Back to school blues

My kids were singing the blues today. Bigtime. They have gotten way too used to heading outside whenever they please, going to the beach or pool atleast once a week, flopping on the couch with a book whenever they please, and other such things that are very fun and summer like, but lead to the following:

1. One boy forgot how to do long division- in 4 weeks. Forgot.
2. One girl says she can't write. One word was just too hard for her to copy.
3. One boy learned the hard way that I meant it when I said if you complain about your work you don't get to watch Wild Kratts, the beloved 5 pm show.
4. One boy learned that you don't tell mama you don't know what to do with yourself or you will be sent to clean the bathroom.
5. One boy learned that you don't refuse to help with dinner on your helper day because that means mama won't have time to make the dessert you were hoping for.
6. One girl learned (I hope)that it's okay if your "little line" for the letter F is more like a "big line" and you can just keep practicing.

...and other such fun.

What I learned is that
1. I need to be WAY more prepared to give Peter TONS of work each day. That boy is motivated when he has tasks set before him and I didn't have nearly enough to keep him inspired or challenged today! We're talking about a kids who, at age 9, talks about ways that he can finish high school and college early so he can get into law school. I still think he's gonna be a preacher, but law school can be a great stepping stone for that :)
2. Ella needs lots of positive reinforcement. She is such a SWEET and SENSITIVE girl and just crumbles when she doesn't make her letters properly.
3. Teshome needs to be BUSY too! What is it with these boys? They just get right to the task, no doodling or fooling around. Unless of course they get away from their seats because I take too long to get them going on the next thing. Then there will be wrestling and all sorts of mayhem.
4. Kate is really growing up. She did a great job today diving into her new work with such excitement and diligence.
5. Maddie is a super fun girl, but she is just not into school. Lord willing, tomorrow I can get her to write A WORD without more tears.
6. And now, after doing pilates, practicing my guitar, and eating my precious quarter cup of Trader Joe's dark chocolate covered almonds, I am going to have a glass of wine and try to come up with a plan to make tomorrow a better day; a day of singing something other than the blues.