Homeschooling with a newborn

[visitor]

Dear all, how do you homeschool with a newborn ( lack of sleep and breastfeeding during the day) I really feel its difficult to organize my day . I took a holiday of 2 weeks and really need to start homeschooling my other kids . DS2 (6 years) needs routine and structure and not homeschooling is not an option for him.

[Mrs.Wilson]

We use curriculum that can be done independently (Rod and Staff) and use youtube and independent reading for history and science videos.  

[mykidsrmyjoy]

Just focus on getting the basics (math, reading, language arts) done each day. If you need to cut corners, cut out extras such as science and history, especially for the younger grades. Use nursing sessions for reading aloud, and use the time when baby is napping to do as much as possible. We use a lot of CLE which is fairly open and go and easy to do independently.

[Guest]

Mabrouk for the new baby!

 

When I had a baby, I'd already gotten my older kids in the habit of doing math, la, reading (as in free reading) and daily documentary viewing every single day. I lucked out because I was all set to have the two months surrounding the birth be our vacation, but they just kept doing it because I hadn't told them they could stop haha.

 

But so the routine for your 6y/o could be not-school. It could be breakfast...wash dish...brush teeth...bring Mama three picture books... play for an hour...watch the magic schoolbus...play a short game together... Listen to an audiobook while helping you prepare lunch and eat it...then whatever he always does in the afternoon.

 

I'm going to put on my bossy hat here and insist that two weeks is not long enough. I mean, you have, presumably, to attend to your other kids on a basic level, but it's NOT YET time to be doing things like before, just with a baby in tow now!!

 

Bossy hat, off :) take it easy. Institute a "taking it easy" routine.

[happypamama]

Be gentle on yourself. If two weeks isn't enough, take more. Focus on the most important subjects only.

 

We are planning for two weeks off when our baby arrives in March because that's usually been enough. If we need more time, we will take more time, although I will probably insist that my 6th and 9th graders work on whatever they can independently because it matters more what they complete. My 2nd grader and Ker -- I'll focus on reading with and to them, math for the 2nd grader, and SOTW as allowed.

 

One thing I never do is waste infant sleeping time. If I need a nap then, I take it, and that's not wasted. But if the baby is sleeping (usually in a wrap on my chest), I don't use that time for reading aloud. I use it for projects and hands-on teaching that requires two hands. I save reading aloud and possibly math for when I'm nursing the baby and have only one hand easily available. In some ways, a newborn is easy because it's so much forced sitting that I have more time for reading aloud. I find toddlers harder for homeschooling because they don't sleep much and their ideas of self entertainment don't always match mine.

 

Do you have a good carrier? If not, I highly recommend one.

 

Easy meals if need be. What's most important? Baby gets fed, changed, and held. Other kids have something to eat and something to wear. You eat and get some showers and some naps as needed. If all that is good, then some reading gets done. Then some math. (Switch those of your child needs more math than reading.). Dishes and other subjects are after those things. Buy paper plates if need be, or have your spouse listen to the new readers read in the evenings.

 

If all is falling apart, or you're exhausted, take advantage of technology. Science videos, audio books, Khan Academy, Starfall, storylineonline, the documentaries that are hard to fit in, geography and math games, playlists of age-appropriate musical performances (when my third child was born, my older two were 3 and 6, and they got really into children's classical music stuff in that time), whatever. If you can get outside a bit or can send the older kids into your yard for a bit, give them paper and colored pencils and tell them to find two or three things to draw, and then have them tell you about them or let them look them up in nature journals. Whatever keeps everyone busy and happy and has any educational value. It's all good.

 

If you have friends or family around, make a list of things they can do that would help you, whether that's "swept the floor" or "read X book to the older kids" or "help older kid with math." (My dad is a former AP math teacher, so I'd have no problem asking him to do that.)

 

Routine can be different for a while, and I'm on my phone so I can't see who else you have in addition to the 6yo. It might look like: feed and change baby, put baby in swing/carrier and make breakfast, start a load of laundry, feed and change baby while reading with 6yo, put baby in carrier, switch laundry, do math with 6yo, feed and change baby, make lunch, put audio book or video on for 6yo, nap with baby, and so on. I usually have a rough plan in my head for what is most crucial during the next feeding session and the next nap session.

 

I also find that it gets easier at the two or three month mark. Even my infants who woke a lot at night mostly slept about three hours between night nursings, and that was easier on me than every hour or two. And they would easily sleep two or three hours straight in a wrap during the day, so I could do a lot more. Plus I was largely recovered. So hang in there, and put whatever you need to on hold right now.

[Guest]

Well, my newborns are now 10yo and 13yo, but here's what I did with my four school-aged kids when the 10yo and 13yo were each born:

 

Focus on music and art and PE, which happened to be the subjects that we most would skip otherwise.

 

Art appreciation was reading through the Usborne Story of Art, picture study, etc.

 

Art lessons were video lessons from How Great Thou Art. Largely done independently.

 

Music appreciation was Meet the Great Composers. Listen to sample music, listen to story of the musician, do fun activity.

 

Music lessons was on the computer with Music Ace software. This taught them to read music, and they would play around with composing their own music.

 

PE... lots of time outside. That was when they accidentally dug up my septic tank when they were digging for buried treasure. :/

 

The math waited. The grammar waited. The science waited. The history waited.

 

This lasted about 2-3 months, then we would get back into the heavier academics. Incidentally, those older kids are now in college and doing just fine. (Three are in college, one is a high school junior.) I am happy to report that no long-term issues resulted from the aforementioned method. (LOL)

Edited October 28, 2016 by Kinsa

[visitor]

Thanks all I really appreciate your advices . I just bought a carrier . I hope that will help as well .

[visitor]

Thanks Okbud for your lovely bossy hat :-) . How many weeks of do you recommand ?

[Guest]

I just use a bouncy chair and pause as needed. With a six year old it's more structuring play with a little learning anyway, so that helps. I'd be switching between 20-30 minute box activities (Legos, puzzles, even paints if he isn't terribly messy), screen time judiciously, and meals in between. Newborns are such a cakewalk, it's really a matter of just having a hand free to bounce or nurse as needed and directing whoever needs it from the couch. It's when they start moving around or wanting actual interaction beyond basic snuggles that things can get tricky :lol:

 

If you must do actual school subjects keep them light - reading a short book chapter, phonogram practice, a short fifteen minute math lesson. Just fit these in when the baby has been nursed and is napping for short spurts.

Edited October 28, 2016 by Arctic Mama

[Guest]

Thanks Okbud for your lovely bossy hat :-) . How many weeks of do you recommand ?

25 days minimum. And as long as you need after that.

 

REALLY I think women should do nothing but rest, eat, and walk around for a month after, holding the baby constantly. But for some weird reason even when I wear my boss hat no one takes my advice that way lol

[Noreen Claire]

Congrats on the new baby!

 

The new baby here is 12 days old. We also took 2 weeks off of, and we are all going back to our routines on Monday. (DH took 2 weeks off of work - woot!) I will have the newborn, 2yr old, 4yr old, and 7yr old at home with me. I decided before school started that the 2nd grader would only do cursive, spelling, math, and fun reading, all things that he can do mostly independently, until after the holidays. We will add in language arts, history, and science in January, after we have gotten the hang of having a baby in the house.

 

Sometimes the 4yr old wants to do school work so I have work available, if he wants it, but I'm not worried if he doesn't. He wasn't interested in phonics lessons, so I will try again in January but, still, no hurry. I also have 'school' for the toddler, which is mostly busy work (small puzzles, stamps & ink, stickers, button sorting, etc.) but keeps him out of trouble while DS7 works. School lasts from 8-9:30am right now.

 

In January, quiet time will be when DS7 will do his other subjects that will require my help. For right now, the 4 & 7yr old will watch 'educational' tv/dvds during quiet time so that I can nap w/the baby & toddler. Occasionally, we borrow age-appropriate tablets from the library that are pre-loaded with apps & games for quiet time, and each kid has his own headphones.The boys also enjoy listening to audio books from the library, each with their headphones, as well. 

[maize]

I'm with OKBud on you needing to rest, but I also understand the older kids needing structure.

 

One approach would be to set up a workbox system of some kind, stuff they can do independently and just go from one box or file to the next.

 

Another would be to make yourselves a loop schedule, spend a couple of hours each morning doing the next thing on the schedule. Doesn't really matter how much you get done each day, just start with the next thing on the schedule the next day.

 

Congratulations on the new little one and good luck!

Edited October 29, 2016 by maize

[visitor]

Thanks Maize , we already have been starting with HS . The kids were very happy with that . I bought a carrier and it was very nice homeschooling while the baby was with us. I felt I needed more rest, but the kids really needed structure.

[Loesje22000]

No experience,

 

Just glad to see you back online...

 

:grouphug:

[mamiof5]

Congrats on the new baby!!! I don't have much advice to add, but wanted to congratulate you.

 

And, another vote for taking more time off. I know eve is different, but it takes me a month after birth to start feeling somewhat normal. As others said, technology. Lots of educational shows and videos.

[MotherGoose]

I took off four weeks. My kids did continue with coop and other activities so there was some structure. And they were 9 and 6. One thing that helped a lot was getting the 9 year old to continue working when I left the room. My 6 yo was pretty mature and could usually stay in the room, but it seems like both of yours are younger than mine were, so taking middle with you to keep him or her from distracting oldest who might be able to work independently could help.

[visitor]

No experience,

 

Just glad to see you back online...

 

:grouphug:

 

Thanks Loesje I am also happy to see you  :grouphug:

[Hobbes]

I took off two weeks and then jumped back in. We only spend the mornings on school and the routine is good for all of us. I stuck to the basics, had the 6 + 8 yo girls switch off playing with the toddler, and sat a lot near the table, nursing the baby while I taught. It worked well. I didn't do much in way of extras for a while.

 

In March, it's cold and wet here and all the free time in the house was making everyone stir crazy. It actually lowered my stress level when we got occupied with schoolwork again.