One week down - Congrats! How did it go? Taking it easy and deciding to take a break or end the day when things go sideways is an important strategy for success. Keep the bar low and know it will continue to improve as you and the kids adapt to this new method of learning at home.

Build Habits. Build Habits. Build Habits.  

This week work on habits that will set up your school day for success outside of your shorter school time (we aren't into the full 90 minutes until Circuit 4 for this reason). Outsource those busy-work household jobs to the kids. Standardize times for picking up. To pick up before moving onto something else is an excellent rule and ideal, one we have employed in our home. However, it is often forgotten or not done to completion. We have a secondary habit to do a house sweep and pick up before each meal as a back-up plan.

If you aren't in the habit of having your kids self-entertain in a quiet way each afternoon, this is a great week to begin building that into your daily rhythm. This gives you a break and also gives them a break - it's a reset time to refresh and reset. It is important for children to develop the creative process - which is is cultivated with boredom (aka free time) and curiosity. Protect time for that each day.  

Remember that habits take 21 days to build and 3 months to become secondary nature. Keep the faith, do the hard work – this is a marathon and not a sprint! Connection comes first…curriculum and learning are happening even in the struggles of building new habits and rhythms. 

Things like responsibility, character, time management, following directions and life-skills are all life-long lessons that are being learned.

Last week, you focused on establishing a Morning Time and read aloud time. Isn't Mrs. Piggle Wiggle entertaining? It's like watching a super silly, feel-good family movie, isn't it?  This week, try moving chore time to a time before or in-between pathways. We are going to grow Morning Time to include two additional components and calendar work each day. You may pick two components from the Circuit at-a-glance and stick with it all week or you may want to try different components each day. This is your homeschool and you get to decide! Find character and connection components that work with your family personality and values. Have an idea not on the list? This is your school - you have 100% freedom and permission include it!

If you want a suggestion where to start, I would recommend poetry. Pull out a poetry or nursery rhyme book and read a selection each day or the same one all week. Repetition leads to memorization and comprehension. We will add more components as the Circuits continue. For this second Circuit, we want to keep the pathway successful and build slowly. 

Have fun and enjoy Circuit 2!