So far this week

The 16yo made the comment today that it's been a short week that has felt extremely long. He's right. Today was only our 3rd day of school this week, but it felt like it was Friday of a full week. We ended up not working today because I woke up feeling absolutely horrible: sinus headache and upset stomach. I thought the upset stomach was at first part of the sinus problems, then I came to realize it was something completely different. At one point, thought I would be fine to get the 16yo through work, but by the time he got here and I had moved around sufficiently, that was it. I was done for. Which was fine for him because his stomach was bothering him and dd was also complaining a bit. We must have picked up some sort of bug. All day, it's been painful or nauseating. Very annoying.

So, that means I only have 2 days so far to account for. Dd is still doing well getting into work mode; ds it trying to change the routine. I allowed it, but then it caused problems with him, so back to the routine I created we will go. I feel like I'm finally accomplishing something with both of them, all the while getting the 16yo through his work. Dd is feeling like she's accomplishing something, too, and has a sense of direction now. Even pulled out her laptop mini the other evening and worked on her Viking research in front of the TV while dh watched I'm not sure what.

The 16yo and my catch-up plan: He was completely amenable to it. He does not like being behind and has even thought about maybe taking physics and math in-school next year so that he won't fall behind. I said it could be done; we'll look at the possibilities. Once he's caught up and stays caught up, and I no longer let him get behind (other than maybe a day behind because of some fun activity), I think he'll change his mind. He is thinking about after grade 12 and possibly doing some high school upgrading after he and his Dad move. He's thinking about it because it will help ease off the pressure and anxiety if he knows that next year's marks are not the end-all and he likes the idea of taking something he's familiar with, in a classroom situation, to ease into the change of post-secondary. Mature thinking!

I tidied up and changed around some materials for the school shelves. It has already allowed the 3yo to pick a couple of things she didn't normally pick. I put out the Touch Boards and will have to show her them sometime. I need to get over this stupid stomach bug first. Argh. (Pain just now.) Oh!! Huge breakthrough! She had gone back to not talking. The 16yo's sister hung out with us a bit this afternoon (she did grades 7 through 12, plus another semester with us) and the 3yo wouldn't talk and it became clear it was all for show. I said, knowing full well that she would be listening in, that we would have to stop trying to get her to talk, so that we stopped giving her attention that way. No immediate change, but a little later, she wanted something from dd and wouldn't come right out and ask it the way she used to, dd had no clue what it was the 3yo wanted, came and recounted the story, as the 3yo was coming along--and I knew she'd heard--I said, "Well, that's enough about that. We're not going to give her attention for that anymore." Within 30 seconds, she was talking up a storm. And she would not stop. Made me think of The Sims 3 and how you can teach the toddlers to talk and once they do, a little bubble pops up about how they've learned to talk and now the trick was to keep them quiet! lol. She talked and talked and talked and talked. Holy cow.