School Days, School Days...

...Dear old golden rule days.  Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic, taught to the tune of the hickory stick.

It's back to school already.  When I was in elementary school, we didn't go back until around the third week of August, and it seemed that we only went for the last 2 days of that first week.  Now, school starts earlier each year, and gets out later each summer.  Our kids have had one day shy of exactly 2 months off school for summer break.  That's not nearly enough time!  While I can't control the school calendar and requirements (which for the most part I disagree with), and while homeschooling was once an option, it doesn't really suit our present personality and learning traits.  The only thing I can do is try to make our down-time at home a little easier to manage and more enjoyable.  

I'm big on planning ahead and making schedules (that are not always kept to).  I am not big on cleaning, so please don't think this is going to detail how to get your kids to do chores without complaint or how to do a month's worth of cleaning in 10 minutes a day.  That ain't this blog...  What I will tell you is my self-devised plan for making our mornings and evenings run like clockwork.

I am a cookbook collector.  I also love to cook (see my other blog That's 'licious, Mommy!).  Before the birth of my children, my husband and I fended for ourselves at home.  Oftentimes that meant that we ate corn dogs and mac 'n cheese multiple times a week - hey, we were young - and we just didn't keep a lot of food items that required large amounts of time-consuming prep work.  Then, during my first pregnancy, I ended up in and out of the hospital from extreme morning (aka all-day) sickness and later from the evil Braxton Hicks contractions and eventually pre-term labor.  At that point I was also enrolled in 3 very intense Library Science master's level courses trying to finish my degree in as little time as possible to keep my student loan costs down.  Long story short, my husband and I were relieved, and grateful, to eat with my family every night.  It kept me off my feet, kept baby happier, kept the contractions down.  After baby arrived we didn't go back to cooking at home - we had settled into a routine.

Fast forward 5 years to our daughter's kindergarten year.  This routine we had settled into meant that most nights we weren't getting supper over with until nearly 10pm.  For a kid who requires amounts of sleep rivaling a newborn, that wasn't going to cut it.  There was no way I would be able to get her up and at school before 8am.  She's a very slow mover in the mornings and, like me, doesn't always wake up hungry.  Something had to change, and it had to start with us staying home more so our kids could stay on a consistent routine.

I pored over my Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook.  I looked at every page.  I made a spreadsheet of recipes that sounded like something my family would eat.  I color coded each section of recipes by main ingredient:  bean, pork, beef, chicken, vegetable.  I printed it out, stapled it, and kept it in the cookbook.  Then each week I picked 3-4 different recipes, went grocery shopping over the weekend, and cooked at home Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and sometimes Friday.  Dance class was on Wednesday, so we decided that was Breakfast night at my parents' house.  Each recipe I cooked was rated - up to 5 stars - and I wrote the date and any notes I had about what I changed, liked, or disliked about it.  I noted in the index which recipes had been tried with a check-mark and the date.  Somewhere around Christmas it all fell apart.  We had a harsh winter, missing nearly 30 days of school, and it threw everything off balance.  We fell back into our old routine of cooking at my parents' house every night.  The only difference being that I did most of the cooking, and I made sure that we were still home by around 9pm.

My daughter is at a new school this year, because our school system has divided the schools by level - PK, Elementary (Primary, 1-2), Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8), High (9-12).  Since we are a low-income county, every child in every school receives a free breakfast and lunch.  We took advantage of that last year, sending a lunch very rarely.  This year she requested that we send her lunch more often, and I can't argue with that.  I hardly ever bought a school lunch - mostly pizza on Fridays - until high school when I could get a salad and a pretzel or pizza/hamburger every day.  

Thankfully we get the school breakfast and lunch menus a month ahead, so menu in hand she and I went through every day and I made her choose which days she was going to eat a school lunch.  This was my first step toward streamlining our morning routine.  If I knew which days she was eating at school vs taking a lunch, I would be more prepared.  I wouldn't be scrambling the morning of a take-your-lunch day wondering what to fix her.  I brandished my handy-dandy pink highlighter and set to work identifying the main dish of each lunch she would eat a school.  Then I got to thinking...

...I know what she's eating at school, but what about the stuff I'm sending from home?  This can't be a last minute decision, folks.  So, I made a list of 10 lunches I knew (beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt) that she would eat.  She is not a picky eater, but there are some things she prefers and will eat willingly more often than certain other things.  If I could pack her a PBJ every day, it would be all-good.  So that left me with a highlighted calendar and a list.  How was I going to synthesize the information into something easy to read, easy to use, that I didn't have to spend hours changing every month?

I was envisioning a calendar with only 5 days.  Something that would allow me to note the days she planned to eat at school and what she planned to take from home on the off-days.  Then I got to thinking that packing a lunch wasn't the only hang-up during our morning routine.  What about breakfast?  If I left it up to my kids they would eat PBJ three times a day, every day.  So instead I asked her for 4 breakfasts that she loved that were quick to prepare.  We settled on Muffins (Monday, leftover from Sunday), PBJ (Tuesday/Friday), Cream of Wheat/Oatmeal (Wednesday), and Yogurt/Fruit and Cereal Bar (Thursday).  This is not apt to change unless we have a special leftover breakfast item from the weekend - waffles, biscuits, pancakes, etc.  

Taking that into consideration, I created a calendar that was simple yet displayed all the necessary information.  I wrote in the days she would be eating at school, and then I filled in the blanks with the 10 lunches I know she loves.  I tried not to put two meat-sandwiches or two soups in the same week.  I didn't ask which lunch she wanted on which day, I just randomly assigned lunches to days and filled it in.  I tried to list everything that I would need to pack in her box or bag.  The morning of (or evening before) I also try to remember to include a disposable spoon, a napkin, and a straw so she doesn't have to try to remember to pick up anything in the lunch line.  I taped the list of lunches to the cookbook shelf beside the refrigerator, and I taped the calendar to the door of the fridge where it is in plain sight.

Here's a link to the document I created:  Breakfast/Lunch

As I mentioned before, I like to have my meals planned out.  Last year I chose enough crockpot meals to see us through the entire year with a few alternates.  With the winter we had, the amount of school we missed, I didn't get through all of them so they are on reserve for this year.  However, I didn't want to rely just on my crockpot (shhh, don't say that too loud).  Sometimes it's a bit boring to use the same kitchen tool every single day, and I should know because I have a LOT of kitchen tools (and I'm a Pampered Chef consultant :]).  Plus I have all these gorgeously illustrated (and written) cookbooks with mouth-watering recipes that I have been dying to cook.  Cooking and making things for people is how I express my love, and I really wanted to be a chef - it was second only to being a mommy!  Sorry, tendency to ramble...  

I pulled a few of my cookbooks:  Taste of Home Winning Recipes (2010), The Everything Meals for a Month Cookbook, and Taste of Home Cooking for Kids/Kids Party Food.  I sat down and went page-by-page through Winning Recipes and wrote down 100+ recipes that I want to try.  I realize I can't do them all this year, but my kids will be in school for the next 14 years, so I've got plenty of time.  I just needed a similar calendar to plan out our dinners.  I haven't started filling it in yet, but I will over the weekend.  There is a space for Main Dish and Sides for Mon-Fri.  I can have my shopping list made out for the entire month, and when a certain cut of meat or other food item goes on sale I can see how much I need for the month and freeze what I'm not using immediately.  An update will follow after I have a picture of my completed dinner calendar.

Here's a link to the document I created:  Dinner

Operation Beach Bucks part 2

You didn't ask for it, but here it is anyway - our first update!  Yay!

The first week has ended, and already I've reached a very important conclusion.  I will be broke by July.  No kidding!  The way my kids are putting in extra effort and being recognized for the good things they are doing encourages them to do more good things (i.e., things they ought to be doing anyway) which results in them earning mucho dinero mas rapido (sorry if that is in the wrong order, I'm a bit rusty on my español).  My son is earning 50¢ every time he tries a new food, and he has decided that trying new foods is not all that bad.  So far he has tried scrambled eggs, barbecue sauce, chicken nuggets, Cincinnati chilighetti, and fresh pineapple (which was his idea, in the produce section by the way - as long as he didn't have to eat "those pokey things").  My daughter could earn that much as well, but she is a much less-picky eater already, so there are not that many "new" foods for her to choose from.  Either way, they are consistently earning at least one dollar each day, and with approximately 150 more days they can earn Beach Bucks before tallying up their dizzying amounts of money, I could be out well over $300!  That ain't chump change in this house.

After having this epiphany two days ago, whilst taking our kids on a much deserved outing to see "The Nut Job," I had a second epiphany.  I can use the Beach Bucks like tokens that the kids have to trade in if they want to engage in certain activities while on vacation.  A short list of activities that we ordinarily engage in, as well as a few extra special treats thrown in, was easy to mentally compose:

1. SnoBalls
2. The Shake Shop
3. Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf
4. Egmont Key ferry from Ft. De Soto
5. Dolphin Quest on Boca Ciega Bay from John's Pass Marina

For the less expensive things that we always do at least once, the token amount will be small - maybe $10 worth of Beach Bucks for a small SnoBall or milkshake.  For bigger things the price will be more like $50 worth of Beach Bucks.  That may seem steep, but, hey, they are going to have Bucks to spare.  I'm only going to reserve $20 that they can exchange dollar-for-dollar and spend on whatever souvenir they want.  We will likely souvenir hunt at John's Pass, or if we are lucky enough to get to visit Tarpon Springs again they can spend it there.

Additionally, I may make them work harder each month to earn the coveted Beach Bucks.  For example, instead of getting 10¢ each time they clear their dishes from the table, they will get 10¢ for clearing dishes after every meal for one entire day.  If it is getting to school on time, it may be two days in a row to earn 25¢.  On second thought I may keep that one the way it is!  We don't want any tardies.

So, what format am I using?  Well, you're in luck because I am going to share my Beach Bucks chart and money.  I printed one chart and slid it into a page protector, which I taped to the wall at kid-eye-level.  Each day I use a dry erase marker to check off what they have accomplished so they can see what they are earning.  I also use a STAR stick, which I mentioned in Operation Beach Bucks.  This is because my daughter's school uses this as a behavior/classroom management tool.  I painted a paint stirrer and colored clothespins for each kid.  That way it is a constant visual reminder of how they are behaving.  Most of the time I make them move their pins so it (hopefully) makes them think about what they did that was good or not-so-good.

Beach Bucks envelopes

For the envelopes, I used what I had on hand - #10 (business size).  I simply taped one piece of each value of Beach Bucks to the front using clear packing tape.

STAR stick, start every day on GREEN

Each day you start out on GREEN.  If my kids behave they get to move up a color.  If they misbehave they move down a color.  It is not a static stick - in other words they don't get stuck on a color.  If they make it to red and then do something wonderful (or even mediocre if it is good behavior), they move back up.  If they are on purple and misbehave, they move down to blue.  If they are perfectly behaved all day (yeah, right), they get to move up to the star.  I used basic red, yellow, blue, and purple acrylic craft paint from WalMart.  The star is gold glitter glue on a silver background.  The black space is no-man's-land basically.  It is either used for nothing, or if my kids are being horrible and are on red and still misbehaving, I move them to black - which they can NOT get off of unless they exhibit some exceptional behavior.  I have been using this for a month or so now, and only once has one of them been on black.  Then again, only once have they made it to the star.  There have been plenty of days where they stay on green, though, and this momma is thrilled with an all-green day!

Please keep in mind this is only a suggestion.  You will need to tailor it to fit your lifestyle and expectations of your own children.  I printed five copies of the money so I could be sure to have enough to last for a while.  When I run out of the smaller Bucks, I will trade them in for the larger ones.  I'm not sure if you can edit the documents using the same fonts I did - mine were from a font program (Cosmi Print Perfect Fonts), and the style is called JI-Drapey.

Word Document:
Beach Bucks Pricing List

Beach Bucks Money 

PDF:
Beach Bucks Pricing List
Beach Bucks Money

Can We Call This Sleep Training If He Doesn't Sleep?

It has been a full week since we started trying to get our kids to bed at a decent hour.  At this point, the kids are becoming more consistent with being ready for bed.  Our days are going a little more smoothly, and I'm becoming anxious for where this might lead.  Nap time is slowly returning to our house!

We have been trying to be home by about 8pm, which gives us some time each night as a foursome to unwind and do the nighttime rituals that are necessary to get us all in bed.  We let the kids play for a few minutes while we get things picked up around the house, finishing with the toys in the living room.  After pickup, we brush teeth (which is not an easy task) and make sure everyone has an empty bladder.  There are few things less enticing than the idea of waking up drenched in someone else's urine (even if it is one of the people you love most in the world)!  Sometimes our daughter protests that she just went potty at mamaw's and papaw's house, but I follow my mom's advice to always try.  I'm satisfied if she can even get out a few drips.  After we accomplish this feat, it is off to bed for story and song time (see previous post). 

It has been amazing to see the childrens' eyes close in sweet slumber before 10pm.  In fact, it has been closer to 9:30 when they nod off to sleep.  Yay!  This means I have the opportunity to start my me time a full hour or more earlier.  I have been able to restart Stormie O'Martian's Power of a Praying Parent book and study/prayer guide.  I have the plan to read this book in conjunction with 2 other of O'Martian's titles: Power of a Praying Wife, and Power of Prayer to Change Your Marriage. 

I have an old-school Mead spiral bound 3 subject notebook that I am keeping my answers from the study/prayer guides in.  That way, they are all in one place, but I have an easy way to keep them separate for ease of use.  Each book is divided into weeklong assignments for reading, reflection, and specific guided prayer.  The workbook asks you some pretty tough questions about your life, expectations, motives, and actions.  It also asks you to write your own prayers to cover a specific area that needs attention - past mistakes that you feel guilt over is one.  I am writing my answers to the questions on one page (half for my daughter, half for my son) - front and back - and the following page is where I am writing my prayers for the week.  So far I have only managed to complete the first week for Parent.

"Slacker!" You might think.  "You've had more time this week than before, and you can't manage to read three chapters?"  Just as I said the kids are becoming more consistent with their bedtimes, my son has not yet made the transition to sleeping through the night (generally wakes after 2 hours in bed).  In fact he has been so off with his behavior since December 21, 2011 that I am going to be making an appointment with his pediatrician for this week.  I have to go with my intuition on this one and say "something ain't right."  I have been tracking his symptoms since he recovered from his cold.  Loss of appetite, change in mood and behavior, severe irritability, change in sleep patterns, stumbling and falling frequently, bruises easily, and a few mysterious blisters on his left middle finger, left pinkie toe, and left heel.  A few mornings ago he even ran into the door when he got out of bed!  He has not had a fever since before his MMR vaccine a week after he recovered from the cold, but I believe strongly that he may have an inner ear infection.  Regardless, I don't think it can wait until his next well-child visit in March.

To add to that, my mom was briefly hospitalized for pneumonia, and the antibiotic they prescribed and administered intravenously (avelox) can cause swollen or ruptured tendons up to 2 years after finishing the drug.  She was also apparently so severely anemic that she is on a high dose of iron twice a day.  She has to go back to the doctor in 2 weeks for repeat lab testing.  If her results have not improved, she will be seeing a renal specialist and likely be subjected to more invasive testing to find the cause of her problems.  It is a very tense and scary situation since her father had impaired renal function, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, ALS, heart disease, aneurysms in his aorta and both legs, and eventually a stroke.  We already know that she has PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) and A-Fib (atrial fibrillation) as well as a murmur.  This must be genetic, because I also have A-Fib, some mild PVCs, and such a low resting heart rate that my heart actually stopped for nearly 3 seconds while I was sleeping in December 2010 (24 hour monitor followed with a diagnosis of needing a pace maker and a visit with an electrophysiologist and wearing a 28 day Holter Monitor).  Now her fever won't stay down.  She is also taking augmentin, so you would think that the original sinus and ear infection would be gone by now and that the pneumonia would be weakened...  Needless to say, we are praying hard!

Back to my original quandary - is it sleep training if the child isn't sleeping?  I can't let him cry it out when he wakes up, because there is no "out" to his crying.  He will scream for more than an hour - believe me, I know firsthand!  He is weaned, so there is no midnight snacking.  He simply desires physical contact, and he will not settle down until he has it.