A New Tradition (OR: What do you call...?)

So, it's official: School has been back a week! 

And, I have had - and survived - my first child-home-sick saga of the year! Now, that means we are really back to the school groove ;-)

Actually, the school routines are shaping up quite well. Mornings are going fairly smoothly: If I'm up in time, I will wake the boys by scratching their backs (don't knock it till ya try it! Mr. Crankypants awoke happily ;-)... otherwise, their father will shout us all into submission (which also works but results in three groggy breakfast diners, with a melange of moods). And, since we seem to be getting good at making their lunches in the evenings, there is little for the boys to do in the AM's but get dressed, washed, brushed, fed and out!

As for homework, that has not yet "picked-up", which is a good thing: it's allowing us to ease into the morning and night schedules, and altering the pre-supper itinerary won't seem so daunting when the time comes.

We do have a new, unexpected addition to the evening checklist. It started like this: Mario wrote out his milk order a few days back, and when I discovered it, I wrote him a little note in his agenda to say "good job". On a whim, I wrote down a joke I had heard next to it (What kind of pet just lays around the house, all day every day?.... A carpet!). He thought that was hilarious and asked me to write him a note for the next day... and the next... and the next....

...and now I hear this is something I "do". I expect to run out of jokes soon (he's heard all of mine!), so, all I can say is: thank goodness for joke-a-day apps ;-)


<<pause>>

.....I just realized I have found a way to make my playing on my smart phone an in-the-interest-of-my-child activity.... heheh....

This new tradition does have other advantages though - it encourages him to read; ensures he checks his agenda at school (which is also a reminder to bring it home); and since he has been writing me back a little comment ("good one"), he is getting a little bit more practice writing, too. I can spin 'em good, huh? ;-)

Happy Wednesday!


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