Back to Basics

Well, we’re almost through the first week of term 3. New terms are usually a good time to reset, but sometimes it can just be really hard to get things going again. Two weeks of holiday mode can be tricky to move out of! Plus, towards the end of last term our sixth baby was born, so for our family everything’s been a little more haphazard than usual.

The first couple of days in particular were a real struggle to keep the kids motivated, and the niggles and fights seemed worse than usual. I’m sure we only covered about half of our normal subjects! It probably doesn’t help that I’m tired too.

At times like these I find the best strategy is to lower expectations and focus on getting the basics done (if anything!) In some ways, ensuring the kids do a low level of their usual work is actually easier than doing nothing at all, because it lends some structure and routine to the day. It also tends to cut down on the time available for fighting!

So while the extra activities and fun outings might be taking a backseat for the moment, it’s a good time to slow down, enjoy cuddles with our newborn and experience a more sedate pace of life. All too soon we’ll be back into the usual busyness!