School goes so much more smoothly when you're organized

Last night, I took the time to make the girls each a personal schedule for today, with subjects and activities to be accomplished where and when.

I must keep in mind how much they like this, how easy and smooth it makes life.

It's not even 10, they're done with what they needed to accomplish before 10, and now we're just about to be off to science club.

Madison is happy that this afternoon at the library we're having a little "mom and me" math lesson, not her doing it, just me showing her some stuff. We'll do that each Monday between Gym & Swim and karate.

They love them lists. They love them check marks. They love seeing concrete renderings of their accomplishments. And now that Ella can read her own list, she's happy and much more self-sufficient.


Yesterday, instead of spending the afternoon organizing as I'd intended, I took Madison to the Nature Center for a bird hike. It was wise. She needed to spend some time alone with me to chill out doing something she loved.

There were about 30 people on the hike (!) with our beloved nature center director, Linda Bender. Madison (who, Linda pointed out, is a regular camper) asked great questions and often answered Linda's general queries so accurately and enthusiastically that another family inquired about their summer camps for their own kids.