More to blog about than I thought

Wednesday and Thursday disappeared into a fog of grumpiness.  We have trouble with the focus.  Not news.
I'm considering what it takes to get things moving on a bad day. 
Incentives like more computer privileges can only take us so far.  They're great motivators, but I don't like them spending too much time in the computers/video games.  They will choose those over friends and playing outside.  And I really don't want them missing these beautiful fall days. 
Little gifts are nice, but I don't want to be encouraging materialism.  They already get plenty of allowance-earning opportunities.  Maybe earning points towards a purchase they'll greatly value?  Like points towards a 3DS or board game they've been wanting. 
Trips to the library are good breaks in a bad day.

I still need to reconcile the difference between productive and educational activities and the pressures of a very full curriculum.  I really hate skipping lessons.  I want them to benefit from the material.  Certain subjects are "more important" than others.  Math and Language arts really need focus.  But social studies and art are particularly important to me, as a liberal arts major in college and a working artist.  Science goes without saying, they all love it, it's important for any possible career they've ever expressed interest in. 

Face it, I've always bought into the idea that all these subjects are very very important.  I grew up in a family that valued education.  I've seen how much of an advantage it gives economically.  I love seeing the things I've learned as they apply to the real world.  Any time somebody says "When will I ever use this in my real life?" I've always thought, ummm ok, math is good in cooking, when analyzing information to make decisions, grocery shopping, keeping your bank stuff straight, planning a home or yard project...  Or listening to current events, the history I know is always coming back and helping me understand...  I can see science in every little technological innovation, in cooking, everywhere...  And you can't communicate anything at all without vocabulary, grammar, paragraph organization and composition skills.

How could any of it be useless?

So far we're doing ok.  Not ahead, not behind, on track.  And that's more than good enough.
"But wouldn't it be nice to be a little ahead?"  The nagging little voice says in my head.
I tell it to stop.  We'll do what we do and enjoy ourselves.