How to Create Your Own Rhythm

To get your rhythm going, start with the rhythms of your year. What things happen every year (celebrations: birthdays, holidays, special family traditions) that you can predict. Block them out on a calendar.

Next, what happens weekly: chores (laundry, cleaning, baking, etc.), piano lessons, sports, therapist appointments, anything that happens every week and is somewhat predictable.

Now, what do you do daily: wake up, get dressed, make breakfast, chores (make beds, clean kitchen, etc.), return phone calls, lunch, preparation for dinner, dinner, anything that happens daily and is predictable.

Now, how does school fit into all of this. Oh and don't forget to plan time for planning for school, you will need it! Not only to plan your daily lessons, but also to prepare for those daily lessons!  Think about when your kids are at their best. Most kids do best in the morning with academics, yours could be different.

Last, plan your "school day": circle time, mental math, main lesson, break, lunch, quiet time, afternoon lessons such as painting, baking, playing recorder, handwork, etc. Block out how long you will spend on each thing and approximately when you will be doing it...what time that is.

Now you are on your way! You now have to implement this rhythm and guide your children along with you. It won't happen overnight.

Take baby steps. Start with breakfast, if it's usually "hit and run" (like it can be here), make a menu plan for breakfast so when you get up you can prepare breakfast and set a nice table for the kids.

Next week see if you can implement chore time (if it isn't a regular time at your house). And so on.

Be Flexible

Remember on my home page one of the things required to homeschool a child with bipolar disorder is flexibility?

Rhythm and flexibility can be at war, if you let them.

You will begin to see how important this rhythm is to your children, but it takes time.

Bipolar children need to know what's coming next but they often derail what's coming next with their behavior. Many days we are rolling along smoothly with school when my daughter begins to get frustrated and then takes her anger out on me by being rude or mean. I have learned to send her somewhere else in the house and continue with my son.

I refuse to be treated rudely, at least during school time!

When you find things like this happening, reach deep down into your inner strength and be FLEXIBLE! If that means you send them to their room and you go take a bubble bath, so be it! An hour later you can return to school. If you are still having school at 5pm, so what?

If you have to put it off until the next day....it's OK.

Find a mantra for yourself...."I am flexible because it helps me be treated kindly and respectfully."