Library books

After school yesterday, Toby asked a friend over. I gave them a 10-minute clean-up warning before it was time for her to go home. He opted not to use much of the 10 minutes for putting away toys, so he had a lot left to do after his friend was gone. He had his laundry to do, his checklist (homework, lunch, piano), and his contribution of cleaning the kitchen after dinner. There was much dawdling so he didn't get to bed until well past nine. Did not wake up to the alarm this morning. As I left for 7 o'clock yoga, Dan asked me if he should just let him sleep. I haven't really been able to let that one play all the way out yet. Hazel is everyone's alarm clock, Dan sent her in to Toby's room at some point.

Last night I asked Toby if he had come up with a solution to try for getting his piano books to class. He decided on his own that he would put them in my car before school. When I asked how he thought he would remember, he added it to his morning checklist. The glitch was that I had taken the car to yoga! I am bringing them today and am actually supposed to use Dan's car if he isn't (hybrid), so that shouldn't be a problem in the future.

Tuesday Toby forgot his school library book, so he didn't get to take out another one. He brought this up after school - I don't know if he took it to school today. I was at the public library yesterday and asked the childrens' librarian about chronic late-returners. She said they might have their borrowing privileges revoked. I told Toby about that later, but so far no movement toward getting those books back.

I think Toby and I are both starting to get used to "let me teach you" as my response whenever he asks me to do something for him. I have also been just doing the one piece of the task that is tough for him, and he does the rest. It feels like a bit of a rest from DNSN, and like a cooperative compromise.

I think it will take a long time of Not Reminding before he will do a lot of these things on his own. For 11 weeks, I can bear it, to see what changes can happen through the Program in that short period. Thinking of living in a mess for potentially years is brutal. Prioritizing long-term goals over short-term relief is tough.