We have just finished up week 4 of staying at home. In fact, it's been exactly a month since school has been cancelled and I feel like our rhythm has been evolving throughout this time, but luckily you all are pretty flexible and overall, things have been pretty good.
I wanted to write a post about our current rhythm of the day, which has been pretty much the same for the past 2 weeks, so I'm thinking we've found a good equilibrium between studies and fun time.
If you guys wake up before 8, you know not to bother us. We are either still sleeping, or I'm working out in the garage. Usually you three play upstairs for about 30-40 minutes and then you come down for breakfast. Some mornings, you come and ask to watch some cartoons (Hello Ninja and Pokemon) and we usually let you guys watch until 8.
8:00 - 8:30 Breakfast. Hailey, you have been requesting oatmeal every morning. You are addicted. You even got Hannah interested too.
After breakfast you all have a bit of freetime while we clean up and get ready for the day.
9:00 Physical activity. If the weather is nice, we'll go on a bike ride. If not, we'll practice some martial arts or dance with Michael Jackson on the Wii. Elite Martial Arts is putting out weekly challenges for you guys to complete at home, so we will practice for about 15 minutes 2-3 times a week.
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| Balance Challenge |
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| Hailey, you love going out on the "big bike" |
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| Hannah is now steady enough to go on longer rides around the neighborhood. |
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| Sometimes we'll just go to the school and ride around there. |
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| Hailey, you generally like riding around with the big kids. You fluxuate between bike and scooter. |
10:00 ish. We start a science or language arts lesson. We've been working on Biomes/Habitats or occasionally there's a story that we have to read for school, so we'll do that instead.
Usually, Hailey, you are hang with us and you do all the things that the big kids do. But sometimes you just work too fast and complete your work before the big kids, so you get to do bonus activities like:
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| Playdoh |
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| Painting with water colors |
10:30ish Arts/Craft Time
Being related to me, you three have developed the love of creating stuff, so we are sure to do some sort of art or crafty project each day. Usually it's related to the lesson that we just completed, but sometimes, it's random.
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| Bluebonnets |
11:00 - 11:30 Independent work time.
Sometimes, Nathan, you have a project to complete, so you will take that time to work on it. But the default is educational screentime for everyone. Sometimes it's reading, ABC mouse, ipiano games, or chinese TV shows. You all do something on your own while I get lunch ready.
11:45 to 12:30 ish Lunch. This meal causes me the most headache because I usually have no idea what to eat for lunch. It ends up being leftovers, but sometimes it's sandwiches, I know, Hannah, you don't like sandwiches, especially when the cheese is cooked (sorry for making sandwiches fancy by grilling them) but you are learning to just eat what you are given, otherwise you will eat it for snack. Something I say to you every time we have sandwiches is, "Hannah, I'm feeding you meat, cheese and bread. Not [insert some exotic food that sounds disguisting]. Just eat it."
12:30 - 1:30 Recess This is when I try to get you all outside one more time. Sometimes it's a bike ride, but most of the time it's chalk time or playtime upstairs. There's a lot of yelling and craziness during this time. I've pretty much learned to tune all that out. I have to.
Something that you, Hailey, love to do is to ask me to draw something and then you will add things to it.
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| Shaun the Sheep with 9 belly buttons! |
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| Pictured: Hair, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, necklace, bracelet, shoes. |
1:45 - 4:00 Nap Time for Hailey and work time for the big kids. While I'm putting Hailey down for a nap, you two will start practicing your handwriting. When I come back down, it's just a juggling act between Nathan and Hannah as I go back and forth, setting each of you up with a new assignment as you finish another one. Sometimes the work is on the tablet, sometimes it's on paper, sometimes there are videos involved but we always end with 15 minutes of Chinese homework.
If I'm lucky, I may be able to sneak away and get dinner prepped.
4:00 Hailey, you wake up and you are usually GRUMPY! So I've found that the best way for you to be socially tolerable is to let you have about 20 minutes of screen time right after you wake up. Sometimes it's a Chinese show, sometimes its ABC mouse. You are a much happier person afterwards.
Nathan and Hannah, sometimes you guys will join and watch, sometimes you are working on other things, but if I didn't get a chance to prep dinner, this is when I would do it.
Around 4:30 we take Teddy out on a walk and get the mail. We incorporated shape ID in Chinese for Hailey and a good refresher activity for Hannah.
7:15 is bath time and Hailey is usually in bed by around 8:05. Nathan and Hannah get to stay up later until 8:30 and then you guys turn in and call it a day.
Other news: Hannah, you lost your dead tooth this past week. Daddy pulled it out for you and now you are so glad to be rid of it. Hailey noticed that your tooth is missing and she thinks it's pretty amusing.
At 5 and a half, you are still having potty accidents daily. So, I've decided to set a timer for every 2.5 hours and I just remind you to go. You've been 50% successful after 4 days, which is an improvement.
Hailey, it's been so neat to see you play imaginatively. In the video below, you are on the floor, with a broom in your hand singing "row, row, row your boat." and then suddenly you scoot your butt across the floor as you are rowing. It's the cutest thing.
You will also pretend that certain cushions are boats and that you are riding them. Your favorite is being "dupergo" (super girl) and you belly giggle as we fly you into random things on the way to bath time.
Nathan (and sometimes Hannah) you continue to love playing Star Dew Valley. You look forward to playing it with Dad each day.
Things that you guys are sad about:
1. Nathan, you want to go back to school so you can see your friends.
2. Hannah, you want to go back to school so you can see your friends and your teacher again.
3. Hailey, you just want to go play on the playground equipment. Everyday as we would get into the car, you would ask me "where going?" But now you ask me that every time we get near the door and I just say,
"nowhere. We are staying home. "
4. Not being able to eat at a restaurant. Believe me, me too. I hate doing dishes too.
5. Not being able to use the pool. Our neighborhood just redid our pool. There are jets of water shooting out now, ya'll. But for now, we can just admire said jets from afar.
6. Missing out on the samples from Costco and eating pizza from Costco.
The next few days are supposed to be when COVID-19 peaks around Texas and the nation. This time of social distancing has helped me realize how much I miss hanging out with my kids and so I will be doing some deep soul searching on what things I will make priorities post COVID-19.
Ok, now here are the pics that you have been waiting to see: Easter Pics.
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| Hailey, you win the prize for fitting the most sprinkles on a cookie. |
You each started out with 1 egg in your Easter basket. I usually don't go nuts with Easter gifts and candy, but I got you each a few pieces of chocolate and some play doh. You opened each of your clues and put them together to form the riddle that would lead you to the next hiding spot(s).
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| One clue even led to the mailbox. You guys were stuck on "mail truck" for a long time, but after some extra clues, finally figured it out. |
*** We miss seeing our friends and our families. If you are reading this (and personally know us) and the thought of talking to 3
Until next week,
Love,
Mommy
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