I am so happy to be home today!

[Shantimama]

This is the day that all of the schooled-kids' parents have been waiting for - they go back to school this morning. We started the day with a big snuggle in bed (and yes, a few fights as well). played and danced a little and now we are into making rockets, doing ballet, writing stories - and this afternoon we will probably go out and play in the snow and drink cocoa. No early morning rush, no need to say goodbye to each other, just an open day ahead with lots of love and creativity flowing through the house.

This is the life, isn't it?

[ekblad9]

Yes! When I got up this morning I looked outside and saw a bunch of parents and kids FREEZING in the blowing snow! I'm so glad that wasn't me. I was still in my jammies and three of my five kiddos were still snug in bed! We started the morning off slowly, did some reading, went to a friend's house for some snacks, came back and had a lazy afternoon. I did laundry and listened to ds1 playing his guitar. It was lovely! I LOVE HOMESCHOOLING!

[Lucky Charm]

Shantimama....

I am considering homeschooling (i have a thread going on why), but my kids fight! how do you deal with that issue? How on earth can i educate them when all they do is tangle?

I love your post...especially the snuggling part. But the fighting....help!

[ekblad9]

I noticed that once I brought my ds1 home the fighting lessened a bit. It took a while but then they started playing together and seemed to enjoy learning together. With five kids it's impossible to expect them to never fight and my middle two (18 months apart) fight the worst. All in all, though, it's a wonderful experience. I love to see them helping eachother and working together. They are far more connected as siblings than they would be if they were in school all day.

[khrisday]

I'm alwasy glad when the PS starts back up after long vacations. We get our public spots back again! Mine fight a lot too, but we just work it out. Siblings Without Rivalry is a good book.

[sha_lyn]

Took a HS play group trip to the movies last week. The place was packed. I'm glad to have "our" palces empty again too.

As for fighting .... While schooling my kids (13 and 5) really don't bother eachother. DS and DD do often do science together or play educational board games together. It is once the books go up and the TV comes on that they fight (or if I am in the tub).

I love to see them helping eachother and working together. They are far more connected as siblings than they would be if they were in school all day.

Oh I agree 100%. HS'ing has been a very bonding experience for my 2.

[Susana]

I'm with you on the being happy to be home!
We spent the entire day either out in the snow, or back in the house with pjs on all day!
I have a neighbor girl who stops by every day on her way home from school-she is in 8th grade-the first thing she said yesterday was that my house smelled great! We had been making candy. Then she noticed we were all in our pajamas and said she wanted to live at my house! LOL Made me feel good!
Her "what happened at school today" story was about how she got into a fight on the school bus--someone slapped her in the face....
sigh....

Anyway-YEH! Homeschooling Rocks!!

[Shantimama]

sweetbaby3,

The squabbling issue doesn't go away and I am always struggling with it. I have noticed that when I am distracted or my energy is low it gets worse. Some things help like keeping them busy, limiting TV, if one child seems to be the instigator again and again, I keep him or her close to me for awhile to reconnect before sending him/her back into the play (we use time-in instead of time-out for troubling behaviour and it works most of the time). If they are fighting over an object or how to play and they try to get me involved I tell them that they should find a good way to work it out themselves or if I need to solve the problem, probably no-one will like the solution. My solution would involve removing the object for the rest of the day, separating them completely, something unappealing. A couple of times of that happening and they quickly learn that it is in their best interest to problem solve on their own or with my support but not to get into a big fight over it. If everything is going badly between us we sit in a circle and hold hands and a say something short and simple about how we need to treat and speak with one another and then start singing silly or fun songs until everyone is laughing and peaceful again. Then everyone hugs and kisses everyone else and I send them off to build a train track or play dress-up for awhile and I make myself a cup of tea

[Lucky Charm]

Shanti,
I love the idea of sitting in a circle holding hands! I will try that even if i dont HS. what a good way to reconnect after fighting. i'll tell you, i could have used this advice during xmas break...the kids go back to school tomorrow. however, i have been up only 10 minutes (i worked on a paper till 1am) and my middle son is already "bugging" me about homeschooling! (the reason why we have considered it is in another thread).