At violin lessons last week, our very sweet teacher gently suggested that I try getting in some more practice with the kids. She added that I might try to find a time of day when the kids could really focus and concentrate on a lesson, “how about morning?” she proposed.
When we pulled away Cole asked me why Miss S____ wanted him to practice more. I explained that if he did, he would accomplish more each week and move on to new songs more quickly. There was a long silence. Like any typical kid Cole wants all the glory of knowing a new song, but does not want to have to give up any more time to get there.
Honestly, who can blame him? I drop him at school at 8:15 a.m. and the bus brings him back at 4:00 p.m. On Monday he has Cub Scouts, Tuesday is soccer, Wednesday he has to read us the current story in his reading book, Thursday we study for Spelling, and Friday I take the night off – like it or not. He bet Max C. that he would get the most book reports done this quarter, so he trying to finish a book a night. So you add in a shower, dinner, and a few minutes to inventory whatever Truman go into that day and there is really not much more left for violin, play, and additional violin. However, being the reliable, good natured kid that Cole is– he suggested that we try morning.
I don’t know what I was thinking, but I agreed.
Mornings are a little crazy at my house. I consider a shower one of the few entitlements of the job, yet getting one in is never that easy to do. Trying to get everyone else up and dressed and fed and packed etc. etc. and a violin lessons is just not making the cut. However, when Grace woke the entire troop up at 5:45 a.m. on Friday – I decided to give it a try.
So they were all awake, playing, making messes and not doing any of the things they are supposed to – mainly at 5:45 a.m. I’d suggest SLEEP – but that’s just me. I got them all on track with lots of yelling and all-together poor parenting and we did get down stairs 1 hour early. Actually Cole played and did a very nice job. On the other hand, Anna Mae, who is typically a morning girl cried through the 20 minutes I tried to get her to play – still dwelling on the fact that I had yelled earlier.
I told this all to my girlfriend who – with a straight face – suggested that I could always wake each one up in the middle of the night. At 2:00 a.m. I could wake Cole and the at 2:30 a.m. I could wake Anna Mae. Then they could really focus on the lesson without distraction, they would sleep longer in the morning, and I wouldn’t have to yell so much.
Good points – true, but I decided to stick to the original plan. This morning at 6:00 a.m. I got them all up and dressed and we had 30 minutes to play before the final push to get into the car. I didn’t even yell. Best part is that with the nice day, and a little fresh air – they were all in bed almost an hour early tonight — including their mom who fell asleep on the couch for an hour. “Yawn” – so much for getting anything done tonight – now I have to get up even earlier so I can get lunches made in the morning… If this keeps up it will be about two weeks before I have backed their schedule up to 2:00 a.m. for real… Suddenly I’m thinkin’ hot lunch and G_d help them if they don’t thank me for this someday… Somehow we both know they aren’t going to – are they?
8busyfeet 
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