Growing can be painful!

Recently several discouraging events occured back to back to back and I came to the realization that something has to change around here.  I'm here with the kids by myself much of the time because Lee is busy working full time and building our new house, and things seem pretty out of control to me. 

The kids are always complaining, acting up and failing to live up to expectations.  It seems as though I am the one accountable to them rather than them to me.  Getting work out of them can be like pulling teeth, and even then I know it's not their best work. 

One of the children in particular just keeps falling farther and farther behind.  He is actually struggling to do math that is one grade level below and he is about to be overtaken by his younger brother in reading skills.  Not to mention that he takes forever and sometimes has to be spoon-fed his work. 

Well, no more!  Some changes I made include:

1. Instituting a new grading system.   I am giving them a grade in every single subject every day as well as conduct, effort and chores.  If they fail to meet the minimum requirement they will not get their regular weekly allowance.

2.Ordered some new science books.  Prior to this we were doing science all together, and that wasn't working very well for me.  No one was reaching their potential, learning much and everyone was acting up.  And it was just too much work for me to do trying to tailor it all to each grade level.  This way each kid will be accountable for the work he produces.

3. Big crack down on the the above mentioned behind child.  I've been patient and understanding, tried remedial work and even therapy, but nothing ever worked.  It just never made sense to me because he is really such a smart child who knows so much about so many things that I hesitate to even concern myself with his learning struggles.  But, math and reading are pretty important and you just can't substitute history and geography for those subjects and call it even.  If you can't read and do math you are going to reach a brick wall someday.

I won't go into all the details of what I have done, but suffice it to say that he has completely turned around  his math class in about 2 days!  I just started doing something similar with reading today and I am expecting improvement next week.  The problem I think is that he is simply lazy.  (I hate to say this about my own child, but I mean it as a diagnosis not a criticism.)  He just doesn't want to take the time to think and he has been happy to get me to do it for him.  No more.  I am going to break that habit before it is too late!

4. Other things are in the works too, but you can't do everything at once.

In the meantime I have gained at least 5 pounds over the past couple of weeks.  I haven't had time to go to Jazzercise and I've been going to bed early every night. Even though I haven't been eating any more, and perhaps even less, I haven't been burning it off.  It's depressing when you're trying to find a new Easter outfit.