How do you homeschool through challenging times?

[ummof3]

Hello

 

I feel compelled to come on here to get some advice. I apologize if I sound whiney but I'd rather take the risk and just ask as I'm not too good right now.

 

OK so we moved out of our rented house end of August. Dh said we'd be moving into our new house six weeks later. 3 and 1/2 months on we still haven't moved. He's slogging his guts trying to get the house finished whilst i'm bouncing between the in laws and my parents. My mum had an operation recently which required me to help out and my sister just had a baby today :001_smile:. I have done as much as possible but it's been a struggle as dh has taken my car so I am car-less. DS 2 is still at school due to finish at the end of this month while dd 1 has been at home since the fall. We haven't been doing much at all as any routine set just flies out of the window when we move around between the families. Plus all my arts and crafts are packed away so we don't get a chance to do much fun stuff... I was told to go and visit museums etc but I just can't face the underground trains with a 4 mth old and a 3 year old.

 

A friend advised that it wasn't a great idea to start homeschooling when you've just had a baby and are moving. I thought I could do it. I'm not so sure anymore. I have to do a reality check. I'm now considering putting dd into school again. A different one. Till Easter. And ds would continue going to school too.

 

We don't even get to go to the library at the moment, it's that hard.

 

What to do? :confused::confused::confused:

[Sputterduck]

I don't. I'm at the end of the semester in college at the moment and homeschooling stops completely during times like this. :)

 

We don't take the summer off, so it's not like taking a couple weeks or a month off, or even more, during a particularly hard time is going to cause harm at all. In the 18 years that a child is with you there will be a few very busy, very challenging times and it's okay to take a break during those times.

[joannqn]

I don't. I'm at the end of the semester in college at the moment and homeschooling stops completely during times like this. :)

 

We don't take the summer off, so it's not like taking a couple weeks or a month off, or even more, during a particularly hard time is going to cause harm at all. In the 18 years that a child is with you there will be a few very busy, very challenging times and it's okay to take a break during those times.

 

:iagree:

 

 

I agree, as long as you aren't teaching high schoolers. With older kids, I would think it would be more important to keep up somehow. I don't have high schoolers yet so I may be wrong.

 

With elementary kids, I think it is completely reasonable to not worry about school for a period of time if you have to. You can always catch up later. If you aren't comfortable with that, consider worrying only about the bare bones basics: math and reading. Throw in other things when you can. Do some reading if you have or can get books. Can someone go to the library for you, or can you borrow a car for a quick trip? If you have netflix, try using that for some science or history shows.

[lasulliva]

What are the ages of your kids? Honestly, if they're young, a few months of non-stellar homeschooling won't hurt them in the long run. I think you've already gotten down to the crux of it - is it better to just say "oh well" and accept it as, say, an early summer vacation, or put them in school (with all the disruptions that causes)? Do you have a timeline for when your new house will be ready?

[coffeegal]

What to do? :confused::confused::confused:

 

Basics, basics, basics. :001_smile: Have dd1 read, write in a journal, and do a bit of math everyday. One lady recommended doing workbooks at a grade lower when life is busy. Her kids could work independently while reviewing the previous year's work.

 

Best of luck!

[Peek a Boo]

I homeschool because I can't stand the social carp in an institutional school setting. So even if we were 6months- a year "behind" [even w/ a 10th grader] I'd still have them at home learning life along with us. Academics can be caught up. Negative social impacts stay with you for a very long time, and some can't be undone.

 

so a lot depends on WHY you are homeschooling in the first place.

 

good luck!

[Ritsumei]

There's an awful lot of good information out there online: Ambleside & so on. You may be able to find something usable in that information. I think I'd agree with the PP: keep the bare basics (reading/phonics & math), and try not to stress about the rest for now. Then, work steady with only a few days here and there off once you get more settled until you feel like you are in a better place.

 

I don't know about your library, but mine checks out most things for a month, and will hold up to 10 books, which you can arrange for online. They also have things like language-learning software, music, and magazines that you can access online with your library card number. So maybe you could figure out what you want, and then add it to errands you or your husband are already running, and have at least a little of that again.

[Renai]

I don't. I'm at the end of the semester in college at the moment and homeschooling stops completely during times like this. :)

 

I'm also completing a semester at college along with student teaching. Dd was at home with either my mil or dh (when he wasn't working- work is slow right now). It was the equivalent of having substitute teachers. Do you know how much work really gets down with a sub? :001_huh: Most, well, many...some, perhaps a lot of days were devoted to just reading something and math. I'd ask questions about the reading to ensure she actually read, and I checked her math at night.

 

Everything else-- just didn't happen. (In fact, on the curriculum board, there is a thread about what day of school are we on. I said it depends- math and reading is going, but geography and science is about on day 4 :lol:.)

[helena]

How about things like Brain Pop, Time 4 learning, United Streaming (they used to offer a free trial)

 

Books on CD

poetry on CD

SOTW

[StephanieZ]

Do I understand you right that you have two children -- an infant and a pre-schooler. . . and you are living between in-laws. . . with much family drama?

 

And, you are schooling?

 

For gosh sakes, don't think of schooling at those tender ages NOR in your current living situation.

 

Perhaps you could cook together. Baking is always fun and helps make the inlaws happy to have you about.

 

Other than that, just do whatever normal mommy/kids/playing things you can do together where you are with what you've got. No pressure. Just read lots of books and do creative things together. (Cooking. . .reading. . .making playdough. . .maybe make a gingerbread house, etc.) Spend time outside. Visit parks or have playdates.

[alpidarkomama]

:iagree:

 

It looks like your kids are really young. I don't think you need to worry about any of it until they're 6. And even at that age, if you need to take a few weeks off because of this or that, I wouldn't worry about it at all. We're hoping to move in a couple of months and I'm figuring we'll take a good month off at least to pack up, move, and get settled. We pretty much learn year-round and just take breaks whenever we need them.

 

Do what you can, read lots of books, play, sing, go for walks. It really doesn't take much. Go get a new set of Crayola markers. My DH brings home stacks of recycled paper from work, printed on one side. We have an endless supply of free drawing paper. They all spend quite a bit of time at the learning table just with pens, crayons, colored pencils, and paper! Just relax and do what you can to make everything a little less stressful. It's hard not being settled.

[HSMom2One]

I homeschool because I can't stand the social carp in an institutional school setting. So even if we were 6months- a year "behind" [even w/ a 10th grader] I'd still have them at home learning life along with us. Academics can be caught up. Negative social impacts stay with you for a very long time, and some can't be undone.

 

so a lot depends on WHY you are homeschooling in the first place.

 

good luck!

 

I am SO, SO in agreement with this post! Try to resist the ideology that says school has to look a certain way in order to be legitimate. You will have a chance to work with your dc in a more focused way once you are past this transition, so try to relax and do what you can do for the time. It will be worth it in the long run, and your dc will not be pulled back and forth between hs and ps. That can be much harder on them than just sticking things out with you right now.

 

Be encouraged, this too shall pass.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[MamaBirdX7]

Don't even THINK of worrying about it until January 1st. It's in the rule book - if you have 2 or more children under the age of 5 you may not, except in dire circumstances homeschool in the month of December.

 

(dire circumstances being the older/olders are getting on your nerves and need something productive to do)

 

What are the school kids doing right now anyway? Making non-holiday specific pinecone reindeer?

 

How old is child #1?

 

Is there anywork on the new house that you can do? Or you can be like me and start some work there in DH's sight. Then he can take over when he sees I'm a) making a mess or b) not doing it his way. (love those first born overacheivers!)

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I'm not sure how old your school aged kids are. When we've been in these situations, it has been important for me to set a basic but bare bones floor of what is enough. If we get that done, then great. More is gravy. This might be one math lesson, reading and a read aloud.

 

Maybe you could spend some good time outside exploring whatever nature you have around you. The blog Handbook of Nature Study has great observation exercises that you can do with little more than a good set of eyes and maybe a notebook and pencil. Go for a daily walk and just watch out for what has changed on your couple of streets. She even did a special unit last year about observing animals in winter.

 

Have your kids help cook, measuring, reading the recipe, and mixing while you explain why you do things in certain order. Fill up a sink or a dish pan and see how many cups fill up a milk jug or other liquid containers.

 

Have your kids interview your family and write it up as family history or as part of a newsletter for your family (my son was doing a weekly newsletter for a while that was posted in the hallway each Friday).

 

If your older kids are old enough to be helpful, then send them with dad to work on the house.

 

There are tons of great educational videos on Netflix, including many that are available on watch it now. I would find a way of getting to the library or having a family member stop there to pick up books and especially audiobooks. Have your son at school check out specific books for you to read to the other kids at home.

 

There has been no perfect time for us to homeschool. We're always on the rebound from a move, having guests or about to move. If I waited for perfect, then I'd still be waiting. Go for good enough and for a little better every day.

 

:grouphug:

[StephanieF]

I would do the very basics, read write and maths.

For maths I'd use a simple workbook she can do on her own with little input from you and I would use something like mathletics to get/keep her up to speed with addition, subtraction and multiplication. She can do that on her own too. At her age maths is very basic and just improving these skills is enough.

 

I'd get her to read on her own, fiction and non fiction. That way you can cover geography history etc. Our library has an online ordering system that taps into several libraries so I only go when I know that my list of books is there.

 

I would ask her to write a diary or stories if she prefers and use that to teach basic English. She can illustrate the stories too. She can write the shopping list etc. Book reviews are good too or she can narrate back to you what she has read in a chapter.

 

I have several audio cds that we use too-story of the world and other fiction too.

All of these things can be done easily.

Forget the sitdown lessons at school, school at home is done anywhere, anytime. Recite tables whilst cooking, walking outside etc. Make up number problems on the school run. Have a book with you at all times so she can read when you are waiting for ds to come out of school. All the time she is awake she is learning

If you put her back in school by Jan until the end of term she will only just have started to settle in, I can't imagine she will have learnt much

Stephanie

[Osmosis Mom]

Ummof3, I think your dd is 4 or is it 6?? Take it easy and enjoy this time. Enjoy your baby, your kids and not having to fit into someone else's schedule. I know it is hard right now, but believe me, things oculd be much worse. Be thankful that your family is right there (incl. in-laws); some of us live an ocean away from ours...

 

I am not trying to sound tough, just trying to "beef you up". Also, it might be nice for you to connect in real life with homeschoolers from the area you'll be moving to. That'll make you happier. I agree that you also need to bite the bullet and get out. Even if it means taking the subway etc. with young kids. It'll be an adventure. I used to do tons of these things when I had young kids and was living in Japan; had no car until many years later.

[Laura Corin]

Last year we packed up half our belongings in China, the other half in Hong Kong and moved across the world to Scotland. I didn't try to do any home education during that time. We just started the year late and caught up over time. If your children are small, I wouldn't worry about it for a moment: find time for reading aloud and try to limit TV and you'll do fine until you get on your feet.

 

Laura

[Friederike in Persia]

Both camps (the basics and the don't worry at all one) have a good point, so why don't you go with what suits your personality best?

I get freaked when my kids do nothing at all :001_huh: so when life gets too stressful I try to just do the basics even though I know that really they are fine and we could also just take a break. :tongue_smilie:

[Dayle in Guatemala]

It's hard to decide what to do when things are challenging. During these times I try to keep up with Math and reading books. We school year-round because of the nature of our life in that it can get crazy at the drop of a hat. So, not feeling the pressure to finish by May 31st really helps us to relax and enjoy the process a little more. We can take time when we need it.

 

This too shall pass. It's a season right now and it will change. I wouldn't worry too much.

[Parrothead]

I'm with the others, cut yourself some slack and go with the flow. If you are in a place that requires testing or a portfolio review at year's end, do what you can with the Big 3 - reading, writing and math. If you are lucky to be in a place that doesn't require any reviews, drop what you need to until you are settled.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

Does dd1 mean dear daughter 1 year old ?

OR

1st dear daughter? (that might be 16 years old ???)

 

Sometimes the abbreviations mean different things to different people.

[LibraryLover]

3 yrs old? Taking endless baths was always amusing to my 3 yr old. Throw a blanket over a table and call it camping. Read books with a flashlight while you nurse the baby and call it a day.

[ummof3]

What are the ages of your kids? Honestly, if they're young, a few months of non-stellar homeschooling won't hurt them in the long run. I think you've already gotten down to the crux of it - is it better to just say "oh well" and accept it as, say, an early summer vacation, or put them in school (with all the disruptions that causes)? Do you have a timeline for when your new house will be ready?

 

HI sorry, I havent been able to come on here all day. MY kids are 8, 6, almost 4 and 4 mths. MY house should be ready in about 4 weeks. MY husband has been saying that since we moved!

 

Basics, basics, basics. :001_smile: Have dd1 read, write in a journal, and do a bit of math everyday. One lady recommended doing workbooks at a grade lower when life is busy. Her kids could work independently while reviewing the previous year's work.

 

Best of luck!

 

My dd is a reluctant write although I did find something useful in an Evan Moore writing book - Quickwrites - write about something for ten minutes. That got her going. She also did some maths from a straightforward textbook. I have Right Start but feel too disorganised to get it out right now.

 

I homeschool because I can't stand the social carp in an institutional school setting. So even if we were 6months- a year "behind" [even w/ a 10th grader] I'd still have them at home learning life along with us. Academics can be caught up. Negative social impacts stay with you for a very long time, and some can't be undone.

 

so a lot depends on WHY you are homeschooling in the first place.

 

good luck!

 

Thanks for posting that! I totally agree with you and am trying to pull myself together. I need to build some self confidence as well as strength that I can make this work.

Edited December 7, 2009 by ummof3

[ummof3]

Wow to all of you. I found your replies very reassuring. I'm sorry that I can't go through each individual response, but I have read them all.

 

There has been so much going on that dd and I have started and stopped so many times. I'm so tired and stressed out about the house that I've almost lost the enthusiasm to homeschool. I don't do cooking/baking with the kids because of the mess factor. I don't go out because I don't have a car and it's too far to walk anyway iyswim. I'm just trying to get through each day - my mil is lovely but i'm just craving to be in my own space where I don't have to tell the kids to keep quiet early in the morning! And the sporadic shopping trips for tiles and carpet when dh is free don't help either. I do try to get dd involved but dh and I hardly get time to discuss things about the house that we end up leaving dd in the background.

 

With regards to meeting other homeschoolers, yes I really need to do this.

 

Just to add that we are doing Galore Park Maths and WWE. We will go the library this week - StephanieF, we have the same online system so it's not that hard, I know!!

 

My dd (8) is happy being at home and doesn't want to go to school. That is a big plus for me. My ds (6) wants to stay home although he says he doesn't mind staying at his current school for a little bit longer. DD (3) attends montessori three times a week and is happy being at home the other few days.

 

When the time comes to physically move, shall I just stop schooling? If it's easier? I mean if I find the time to do some work with the kids, i'll do it as it's easier to keep them busy like that. However, we have to buy furniture etc so it's going to take a few weeks to really get settled. I have seen the videos at netflix although it's going to take a while to get them into that as they watched an awful amount of TV at my mum's when I was taking of care of her after her operation.

 

Thanks to you all once again :grouphug:

[tricia]

Honey, you are "homeschooling." Isn't that what homeschooling is anyway. Learning about not just reading and writing but life too. I am amazed at what my children have learned over the years during the times when we hit the books less and let life teach us. Hang in there. They are learning.