What Did We Do Today: Day 6

Hope to get accomplished:

Continue the Deschooling process
Thrift Store Finds
Reading
- Legoman: Chapter 2 of Bunnicula
  - Complete Skim of Chapter for multi-syllabic words
  - Word Study Activities to help with multi-syllabic words
- Bones: Pick this week’s book
  - Skim for unknown words or look for reading strategy needed
  - Make Word study game out of words
Read to both boys
Zoo Trip

Notes for today:

It’s 29 degrees today and snowing out!
Super B didn’t sleep well last night ( up too many times to count)

Actually accomplished…

Continue the Deschooling process
Thrift Store Finds
- Tested Theories with Cards
- Played various card games and take pictures for birthday book
Reading
- Legoman: Chapter 2 of Bunnicula
  - Complete Skim of Chapter for multi-syllabic words
  - Word Study Activities to help with multi-syllabic words
- Bones: Pick this week’s book: Let’s Say Hi To Friends Who Fly!
  - Skim for unknown words or look for reading strategy needed
  - Make Word study game out of words
  - Sight Words: Who, Why, With, Watch, By, My, Hi
Zoo Trip
- Before we left they made lists of animals to see
- They are very interested in where the animals live, what they eat, names
- Even though it was snowing out, we had so much fun
  - learning the names of animals
  - pretending to veterinarians
  - Working the Zoo Office with two boys they met
  - Painting their faces as crocodiles
- When we got home they each did drawings of their favorite animal from memory and from observing the photos we took
Read to both boys
- Happy Birthday To You by Dr. Seuss

Not Planned

Legoman and Papa Bear playing Word memory late into the night with the words from Chapter 2
Facetime with Mr. X (the boys light up with this)

Want more ?

What did we do yesterday?… What will we do tomorrow?…

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Remember the summer?

Those light-hearted laughs, unplanned trips, and warm days with zero schedules…

And now, feeling the weight of the back-to-school blues?

We get it.

The shift from summer freedom to the tight routine of school is no cakewalk.

Every evening might feel like stepping into a wrestling ring with homework battles that drain every ounce of your energy.

And as night sets in, theres a new set of struggles: getting your child to sleep early, wrestling over gadgets, and just hoping they wake up refreshed.

And if those werent enough, mornings bring their own marathons with sleepy kids, disputes over breakfast, and the rush against time.

Plus, theres that quiet concern: will your childs new teachers and peers see their brilliance and uniqueness?

Sound familiar?

You’re not alone.

Here at Calm the Chaos, we recognize that countless parents are navigating these challenges.

To support you, weve unveiled the Back-to-School Expert Secrets.

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Experts like Seth Perler (@executivefunctionlab) – an ex-teacher now donning multiple hats in the education sector – are all set to share strategies to revolutionize your childs school experience.

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When you welcome a foster or adopted child into your home, you are often told to prioritize consistent rules and routines. And while we know these are important, its actually essential to prioritize trust and connection.

Many of these kids have trust issues, and they wont invest emotionally until they feel secure.
Jen’s daughter didn’t unpack her clothes for two weeks, communicating her hesitance to settle.

Her daughter even admitted once that, at the beginning, she tested her parents’ limits to gauge their commitment.

More than consistent rules, they need consistent presence to build trust

Simple gestures, like having breakfast together every day or ensuring youre home when they return from school, can make a world of difference.

So, focus on ensuring your kid feels safe and valued, shift your routines, and let the dishes pile up... for now.

Only after building that trust did Jen address the other aspects of home life.

Pushing these sooner wouldve been counterproductive.

After all, why should a child commit to a routine when they’re not sure how long theyll stay in a family?

Trust comes first; everything else will follow.

Join Jen and me for this week’s episode to find out more.

Tune in now (and grab your copy of Calm the Chaos if you haven’t already)!

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Calmthechaospodcast.com

fine.
good.
awful.
🤷‍♀️🤷‍♂️

I know you have the best intentions.
I know youre asking cause
you really care about how their day went.

But sometimes... how was your day? is just a dead end.
It invites those one word responses and
It doesnt always set you up for real interaction.

👉Instead, try something a little open-ended.
Ask a question that will make em think,
that creates conversation and connection.

Asking about a specific event, subject, person, feeling, etc.
shows youre ready to hear about the details -
That youre truly interested in what they have going on -
& thats a great way to connect after a long day!

🫶Whats one question you can ask your kiddos?
(psst - this is great for partners + spouses too!)

PS - Share this with a friend & try this together!

When a child says, Homework is the worst!, a typical parent response might be something like,

Learning is a good thing.” or “Schools the most important!

But have you ever considered joining them in their temporary misery?

Instead of the usual pep talk, try: Yeah, I get it. I didn’t enjoy homework either.

Or maybe, Sometimes, it does feel like they give too much, doesn’t it?

At first, this might seem like youre fueling their negativity, but its quite the opposite. What youre doing is showing empathy.

Youre telling them, I see you.

The goal here is to convey understanding.

Its about letting them know that you recognize their feelings and struggles at that particular moment.

Challenging behaviors in kids often escalate because they feel misunderstood. They might think, No one gets how tough this is for me.

And then they intensify their actions, trying to make you see just how miserable they are.

And being able to offer understanding (Yes, I see why youre overwhelmed or upset.) is golden because it makes your child or teen feel seen and heard.

So, the next time they gripe about something? Maybe, just for a moment, join the resistance.

Isnt this insight fantastic?

It comes from Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart (@dr.annlouise.lockhart), a pediatric psychologist, parent coach, and business owner in San Antonio, TX.

Dr. Ann-Louise helps overwhelmed parents get on the same page and better understand their kids and teens. And she is one of our 10 experts who agreed to help you smoothly transition to this school year with your unique child.

We sat down with them and asked them all the same question:

“If you only had 3-5 minutes with a struggling parent of challenging kids entering a new school year, what is the one need-to-know piece of advice you’d share with them?”

And they shared a lot of gems like this one that will certainly help you and your kid manage school challenges.

So, let’s transform challenges into opportunities and make this school year one of growth, understanding, and resilience.

Join us for our FREE Back to School Expert Secrets.

Calmthechaosworkshop.com/bts-expert-secrets

Feeling drained from the constant homework struggles?

Overwhelmed by the swift passage of the school year and the unique challenges it brings?
Youre not alone…

Not only do we at Calm the Chaos have your back, but we’ve also secured expert support for you.

We sat down with 10 parenting experts and posed this question:

“If you had just 3-5 minutes with a struggling parent of challenging kids entering a new school year, what essential advice would you share?”

Among this esteemed group is Cathy Cassani Adams, LCSW (@zenparentingradio).

Cathy co-hosts the Zen Parenting Radio podcast and authored the award-winning book, Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World. With her diverse background as a clinical social worker, certified parent coach, former elementary school teacher, and yoga instructor, Cathy offers a holistic perspective.

Eager to hear what Cathy (and other experts) recommends?

Join us for our FREE Back to School Expert Secrets.

Our panel is ready to provide solutions for every back-to-school challenge you might face.

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