Happy Camper

Our Summer "schedule" officially kicked off Monday morning and so far I think it depends on who you ask if it's going well. This is the start to the can I stay home instead of going back, summer experiment. No word yet on the verdict, it needs time, lots of time and some serious thought.

Ben is going to Y day camp from 9-12pm each day. Bill drops him at 9 and I pick up at noon. The time in between I am using for my online class as well as getting in a 6 am workout. This being the first week of class I have been working in the afternoons and at night to to get students on, understanding how an online class works, and troubleshooting computer issues with them (that last task is laughable), and grading, grading, grading since the course which normally takes 18 weeks is shoved into 8.

Add to it swim lessons twice a week at 5:30 and we are back to being busy. Ben seems to love, love, love camp when I pick him up. But each morning I have to pull up the pics they send each day to remind him that he had a good time to combat tears and fears. He finally told me yesterday he's sad that his friend from school is not there. So we took the chance to talk about trying new things, meeting new people, and getting to do special things Baby Ian doesn't get to do.

I've also restarted the prize box with a daily sticker chart for being nice to his brother, not hitting, not whining, staying in room for quiet time, and feeding the dog. So far he has not had a perfect day, but we are working on praising effort and redos when the am has gone badly to see the afternoon as a restart.

Ask Moxie is doing a Friday series on NurtureShock and asking for reader comments. Bill and I recently listened to the book on audio on the way to the beach (something to drown out the multiple times Ben watched the Letter Factory). Wow, lots I want to say on this and it's more than a single post.

She started last week with Chapter 1 on Praise. So for the weeks she is holding this discussion, I'm going to post the comment I leave as my Friday post. Up tomorrow, Praise. Hummmmm lots to say on this being a teacher, parent, and in general believer that adults should build confidence in their charges.

Next up... chapter 2, getting sleep. Did she secretly interview me?