When the youngers come along in homeschooling...

[KrissiK]

How do you make sure the younger kids don't get short shrifted when it's their turn to start school? I started my two boys with a K4 program and we did all the crafty preschool stuff and singing and all that fun stuff. Their Bible class was age appropriate as was science and everything else we did. Well, they're going to do 2nd grade now and DD is coming up and I'm feeling kind of sorry for her because I'm just not going to be able to "do preschool" for her like I did with the boys. The boys aren't at the age when they can do a ton of independent work, so I'm not going to have a lot of time to devote just to her and I feel really bad about it. For those of you with kids at different stages, how do you do it? Or do you just feel sorry for the youngers, but that's just the way it is.

[Alenee]

I'm not a crafty kind of mom...we have a ton of supplies though that the girls are free to use at will. My 6yo dd has been learning how to create on her own but from the get-go, I wasn't ever into the craft scene so to answer that part of your question, no, I feel no guilt.;)

 

Dd 6 does a lot with us that some would not consider doing with a 6yo. She keeps up quite well though with her 8yo sister. I would not hesitate in your situation to allow your dd to be a part of whatever you're doing with your second graders. Unless she has LD's, she should be able to glean quite a bit.

[NanceXToo]

Well, being as I can't imagine doing more than say 2 hours worth of school a day with 2nd graders, I would think that would allow me some time to do some preschool type arts and crafts and nature and music type stuff with my little one, too- things the older ones might even enjoy joining in on just for fun, once their school time is over (or before it starts, whatever works).

 

None of it has to take a lot of time a day. But there's no reason you can't devote SOME time per day doing school with your boys and SOME time having some quality time with your daughter so you don't have to feel guilty. It doesn't have to be very formal. My son's preschool year was very informal and casual and not ridiculously structured, but I did make time to do some preschoolish things with him while h.s.ing my 4th grader.

 

You can do it. :)

[Rosie_0801]

It's just the way life is, isn't it? Trying to replicate the first kid's childhood with each subsequent child is unrealistic. They aren't living the same life. We should try to be fair, but fair doesn't mean exactly the same; just as we think men and women should be considered equal, but we are obviously not the same. Your youngest won't get the benefits of being the oldest, but your oldest won't get the benefits of being the youngest either. Such is life.

 

Rosie

[2squared]

I'm trying to figure this out for our year as well. I have my 3rd and 1st graders set, and now I'm looking at the toddlers and wanting to spend some special time with them. Here are my ideas thus far:

 

1) Morning time (kinda like circle time) - will include memory work, religion, picture books, calendar, ds' therapy exercises, and ???? The littles will be able to participate and get something out of most of these activities. Even my 2yo loves to memorize poems, sing prayers, etc.

 

2) Morning time transitions to toddler time - I'm making a list of all the toddler fun things I can think of that are easy and nonacademic (I don't do early academics) and will rotate through the list. I'm thinking of things like puzzles, coloring, play-doh, cutting, singing, toddler board games, kicking balls...anything the two would love to do with me. The olders may want to participate when they see the fun.

 

3) Including them in an age appropriate way with nature study, science activities, etc.

[Impish]

It's just the way life is, isn't it? Trying to replicate the first kid's childhood with each subsequent child is unrealistic. They aren't living the same life. We should try to be fair, but fair doesn't mean exactly the same; just as we think men and women should be considered equal, but we are obviously not the same. Your youngest won't get the benefits of being the oldest, but your oldest won't get the benefits of being the youngest either. Such is life.

 

Rosie

I *know* I've said this before, but I :001_wub:you, Rosie!

 

The age gap btwn Diva and Tazzie is big enough that she was in ps when he was born, so I had alone time all day w/him. Same age gap btwn Diva and my eldest, so I had her to myself all day long.

 

Princess, however, was born when Tazzie was 19 mths and 7 days old. (I just counted on my fingers. I always think he was 17 mths.) Homeschooling started before she was a year old. I didn't get alone time with her until last summer! Man, is she quiet without sibs around!

 

So, she tags along with everything. Separating her and Tazzie just isn't feasible. She wouldn't stay out, and the quickest way to get his attention is to be teaching her alone! Yes, he certainly had more exposure to some things, since he had me to himself, and she has to always share me, but I figure it will even out eventually.

[Athome]

Preschool in a public setting would only be a couple days a week. Focus on her during the weekends or a couple times a week in the afternoon. Let her work with the big boys. My little girl love a special notebook and stickers.

[MamaSheep]

That's funny, I was just thinking the reverse today. Dd is just getting old enough to start using some of the materials I bought for ds when we first pulled him out of school. Since I already have the basics, I can spend my school budget for her on more fun extras that I just couldn't afford the first time around with ds. I was thinking if I had six or eight kids, the littles would think school was a carnival, while the olders made it through on the bare bones. Funny.

 

But mine are older and 5 years apart. Maybe that makes a big difference. Although...ds still needs a lot of one on one attention, just due to his special circumstances, so balancing out the time is still a bit of an issue. I'm finding that having science and history and some of the language arts stuff together helps a lot. I can read a story to both of them, and then have her draw a picture and write a caption, or do a short summary narrative at the same time that her brother is writing about plot or the main character or something like that. Read a story, write a page, but the expectations for response are different. Or, ds can conduct a science experiment with dd handing him items on request as a "lab assistant", and then she can describe what she observed, whereas I will expect him to explain WHY it happened the way it did. That sort of thing. That way they both have my attention, and they both feel like they're doing the "same" thing, and nobody is getting "favored". They get "equal" time because they get it together. And then I do other things with each of them one on one. I am going to work just with ds until the timer rings, and while we work you will do this other thing. Then, when the timer rings it will be your turn.

 

Time can be tough to balance.

[....]

I added our third student this year and it really hasn't been a big deal. K starts off lite, anyway. I have been finding myself doing schoolwork during odd times of day, though. If I'm cooking dinner and have a couple of minutes in the kitchen, I'll make the 8 yro get out her math workbook. :glare:

 

Oh, and I don't sing or make crafts. :D Those poor children.

 

However, (and don't tell anyone) my 5 yro and I do have a thing where I pretend to be a school bus. She waits at a "bus stop" and I "drive" over and give her a piggy back ride to school. :glare: Yep. embarrassing, but she thinks it's hilarious.

 

I don't think adding another student will be as scary as it sounds. Once you get into the swing of things...:tongue_smilie: And K is fun.

[Carrie12345]

Instead of looking at is as short shifting, I try to look at the perks of picking up on concepts and fun along side older siblings. *That's* something my first two didn't get much of! ;)

[FO4UR]

My middle dd has learned to read along side her big brother as a perk of being a younger in a HSing family...I wouldn't have set out to teach her so young, but the opportunity was just there.

 

My youngest will get me all to himself at the end of childhood when the other two are off at college...it's really a trade-off and not simply a negative thing.

 

I don't do nearly as much "preschool" stuff with my youngers either, but they have a big brother who leads them into all kinds of "learning experiences" that I would NEVER do b/c they involve things like climbing trees and mud.:001_huh: It's a trade off and I think in a healthy family, it's all good...it's all a part of what shapes us.