Day Nine: A Summary

We are so lucky that the weather has been astonishingly beautiful so far this September. It has rained once since the strike began - I think three times since June. The teachers are walking the picket lines with umbrellas to block the sun.

I am so lucky to be at home right now. Those trying to manage their kids and a job - wow. Or teachers managing kids, picket lines, and shrinking savings. Or parents of special needs kids.

So my pros and cons list is pretty tame, but here they are:

Things I like about having the kids at home:

1. They are getting along. It's weird. C's friends are in some form of daycare and the older boys' friends are in private school, or working, or babysitting younger siblings.

2. They are practising music and doing work during the day, leaving our evenings free for board games, movies, puzzles, and pools. It's been wonderful! We're actually spending time as a family in the evening.

3. They are starting to understand the value of school. For C, it's missing his friends. For B, it's the structure. For A, it's the looming importance of grades and post-grad choices to be made.

4. Not having to get up early and go! go! go! from the start.

5. We're eating better dinners AND the kids are helping in the kitchen more. Why? Because I'm not rushing to leave work, pick up kids, get home, make dinner, get kids to practice, get to homework...

6. Lots of music practice. Their music teachers will be pleased.

7. My job hunt is on hold. My self-esteem needed a break anyway.

Things I don't like about having the kids at home:

1. Too much screen time. Still. The kids are incapable of self-monitoring. They socialize online with friends a couple of blocks away. Inside. While the sun is shining!

2. Getting them up still sucks. The older boys would happily be up until 3 and sleep until 1. Makes me nuts.

3. They are falling behind in schoolwork. There's no way around it. We're just lucky they're in the linear system and not the semester system, so they have only missed about 5 classes and not the 9 the semester kids have missed. Still, there is no way I can keep all the balls in the air with three unmotivated kids. I can only choose the courses they have the most trouble with and focus on them.

4. Not enough exercise. Maybe they would sleep better.

5. The lack of routine. I love the stress-free mornings and evenings, but I hate the uncertainty.

6. My job hunt is on hold.  My self-esteem needs to get over itself and find a job.