By far

[Mom-ninja.]

the hardest challenge for me is home schooling with a toddler in the house. I truely have never had a harder task.

 

At times I wish my boys were closer in age. Then they would have gone through the toddler/preschool age together, and I wouldn't have to figure out how to do lessons with my 9 yr old while keeping a toddler from writing on the walls with the crayon he some how found. :001_huh:

 

Naptime? Do I do lessons during naptime or do I make the toddler's naptime the official quiet time?

 

I need Mary Poppins to live here.

[Impish]

:grouphug:

[....]

Yup, feel your pain...

 

You can get a TON of schoolwork done during nap.

 

Alone Time? What the heck is that? :D

 

:grouphug:

[Sue G in PA]

I, too, feel your pain! My ds2 is into EVERYTHING. He loves to make a mess...fingerpaint with peanut butter, toothpaste, yogurt...anything with that squishy texture and feel to it. Nice, huh? :glare: He also loves playdoh...but has discovered that is doesn't taste quite as good as it looks. I wish I had suggestions. We get a TON done during naptime. It IS quiet-time b/c we are doing schoolwork. When he is awake, I usually have an older child play with him or dd4 play with him while I do school with ds7 and ds9. And, don't forget that a little TV time won't kill him. Leapfrog DVDs, Sesame Street, Curious George are all favorites here. Crayon on the wall? I thought that was just abstract decor!

[Denisemomof4]

you know, that was never a problem for me! I had two tubs of toys that were to ONLY be touched during school hours. When dd was a toddler, my boys were younger (they're all 3.5 years apart) and I could complete school for both boys by 12:00 easily. We read our history books and any other read alouds in the afternoon while she slept.

 

I got this REAL cool toy that was all water canals and it kept her quite busy. I'd have her blow bubbles (we schooled in the bright kitchen) and then I'd mop the floor afterward. I also got pots and pans and used beans and rice to keep her busy. Do you have playfoam? It'a AWESOME and not messy! I got those dot art markers and the books for her to do. Fingerpaints. Water color book. All things to keep her busy right there in the kitchen with us. Again, having special toys ONLY for school hours helped tremendously!

 

water toy was a HUGE hit:

 

http://www.mastermindtoys.com/store/brand.asp?brand=112&rd=291423977

 

fun play foam!

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00124RXHG/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000EREGRM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=04SWQZSDKF2MAJAXV9DQ

 

these were a HUGE hit:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Do-Dot-Rainbow-Art-Set/dp/B00004W3Y4/ref=cm_lmf_tit_16_rsrssi0

 

I also bought one of those very large plastic laundry baskets, the ones that look like a HUGE bucket, and I'd fill it with water, bubbles and toys and have her play in the water by the sunny slider. We also used our Fisher Price easel a TON during those days.

[Sasharowan]

Last year when ds4 was 2.5-3yo, I would alternate the olders watching him outside. For instance, dd would take him out and ds 8 would work on school, after 30-45 min. they would switch. Then 30 min video, lunch. Usually, those 2 would be about done with school and all 3 would go out or play little people, cars, playdo etc. and I worked with ds14.

[Mom-ninja.]

Day by day. That's my motto.

 

Today was a great day. We got everything done. Thanks for the ideas. Some he's not ready for. I fear he'd just eat the play foam. ;) He's an oral kid.

 

I was thinking of getting whipped cream and letting him play in that in the high chair. I'm afraid to try shaving cream although the texture holds up better. He may get it in his eye or eat it.

 

I really do need to set a bunch of toys to the side for school hours only.

[fairfarmhand]

my ds watches Blue's clues. It helped him learn his shapes. btdt!

[ondreeuh]

My toddler takes a 2.5 hour nap, so we use that for most of our lesson time. In the morning before naptime, I try to steal some time to teach the new math lesson so my son can do the review on his own. Handwriting & writing spelling words he can do on his own too.

 

I'm also not above using the TV as a babysitter. I also used a ton of gates until my son was 2 so I could limit his access to other rooms. If I can take the boys out in the yard early, sometimes that helps chill the toddler out so he is less antsy, but no guarantees!

[Jean in Newcastle]

 

I was thinking of getting whipped cream and letting him play in that in the high chair. I'm afraid to try shaving cream although the texture holds up better. He may get it in his eye or eat it.

 

 

 

We used pudding. That way it didn't matter if they ate it.

[babysparkler]

the hardest challenge for me is home schooling with a toddler in the house. I truely have never had a harder task.

 

At times I wish my boys were closer in age. Then they would have gone through the toddler/preschool age together, and I wouldn't have to figure out how to do lessons with my 9 yr old while keeping a toddler from writing on the walls with the crayon he some how found. :001_huh:

 

Naptime? Do I do lessons during naptime or do I make the toddler's naptime the official quiet time?

 

I need Mary Poppins to live here.

 

I agree!!! I'd love for Mary Poppins to join our family too :grouphug: I keep telling myself... "This too shall pass!"

[Ellie]

:grouphug:

 

Gregg Harris, who used to do homeschooling workshops all over the country, began hsing with two boys who were 7-9 years apart. Gregg's weekend workshops were his source of income, so he was home 4 days a week, along with his wife, of course. Because he racked up so many air mileage, he earned lots of free air fair, so there was often one or both grandmothers in the home. Think of it: two dc, 7-9 years apart, with 2-4 adults in the home 7 days a week.

 

Yeah.

 

And then God in His wisdom gave Gregg and Sono twin boys.

 

:lol:

 

Gregg said he had to rewrite parts of his workshop. In some cases, he had to make personal apologies, because he'd had.no.clue about the things that *most* homeschooling parents were experiencing.

 

I have no advice as I, too, have only two dc, and they were 4 and 7 when we started. I can only encourage you that this, too, shall pass.

[Wheres Toto]

I definitely feel for you. My toddler is extremely active, destructive, a genius at opening locked cabinets and NEVER naps. I finish most days exhausted.

 

I'm taking this weekend to set up some Tot Trays with activities she can do independently, clean and reorganize our school stuff to make it easier for me to find it and hope it helps. She does all of our Unit Study stuff with us but I do try to get some time to do Reading and Math with my son.

 

Other than that, I just clean up messes as they occur. We have crayon, marker and/or colored chalk on many of the walls and furniture in our house. I have had baby powder all over the couch, wipes and tissues torn up on the floor, fish tank gravel and charcoal all over the bedroom and dirt from our Seed/Plant study all over the couch and floor. :eek: I just keep reminding myself that they grow up fast and this too shall pass.

[athena1277]

I also have a toddler, but have found a schedule that works well and gets everything done. In then mornings we eat breakfast, they the kids play together while I get a shower, then dd does phonics, handwriting and spelling (independent work) in her room. About 1pm ds takes a nap and we do the rest of the day's schoolwork. Ds often sleeps 3 hours, but in case it turns out to be a day gets up early, we try to do the things she needs instruction on first.

 

My plan is to keep this routine through next school year, while ds is 3. (Crossing fingers that he keeps napping) Then when he is 4, we can start having school in the mornings and ds can take part when he wants.

[FloridaLisa]

I sometimes snuck in lots of tutoring/schooling while watching my toddler:

 

*play in the bathtub (I did this daily for a few years)

*play with a water/sand table in my backyard

*play with toys in the driveway or backyard

*paint with water, play with playdo in the high chair

 

I also got up early for many years with my older early riser to get in some math lessons.

 

And I completely agree with having each of your two olders play with/read to the toddler while you work the other. I'm doing this this year. The trick is to teaching the olders how to work with the toddler and to make sure the older knows he is to serve the younger and not play himself while the toddler is left to himself. My olders take turns of about 25 minutes each -- circle time, outside play/snack, reading time, more outside time.

 

HTH,

Lisa