All too often as a homeschooling mom, I am rushing about trying to get school done. Likewise, it seems that some days my boys are not rushing about with their work, but trying to get school completely undone! I know y’all can relate– even you mommy’s of girls!
I’m ashamed to admit it, but this is what is heard a little too often from the mouth of yours truly:
-Hurry up!
-Come on, FOCUS!
-Okay, now do this and as soon as you are finished, move on to the next assignment.
-Quickly!
-Quit dawdling! You are wasting time.
-That is a time waster. Why are you just sitting there? Get a move on! Your math is not sitting outside the window!
Yup, I’m a regular cheerleader. The leader of the pep squad.
I don’t know about y’all, but if someone were telling me that all day long, it wouldn’t exactly be the magical words that suddenly made me more productive or quicker or joyful!
One day I was talking to my friend who teaches at a small private school. We were discussing schedules and the inevitable dawdling that occurs with some children. Okay, all children! What stuck out to me the most in our discussion was the large number of breaks that the students were allowed to take.
It never occurred to me that my kids might need a break (even a small one) after doing one measly little page of addition. Or doing one page of handwriting. After all, we just started and *I’m* not tired or bored yet.
Sure they don’t need a break after only 30 minutes of staying on task, but there sure are perks to giving them one anyway– namely, better attitudes, less dawdling and staying more focused in the post-break period!
My favorite is the 5-minute break. It is juuusst right– not too long and not too short. Let me list for you some of the beauteous benefits of the aforementioned 5 minute break:
- Kids of the wiggly variety can go potty and do 20 jumping jacks and stand on one leg while trying to count to 30– preferably not at the exact same time. (And you thought multi-tasking was just for mom’s!)
- I can get a refill on my coffee, which requires both sugar and creamer, thankyouverymuch.
- Five minutes is enough to check e-mail or maybe fold some laundry…
… or maybe not.
- It is enough time for someone (else) to go check the mail, take out the trash or pick up the blocks/puzzle pieces/bzillion cars on the floor.
- Apparently, it is also enough time to brush your teeth when you should’ve brushed them 2 hours ago!
One of my very dear and very precious children who shall remain nameless is my constant dawdler. It is something he struggles with on a daily basis. This break of cinco minutes has been a fabulous tool to help keep him focused. If he completes his task in a timely manner, he is rewarded with a break. If he does not complete the assignment because he is simply not staying on task, then this much anticipated break is taken away. I’m sorry, but you took so long to do this that you ended up working right through your break! OR No time for a break right now, but you can take one as soon as you are finished with this page.
Now, these breaks are not set on paper because honestly, that would just be another thing to get OFF schedule with… Rather, they are usually tossed about at my discretion– as a reward, as an incentive or just because *I* need a few minutes to get something done.
I’m telling y’all, this has completely saved me from a breakdown some days. A breakdown that not even the grande-est white chocolate mocha could’ve saved me from! And lest I forget my dear boys, it has saved them from a non-stop morning of drudgery schoolwork with no end in sight… at least in their minds.
So, dear friends, you are now allowed to move freely about the school day and throw out those 5-minute breaks willy-nilly. Like a lemonade stand in the heat of summer, a break (even if it is really short) can hit the spot for both you and your kids!
Marsha is proud to be the Mrs. to David for over 12 years. They have been homeschooling their rowdy boys in the Lone Star State for over 5 years. When she’s feeling like a slacker, you can find her drinking coffee, reading a book and writing at her blog — and sometimes all at the same time! You can find Marsha at Our Homeschool and Other Such Happenings.
Oh wow is this so true for us as well! This year, with the addition of baby #4, we had to shake it up a bit and I also found that splitting school into two chunks to be very helpful. We do Math, LA and Reader in the morning and in the afternoon, we do History, Science and Read Aloud. It has been a blessing this spring that I wasn’t expecting. Now, knowing how things change, the fall could look totally different!
~Annemarie
Annemarie’s last blog post..Victory In The Spirit
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Marsha Reply:
May 17th, 2009 at 2:20 am
It always seems that as soon as you get a working schedule and a good routine, something changes and it all needs tweaking. Hang in there Annemarie! You are doing a great job!
Marsha’s last blog post..JenIg’s Rosetta Stone contest!!!
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What a wonderful reminder! I have a “squirmer” and I have finally realized that he needs to be able to move – often. We have even resorted to allowing him to do the bulk of his lessons standing up. I will try the “focus and then you can have a break” strategy now! Thanks!
Brilliant Moms’s last blog post..Family Fun At The Zoo
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Marsha Reply:
May 17th, 2009 at 2:21 am
STANDING UP! What a great idea– I will definitely have to try that.
Marsha’s last blog post..JenIg’s Rosetta Stone contest!!!
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When I first started reading, I was sure you had sneaked into my schoolroom! I will have to try this strategy and see how it works. One of my girls (the gymnast, of course!) is a real squirmer. The other one (the teenager) is a dreamer and dawdler. Thanks for the good reminders!
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Oh! Thank you for writing this. Your “from the mouth of yours truly” = I too often say all of those.
You’ve been peeking in our home, too.
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I think maybe you’ve been sitting in on our school day (and yes, mine are both girls! My son is the two-year-old.)! Thanks so much for sharing! I needed to hear this, and I think it just might do the trick!
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THANK YOU for giving us permission to take a break (and a coffee refill — whew, I needed that)!
I think it would be really fun to sit in on a classroom for a day. Not that I would want to copy everything they do (not even close!), but I’d be relieved to find out how normal my own kids are, LOL. And I think I’d get some good ideas.
Anne’s last blog post..The Ways of Her Household
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Marsha Reply:
May 17th, 2009 at 2:26 am
It would be interesting, wouldn’t it? I think we sometimes have an incorrect image of how things “should” be. “Normal” should be redefined! And if not, at least our kids are interesting… even if they are weird and squirmy sometimes. LOL
Marsha’s last blog post..JenIg’s Rosetta Stone contest!!!
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Breaks are great! Fun post.
Lisa V.’s last blog post..Friday Meme: Biggest Triumphs and Challenges
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Totally! It’s amazing how often we don’t utilized the freedom of homeschooling as much as we should, eh? Breaks can be super helpful… and I’ve used them from time to time when I’m stuck on something even here at work [smile].
~Luke
Luke Holzmann’s last blog post..Friday Funnies and Other Stuff
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