I wish I'd started _____ earlier!

[shinyhappypeople]

Have there been subjects that, looking back, you wish you'd started sooner?

 

The oldest princess is 6 and the only subjects that get regular, rigorous attention right now are phonics, math and art. We do science and history here and there with library books and no grammar or formal spelling at all.

 

I wonder if I'm going to really regret not starting formal history, science or spelling sooner. I think I might just need to chill, but you know how it is when you're second-guessing yourself... :tongue_smilie:

[patchfire]

Not a specific subject, but a skill - I wish I had started narrations earlier & been more consistent about doing them, especially in various content areas.

[TracyR]

Hmm. I wished I focused on writing more and started spelling eariler with my oldest. I did start spelling sooner with my 9 and 6yr old and they are much better spellers.

[raganfamily]

I took my kids out of private school 2 years ago. . . and I wish I had started homeschooling from the beginning!! I am curious if there are others like me. My oldest is 12 and I feel as though I have wasted all the time with her that she was in private school!

[babysparkler]

I took my kids out of private school 2 years ago. . . and I wish I had started homeschooling from the beginning!! I am curious if there are others like me. My oldest is 12 and I feel as though I have wasted all the time with her that she was in private school!

 

That is my answer too. My 2 kids did public school K-1st and I now wish they hadn't. For my oldest, it was two wasted years while he waited for the kids to catch up... for my second, I find myself using this first year of homeschooling for her trying to make up for all of the things she "should have" learned in school but didn't... again, wasted time! I won't make the same mistake with my younger two... they have already begun homeschooling :)

[juelle]

I agree. My oldest two wasted so much time in school. My oldest is now a freshman in HS, still in a ps, and I know he could have done better than he has, but I have been able to 'after-school' a bit and he loves the time with other kids and teachers. My dd12 would have done much better if she never had gone to school - 4yrs ps, 2 yrs private. Her confidence in her academic abilities was zero at the beginning of this yr. My ds9 didn't waste his time entirely in private school, but he did learn some poor study habits which have slowly been improved through this, our first year of hs. I pray my next three never have to go to school.

[nd293]

Skills-wise: dd is 9yrs in Grade 4. I wish I'd been more consistent and demanding with handwriting.

 

Subject-wise: I think so much depends on finding the right curriculum. We've just started R.E.A.L Science Odyssey from Pandia Press and science is finally "working". I could have introduced science earlier with this curriculum, and wish I had. But not pressing ahead with things that didn't work for us was the right decision.

 

Overall, we are "behind" in terms of history and science compared to WTM expectations. But dd has excellent language skills and solid maths skills, and both of those are more important to me than anything else. In my opinion, "content subjects" at the grammar level let the child look through windows into a different world. That's a wonderful gift. But language and maths skills open doors.

 

One other thing: I started grid-style logic puzzles (Logic Countdown, Logic Safari, that sort of thing) with dd several years ago. Then I re-read WTM and see they were only recommended for much higher levels. They're fun and we could do them together, and I'm glad I introduced them when I did, although I won't introduce formal logic until later.

 

ETA: Typing! I am not sure what everyone else does, but we "accidently" introduced proper typing early, when dd played with the DanceMat typing programme, and I am so glad we did. I still type with 4 fingers...

Edited March 28, 2010 by nd293

[Jean in Newcastle]

I started spelling at age 6 and later realized that it was better to wait a year. I waited a year with my 2nd and was glad about it.

 

I would have regretted not doing science from the start. But that is simply because science at that age was very hands on with lots of experimentation. We loved it and it taught my kids so much about the world.

[Suzannah]

There's not really anything I wish I'd done earlier but then I've followed TWTM pretty closely. I will say that First Language Lessons (FLL) makes grammar very, very easily doable. It's like 5-10 minutes tops. But if you didn't start it until 2nd I doubt you'd notice much of a difference. Somewhere along the way though you'll find yourself trying to cram grammar into an older child when if it had been begun earlier it could have been done rather painlessly in small amounts. But I don't know when that age is. Definitely not 6.

 

I think reading, writing and math are the most important in the early years. History and science are gravy, but like real gravy, they make it all more interesting. Story of the World and the Elementary Apologia books are very easy to work-in once or twice a week. When my oldest was younger I would read things to him while he was eating lunch or playing with Legos or in the sandbox or in the bathtub. He also listened to audio books at bedtime and in the car. This works especially well for stories you know they'll love if they give it a chance or if it's something you know they won't like but you need to get it in anyway.

[The Girls' Mom]

I agree on wishing I had started homeschooling earlier! Mine were in the 6th and 3rd grades when we started, and I just get kind of ill when I think of how our family might be different if we'd HS'd from the beginning. :glare:

[StephanieZ]

SWO (with my oldest). I think it'd be nice to finish spelling by 6th grade so you could focus on vocab. And, it is so convenient to do one lesson a week that I can't bring myself to try to compress the schedule, so it's hard to get ahead once you are on track. . .

 

My 1st dc will finish in 8th, 2nd in 7th, 3rd in 6th. I do learn a few things as I go along, lol. ;)

 

So, my olders are doing SWO along with MCT Vocab. . . It'd just be nice to be done with it. SWO is only a few minutes a week, but still, it'd be nice to be done.

[mom4him]

It isn't a skill but a curr. We started CLE in Jan. and now have all subj. in it. We all love it. I wish I would have started with it when they were each in 1st.

[Lovedtodeath]

I would have more writing than suggested in WTM, and earlier.

 

I also would not have wasted time... on year on PS K and one year of MUS. Between the two my very advanced DD lost years of what she already knew. DOH!

 

I will not push reading so early for my next child. DD was reading at 3, and always years ahead, but generally has not had the motivation or desire to read up to her level. As a result of not having much review, we are now using a phonics program.

[Embassy]

I wish I had started foreign languages earlier.

[LizzyBee]

I wish that when my older two were younger, I had focused more on skills and less on content areas. Anyone who can read and write well can fill in gaps in their history education, and anyone who can read, write and do math well can fill in gaps in their science education. It's much harder to fill in the reading, writing, and math gaps that occurred because of trying to accomplish too much too soon.

[mcconnellboys]

I wish that I'd started looking harder at developing more life skills (mental and physical - common sense and ability to do hands-on things) through real world experiences. I wish that I'd actually sat down and developed a plan of attack for doing this. I'm trying to get better at it, but am still not nearly where I need to be......

[EmeraldGirl]

With my 1st gen of kids, I wish I had know a/b the CM and Classical, literature-type methods, rather than dull workbooks. They were seriously lacking in the history/rotational cycle, and definitely not able to articulate well until high school b/c I didn't know anything other than fill-in-the-blank rather than narration, lively discussions, rhetoric, etc.

 

Getting another chance now w/ my 2nd gen'ers....

[HappyGrace]

I wish I had started earlier with educating myself on how to teach, especially in math! I kept depending on the curricula to do it for me. Now I realize I need to learn how to teach well, ESPECIALLY in subjects I do not enjoy (math). Books like Liping Ma's have been an eye-opener and help for me!

 

I also wish I had started streamlining things earlier-with older dd, and being a new hs'er, I was trying everything out there-a mile wide and an inch deep. She was thankfully advanced so she was a good guinea pig. With younger ds, I streamline a lot more.

[Ibbygirl]

I wish I had started a formal history program earlier. I didn't discover TWTM until last year and my dd is going on 13 so I have a lot of catching up to do. :eek: :svengo:

[jenL]

Spelling. I decided to wait until the 2nd half of this year (1st grade) to let ds develop more; however, bad habits have occurred that we're now fixing. He would have been fine starting earlier... I just couldn't figure out how I wanted to teach him.:blush:

[ncmomo3]

Writing skills-specifically narration/dictation and modeling. I wish I had never wasted time on planned creative writing when they were young.

[kdeno]

more handwriting and fine motor "Montessori-ish" activities with my older children.

[EppieJ]

 

I wonder if I'm going to really regret not starting formal history, science or spelling sooner. I think I might just need to chill, but you know how it is when you're second-guessing yourself... :tongue_smilie:

 

I tend to have the opposite problem (trying to cram to much into a year)! Just wanted to put in my 2 cents here. An easy way to incorporate some history without any real effort is the SOTW audio books. Ds loves them! I no sooner hand him a volume than he's off to his room for history and legos. It could be a great way to introduce World History to your dd without really adding to her "work day".

[KinderSafari]

Wish I'd done more free writing and not nitpick on spelling which created a BLOCK for writing. My kids couldn't write because they were too scared of spelling something wrong.

 

We dropped spelling completely at the advice of a homeschool mom who had kids in college. She said the more the read, the more spelling will just LOOK right to them. We were focusing on nitpicky rules which they couldn't remember at a young age.

 

Their spelling stayed terrible but we only corrected ideas. Didn't even go back and correct spelling or grammar. They got better and better at writing ideas and stories. Out of the blue (granted 1 1/2 years later) spelling fell into their laps and they jumped 1 to 2 grade levels without a whit of spelling lessons.

 

Now that they feel comfortable writing, we can go over SMALL rules occasionally as they come up and they are old enough to remember them.

 

For US - it worked great. For 4 of 5 kids. We have one STRUGGLING reader. For him, we have had to teach him with rules and TONS of repetition. It has taken him about 4x longer to learn how to read than the other kids. (Yes, he has a form of dyslexia.)

[abbeyej]

Handwriting. :)

 

To answer your further questions though, "rigorous phonics" *is* spelling. At least, you're laying the foundation for spelling study. I wouldn't worry at all about putting off formal encoding practice while she's still working on decoding. It will come.

 

I *would* encourage you to go ahead and start First Language Lessons now. It's 5 minutes about 3 times a week, snuggled together on the couch. And my experience has been that kids who really learn the material in FLL1/2 are well ahead when it comes to beginning Latin and doing simple writing assignments in 3rd and 4th grade.

 

I think doing science and history (through reading biographies, myths and legends, stories on any topics that interest you, simple science books, etc) fairly informally at this age is just fine -- *if* you're really doing it. I mean, if you're sitting down a minimum of 3 times a week to do read-alouds that relate to science or history topics, that's great -- if you're thinking "we'll just do this informally", but in practice you're only getting around to it once every couple of weeks, something needs to change and having a plan might actually take pressure *off*. But either way can work just fine. Fill her little head with ideas and stories and interesting tidbits that you can return to later. It really doesn't have to be all that systematic at 6. :)

 

But according to your "I wish I'd started ___ earlier", my own answer would be handwriting. :) My next child will start handwriting practice at three. ;)

[mrsrevmeg]

I wish that A.) I had homeschooled from the beginning. B.) I had known about Tapestry of Grace sooner.

[PeterPan]

I wish that I'd started looking harder at developing more life skills (mental and physical - common sense and ability to do hands-on things) through real world experiences. I wish that I'd actually sat down and developed a plan of attack for doing this. I'm trying to get better at it, but am still not nearly where I need to be......

 

Regena, I'll just butt in, as one who isn't very practical and has gotten lambasted for it over the years, and say that I don't think you can teach it, lol. I think people either are or they aren't. I think you just teach coping skills. (How to make yourself do what you fail to see needs done, how to live with people who are so constantly busy doing that they never enjoy the beauty of pondering.) :)

 

My regret? I wish I had understood sooner that the things I was seeing were REAL, not going to go away, and not going to change with the passing of a couple years. They're little people at age 5, showing you who they are, and I was blind to it. I was still living in the land of the theoretical homeschooler, the theoretical child, and the thought that everything she was or was struggling with or was doing or whatever was a product of my actions (or inactions) and not HER. (If I did better, taught her better, such and such issue or tendence would go away, it's all my fault.) But now I see that, as my little person unfolds and unfurls, she is becoming who she was all along, like a butterfly opening its wings.

[Ibbygirl]

My regret? I wish I had understood sooner that the things I was seeing were REAL, not going to go away, and not going to change with the passing of a couple years. They're little people at age 5, showing you who they are, and I was blind to it. I was still living in the land of the theoretical homeschooler, the theoretical child, and the thought that everything she was or was struggling with or was doing or whatever was a product of my actions (or inactions) and not HER. (If I did better, taught her better, such and such issue or tendence would go away, it's all my fault.) But now I see that, as my little person unfolds and unfurls, she is becoming who she was all along, like a butterfly opening its wings.

 

Oh Elizabeth. Your post brought me to tears! :grouphug:

[Reya]

Have there been subjects that, looking back, you wish you'd started sooner?

 

The oldest princess is 6 and the only subjects that get regular, rigorous attention right now are phonics, math and art. We do science and history here and there with library books and no grammar or formal spelling at all.

 

 

 

Around here, K is math, handwriting, and reading. Anything else is gravy.

 

1st is math, reading, handwriting, beginning composition, and languages. Anything else is gravy.

 

I get really serious about history and science when the kids are able to work at a high school level. Before that, it's just exposure. I'm not going to do a pure "great books" history program, though, as I believe context is critical for historical sources, too.

[Mommee & Baba]

For me it would be this new found cirriculum plan. I wish I would've found it sooner and started it from the beginning! And not wasting time on other materials that we didn't find as fun to learn or teach!

[Leanna Tomlinson]

I wish I'd seen how important it is to memorize math facts before moving on to more complex ideas like.....long division. :glare:

 

With my first crew (ages 15,17,19) I was so eager to jump into content areas like history and literature that I didn't lay a strong enough foundation in math and grammar. (Somehow two of them ended up being strong in math, and one in grammar, but not because of my teaching.)

 

With my second group I am more conscious of the "grammar level" being the stage to lay the foundation. We are drilling math facts, learning phonics/spelling rules, and basic grammar. We still have fun in history, but I can now see that those areas are more enjoyable when you don't have to stop in the logic stage to do remedial work.

 

I wish I'd learned earlier that I actually have to do some TEACHING for curriculum to be the most effective. Workbook pages aren't always the best teacher.

 

Leanna

[lailasmum]

I wish I had spent more time on practical skills and gross motor skills from birth really. My dd is mildly dyspraxic and had dreadful balance and co-ordination, her and her limbs seem pretty disconnected. Her fine motor skills are fine if not a little ahead. I think school type stuff could have waited a bit especially as she is a naturally academic type. She is only 5 though so its something we are in the process of sorting. I have had a real lights on moment this last couple of weeks. I think as I come from a family of dypraxics i couldn't see the areas that I needed to work on as we are all like her.

[FO4UR]

I wish I had started my Latin education earlier because right now I am struggling to keep up with my ds.

 

This is what I'm going to say in a few years. I wish I had of paid better attention in Latin in high school. I wish I had of taken Greek as an elective in college.

 

My dc are really too young for me to have real regrets yet....but I'm :lurk5: this thread b/c I sense these days slipping by.

[HSM-Crissy]

I wish that A.) I had homeschooled from the beginning. B.) I had known about Tapestry of Grace sooner.

 

I have a K'er and was curious how TOP would go with a child her age. Thanks!!!:D

Edited March 29, 2010 by HSM-Crissy
clarifying question =D

[freerange]

Regena, I'll just butt in, as one who isn't very practical and has gotten lambasted for it over the years, and say that I don't think you can teach it, lol. I think people either are or they aren't. I think you just teach coping skills. (How to make yourself do what you fail to see needs done, how to live with people who are so constantly busy doing that they never enjoy the beauty of pondering.) :)

 

I wish I'd realised sooner that my DS needed explicitly showing/telling how people reason out the practical stuff.

My regret? I wish I had understood sooner that the things I was seeing were REAL, not going to go away, and not going to change with the passing of a couple years. They're little people at age 5, showing you who they are, and I was blind to it. I was still living in the land of the theoretical homeschooler, the theoretical child, and the thought that everything she was or was struggling with or was doing or whatever was a product of my actions (or inactions) and not HER. (If I did better, taught her better, such and such issue or tendence would go away, it's all my fault.) But now I see that, as my little person unfolds and unfurls, she is becoming who she was all along, like a butterfly opening its wings.

I wish I'd realised sooner that sometimes it wasn't him, and that looking for different approaches could make all the difference. Sometimes, for us, the problem was my actions or inactions.

 

I wish I'd started using a timetable sooner. Hands on experiments with DS too often didn't happen. Now that we use a timetable they're much more likely to get done.