First Day

It's that time again.  It's the official first day of bookwork!  

The routine looks basically the same as last year, so settling in hasn't been a huge jump for us.

At some time each day, the Blossoms usually reach a point where they don't need me 100% of the time, but they still need me nearby for questions, encouragement, or conflict resolution. I consider myself still tied to the schoolroom, although most of their one on one work with me has been completed.

It was at this point that I found myself most susceptible to getting distracted by my phone and many other tasks.  Many times it's well-intentioned:

"I have a second; I should research this."

"I forgot to text so-and-so."

"I need to check into this."

I've found that I fall down the rabbit hole and I'm much crankier when they do need me.

I've approached this problem by leaving my phone in the kitchen, two rooms away, and keeping a variety of mostly non-computer/phone activities around me in the school room.

There are baskets of wash perched on the school room couch so I can fold them as the moments present themselves.

I've parked easy knitting and crocheting projects beside my chair to pick up and put down at will.  

A clipboard of coloring pages and pencils is nestled in a drawer for coloring or doodling.

I give myself the freedom to write.

Of course, there's always the schoolwork grading and recording to be done, but I like to make sure that gets done first.  

This strategy has been decidedly restful and oddly productive.

Dominique