Ready, (Re)set, Go!

January is a tough month. It is hard to go back to school after the holidays. My body was still in the 'it's noon and time for my nap' mode, I had several series on Netflix that I hadn't finished, and I wasn't ready to say goodbye to my yoga pants and well worn t-shirt. But, alas, here I am. It's nearing the end of January and I still feel as though I haven't regained my momentum.

The kids are 'off' too. They are antsy, unfocused, and are acting as though all of our well practiced structures and routines never existed. Over the past few days (OK, weeks) I have noticed that my patience is thin and my energy is low. I can't find my groove, and the kids can't find theirs either.

As I was driving home tonight, tired, frustrated with the kids, and really wanting a glass of wine (darn this Whole 30), it dawned on me. How can I possibly expect that the kids will come back from an almost three week vacation raring to go? They, too, were ripped from their holiday bliss; all day pj wearing, video gaming, play dating, no reading, writing, or math...bliss.

It's time for a RESET

Love these books! A great resource for establishing community.

This isn't my first rodeo...in fact it's my 18th. So how could I have forgotten how difficult it can be to get back into the groove? Old age? Stroke brain? Wishful thinking?  It is definitely time for a 'reset'. I need to spend some thoughtful time this weekend planning opportunities for the kids and I to reconnect, reestablish routines, and strengthen our classroom community and relationships. I need to allow them some space to breathe and get comfortable again. We need to find time to play and enjoy one another.

We have important work to do, I know. Testing is right around the corner. Stakes are high. There is so much the kids need to learn before they are ready for 4th grade. It's easy to stress, to panic. But, because this isn't my first rodeo, I know that sometimes what seems like the big stuff, really isn't. I'm reminded that sometimes when we feel like pushing full-steam ahead, it's better to slow down and take a nice stroll instead. So that's what we're going to do. I'm going to take next week to breathe with my kids. To play. To reconnect. To regain our momentum. Only then can we be our best selves...