I love the assignments coming home from our teachers. In keeping with my firm belief that my son's teacher is Mr Rogers incarnate, their interrupted unit about community has turned into Look for the Helpers / Thank the Helpers. I’ve listened in on their morning meetings, tears in my eyes, when she answers their Big Questions so simply and with such love. It’s the best parenting reminder.
My daughter's teachers asked her to reflect on how things have been going in computer school (with plenty of space to ask questions and express feelings) and I had to laugh because not only is this exactly what my girl needs, we had a similar Family Reflection over the weekend.
Everyone was Peak Cranky. That’s inevitable right now (our main homeschool lessons last week included: Feelings are Contagious! and Apology 101 or as little brother put it, “I don’t want to hear the words I’m sorry unless your eyes mean it too”)
We needed to recalibrate.
I like to picture my calling everyone to a Family Meeting like I’m Janet Lansbury (or the kids teachers!) calmly and simply informing the children, “No, I won’t let you hit your sister” while I safely place the paper towel roll/ pen/spoon (read WEAPON) out of reach and usher us all into a quiet, meditative circle of reflection.
But if I was Janet Lansbury my kid probably wouldn’t feel the need to use every object as an alternating baseball bat / weapon of mass sister destruction. So it was more like peeling the kids off each other, pulling the boy off the counter (no you cannot climb up there to retrieve your weapons!) counting to three like The Eunice Burns, and addressing the room like Crazy Eyes Killer because I CAN’T LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE! as my daughter whispered, “Her hair is what makes this really scary.” 🤪 We *did* all (those of us without a compulsive baseball habit anyway) manage to collect ourselves and write down What is / isn’t working here, what would help for next week? and what can *I* (not her, yes I know she poked you first) personally do to make that happen. (Love Ruby’s Venn diagram and all the double negatives. But she’s right! Don’t don’t breathe) I’m grateful for this little family who is IN it with me and keeps showing up to figure this out together.