I have often been known to ask: 1. Is your hair on fire? 2. Are you standing in a pool of blood? 3. No? Then you shouldn't be interrupting. :lol:

But that's the thing...while I'm supervising him with something he gets out to do, the other two seem to self-destruct. Or, they complain that with him in the room doing "stuff," they can't concentrate because of his constant prattle. But if I put him in a different room, he is not supervised. If I go to a different room with him to supervise him, the other two self-destruct. And round and round it goes.

I didn't mean to imply that I don't want to work! I'm just trying to figure out how to work smarter. :)

Never mind. I added what I had said here to my original post.

After homeschooling for almost a year now, I've come to the conclusion that homeschooling my three boys (ages almost-10, 8 and almost-4) is going to be even harder than I thought. I've read lots of strategies for managing multiple kids of different ages and aptitudes. Most of them revolve around working individually with one, while the others either a) work on stuff they can do independently or b) entertain each other. These strategies usually don't work, because no one seems to be able to do anything independently for more than about 5 minutes at a time. It seems like the only one getting any work done is the one that I am sitting with, actively involved with what they are doing. And even then, we are interrupted constantly by the other two. If I'm working with one boy and the other (school age) boy is trying to work independently, we are constantly interrupted by the second boy's questions and the preschooler's needs. If I'm working with one boy and the other (school age) boy is trying to entertain the preschooler, it is very rare that they will just play together and leave us alone. Either they can't agree on what to do, or the preschooler gets hurt/clingy/bored etc., or the boy trying to entertain him isn't really trying because he has his own agenda. And don't even mention trying to get an older boy to try to teach the preschooler or read to him. They just won't or can't. Whaaaaaaat can I do? Because of all this, our school days drag on and on and on...and we STILL don't seem to accomplish much! ETA: I am aware of the concept of "busy boxes" for preschoolers. But I just can't see pouring hours and hours (and who knows how much money) into setting these up, when they will occupy him independently for all of five minutes, during which time he will get all the stuff out and drag it all over the house, creating chaos and necessitating more time spent on cleanup and/or trying to get him to clean it up.

We're a new homeschooling family this year, and have been thoroughly enjoying Classical Conversations. I know it gets mixed reviews on these boards, but for me, it's the structure and support that I need in order to work this miracle called homeschooling. Anyway...my oldest boy, age 9, is in the afternoon Essentials class. This has been an eye-opener for me. From sitting in class with him, I've come to realize that this boy just does not pay attention. He's bright, and he's caught on to the grammar and *some* of the IEW concepts pretty quickly as we've worked through them at home. However, when we are in class he is in a different world. He's either drawing, whispering with a friend, or both. The tutor will give instructions for the kids to do something, and he has no idea. Several times each class period, I ask him: did you hear what she just asked you to do? And he'll be like, "no..." in a tone of voice like Knowing What Is Going On is an unreasonable expectation. Part of this has to do with the tutor's style. She doesn't really make sure that people are paying attention. However, I've also observed him in other contexts enough to know that it's not only true in Essentials. So my question, I guess, is WWYD? Is this just a 9yo boy thing that he will mature out of? Or is there anything proactive I could do to help him remember to stay engaged? Poking him and saying "pay attention" doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere.

Thanks for the replies so far. Regarding the suggestions to sit with him and talk him through things---when I try to do that, he tells me that I am distracting him and that he can't focus with me at the table. I will try the whiteboard idea. Maybe a change of scenery with me holding the book and him telling me what to write on the board (or writing it himself) could give him a little jolt in the right direction. I also think a reward for doing a page within a time limit could work.

This kid will sit there and doodle and sing, sing and doodle, talk, ask questions, draw, color with his pencil, make big dark blobs with his pencil so he can rub his finger on them and make fingerprints, shove his pencil into the comb binding of his math text so that it gets stuck and he has to get it out, shove his pencil into his shirt sleeve until it would have made a hole in his shirt had I not noticed what we was doing and stopped him, sing some more, talk some more...ANYTHING but just do the freaking math problems in front of him. As I type, he's been sitting there for about an hour and has completed one page with only four word problems and four "puzzle corner" problems. He is now drawing a 3-D apple. I try to get him to do 3 pages per day, which would take 30 minutes or less if he would just do them. It's not that he can't do the problems. He just "can't concentrate" (his words). If I hover, he says that "makes it even harder to concentrate." This is a boy who can concentrate for hours if he is building or drawing something. He can also sit quietly through a sermon at church---so his "attention deficit" seems to be selective. We are using Math Mammoth, which is designed to be done fairly independently. You read the text that presents the concept (we usually read it together), then do the practice exercises which usually begin in a way that guides the student gradually to do the problems independently. I try to preview the day's work ahead of time, so that I'll know when I need to touch base with him before he tries to do the exercises. Do I need to try a different curriculum? Or should I just Love & Logic it, and let him sit there as long as he chooses to sit there?

I just started HSing my 3rd grader and 2nd grader this year. Up until this fall, nobody had required them to form their letters and numbers in any particular way. Because of this, they form many of their letters in ways that I consider to be "incorrect." Circles go clockwise instead of counter clockwise, many letters start from the bottom etc. I haven't focused on this much with my 3rd grader, because at least his writing is legible. With my 2nd grader, however, I've really emphasized handwriting because his is atrocious. We started doing Pentime in the fall and have worked through the first and part of the second book. He also does copywork, and I have required him to practice certain letters over and over and over and over the correct way, to try to correct some of his habits. The number "2" seems to be the most stubborn. He ALWAYS starts it at the bottom unless he is reminded. It's really hard for me to have time to sit with him and monitor his every stroke whenever he writes, including when he does his math work. I've been making him erase and rewrite the number 2 every time he starts it from the bottom, which has become discouraging and frustrating for both of us. I've had him write whole rows of 2s---50 at a time. Still, the habit persists. So I begin to wonder: should I just let it go?

To those of you who have subscribed to Discovery Education Streaming Plus, have you found programs on it that you feel are appropriate for preschool age kids? I know it's targeted primarily at kindergarten and up, but with just a little poking around, we have found a few things that I think my 3yo could enjoy...there are some Clifford videos, Magic School Bus...what else? Do you have any favorites that you can fire up while you're working with your older kids, to keep the littles out of your hair for a bit? LOL

Storyland is closer, but neither is very far. I don't think I want to use Storyland as motivation...because what if something happened and we weren't able to go to it? So I'm thinking Cog on Sunday then Storyland Monday---weather and all other circumstances permitting.

Oh man, this is so hard! Too much to fit in! I'm thinking the two can't miss options are the Cog and Storyland (the Flume sounds really great too, but since we're traveling with my mom in her 70s, I think the "less active" options are probably better for this trip). So here are the possibilities as I see it: 1. Leave Vermont morning of the 12th, stop along the way and do the Cog. Overnight at Purity Springs Resort south of Conway. Visit Storyland on the 13th (Columbus Day, the last day they are open) and have a nice full day there. Pro: full day at Storyland. Con: don't get to do the Weather Discovery Center. 2. Leave Vermont morning of the 12th, get to Storyland by noonish and spend the rest of the day there. Visit the Mt. Washington Weather Discovery Center morning of the 13th, then go on up and do the Cog that afternoon. Pro: Get to do the Weather Discovery Center. Con: only 1/2 day at Storyland and danger of my kids turning on me on the 13th because they would rather go back to Storyland than ride some dumb train (which, no matter how cool it is, will NOT be cool if they get it in their heads that it's not cool). What do you think?

Thanks for all the advice! I'm beginning to think that we're really going to wish we had more time in NH. I was wondering...given that we only have about a day and a half there (driving from VT the morning of the 12th and staying south of Conway for 2 nights), what should I prioritize? I was thinking of doing the Cog on the 12th, then continuing on down to where we are staying and then laying low on the 13th. But we *could* add an outing on the 13th. Should I forget about the Cog and do one of the other things mentioned above? Or go ahead with the Cog but add one of your suggestions?

It's been discussed here before, but I'm looking for fresh strategies. :) So I put a big honking whiteboard down in our den/family room, since a) it's the only room with that much wall space and b) didn't want our "formal" living room (such as it is) to look like a school room. The problem is that at other times of day, our den/family room is basically a mosh pit. Can you see where this is going? I'm trying to do some kind of lesson at the whiteboard (we only do this once or twice a day, just whenever it seems like the whiteboard would come in handy), and I've got sofa cushions and pillows everywhere, people arguing over who gets to recline where, kids rolling around on the floor, bringing down bedding from their beds, etc. (ok, not that many kids---just three, and only two of them are school age but the 3yo is usually in the mix). So today, for our short memory work review session in which I wanted to use the whiteboard, I told them the sofa was off limits and they needed to sit on the floor, crisscross applesauce. I know that this concept is not unfamiliar to them. Could they do it? Nope. And then the sillies began. You know what I'm talking about...I can't even remember the details, except that it culminated in me yelling really loudly at my 7yo. Oh yeah. We were having to discuss the specifics of how he should sit crisscross applesauce. Can I do it like this? Like this? How about this? I ended up sending him away, telling him we would add the rest of the memory work on to the end of his school day. What do I have to do...break out some carpet squares a la preschool? Thanks for your suggestions.

Has anyone here ever taken their kids on the Mt. Washington Cog Railway in NH? We are planning a trip to New England next month and I think this railway would be super cool, BUT I know that it could end up being a disastrous waste of over $200 (me + grandma + 3 kids) if my kids aren't prepped well for it. Last fall (before we were homeschooling) we did the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, and one of my kids in particular (age 6 at the time) just hated it. It was boring, it was cold, he was hungry, there wasn't much to do at the end of the line (besides stand in the loooooooong line for the bathroom) before we went back, he was tired, whine whine complain complain I never want to do this again. I really think that with the right preparation, he might have enjoyed it...but it was frankly much different from what I had expected, resulting in poor preparation. How can I make this (the cog) a fun learning experience, instead of a cold, boring afternoon of whining? My kids' ages are 9, 7 and 3. All boys. I see some ideas on their website for how a trip up Mt. Washington can supplement lessons in science, math and history: http://www.thecog.com/cog_field_trip.php. Looks like topics could include green energy, solar power, climate, geology, physics, standard/metric conversions, geometry, the Industrial Revolution etc. But my question, as a brand new homeschooling mom (been doing it for a week now, lol!), is what are some engaging lessons or "units" I can do beforehand on one or more of these topics, to give my kids context for what they will see/hear on their way up and at the top of the mountain? Any curriculum suggestions? Age-appropriate books we could read together on these topics? I'm not very good yet at putting things together myself. Also, does anyone have an idea for some sort of "learning mission" they could do at the top, during the hour that we're up there? Thanks.

OP here. Wow, thanks for all the replies! Didn't think this would be a hot topic. :) To answer a few questions, we have three kids: 9, 7 and 3. It's the 9yo of course that wants to read ahead. And I don't think it's that he doesn't enjoy family reading time; it's just that he gets bored hearing a book that he's already read, and he's tired so he wants to go to bed. I know, have it earlier. I'm working on that. :) As for giving him other books to read: When I say he's "advanced," I mean he's more advanced than his brother---maybe not truly advanced. I'm not sure. But if I just throw a bunch of books at him, even if I think they are well chosen and appropriate for his reading level, he doesn't really dive in. I almost think he needs me to read the first chapter or so, until he's invested in the plot, THEN he wants to read it by himself. Otherwise, he wants to content himself with Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes or those Minecraft novels that keep getting cranked out. :/ But I could be wrong. Maybe I need to find lots and lots more books, which would be at a slightly easier level for him so he can jump right in. I'm trying to think of what that level would be. Do any of you have recommendations of books at, say, a 3rd/4th grade level that would suck him right in if I turned him loose with them? Would the Percy Jackson series be appropriate? I've heard they contain "adult" topics so I've shied away a bit, but I've also heard that the adult topics pretty much go over their heads so it's all good. I'm sure he could get into Harry Potter, but I kinda want to do those together so we can talk through our beliefs about some of the topics raised.

I keep starting books with the family, and at the end of the first reading session with each book, my 9yo keeps taking the book upstairs, finishing it, and no longer wanting to join us when we are reading the rest of the book aloud as a family. Should I just let him leave, and try to give him more things to read independently? Or should I ask him to stay with us even though he's finished the book on his own? Or should I forbid him to read ahead? (I'm not really serious about that one...I think.) Thanks!

Yeah. I think I will do the same. :)

I've been soaking in a lot of advice around here, trying to combine it all into the Perfect Schedule for my three boys. Ha. We are starting this Tuesday, day after Labor Day. My kids' ages are 9, 7 and 3. I want to give attention to my 3yo early in the day, since people say the littles do better if they've already had one on one time with mom. I want to not wait too late in the day to do math, since people say it's hard for kids to focus on math late in the day. I want to include a Bible/worldview curriculum that includes Scripture memory and character development. I want to not do too much, just starting out. I want to let my kids deschool a bit...(hence the waiting until after Labor Day to start)... but... I also don't want to just let it all go. I want my kids to know that learning at home requires effort. So, without further ado, I present my First Pass Homeschool Schedule. Please critique. :) Before school: up, coffee, exercise, shower, make DH's lunch, make breakfast, eat, clean up, get a load of laundry in. Big Boys do morning jobs including unloading the dishwasher, putting away some laundry, putting away their toys and junk, tidying up their desks, wiping toilets etc. 9am: School starts with Bible time. Options include the daily reading from the One-Year Chronological Bible, Apologia's Who Is God, AWANA Scripture memory and We Choose Virtue cards. We won't do all of those every day, obviously. 9:30: Classical Conversations memory work review. Hopefully to include games, songs, and general goofiness. Maybe even a "memory walk" as weather permits. 10:00: Big Boys work on math, hopefully somewhat independently, while I read to or otherwise engage Mr. 3yo. I anticipate flitting back and forth, though, to help the Big Boys as needed. We'll be using Math Mammoth, which from what I understand allows students to work reasonably independently. Here's hoping. 11:00: Read aloud time. Hopefully this will include some history to elaborate on whatever we're doing that week in CC, as well as some good fiction. 3yo will hopefully sit in on this without being too disruptive. 12:00: Lunch, "recess" with our neighbors who also homeschool. Or free time to play the piano or work on Lego projects. 1:00: Big Boys read independently while I put 3yo down for a nap and get a cup of coffee. 1:30: Language Arts. 9yo will be doing CC Essentials, and 7yo is still somewhat up in the air but options include First Language Lessons, Writing with Ease, Pentime, sitting in on 9yo work, and/or just reading. 2:30: This is where I feel like I need to fit in "everything else..." science, art, music, PE...how do you incorporate these subjects, and how often? I'm looking for advice on this. I may let them slide for the first couple of weeks, but I don't want to let them slide indefinitely. 3:30: Done with school and free to play or do their chores. Whenever they get their chores done, they can play video games for a bit. I try to keep this under an hour. Depending on when the 3yo wakes up, we may go run an errand. I guess I also have to make dinner. The above is of course a loose schedule, subject to stretching or condensing depending on how things go. Though I have it blocked off in hours, I don't necessarily think we will fill each hour entirely with the subject assigned to it. If we finish before an hour is up, we can all take a break. And when do I get my stuff done? Well...I'm hoping that I can get a load of laundry in before we start in the morning each day, clean up the dishes after each meal, and sneak in small tasks here and there when we have a break or whatever. The boys take care of a decent amount of the house cleaning when they do their chores. What I worry about most is my "desk work..." paying bills, keeping our budget up to date, taking care of correspondence, meal planning, shopping etc. Hopefully I'll squeeze that in for a bit each day after school is done and before the little guy wakes up. We'll see. What do you think? Is this a train wreck waiting to happen? ;)

I'm generally not a fan of screen time for little kids. However, when my DH is home and I'm cooking dinner, taking a shower or whatever, DH has a habit of letting our 3yo use the iPad to watch little kid shows, or surf YouTube (with his guidance of course) for videos of construction vehicles, animals, etc. I'm just wondering if there are more productive things that DH could give the little guy to do on the iPad other than be passively entertained. I understand that there is no substitute for real life learning with real people, and that reading books to him would be a much better choice, but the reality is that there are times (often daily) when I'm busy and DH just doesn't have the energy to play, read or otherwise engage. I also understand that there are thousands and thousands of "learning" apps that are marketed to preschoolers and their parents, but I'm posting the question here because this is a group that I trust to share some options that will be the lesser of the evils. :) So...if you have any favorite iPad apps or videos that you think are not too bad for little kids, please share.

Ok, yeah...remedial may have been too strong a term. But my point was that we have some bad habits that need to be corrected, that's all. :) So I'm still trying to figure out...with any program, should we jump right in at the 2nd grade level, or just start from the very beginning. I'm looking at Pentime because it's cheap, some people like it, and it looks pretty simple to use. But here's a follow up question. I'm gathering that many of the folks around here are moving right onto cursive, sometimes even before necessarily mastering correct printing. What's the rationale behind that...is it really ok to just sort of skip over printing? In other words, should my 7yo start learning cursive now, despite the problems I mentioned above with printing? 20 years from now, will anyone be able to read cursive? I don't think it's taught much in public schools anymore. Sorry...I'm sure I sound ignorant. I am. :)

Thank you! I was searching yahoo groups for the title of the book, and that was getting me nowhere. :)

This will be my first year homeschooling my 9yo and 7yo boys. In public school, it seemed like the correct formation of letters wasn't emphasized, and it rubbed me the wrong way...is that no longer considered important? My 9yo has managed to learn to print legibly, so I'm not as worried about him. But my 7yo is a different story. In my opinion, his penmanship is atrocious. Some letters are still written backwards, many are formed in what I consider to be the wrong sequence...i.e. not starting at the top, forming circles clockwise instead of counter-clockwise (I think that's wrong, right? LOL) etc. Many letters don't have their parts in the right spot with respect to the lines on the page, if that makes sense. So my gut feeling is that we need to focus on this. I've looked a bit at HWOT and a couple of the other programs...but does it work out well to just jump into these programs at the student's current grade level, or do we need to go back to the beginning in order to re-learn the things that were learned incorrectly? And if we do that, I'm afraid it will seem too baby-ish. Thoughts? Thanks.

I guess I'm leaning toward WWE, because it seems more idiot-proof. :) The main criticism I've seen is that reading passages are taken out of context, whereas with ELTL you are reading the entire piece of literature. Which you can also do with WWE, right? In either case, you have to go find the literature if you want to read the whole thing; it's just that with WWE you do have the pertinent excerpts already printed in the workbook. I wonder if anyone has posted lists anywhere of the WWE literature selections, in case a person wanted to start rounding them up before beginning. If anyone here has the Level 1 or 2 workbook, I would love to see lists! Thanks. ETA: Found a list! http://peacehillpress.com/media/downloads/pdfsamples/wwe1sample.pdf

Ok. As for ELTL: For some reason, it seems less user friendly to me. When I open up to the first lesson (I did go ahead and order it), I see first a scripted section, which I am presumably supposed to read to my son after finding and reading the first literature selection (Peter Rabbit). Then I see the poem for Lesson 1: Happy Thought by Robert Louis Stevenson The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings. So...what am I supposed to do with that? Just read it and move on? It seems a bit random, but without instructions I don't really know what else to do with it. Memorize it? I think, looking back, that this is the same question that a previous poster asked, just in different words. :) The response was that the poems are for the student to read aloud. So that's it? Just have them read it and leave it at that? (I'm not trying to insinuate that this would be a bad thing; just trying to make sure I understand.) Same with Aesop's Fables. Just read them? It looks like there is a narration exercise to go with the Fables every so often...but other than that, do we just read them and move on? It's interesting to me that in the introduction, the author goes through most of the components of each lesson and gives a brief explanation of what it is and how to do it...but doesn't seem to cover the "poetry" component. As a first time homeschooler I lack confidence...can you tell? ;) Do you think it would be better for me to go with something a little more scripted?