Mom School and Summer Haircuts

When I saw the several uncompleted workbooks my kids brought home from school on their last day, I had a brilliant idea. They'll work on these all summer long! And Mom School was born!

At first Sarah was downright opposed to the idea. "You can't make me." Challenge accepted.

We had a beginning-of-summer meeting the day after Memorial Day where we went over summer rules, Family Store (more on that later this month), and they got to pick which day of the week we'd visit the library, the park, and which day Mom School would be on. They chose Thursdays for Mom School.

Mom School has to be simple or I wouldn't do it. For 30 minutes the kids do school-like activities. They have to each be on the same level of the house (so that I can keep an eye on them) but in different areas (so they can't bug each other). They must be doing workbooks, reading, writing, flashcards, or in Erica's case, coloring. They can decide how long they spend on any activity but they must be working for 30 minutes.

Sarah chose the landing and did a handwriting workbook and reading.

Henry chose behind the couch and read and then did his math books.

Erica colored then she and I worked on her alphabet flashcards.

At the end they showed me what they did and got jelly beans and mini eggs for every page they read and every workbook page they completed so they each got a good handful. They did a great job keeping themselves busy and I LOVED the productive silence.

They wanted to have Mom School again right away and even asked the next day if we could do it. I told them they were welcome to read or do work any time but I'd only pay them candy on Mom School Thursdays. Always keep them wanting more, I say.
 

*****

When Sarah was Erica's age, her hair was way past her shoulders. Erica's hair has come in much slower and thinner so I've trimmed it quite a few times over the last three years. Nevertheless, Erica's hair is very hard to keep looking tidy. It mostly has to do with the fact that she rarely lets me do it and then undoes it soon after. Luckily she doesn't mind getting it cut. In fact I commented that her hair was getting long the other day and she replied, "We better cut it."

Here's the before.

And here's the after (while she eats her reward ice cream).

(I think she'd get her hair cut every week for the ice cream.)

And then after it was dried and straightened.

I just think she's the cutest thing ever and now even more so. She was adamant about keeping her "Anna bangs" but I don't know if we can do "Anna braids" anymore.

It's so much easier to brush and even when it's not done, she doesn't look homeless.

Hair not done but still super cute

It wouldn't be summer without a buzz cut. Henry was super stoked to get his head shaved after I promised his hair would be long enough for the Gordon Hayward 'do by the time school starts.

Henry's sports and style hero.

It's 90 degrees out and I'm tempted by a buzz cut too.