Back in the saddle

We've been back in school for a week and a half (well, Adelaide has) and I am SO ready for our routine to be perfected and life to return to "normal."  Adelaide's teacher, Mrs. Collins, is wonderful and we are so very excited for this year!  Mrs. Collins is so structured and organized and that's just what Adelaide needed this year.  We are working on personal responsibility and taking care of your things.

That is exactly what prompted my mommy-meltdown this morning.  I've been really proud of myself the last couple of weeks.  I've had all of her clothes picked out and ready.  I've packed her lunch the night before and had everything ready and in her folder in her backpack.  Her responsibility is to get up (she got an alarm clock this year.... more on that later), make her bed and come downstairs.  I fix breakfast, she gets dressed and brushes her teeth.  Then she's supposed to get her backpack.  I don't think that's too much for an almost 7 year old!!!  Well,  I have to remind her everyday to get her backpack... and it's hanging on a hook by the back door!  I know I know, she's only gone to school for 8 days, but still!!!  That's your only job... get your backpack!

So, after gently reminding her to get her back pack *again* I get everyone buckled to pick up our neighbor for carpool.  I stop at our stop sign only to see Lucy's BRAND NEW pair of Uggs that my mom sent her YESTERDAY!!!  She's worn them exactly 1 time and they were left outside overnight.
I'll take a moment to tell you I've been reading the book "Unglued" by Lysa Terkuerst (I have no idea if that's spelled right).  I think I've been doing better at being calm and gentle and choosing my actions, but for the experience we had this morning, I need a sequel called, "Un-super-glued."  Because it was ugly, folks.  Really ugly.  I like things to be orderly and calm and I like for everyone to have responsibility for their own things and their own spaces... and that's not really happening.  At all.
I feel like I'm doing the work of 12 people and the least you could do IS PICK UP YOUR BRAND NEW BOOTS AND TAKE THEM INTO THE STINKING HOUSE!!!!!  *deep breath*  That deep breath was supposed to calm me, instead I used it to take another breath and light into them about how I need help and that they need to be picking up their stuff and remembering their backpack and putting away their laundry.... on... and on.... and on.  Fail.  Again.

So, I'm making progress, imperfect progress.  But progress.

I apologized for flipping out, but asked them to PLEASE for the love of mankind and all things in this world that are good, pick up your shoes!

I even sent Adelaide's teacher an email and told her that I acted like a crazy person this morning and I was regretting it and would she please give Adelaide an extra pat on the back today?

Okay, there.  I feel better.

I told Lucy that since she wasn't taking care of her shoes, I was thinking of making her wear the same pair of shoes for a whole week (that's like serious torture for my shoe-loving Lucy).   I told her at the end of the week, if she was learning to take care of her things, I would let her have her other shoes back.  She responded with, "will I get any money?"  Um, no.  This isn't a reward... it's a consequence.  I don't know if I'll stick with that since she obviously doesn't understand the connection of the two.
Lucy and Julianne met their teachers yesterday and we are so excited for this year!  I know Lucy and Julianne are very excited to start, too.  They aren't understanding why Adelaide gets to go to school and they don't.

So, as far as routines and schedules... they're coming.  And I'm oh so ready to embrace them.