Subvert your kids’ expectations
They expect to wake up to workbooks? Take them hiking. Do the workbooks in the woods, or skip the workbooks all together.
They expect to run errands? Stop at a park and play on the way.
They expect to clean the bathroom? Clean it for them while you pop in a DVD or set up their favorite online game.
They expect you to be grumpy? Tell a joke.
They expect to go to bed early? Stay up late.
They expect peanut butter and jelly? Bake chicken while they study.
They expect to recite facts? Ask them to recite lies (tell all the facts by lying about them).
They expect you to revise their papers? Ask them to revise your paper. Write one for that purpose.
They expect you to make them correct every math problem they get wrong? Let them make uncorrected mistakes today.
They expect to copy from a novel you selected? Let them pick something to copy that they select.
They expect to be read to? Today, everyone reads whatever they want during reading time.
They expect you to spend all morning “doing school”? Spend all morning playing Legos.
They expect the same old thing? Change it up, get out of the house, explore a new place, try different foods, play a new game, watch a movie, throw a party, go on a bike ride.
It’s great to have a reliable routine.
It’s also great to break it.
