Ahead of the Game

Summer break is officially over.  I must say that this has been one of the best summers yet, especially now that Jackson can walk, run, and climb with just a little bit of help.  As he is much more adventurous now, every day was entertaining and full of new experiences.  Jackson also reminded me to get as much as I can out of each day and try to fill every minute with a love of life.  Not all of these moments may have been peachy-keen, but whatever emotion Jackson was feeling, he felt it and expressed it with his whole heart.

With these lovely, magical memories fresh in my mind, and the new school year beginning this week, I know that I want to--and need to--make the most of my time at home with Jackson.  Therefore, I have mapped out ways to make this transition from summer to school year as smooth as possible.

The first thing I did was only work on planning and create resources while Jackson was napping or at night when he went to bed.  This isn't to say that I worked every night this summer, but I did work a lot to get as much done for this year to free-up my nights and weekends.  Thankfully, I am teaching the grade (year group in the U.K.) for the second year in a row.  This is the first time that I have been able to do this and it is saving me a lot of planning time that I probably would have needed had I been moved to a new class.

Another way I prepared for this school year was I made cleaning part of my daily routine and didn't procrastinate so much with the household chores.  I loathe cleaning; but by just doing a little dusting or vacuuming here and there every day, I could see it adding up by the end of each week to really pay off and keep my house looking spick-and-span.  I used to wait until the weekend to do everything and I ended up having way too much to do.  Hopefully, I can keep going with this new routine when I start back to work.

The last idea I had for working ahead was to lay-out the outfits for Jackson and myself every evening to make sure everything is pressed and complete.  This will save me a lot of time in the mornings and any episodes of panic.  I had visions of doing this in the past and it never panned-out, but hopefully I can make it part of the daily schedule and my motivation for more family time will override my procrastinating tendencies.

In doing all of these little 'life hacks,' I am hoping to of course maximise my time with my family when I am at home; but, these should also have a knock-on effect of making me more patient, more ready for any incidents that come our way (see autumn 2016's blogs to see how abysmal things got for us), and more available for visits with friends.  I think this is going to be a good year.

Any other time-saving tips that you have would be much appreciated!  Feel free to add your ideas in the comments below.

Playing at KidzCove in Maghull with his pal, Ralph

They looked so cool that Thora and I decided that we are going to be 'momagers' for their boy band

Loving the wind through his hair

Catching some air on this really slippery slide

At the last minute, deciding to throw himself forward and go head-first down the slide

A gorgeous day at Hesketh Park

Running up and down the hill--and stumbling over every tree root!  He manages to catch his balance ninety-nine percent of the time.

Putting on a show--it must be a Shakespearean drama or tragedy this time

Getting to play on the 'big kid' toys.  We did go to the park with his little friend, Penny, but they were rarely in the same place at the same time for a photo.  These toddlers are really fast!

Finally riding the 'choo choo' and sitting in his own seat

Playing with his pal, Ethan, at his family's barbecue today

Developmental updates:  Jackson's new words this week were 'bucket,' 'good boy,' and 'cake.'  He got to experience what life will be like in the 2-3 Year-Old class this week at his nursery.  He only went in from Tuesday to Thursday while I set-up my classroom, but for an hour all of those days, he got to play with the 'big kids.'  When I picked him up on Thursday, he was having so much fun pushing around a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe that when he saw me, he kept playing.  (That was a first.)  I am really excited for him to move on to the bigger classroom where he will have more space, bigger toys, and older children to challenge him.  In some of the photos, you may notice a significant mark on Jackson's nose.  He had a big fall on our concrete patio last Sunday and scraped his nose and upper lip.  He also grazed his forehead, but that didn't leave a mark.  There is still a remnant of a scab today, but he is recovering nicely and luckily, there was no permanent damage done.

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.