What do you do while your kids are doing their work?

[Parrothead]

We are at the point where I give dd an assignment with maybe 5 minutes of instruction. Then she spends the next 25-45 minutes doing work such as math problems, sentence diagramming, writing from the model, ect. And I spend that time sitting around visiting here or reading a book. I can't watch a show because it will distract dd. I certainly can't play Wii.

 

Now that I've got medication and am sleeping better the house is in fairly decent shape. Five minutes to swap over the laundry, 10 minutes to fold it. A few to make beds or wipe down the bathroom or wash the breakfast dishes. I could company ready the place in less than 30 minutes.

 

So, what do you do while your kids are doing seat work?

[Mejane]

This. Here. :D

[danivdp]

You need more kids :P

 

I can't imagine what I'd do with free time....probably read a book or start studying something myself.....Or get on the 'puter :D

[Night Elf]

Eating or doing my own homework. :tongue_smilie:

[Parrothead]

You need more kids :P

 

I can't imagine what I'd do with free time....probably read a book or start studying something myself.....Or get on the 'puter :D

Oh, we wanted more. Secondary infertility is what the doctor called it.

 

Now it is too late. So I gotta get a hobby.

[springmama]

Well, I have a 2 year old and my older kids aren't that independent, but if I did have a free 25 minutes, I'd work more. I have a work at home freelancing gig that allows me to work as much as I want. Or I'd knit, fold laundry, clean something, get online.

[Julie in CA]

Let's see, while my kids are working on their schoolwork I......*stand over them with a whip, a stun gun, and a sedative*. :lol:

 

Ok, not really. :D

Usually, I'm here (WTM), or folding laundry, or baking for special order customers (which I do as a part-time job to augment my part-time income from restaurant pastry chef work).

[springmama]

Let's see, while my kids are working on their schoolwork I......*stand over them with a whip, a stun gun, and a sedative*. :lol:

 

Ok, not really. :D

Usually, I'm here (WTM), or folding laundry, or baking for special order customers (which I do as a part-time job to augment my part-time income from restaurant pastry chef work).

 

LOL! That was my first thought as well! But it's not true, I promise.

[FriedClams]

This. Here. :D

 

:iagree::iagree:

 

My kids are fairly self motivated. We use CLE so it's pretty self directed. I check everything and am always ready to help with assignments, explain things, etc. We usually start together - look at anything new - and then they're off. We do usually sit together and I hit the Hive or blogs.

 

History and Science we do together later on in the day.

[elegantlion]

Sit across from ds and remind him to focus. :D Tell him his talking is interrupting whatever I'm doing...shuffle papers, grade papers, plan the remaining years of school, panic because I sometimes like to plan more than teach, distract the dog and cat, walk through the kitchen and remind myself to either do dishes or put them away, work on my stories, catch up here, look at the clock and wonder how long it is until nap time, ponder Latin, tell ds to focus again as we get distracted by a squirrel or bird, and pretend to be otherwise productive.

[WarriorMama]

Well, today I crawled around under the dining room table helping my 2-year-old put together his wooden train set (why it HAD to be under there is anyone's guess).

 

I'm 6 months pregnant which makes it an even more ridiculous mental picture, Im sure. ;)

 

So I'm still at the stage where it's sometimes hard to even get the instruction part done due to interruptions...I kind of envy you your free time! I hope you find something fun to do with it! :001_smile:

[bookfiend]

You might consider something that we started last year as the older one is capable of more independent work. Teach everything all at once for an hour instead of doling it out one subject, 5 minutes at a time. I review all of the work for the day with him. Then he has 2-3 hours to work by himself. I'm able to undertake much larger tasks and become less frustrated by constant interruption.

[gpsings]

piddle around online. ;)

[Saille]

Were I in that situation, I'd surf some, but I'd also find it a lot easier to work on my self-ed. My only options at this point are to get up before 5:45, or do it after 8 p.m. at night, and by then I'm usually too wiped to focus well.

[mysticamethyst]

Right there with ya, I find myself spending way too much time here lol. I have started knitting, quilting and embroidery. I feel like I spend too much time cooped up in my room while all the kids are doing their work. I have been thinking about voluteering somewhere but I am not an outgoing person, very shy in fact. I wasn't ready for doing nothing and there are times that I feel like that is what I am doing. I can only clean so much and I hate cleaning. I am sure you will find something, maybe some scrapbooking.:001_smile::001_smile:

[Mrs Mungo]

We have a school room that is separate from the house. So, I can't do housework. I usually read or play online (search Runescape and/or WoW, you'll see many moms here play online games).

[Parrothead]

Right there with ya, I find myself spending way too much time here lol. I have started knitting, quilting and embroidery. I feel like I spend too much time cooped up in my room while all the kids are doing their work. I have been thinking about voluteering somewhere but I am not an outgoing person, very shy in fact. I wasn't ready for doing nothing and there are times that I feel like that is what I am doing. I can only clean so much and I hate cleaning. I am sure you will find something, maybe some scrapbooking.:001_smile::001_smile:

I've thought about scrapbooking. I also realized that when I do scrapbook I do it for hours on end and hate being interrupted while I'm doing it. So I do not scrapbook at present.

 

I thought about volunteering. There is a place I can do that, but I'd have to take dd with me. She doesn't feel secure yet staying home by herself.

 

Great ideas though. I'm planning those for someday.

[Garga]

I'm not there yet, but if I were in your situation, here's how I'd try to run my day (assuming that you don't have to stay in the same room...)

 

Instead of getting up early to exercise and shower, I'd do it after school starts. And I'd probably brush up my skills on the piano. Then, I'd spend another chunk of time decluttering the attic, basement and shed.

 

5 minute lesson, then exercise.

Another 5 minute lesson, shower (I get dressed to shoes every day--makeup, hair, nice clothes. I like to feel dressed and ready to go.)

5 minute lesson, play piano

5 minute lesson, declutter

5 minute lesson, do all the chores for the day

 

Maybe by then, school would be close to being done. And then I'd come online or read a book.

Edited October 13, 2010 by Garga

[TheCoffeeChick]

I spend a lot of time here too. I'm trying to be on here less - so I made a list of small things I just need to find the time to finish that I am always putting off:

 

Finish dd's quilt

Sew patches on ds's scout shirt

Read a real book (not just junky twaddle like normal!)

Finish proof-reading dh's novel

Work on Christmas gifts (I'm making most of them)

Sort the rest of the school papers (I had them filed, didn't like it, and am now in the middle of un-filing)

Fill out Christmas Cards (I am bound and determined to have them filled out, stuffed, addressed, stamped and ready to go so I can drop them in the mail the week after Thanksgiving)

Update Family Blog

Back up photos on hard drive

Make next week's dinner menu & grocery list (match up sales and coupons)

 

I can easily do these things while I'm waiting on the kids to finish up what they are working on. It's my goal to only be on here in the early mornings or late evenings --- obviously today doesn't count! :lol:

[Lawana]

Wow. I can't get enough time to work with dc. At 11 and 14, you'd think they'd be pretty independent, but it's not working out that way. Dd, 14, has had a rough road to reading. She finally had intensive tutoring last year, and is doing better, but still learns and comprehends *much* better if she reads to me, then we discuss─sometimes paragraph by paragraph. Ds, 11, still needs me for a math lesson, CW, Latin and Greek. Add in the 3yo granddaughter I babysit 4 days a week, and I have very little down time during the day. (I don't babysit on Wednesday's, can you tell?;))

When I do have a little time, I come here, or do housework.:tongue_smilie:

[Tress]

I'm so not there, yet, with a 2yo and 4yo, but if I had that time I would use it to study, doing some major self-ed projects. Now I have to study at the end of the day and that is not going so well.

[Parrothead]

We have a school room that is separate from the house. So, I can't do housework. I usually read or play online (search Runescape and/or WoW, you'll see many moms here play online games).

Off to check them out

[Guest momk2000]

If I'm not working with 9yo dd, then I am working with 5yo dd. I sort of shuffle back and forth between them. When my 5yo is done with her work (her day is much shorter than her sister's), then I might do light housework (folding towels, loading the dishwasher...) or get a headstart on dinner, such as preparing the salad, etc...

It really depends on what kind of day the kids are having if I am able to get any housework done. Some days we are lucky to just get through school. It varies widely from day to day. :D

[SnowWhite]

Let me just say I am COMPLETELY jealous! I usually work on lesson plans or fold one of the MYRIAD loads of laundry and wish I could go upstairs and work on dishes or dusting or reorganizing.... It's good to know one day when the toddler is into the independent work stage I will get to scrapbook or be on the WTM forum (as it is now, I do WTM forum during NON school hours... probably should ditch it in favor of household chores, but I need SOMETHING to preserve my sanity and remind me there are other adults in a similar lifestyle).

 

Sorry, I realize this isn't a helpful response. I couldn't help myself. :auto:

[Alyce]

When mine hit highschool and were pretty independent it was very ackward like your situation. At first I did a lot of reading, which I love. Then I started working on hobbies. I spent some time knitting but when it gets hot that's hard for me to do. I love to scrapbook and since my kids no longer used the table I moved some of my scrapbooking stuff in and would do a little of that. One year I even worked on cross stitch projects to give to family members at Christmas. You need to find something now because as I'm now experiencing it only gets worse after they've left home. After HSing for 11 years it's hard adjusting. So used to following a schedule and now, well not quite working the way I expected.

[dm379]

If you're really that bored, you can come clean my house!

 

Usually I clean while the kids do independent work. Or cook. I'm thinking if I make a recording of myself that says "stop chatting and do your work" I'd have even more free time.

[ChristusG]

Isnt that what these forums were created for? LOL

[TXMomof4]

Oh, we wanted more. Secondary infertility is what the doctor called it.

 

Now it is too late. So I gotta get a hobby.

 

I'll send you some! They are very sweet, well-behaved children (when they choose to be).

 

Hijack: What did you get to help with sleep? I'm about to go looney here from lack of shut-eye!

[Emmy]

I prep stuff for history if I'm not ready, or I work with my 4yo if I can do so without being distracting (he's kind of loud...), I piddle on the computer, and I knit. I try to do housework but that doesn't work very well because I'm running about too much.

[KrissiK]

Standing over them, pointing to the next problem, telling them to sit down, stop throwing things at your brother, saying things like, "There will be no tv or video games until you get your work done." Well, that was yesterday. When ds#2 was still doing his seat work at 4:00 pm. And they are only 6 & 7. And they really only have about 20 minutes of work to do if they actually just sat there and did it. Sometimes, like yesterday, that 20 minutes turns into about 2 hours.

[6packofun]

I like to read ahead in what the dc will be doing, particularly pre-reading for literature or even pleasure reading for them or myself! When children see their parents self-educating in any way, it's great! For a fun hobby and/or learning. :)

[Paintedlady]

I wish! Sounds like heaven.

 

I'd goof off here, read a book, clean, cook, play with the dog. I have a 140 + yr. old house--I always have something to do. :glare:

[mcconnellboys]

I'm doing laundry, straightening up around the house, getting dressed if I haven't before we started school, starting supper if it's in the slow cooker, making my bed, getting online to check email messages, etc.....

[Susan in TN]

In my rare moments of free time, I read, sleep, or practice my harp. I highly recommend learning to play the harp. It's very theraputic.

[elizabeth]

Read books that are candidates for next years literature and history studies as none of the usual history books passes muster on its own so I integrate my top 4 or 5 picks along thematic lines . The standard literature lists are not comprehensive enough so those need to be selected and read as well. When those tasks are complete for the next year I simply read from my various little stacks all around the house.

I also write occasional letters to the editor of several newspapers especially around this time of year.

In the afternoon when I can, I cross stitch. Here is a great place to look for really great patterns.

http://www.wyndhamneedleworks.com/html/charts___kits.htm

 

Yes I wear three pairs of lenses at once but I truly enjoy this pastime.

[StaceyinLA]

Haha!! It's true. I pay bills or work on the budget when needed, read the boards, buy online (bad, bad, Stacey), or read.

 

Of course, I am generally working WITH ds because we are watching the Chemistry lessons and doing the Chem together. I help him with math as needed. We read History together a lot of the time and discuss it. You'd never know the boy was FIFTEEN!! But alas, he's the last one at home and I can spend the time, so I do.

[Dawn in OH]

I have to remain close by and remind at least one child to "focus" and "let's get this done", "no talking", "keep your feet to yourself", "this is taking too long", and a multitude of other comments.

 

Now I can wash a load of dishes, fold some laundry, check my email, and pay bills, which is all just a few feet away, but I cannot run off and take a nice long hot shower and blow dry my hair, or nothing will get done while I am away.

[Tammyla]

My list has to be quiet activities.

 

1. Read

2. Computer if not in use for an on-line or CD-ROM class.

3. craft, I'm trying my hand at paper-piece quilting

4. My least favorite, but most important...Going over work and GRADING:tongue_smilie:

[CalicoKat]

We are at the point where I give dd an assignment with maybe 5 minutes of instruction. Then she spends the next 25-45 minutes doing work such as math problems, sentence diagramming, writing from the model, ect. And I spend that time sitting around visiting here or reading a book. I can't watch a show because it will distract dd. I certainly can't play Wii.

 

Now that I've got medication and am sleeping better the house is in fairly decent shape. Five minutes to swap over the laundry, 10 minutes to fold it. A few to make beds or wipe down the bathroom or wash the breakfast dishes. I could company ready the place in less than 30 minutes.

 

So, what do you do while your kids are doing seat work?

 

I knit, work on my computer (it's in the same room), read.

 

I still have to be physically present because other wise Chaos puts in a visit.

[regentrude]

Help the other kid. Or mostly do my own work. I work 25 hours a week, about ten of those at home.

[rafiki]

.

[ondreeuh]

I prep dinner, sometimes even making the whole thing so I can just reheat it at dinnertime. If I can, I double or triple the recipe so I can stick a batch in the freezer. When that's all done and the kitchen is clean, I go online.