So yesterday was our first day back ‘officially’ homeschooling.

It was a beautiful day at Tir na NOg and I awoke with a joy and anticipation of the day. I threw back the curtains and as I did, could already hear the noises of the widdle people preparing for the day.

I quickly dressed and went to the kitchen where I whisked eggs in preparation of breakfast. The children were doing their morning routine and chores, making their beds, tidying their rooms. I smiled to myself as I heard Celtic Dingo singing as he worked.

Today was going to be a wonderful day.

Breakfast eaten, chores done, morning meditations over and we all settled down to the first lesson of the day: Music lesson. I had downloaded and printed some theory sheets suggested to me by the wonderful Mistress B, so CL (Celtic Lad) and WGO did theirs as CD (Celtic Dingo) and I tinkled the ivories.

Then it was CL’s turn while CD did his musical worksheets.

The sun streamed into the room, warming our skin. Indeed, a beautiful day.

Then onto Maths, Spelling, Speech, each child patiently waiting their turn to have my attention.

My widdle students worked silently and quickly in order to meet the day’s requirement.

As I sat on the couch, I looked at the children and smiled. CL, reading his book on Quantum Physics, Taggart building a sky scraper out of recyclable objects and WGO doing a Barbie jig saw.

I sighed and closed my eyes when …..

“Psst, Mother.” It was the voice of CD. “Mother, can I watch TV?”

I opened one eye.

I was in bed….. It was dawn.

I reached my hand across the bed. Mr Shamrock was still in bed asleep. That made it between 5 and 6am.

“Ugh.” I grunted.

I think he interpreted it as a yes because he went away.

I closed my eye and went back to sleep.

When I woke, it felt like I had a hangover. I was tired and had been up the previous night til 1.30am talking with the Mistress.

I stumbled out of bed to find it was 8am. YIKES !!!!!!

CD & WGO were watching telly and arguing over the remote. CL was walking around. I asked who had done their morning routine. No one had.

“Let’s move then.” I barked, heading to the shower in the hope of waking up.

As I washed my hair, I grimaced at the pink water. “NNNnnooooooooooooo”

I was fortunate that I lost only a widdle colour.

I got dressed, did washing, hung out the washing that Mr Shamrock had insisted on doing for me. (I think ‘doing the washing’ means putting it in the washing machine and turning it on. Hanging it out to dry, bringing it in and folding it must come under another housework description)

I then did the dishes and barked orders to the kids who were all walking around as though they were hypnotised.

“CL, take the dog out. CD, grab a tea towel. WGO, pick up your toys and put them in your room.”

The children all did their chores, amidst moans and dragging their feet.

We were finally ready for lessons at 10am.

I sat down at the keyboard with CD. All the while WGO wanted to do what the boys were doing, so I gave her a copy of the worksheet which she quickly scribbled on and then insisted I get another sheet as she couldn’t possibly draw on the back of the worksheet. So CD’s lesson was stop start stop start as WGO kept interrupting.

Yeah, the first bit of this is how alot of homeschool mothers describe their day. I have come to the conclusion that they must live on another plant.

Not that yesterday was a bad day. It was a good day and went well. Even the boys both commented how happy they were to be back homeschooling and they both thought it was a good day too.

It’s just not always smooth sailing.

CD gets distracted at the slightest thing, so I am constantly reminding him to focus. That being said, he did amazing yesterday.

CL is alot more serious and formal about his work. This year I am expecting more from him and raising the bar. I gave him some new rules for setting out his work which he solemnly listened to and then repeated to me.

WGO is just hilarious as she sits with the boys drawing circles and lines and then ‘reads’ to me what she has ‘written’

We are lucky this term as extra curricular activites are all on the same day, so we have days off for friends over.

Swimming is now on a Monday and at a different pool.

I was very anxious as to how the boys would react to the change. Even with prep, meltdowns can occur, thoug nowadays these are minor, and few and far between. I have also found that Murphy’s Law applies here as when I worry about one of the boys, it is usually the other who has a hard time adapting.

Well this time, I am pleased to report, both boys were fully happy with the change and the only person fretting and freaking out was ME !!!!!!

The boys both commented that they preferred the new setting.

So do I. It is quieter on the noise front (less overload) and less busy (less overload again)

I was really pleased that the boys were so happy about the first day.