I have a commitment problem —not with people but with following my own plans. I know myself well enough to recognize that I need change to stay motivated. Doing the same thing day after day for months burns me out.

I also tend to like structure to my days and weeks. My kids thrive on structure and it is the only way I will get all the things I need to get done.

So how do I reconcile my need for change with my family’s need for structure?

One thing I am attempting this year is to do 6 weeks of school and then take a week off. I talked about this plan in an earlier post, but at that point, it was just a plan; I had yet to see how it would play out. Now that I am living it, I LOVE it!

We are taking the week off from school this week and my goal is to use the time to refresh, refocus for our next term, and just let everyone enjoy the break.

Today we spent most of the day outside. The opportunity to enjoy beautiful fall weather with nothing to rush back to was so fun. We were the only people at the park all morning.

The kids would say we hiked, but I am pretty sure that a stroll up a hill doesn’t quite qualify as hiking. They loved it, though. They collected leaves and stones and talked about kinds of birds.

I think this plan of regular time off is exactly what I need to be successful. I can focus, work hard, and deal with the monotony for 6 weeks knowing there is a break in the near future. I am excited to spend the rest of the week having fun with my kids.

The break will also allow me to take time to look at this school year’s progress to see what has or hasn’t been working, then make a plan for our next term. I will probably get a few household projects done around the house that I have put off, so it won’t be all play. But just knowing we have the freedom to do whatever we feel like doing is exciting!