This is not going like it should

[musicianmom]

You know all those threads around here about how K should be a time of making happy memories, doing messy art projects, cuddling on the couch reading, baking cookies, taking nature walks, blah blah blah?

 

SO not happening around here. I can't even get my brain organized enough to put together an art project or science experiment, and the though of making my house even messier than it is right now makes we want to curl up into a little ball.

 

We do the three Rs, some memory work, and piano practice. That's about all the time I can give my kindergartner. The rest of the time at home she's on her own to play. I have her in activities where I can drop her off, so she can do more things without me neglecting the little ones.

 

I don't even have time to read to her other than a Bible story at bedtime. She was doing her own Sonlight readings the other day. :-(

 

Is this just how life is with a 1- and 2-year-old in the house, or am I doing something really wrong logistically? And yes, I am keeping the lessons short, so it's not like we're spending a lot of time on school.

[Poke Salad Annie]

For K, I would spend the time just reading and reading to them. Print off the Ambleside Year 0 booklist and find those books at your library. Give your 5 y/old paper and colors to draw with while you read. Talk about the books and illustrations within them. Go outside and play. Sing songs. Put on a CD of children's folk songs. Don't stress. You need to conserve your energy for your family and your home, and most importantly for yourself.

 

Have a set *down time* after lunch, when your littles might usually take a nap time, then you rest and recharge for the rest of the afternoon.

[mama27]

This is life with toddlers.

Relax! she's only 5.

I make Bible first, everything else is gravy. ;-)

How many outside activities do you have?

You could try picking one day a week for that nature walk, cookie baking, etc. But only choose ONE thing, not all 3.

My 4 and 5 yo only do school Mon-Thurs. I am VERY relaxed in the early years.

The fact that your 5 yo was reading her own books the other day is great!! My current 5 yo doesn't know the letter A from number 12. lol My oldest girls did, but not my youngest boy.

The weather is getting cooler, maybe make the mess outside?

[Kathleen in VA]

For K, I would spend the time just reading and reading to them. Print off the Ambleside Year 0 booklist and find those books at your library. Give your 5 y/old paper and colors to draw with while you read. Talk about the books and illustrations within them. Go outside and play. Sing songs. Put on a CD of children's folk songs. Don't stress. You need to conserve your energy for your family and your home, and most importantly for yourself.

 

Have a set *down time* after lunch, when your littles might usually take a nap time, then you rest and recharge for the rest of the afternoon.

 

:iagree: Keep it low key. Just involve your K'er in your everyday life. Talk about things as they happen. Looking at your children's ages informs me that you are in the serious trenches of child-raising right now. The main thing for all your children to learn at this point in the game is to obey mommy. If that's all any of them learn this year then you're lightyears ahead of most parents, homeschoolers or not.

 

Do not stress. If she asks a question about something (Why is the sky blue?) run with it. Show her how to find out. Look it up together. Play together. Relax. No academics needed at this stage - just enjoy her.

 

I'm so NOT an outside activity person, especially when they are this little. To me, homeschooling should be about family - it is family-centered education. She doesn't need outside activities. What you are doing is plenty; it is enough.

 

When my two oldest were this age we did not have a second car. I couldn't have involved them in outside activities even if I had wanted to. They have turned into two of the nicest young men you'll ever meet. Please do not feel like your dd needs lots of activity. She needs you.

[lamamaloca]

I would say that reading aloud is more important than even the 3 Rs for a five year old. Do the littles nap at the same time? Try to read then.

 

Don't worry about the messy, fun projects. IMO, they're overrated.

[Homeschooling6]

When my oldest was five we had lots of toddlers and I was expecting our 6th child, so not too much got done but I did read a lot. We used Sonlight K. It was a fun year.

 

Not a lot of baking or nature walks that year. We did have picnics in the living room or backyard ;)

[MusicMama]

Lol! Sounds just like my life! I am doing preK lessons with my 3yo Dd at the breakfast table in our pj's. Ds is strapped in his high chair, where he can't interfere (though he can throw his cereal...) and baby is in the bouncy seat. In about 20 minutes we go over tracing pages, Bible memory, ABC's, counting, and then finish with a book on a science or history topic with everyone piled on the couch. It might not be the best arrangement, Dd will recite Abs's in between bites of breakfast, but it works. At first I felt a little like a slob bc we were still in pj's with food still on the table. But if the horse is dead, dismount. The more "traditional" idea of teaching wasn't working so we are trying something unconventional and it is working. And don't feel obligated to "do school" everyday. They learn plenty just by following you around at that age. Good luck!

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

I'm bookmarking this thread. I've been reading through the responses thinking, "I love you ladies." Some needs to be printed and stuck to the wall.

[KrissiK]

Repeat after me, "My life is not a Norman Rockwell Painting!" and then take everyone else's advice. For kindergarten, focus on Bible, learning phonics and counting and lots of play and read alouds. If it's one thing I am so glad I did with my kids when they were preschoolers and younger is read aloud to them often. Reading aloud to young children builds an invaluable foundation for language skills. It's amazing, and you won't realize it until they get a little older and the results come blazingly clear. They ingraine what a complete sentence sounds like, they build vocabulary (who cares if you can sound out "c-a-t" if you don't know what a cat is, kwim?), they just learn to understand language. My boys are now first and second graders and, honestly, I have never had problems with teaching them what is a complete sentence. They just know. It sounds right to them. They have an excellent vocabulary, and both of them are actually really good spellers. And they are just average little boys. No Einsteins here. So, make lots of trips to the library, read lots of books and forget about the messy art projects because you're going to the the one who ends up cleaning it up anyway. And I gave up on nature walks after too many hot, dusty mornings picking goat-heads out of my socks.

Edited September 10, 2010 by KrissiK

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

Repeat after me, "My life is not a Norman Rockwell Painting!" and then take everyone else's advice. [....] and forget about the messy art projects because you're going to the the one who ends up cleaning it up anyway. And I gave up on nature walks after too many hot, dusty mornings picking goat-heads out of my socks.

 

Again .. I love you. :lol:

 

Oh, and "nature study" here today is DS outside with Dad doing some landscaping which is more a lesson in labor than in nature but I figure that if there is bound to be contact with bugs and grubs (some of his favorite things to study), it totally counts :tongue_smilie:

[Kathleen in VA]

Again .. I love you. :lol:

 

Oh, and "nature study" here today is DS outside with Dad doing some landscaping which is more a lesson in labor than in nature but I figure that if there is bound to be contact with bugs and grubs (some of his favorite things to study), it totally counts :tongue_smilie:

 

:iagree:Dd11's nature study this week has been pulling fleas off the dog (her choice) and dissecting a housefly on a paper plate.:lol:

[johnandtinagilbert]

:iagree:Dd11's nature study this week has been pulling fleas off the dog (her choice) and dissecting a housefly on a paper plate.:lol:

ha ha...that made me snort!

[5LittleMonkeys]

I don't know if this has been asked\mentioned but, do your little ones take naps? If they don't you may want to institute mandatory rest time every afternoon. That would give you at least and hour to spend one on one with your K. If your littles sleep a little later you might want to think about getting yourself and K up 30 minutes earlier so the two of you can cuddle on the couch with a book or you could put the littles to bed earlier and get more time there.

 

That being said, I would wonder - does she seem to be lacking in some way? Is she complaining about not getting enough time with you? If not, if she seems perfectly happy, then I would think you are doing plenty with her. Lots of hs'ers don't even begin formal schooling until 6 years of age. I tend to agree with all of the others when they say just take it easy. Maybe only do the three Rs three days a week, make one day craft\art day, and one day sit on the couch and read a bunch of books day.

 

One idea that works here for my littles and messy projects - disposable tablecloths. Put one on the table and spread 2 out under the table. Tape down the edges with some easy release tape (scotch). Put adult size t-shirts on the kiddos. When your all done put the t-shirts in the laundry, put the kids in the tub then into rest\nap time, then go roll the tablecloths up and throw them away along with all the glitter, paper pieces, globs of glue, playdough bits and whatever else you don't feel like saving. If you only do this once a week or every other week it won't be as bad as if you try to do it everyday. Just my .02

[newhsmom]

"Is this just how life is with a 1- and 2-year-old in the house, or am I doing something really wrong logistically?"

 

 

Just wanted to let you know I can totally relate. My kids are the exact same ages as your kids. We aim for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hrs a day of school maybe 4 days a week. Right now my littlest one still takes a morning nap, as soon as that is gone I don't know how I will get any school done. To answer your question, yes, I think this is how it is with a one and two year old in the house. Atleast, this is how it is in my house. I keep telling my self things will be easier next year when the little ones are a bit older. Also, this is just Kinder so I am not going to worry too much.

[siloam]

If it makes you feel better, I tried to start hsing when my oldest was 4.75. It didn't work. I was PG with the last one, and way too cranky. Then after ds was born I was having a hard time keeping up with everything. I had a 5yo, 3.5 yo (not totally potty trained), 2yo and new born. One could spend an hour just dealing with diaper issues. I actually used paper plates for the first year ds was alive, because our kitchen is a postage stamp and I couldn't keep up with the dishes while dealing with feedings and changing diapers.

 

DD was 5.75 before she started school, and is none the worst for it. I also tried to get fun stuff done, but with so many "helping hands" knocking things over and such it never worked out. I gave up and just focused on the basics and reading good books for several years.

 

This is a season of life, it will change and get easier. Just do what you can for now.

 

Heather

Edited September 13, 2010 by siloam

[Hedgehog]

:iagree: with the other posts! Just adding my support! Thinking back to when ds was a baby... things were pretty difficult for our family - relationship problems, post-natal depression. Dds were 6y and 4y and there was no "schoolwork" going on in our house. But they played, sang, were creative and busy in and out of the house, bringing me bunches of wildflowers and dead bugs by turns.

 

I have to admit, that my dds are a little behind in their Language Arts, but that is much more because I chose to "unschool" when dd10 was about 7 years old, so we missed a couple years there. But I'm not going to cry over split milk. We have a few years to go yet to make up for it!

[jsleepymom]

Thanks for this thread! We have begun our first 'official' hs year as well and although it is going okay, many of my ideas have already been chucked by the wayside (narrations, nature walks, art, music...). It probably takes about 1 hour total for us to do a day's worth of school, but there are so many interruptions that it drags out forever!

 

All of mine have recently come into a horrible phase of bickering, nit-picking, tattling etc and we are really having to work on those issues as a priority. And Heather was right about diapering/potty issues being able to account for an hour of the day :glare:...craziness.

 

My kids are 5 1/2, 4, 2 1/2, and 6 months old. I had such a different vision of our daily lives after all the blog-reading, forum lurking, and real life socializing I have done but quickly came to the conclusion that sadly it is not going to be happening here. I have read numerous books on child-rearing and home schooling and never do they explain what to do when your baby is screaming at the top of their lungs while you're outside on a 'nature' walk with the kids trying to have conversation with the eldest, your 2 year old falls and has a crying fit because of the resulting scrape and your 4 year old is as always so spaced out he can't hear the many requests to please pick up his scooter and continue along so that mommy can keep pushing the stroller and get us the heck home. (Just a hypothetical situation...:D).

 

All of the 'common sense' techniques and advice on schooling work great when you can completely focus your attention on one child. And even those who have many children closely spaced but older can't seem to remember how they handled the days of all kids being littles...they just say it gets better as your older children are more able to help, which leaves me to wonder how do I survive until then :tongue_smilie:??

 

Sorry for the length, this was just the right (wrong??) day for me to come across a thread like this AND I wanted you to know that it sounds like you're doing a great job AND you are SO not alone ;)!

[Mommy22alyns]

:grouphug: It sounds like you're covering what's necessary for K, honestly. You have a very full plate right now, so don't beat yourself up!

[calandalsmom]

If you can manage to be fairly nice to everyone all day long (hardest part) and your dd spends time with books, good food and playing with little companions you are all set imo.

[Firestar Academy]

ask hubby what he can do to help you???

 

I telked with my hubby and this is how we work it: I make the messes, and he cleans them up after he gets home from work.

 

He loves coming home to a hot, cooked meal..so he'll do the dishes....

 

He loves the kids telling him about the experiment we did that day....and he loves that i do it with them....he'll clean up the mess...

 

I come down in the morning to a clean kitchen...ahhh

 

Tonight, he gets to clean up glitter/cheerios all over the kitchen counter from the experiment on wind and currents...Yet there is a pork roast bubbling in the crock pot....:001_smile: he is pulling in the driveway now!!!

 

Robin in NJ

[MusicMama]

"when your baby is screaming at the top of their lungs while you're outside on a 'nature' walk with the kids trying to have conversation with the eldest, your 2 year old falls and has a crying fit because of the resulting scrape and your 4 year old is as always so spaced out he can't hear the many requests to please pick up his scooter and continue along so that mommy can keep pushing the stroller and get us the heck home."

 

Have you been spying on me??? Sounds like my day exactly :tongue_smilie:

[Irishmommy]

WHAT???? My life is NOT a Norman Rockwell painting? B-B-B-But I LOVE Norman Rockwell...:glare:

 

Can we at least do picture study of NR paintings? :lol: I think that is the closest I'd ever come to making those reality in any form or fashion!

[Heather in WI]

I'm not the expert on K, but it looks like you're doing a lot. (And, I'm not one to push relaxed/delayed learning by any stretch.)

 

Your signature says that you're using: Sonlight, Singapore, FLL, HWT, AAS, Song School Latin

 

Is this the entire Sonlight Core K? + Singapore Math? + First Language Lessons 1? + Handwriting Without Tears? + All About Spelling? + Song School Latin?

 

Whoa, Nellie!

 

If it were me, I'd drop the First Language Lessons until 1st grade, delay Spelling until at least the second half of K5, and drop Song School Latin until 2nd grade.

 

My top priority for kindergarten is to get them reading fluently. This, to me, is more important than anything else. After that is math. Then handwriting (penmanship). When they have those three things down, I add in spelling. In addition to that we do a lot of reading aloud, but I don't use a program ... I just grab a book off the shelf and start reading. {grin}

Edited September 13, 2010 by Heather in WI

[FO4UR]

You are in a survival mode year. Let's see...once upon a time, I had a 5yo, 3yo and 2yo...it's tough! I survived and my dc did too. :iagree: with the poster who said that your main focus should be on teaching them to obey mommy. Everything else can come naturally for now.

 

If you can get in a board book or two with 1yo on your lap and your other littles on either side, you'll be paving the way for some good read aloud times in the future. My 4yo is still always in.my.lap. during storytime...at least he isn't eating the books anymore.:tongue_smilie:

[musicianmom]

You know what? I shouldn't have posted this here. Thanks anyway.

[mama27]

I don't see why not but alrighty.