More catch-up

This last week was busy.  I didn't accomplish *quite* as much as I wanted, but the most important stuff got done.
We went to Target and bought school supplies when everything was dirt cheap.
I figured out the boys' school schedule.  This was harder than it sounds.  First I had to figure out exactly *what* each boy is supposed to be studying this year, and for how long, and for how many times a week.  I've been working on this during the past couple of weeks.  Then I had to fit everything together like a jigsaw puzzle, trying to figure out when each boy should do each lesson so I could be there to supervise whomever needed to be supervised while the other boys were working independently.  It seriously took me most of the day to figure it all out and make my handy-dandy poster with removable lesson cards in case I need to switch things around.

I am sure we will have to move things around or maybe even go to an "A-day" "B-day" sort of schedule, but this is a good starting point anyway.  As long as everyone can stay motivated and cooperative.  :-)

That leads me to the next thing I accomplished this last week.  I've been thinking and thinking about how we can make things go more smoothly this year.  Mostly, how I can get through the day without having to yell at somebody.
I know that the best motivation is positive motivation.  Positive reinforcement of good behavior is far more powerful than punishment for bad behavior.  But it is tricky to do this.  It hasn't been enough to simply deliver praise for good behavior (at least, not for a couple of the boys).  I've read about point systems where the child is awarded points for good behavior which can then be later redeemed for things like an extra 1/2 hour before bed, or an extra 1/2 hour of computer time.  This sounds great, except for the difficulty in actually keeping track of points for 3 boys.  I'm not always home, I don't always have a notebook on hand to record points.  We tried this for a short time a year ago or so, and it just didn't work because I'd tell the boys they earned a point, and then forget to write it down.  It just didn't work.  I needed something immediate and always at hand to keep track of the points.
So, I invented my point bracelet!  I have 20 beads on it, and I got these teeny little alligator clamps at an electrical supply store.  Now I just move the clips over every time the boys earn a point.  I've been using it the past couple of days, and it works great.  Maybe, just maybe this system will work this time.  :-)
I was absurdly happy when I thought of the alligator clamp thing and then actually found ones small enough to work.  Ben thought I was weird, but he doesn't know how many months I've been trying to figure out how to do something like this.

From Through My Eyes

I also spent a lot of money buying books.  Homeschooling isn't cheap (at least, not when you're lazy like me and don't want to spend the time to find used books).  I'm trying a new math curriculum for Joseph and Mosey.  I'm praying (literally) that it will help Joseph turn around his attitude with math.  If anything has the chance to do so, I think it is this program (Math-U-See).  I spent almost $300 buying the books and supplies I need for him and Mosey (most of it is stuff we'll use for several years, so the cost won't be that much from here on out).  So, yeah, I'm *really* hoping it works.
I'm stumped as to how to help Joseph with math.  He is pretty good at it, when he feels like applying himself.  He is just so incredibly resistant.  He says he hates math.  It is boring.  He will whine and complain and delay a simple 30-minute assignment sometimes for hours.  I like math, and I know how to help him.  I can help him learn to do things faster and figure them out intuitively.  But he will NOT let me help him.  It is the most frustrating thing in the entire world.  OK, maybe not the entire world, but it really feels like it sometimes.  I just feel like beating my head against a wall.  He hates math, but he won't let me help him figure out how to do it faster and easier.  I can't understand it.  But if a kid doesn't want to be helped, there's really nothing I can do.  So I really hope this works.
Saturday we celebrated my birthday since Tuesday is a school day and I have a presidency meeting that night.  We totally splurged and bought another computer.  Brigham and Joseph love to compose music (as does Ben), and we got a MIDI cable and software for Joseph's and Brigham's birthday.  But in order to use it, we had to connect and disconnect Ben's laptop and his screen is really too small to use the software very effectively.  So we got another computer.  It was actually pretty cheap.  It's amazing how inexpensive computers and flat-screen monitors have gotten over the years.  So now we have a really nice set-up with our synthesizer and computer and speakers set up on a small table by the fireplace.  I think the boys will use it a lot.  I know Ben will.
We had pizza and leftover cake for dinner.  I'm hoping for my actual birthday that my boys will give me their full cooperation.  But I'm not holding my breath...  :-)

From Through My Eyes

I also found a violin teacher for Brigham and Mosey.  Their first lesson will be either this Thursday or next.  I hope he's good.  He teaches out of his home, not too far away.  He teaches the Suzuki method, which I did not learn, but it sounded good the way he described it.  He's a young-ish guy, around 27 or 28 I think.  He is a grad-student at UT and teaches violin during his spare time.  His resume is pretty impressive, and I thought it was such a novelty to have a young man teaching violin, that I'm anxious to give him a try.  I am always on the look out for good male role-models for my boys, and I think they will respond well to a male music teacher.  I hope, anyway!
I know I did other stuff last week, too, but it's all fuzzy now.  And I'm tired of writing, so there you go!