Names and Questions

Pseudonyms: I have decided on some for the family.

DH = Jacobite. He chose it ages (years) ago as his handle, I see no reason to change it.
DS = Rebel… appropriate in so many ways.
DD = M’Lady. We call her ‘Ladybaby’ at home… and she is all girl. It seems an appropriate title for a DRAMA QUEEN!!

Now, Fe asked about not getting rid of naptime. Unfortunately, *I* was given that advice after Rebel outgrew it, so I never did do that with him. Luckily I was able to instigate quiet time… it works on the principle of giving him something quiet in his room. M’Lady will play quietly in her room quite happily. I just close the door… I will get interrupted occasionally, but I walk her back to it and let her sit in a small ‘reading nook’ I made for her.
A birdfeeder outside the window, quiet toys work well… and today it is a quiet TV show while I work in Rebel’s room on the computer.

The Quiet Time

A mother’s best friend is her quiet time… that time each day, whereupon she sends the children away for an hour or so, and allows herself time for prayer, or contemplation… or just quiet reading.

What? You don’t have a quiet time?
You should.
In fact, every homeschooling mother needs one.
They are fairly simple to start… you just never get rid of nap time.
Perhaps your children are older… and they have long since outgrown naptime.
I put it now, that you should re-introduce it. Maybe for 30 minutes a day and build up to an hour. Maybe start with an hour if your kids are old enough to tell the time. Anything goes for quiet time.

So long as it is quiet.
They can play Lego, or watch a DVD in their room… or read a book… or do their computer lessons… so long as it is quiet, it really doesn’t matter.

So what is the great thing about quiet time?

It is necessary. If you remember the times you bit the children’s heads off for being too loud, or the time you desperately needed some space or maybe you really want to finish that book, or learn some Latin, or review a lesson ahead of time or even read the Bible (or some other religious text you need to study in the alertness of day), then quiet time is the time to do it.

It seems that it has been known for quite a while… for The Mother’s Book speaks of an hour spent with the child as being equally necessary as that spent alone (equally necessary for you both)… and while I do not agree with everything the book says… I completely agree with this… there is never a day I feel so refreshed as those where the kids give me some time to myself… without having to resort to the bathroom.

I challenge you, in the best sense of hospitality to your family… keep you temper by using a little quiet time each day :)