Today, Soren had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I am so glad that he is in bed now. Even though he's not sleeping, bedtime is so peaceful. He doesn't complain at me constantly about how bored he is. Isn't that ironic? At the time when he has no options at all, he seems to be the most at peace.
I'm not sure what it is that he is so upset about lately. Although last year was awesome, this year homeschool is a battle. He is constantly "bored" and wishes that he could be doing something else. Although, when I assign those other things that he professes to want, they are boring, too.
Every day this summer was boring as well so it's not that more free time would solve that problem.
And he was epic-ly angry today, even though there was no school. After finishing his morning work, he wanted to earn some money to buy himself a Lego Airjitzu like Carl got for his birthday. So I gave him a list of chores he could do for one dollar apiece. But although he worked all morning, he almost didn't finish any chores.
He got bored with weeding in the garden.
He thought there were too many steps to cleaning the kitchen floor and threw the broom down in disgust.
He waited around for Scott to finish his bath so that he could clean the vanity but then threw a fit when Carl finished vacuuming the stairs (because he was "taking all the easy jobs").
He finally settled on changing the sheets for Sven's bed, which was done with many tears because they are large and hard to work with. Actually, Scott did most of it because we really wanted him to be successful at something.
When he ended the morning with only one dollar to show for himself, he burst into tears at the futility of it all. He had hoped to earn $11 in one morning and go to Wal-Mart this afternoon.
He complained bitterly during dinner that he was bored and his day had been a total waste. When I pointed out that bored was not the same as unhappy, he countered that he was unhappy and bored because there was nothing fun to do. Nothing! I asked if having the Airjitzu toy would make him happy and he (perceptively) said no, that he would only want something more. Ah! Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!
I hypothesize that he is just going through one of those regularly spaced bursts of development that makes him resist authority and limits. But it seems so much stormier than those of the past. I feel like I don't have any tools to help make things better; everything I do is wrong. It kind of hurts my feelings to have him recalcitrant and gloomy all the time. I'll just have to get over that.
OK, I should remember the good moments: when Soren and Carl were playing with Legos before breakfast this morning. When Scott was teaching Soren how to plan a youtube video about mathematics after breakfast. When Scott saved lunch by making peanut-butter sandwiches (Soren was about to have a fit over being forced to eat leftover pizza). When everyone was quiet and I took a nap this afternoon. When all the boys watched Scott build a Masonic temple in Minecraft after naptime. When I helped Soren with his personal prayers this evening and he asked God to bless him to have a better day tomorrow. And right now, when he is reading a book to Carl in a happy whisper.
I'm not sure what it is that he is so upset about lately. Although last year was awesome, this year homeschool is a battle. He is constantly "bored" and wishes that he could be doing something else. Although, when I assign those other things that he professes to want, they are boring, too.
Every day this summer was boring as well so it's not that more free time would solve that problem.
And he was epic-ly angry today, even though there was no school. After finishing his morning work, he wanted to earn some money to buy himself a Lego Airjitzu like Carl got for his birthday. So I gave him a list of chores he could do for one dollar apiece. But although he worked all morning, he almost didn't finish any chores.
He got bored with weeding in the garden.
He thought there were too many steps to cleaning the kitchen floor and threw the broom down in disgust.
He waited around for Scott to finish his bath so that he could clean the vanity but then threw a fit when Carl finished vacuuming the stairs (because he was "taking all the easy jobs").
He finally settled on changing the sheets for Sven's bed, which was done with many tears because they are large and hard to work with. Actually, Scott did most of it because we really wanted him to be successful at something.
When he ended the morning with only one dollar to show for himself, he burst into tears at the futility of it all. He had hoped to earn $11 in one morning and go to Wal-Mart this afternoon.
He complained bitterly during dinner that he was bored and his day had been a total waste. When I pointed out that bored was not the same as unhappy, he countered that he was unhappy and bored because there was nothing fun to do. Nothing! I asked if having the Airjitzu toy would make him happy and he (perceptively) said no, that he would only want something more. Ah! Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!
I hypothesize that he is just going through one of those regularly spaced bursts of development that makes him resist authority and limits. But it seems so much stormier than those of the past. I feel like I don't have any tools to help make things better; everything I do is wrong. It kind of hurts my feelings to have him recalcitrant and gloomy all the time. I'll just have to get over that.
OK, I should remember the good moments: when Soren and Carl were playing with Legos before breakfast this morning. When Scott was teaching Soren how to plan a youtube video about mathematics after breakfast. When Scott saved lunch by making peanut-butter sandwiches (Soren was about to have a fit over being forced to eat leftover pizza). When everyone was quiet and I took a nap this afternoon. When all the boys watched Scott build a Masonic temple in Minecraft after naptime. When I helped Soren with his personal prayers this evening and he asked God to bless him to have a better day tomorrow. And right now, when he is reading a book to Carl in a happy whisper.
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