Question
We home school our 11 and 8 year old sons. Have done so all the way through, except for one year of Christian school. We have been having problems especially with our 11-year-old, being grumpy, complaining about doing his schoolwork, and generally doing what you have stated about tween drama. For months now. He had one good month where he got his work done happily, and loved having extra time. We don't know why it reverted back to complaining-ville!
Speaking with authority has helped. But, recently we have been going through a lot: broken leg, lawsuit, my husband's health problems, a fall, a dryer fire, a family wedding, etc. We use a curriculum that is one of mostly independent learning (Robinson Curriculum), but the boys (especially the oldest) are still so high maintenance throughout each day: I feel tired, stressed, and depressed at times. How can I keep them on track and not let them "ruin" my day? How do I develop stronger leadership techniques? How do I strengthen myself so I do not let their emotions regulate mine? Thank you very much.
