Social Director

Spence is the social director for our family. Every morning he wants to know what day it is, where we're going, who's coming over, etc. So now he has his very own calendar. This has eliminated some of the questioning but has also created new ones. Like "Hey mom, what does t-r-p say?" Which leads to an explanation of reading from left to right. "That's really a-r-t. It's art. "
"Mom! What does e-l-y-o-m say?" Uhhh....Crap, I have to get up now and check the calendar myself. "Oohhh, thats m-o-v-i-e. Remember to start on this side of the word. And that's an i not an l and a v not a y." And so went my day. We've now scheduled in computer days, movie days, art days, and x-box days (those are the days when I'm gone!). He checks to see which days are pre-school days and special holidays. We've also set up a night when he gets to stay up later than Sophie and have a snack and play a game with me and Jason. It's been great to have some of his 'addictions' regulated to only certain days and forces me to remember to do the extra things like art and games. Sounds pathetic to think that I do better at that when it's actually scheduled but it's the truth. So once a week we update his calendar for the following week and at least 6 times a morning he runs over to check out what the day has planned for him, and the next day, and the next. We're all loving it.

Jason made the calendar template at work and the frame out of old barn wood. I painted the chalkboard and am trying to decide about painting the frame. Any one interested in one? I have a green frame that measures 28" x 22" and the board would be about 24" x 18". I had once planned on making some to sell on Etsy but really? Like I'm good with follow through!

Since he's not filling his day with 14 movies in a row followed by 6.3 hours of pbskids.org (a slight exaggeration but really its amazing how many times I mindlessly answer "yes," to "can I play on the computer?" forgetting that he just watched 2 cartoons and a movie) he's now spending more time doing this...