School, schedules, checksheets, and a 2yo

[tabmtbc]

We are MOTH schedule users. Before the MOTH schedule entered our home, we never had an order for when we were to do school, chores, or anything else and sometimes, because the kids couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, school took from the time dh left to the time he came home (with meal breaks of course.) Using the schedule gave the kids deadlines for when things were to be completed and kept me accountable too.

 

The schedule works really well for older dd and me but younger dd hates it. She'd rather have a checksheet off of Homeschool Tracker of all of her assignments and have me say "School starts at 8 and today you have to be done by 12 because..." and let her go. If I did that with older dd, she'd chafe at the lack of structure (and she needs it--she'd wander in at 11am, get lost in the first assignment, get off on a tangent...and well you get the picture.)

 

Add to the mix 22mo ds. He will be 2 in September. He's entered the "no" phase with a vengance. Any sort of discipline he just laughs at. He's eternally curious and nothing deters him. Buckled straps--he climbs out of those--with the buckle still fastened. There is nothing he won't climb on or try to get into. He's tall enough to reach dresser tops, counter tops, and the like--and if he can't reach it, he tries to figure a way to. He doesn't nap or he naps erratically. When he was a newborn the longest he would nap was 20 minutes at most. The doctor commented how energetic he is many times. His cradle roll teacher says he's one of the brightest they've ever had come through the program. He sleeps well at night but naps--forget it. Naps have never been anything I could count on with him.

 

I have a bucket of activities just for school that I rotate but he figures them all out and they last him 15 minutes at best. He's always looking for something new to do and when you turn your back on him for a minute if he doesn't have someone's attention or something constructive to do, he is getting into good old fashioned mischief. Ex. I was cleaning up the kitchen this morning and loading the dishwasher. When I was done I went to go start the laundry machines. I needed dd's help starting the dryer. He was ok then. She had to go to the bathroom and after I started the washer (which took 30 seconds at best) I came out of the room and he had turned over the dog's water bowl (for the 3rd time in 30 minutes.) While dd was wiping up the water (which took 30 seconds to a minute) he had run across the room and started pressing all the buttons to change the settings on the dishwasher....when I took him away from that he unfolded all the laundry I just folded...etc.

 

Last night (after 2 hours at the pool and going going going all day) I was trying to explain to dd a new concept in MUS. She's really good at math and this normally only takes about 5 minutes at most. It took 30-40 because no one else was home besides dd and me to entertain him and keep him out of trouble. He napped 10 minutes.

 

He won't sit down in front of the TV to watch an educational video--that's what the girls used to do at this age. We have no money for a mother's helper and no extra money for mother's morning out. My mom comes once a week to help on Thursdays but I know she can't handle him every day. No other family is available.

 

I despair of having a MOTH schedule with him around. The girls have very different body clocks--9yo gets up at 6am or earlier and wants to be done with her chores and schoolwork by 11 a. m. or earlier. DD11 wants to start at 9 and be done by 1 or 2.

 

In light of that and all the other variables, I'm thinking the best thing to do might be this (rather than a subject specific schedule):

Give the girls an assignment sheet with what they are to accomplish for the day, with the understanding that if they get finished with something early they are either to entertain their brother or move on to the next thing along with the general schedule below that allows for entertaining toddler.

 

6am DD9 independent work, chores, and shower (MJ w/mom)

8 am breakfast and chores for family

8:30-9:30 Younger dd school w/ mom (MJ with dd 11)

9:30-11:30 Subjects the 2dds have in common (MJ w/mom, snack, toys)

11:30-1:30 DD11 School w/mom and then independent work (MJ w/dd9)

 

If there's another option, I have yet to think of it. I don't think one can do a rigid schedule with this active a toddler who isn't potty trained.

 

Here's what the 2 dds are doing this fall

DD9

Core 4 No Bible

Mom Made LA (Easy Grammar 4/5, Seq Spelling 2, HWT workbook, IEW SWI B, Dictations from Hebrews, WW 3000 Book 1 (old verison))

Foreign language if she wants

Old SL Science 3

Bible Bowl

Piano, Dance, Clarinet

 

DD11

Core 6 No Bible

Mom Made LA (Easy Grammar Plus, Dictations from Hebrews, IEW SWI B)

Rainbow Science Year 1

Bible Bowl

Piano, Trumpet, Drums, Voice

Greek and Latin Roots; German and Spanish

 

SL=Sonlight

IEW=Institute for Excellence in Writing

MOTH=Managers of Their Homes

to alternate foreign languages with science. Both girls are, at this point, capable of finishing their math in 15 minutes or less and capable of reading their readers and history alone most of the time and reporting to me for discussion.

 

Thoughts ladies? And any prayers that my precious boy doesn't wear me out would be appreciated. And might I say it took me an hour and a half to type this post because of little ds.

[tjarnold]

I totally understand your situation. I have an 11yo son, 10yo daughter, and a 3yo whirlwind (also known as a daughter). Previously, I've tried to keep the big kids on a MOTH-type schedule, but I'm experimenting with switching to some kind of checklist system. I'm working on making planners for the kids and plan to have them help me write their assignment sheets at the beginning of each week. (I think this is a TOG thing, right?)

 

I'll look forward to hearing everyone's suggestions. And aside from that, I should say I had to do a double-take with some of the similarities in our profiles. I use Sonlight and IEW, plus I'm a violin teacher. My big question right now is how to create an end to the school day this year -- when I start teaching private lessons or when my kids actually finish their assignments? Any thoughts on that?

 

Tiffany

[tabmtbc]

I totally understand your situation. I have an 11yo son, 10yo daughter, and a 3yo whirlwind (also known as a daughter). Previously, I've tried to keep the big kids on a MOTH-type schedule, but I'm experimenting with switching to some kind of checklist system. I'm working on making planners for the kids and plan to have them help me write their assignment sheets at the beginning of each week. (I think this is a TOG thing, right?)

 

I'll look forward to hearing everyone's suggestions. And aside from that, I should say I had to do a double-take with some of the similarities in our profiles. I use Sonlight and IEW, plus I'm a violin teacher. My big question right now is how to create an end to the school day this year -- when I start teaching private lessons or when my kids actually finish their assignments? Any thoughts on that?

 

Tiffany

Hi Tiffany,

I guess I'll fire a question or 2 back at you. Then I may be of more help.

 

Why do you WANT/NEED to create an end to the school day and what do you define as "ending the school day?"

 

I never really know when our school day ends around here BUT I end mine "officially" so to speak, when I start teaching lessons in the afternoons. Anything they haven't finished is homework that is due by 6:30 p. m. And yes it does seem we have quite a few similarities, wow.

[tjarnold]

I think that sounds like a very workable solution. We sometimes struggle with the problem of following a schedule, but then not finishing a particular assignment (i.e., math). So then it needs to become homework, but that tends to be neglected or forgotten about because Mom is busy teaching students.

 

I believe it was my husband who suggested I try to find a regular time when the school day can be called "done". (My teaching schedule varies each day, but I'm thinking of changing that.) Now that I think about it, I'm not exactly sure why he was concerned about it. Hmmm. Maybe I'll come up with something more insightful after a cup of coffee.

 

Tiffany

[BlsdMama]

Tiffany, You have my sympathy. I have a now 4yo ds that was that 2yo. He's MUCH more pleasant at 4. He was pleasant at 2 actually. It was three that made me beg my dh for preschool. (Not kidding, wish I was kidding, but I'm not.)

 

Bottom line? We gave on some things, we had to train him on others. It wasn't pleasant, but it was worthwhile. A 2yo (a 12mo as well) can be trained to sit quietly NEXT to Mom while she reads aloud. A 2yo can be trained to play with a particular object and NOT "switch" for a thirty minute structured time in one particular area. A 2yo BOY (especially the boy part) can NOT be expected to be "still" for four hours. I'd suggest thinking of things in 30 minute slots similar to TWTM and breaking up periods for him that the girls can do.

 

For example: You girls can read out under a tree with you while he digs and runs and jumps. Then you follow it with a sit down period - reading aloud or whatnot, then at the table while he has markers, a scissors (I know, I know, but they LOVE to cut at two) and a magazine. You're able to fit teaching or guided learning into that entire 1.5 hours, but he's switching activities.

 

He should NOT be allowed to switch activities at random. He should be required to do what he's doing and there should be a routine. He should know after breakfast comes bible, after bible comes outside time, after outside comes sit still/read aloud time, after that an activity. KWIM?

 

It will require two things - consistency and routine.

 

On the part of your dd who works better with a checklist and being master of her own schedule I ask why would you NOT want to encourage that? It's teaching her to be independent, to manage her time, etc. That's actually my goal.... This year my 10yo and 13yo get a week's worth of assignments. They choose how to break them down into daily assignments. They do not have ANY scheduled subjects, just blocks of school time. They must choose how to spend their time in order to complete the week's worth of work given. We want our children to move towards independence without having to always be guided into the, "Now we do this. You have five minutes, then we'll switch to this." I want to be able to say, "Here's the work for today. Manage your time well... Off to it." And see that completed checklist in the afternoon, kwim?

 

I have our chart up on my blog if it's helpful to you. You might see how we gave the bigger kids "chunks" of time vs. the little kids' structured time and what we did with our 2yo - she's Abigail on the chart, btw.

 

http://truevineherbs.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/scheduling-planning-part-1/

 

4yo hyper boy is Timothy for your reference. We thought about a dog crate when he was three, but knew it might be frowned upon. :lol:

 

And for learning how to train - Raising Godly Tomatoes