TCC, Day 27: Saturday

It's Saturday. It was going to storm this afternoon, so we got going this morning on our chores.

We had Another Broken Egg for breakfast. It was delicious, as usual.

Trey took care of the lawn.

I did some sewing. Went for a walk since it was going to storm all afternoon. Completed my one grad school task for the day. (I've made a list of everything due for the next two week and have decided to do one thing every day until I'm done.)

I sat next to Keaton while he did school work for almost three hours. He doesn't need my help, but sometimes he needs my presence.

At home learning has one very exciting quality. I can see what assignments my kids have due and also see if they've turned them in. I know they're in high school and should be responsible for themselves and shouldn't need their mom checking in on them. I also know that teenage boy brains are mostly made of spaghetti and you don't teach organizational skills and responsibility by saying, "Okay, you're in high school. Be responsible. See ya!" And I also know there's no magic age or grade where a particular kid is ready to be on their own - we just have to get them there before college.

If you've ever gotten me started about the boxes we try to put kids into, then you know I feel strongly about this. (I'm referring to the royal "we" - society, culture, whatever.)

I have two children who may or may not turn in all of their assigned work. They are smart and capable and kind and hard-working. It's possible to be all of those things and not make straight A's, despite what our culture sometimes does to rank or rate teenagers.

One of them is pretty good about making sure he does enough to make the grade he cares about making without much intervention from me. The other one gets overwhelmed and his perfectionism flares and he can't see the way out. I don't usually know this is happening until he's really far gone.

With at home learning, I can make him make a list, then check his list and make sure it includes everything. And I watch him check items off of his list. And I can check to see if he actually pressed submit on the things he checked off his list. It's not like school is suddenly easier or less work, but I can hold him accountable before he's drowning.

I wonder how this can translate when real, in-person school starts again.

It still hasn't rained. Since I didn't water my flowers, we better at least get a sprinkle or I'll have to send a strongly worded letter to the weatherman.

We ate a delicious dinner and are now spending a lazy Saturday night at home. Life is pretty good in quarantine today.


The end.