it usually would be. I can usually get her to do her handwriting at some point during the day. We've not long finished our early winter cleaning. We're preparing our garden for the winter growing season in dribs and drabs so she doesn't find it too much pressure. We're doing a bit more art than usual. We're looking more often at the small local galleries. I'm playing the piano on and off more often than usual and indulging her in board games because I'm not too exhausted from trying to drag a stressed kid through seat work. We've been doing dissections and watching related Youtube clips for something to do. She's spending a lot of time sorting lego, playing with activity books and has even been doing the maths pages. I have no idea if she's getting them right. 

 

Like I said, with her disabilities, we'll have to go back to our usual regimented routine at some point because she won't learn the skills otherwise. That's just how it is. I'm carefully monitoring, hoping to be able to sneak in another subject, but until it is realistically possible, we're cruising.

 

Try giving yourselves an "unschool-ish" week and write down what everyone actually did. You might find, like I have this week, you are eating more veggies than usual because you are not too tired to bother chopping them. That because you were inspired, while reading 'The Writers Jungle,' to ask your kids about their favourite read alouds and characters from the past, they pulled out the old Beatrix Potter books you read to them two years ago.

 

This really touched my heart. Thank you.

[PeterPan]

bump

[Tiramisu]

I appreciate everyone making these thoughtful responses. I'm getting a lot out of them. They got my gears turning and I'm making a plan.

 

I think the winding down idea might be particularly helpful to me because it will be a systematic lessening of stress coupled with a sense of accomplishment.

 

I've had a bad habit of finishing a text book and then starting another one if we're not done our school year, so we never get the feeling that it's over until we're totally burnt out in the middle of in June. I'm at the point where I have to say, "We finished our history book! Yay! We're done!" We have, in fact, finished our history for the year and started reading SOTW. We can keep reading it if dd wants to, but it might just be better to have it for enjoyment and keep it off the schedule. Or decide to use it for next year.

 

We will also be finishing our science text very soon. And I'm sure we'll have plenty of real life science to enjoy with the weather warming up. 

 

Math will also be done in another month and instead of having her work through CLE lessons in leftover light units, I think I just might get Evan-Moor's Daily Math Practice, which will mean her skills will be kept fresh in a low pressure five-problem-a-day-format.

 

I can also take a look at spelling because she's really a great natural speller and she'll continue to be pick up spelling though her reading and writing.

 

We're starting our last quarter next week so the timing is perfect to start a winding down process.

 

I do want to keep dd writing but I really do think we need to put WWE3 down. Dd talked to me last night and shared how much she's come to hate it. She loved WWE for three years and it gave her a great foundation and wonderful memories of the reading selections, but it's time to move on. I may have her do the copywork pages I made from Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, or make up some scriptural copywork if she's interested in that instead. I have wanted to build stamina but I think I've pushed too hard, so I'll keep the selections short. I may also see if she's interested in just doing free writing, using prompts, or doing some fun poetry.