skissugar Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 ds is 4th grade ... dd is kindy this year. Currently we are about 5 months behind where we should be. Because of a move across country and having to take care of my father for a short time. The kids are just burnt out and done. we have tried to play catch up, doing as much as we can, but I can not get them to focus. DS took 4hrs to do a vocabulary assignment yesterday. Yes i should not have let him take 4hrs but my mind was elsewhere (dh had taken dd to the er for the stomach flu). we all are kind of at this point of being done with this year. I know all ds's stuff will be covered again, If i stopped, i would still continue with just math. DD is reading short 3 letter words and we could continue to work on reading and finish up her math book (shes about a month away from being done with it, she worked fast in that book). I just don't know if i should keep plugging away at history, science, math, writing, reading,spelling, etc.. if they are so burnt out. Yes we could take ANOTHER break. But really we have had way to many. I know they will cover quite a bit of this stuff next year, as we are going from a "boxed" to a curriculum i put together. Im worried if i drop everything I will damage their education, but im worried if i continue to force them while they are burnt out that they will hate doing school. I know its summer and the kids want to play all day and i want a break.. i probably just need a good swift kick saying get it done.. did any of that make sense lol.. im known to babble lol.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 this is probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I would drop everything and enjoy the summer. They are young enough and will be fine if you start back up in the fall. I would keep reading with DD, well both kids actually, but put away the formal stuff and just have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clwcain Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 this is probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I would drop everything and enjoy the summer. They are young enough and will be fine if you start back up in the fall. I would keep reading with DD, well both kids actually, but put away the formal stuff and just have fun. :iagree: Read fun stuff to them. Enjoy summer. It goes by very fast, and there is more than enough time to "catch up". You need the rest even more than they do, based on the summary of your year. Make no apologies. Do what's best for your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Another vote for the "unpopular" opinion (quiver!) that is probably the most popular you will get! Take a week to wrap up some loose ends, and then school's out for the summer. Keep snuggling up with dd for reading--play some fun games, ask if she wants to write some words describing her latest painting (on the back), do some baking, make a few crafts, go swimming. Take it easy, and let them relax. There's no sense pushing, because probably their little brains won't truly process the info anyway. She certainly is young enough, and ds is now, but maybe is turning the corner to where it will be more important to stay on track--so take this opportunity while you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Well we school year-round, so I don't see the harm in doing some work this summer, just so you won't feel so "behind" come fall. I'd definitely take a serious break though, a good month. Then ramp up slowly and work in July and August, just doing some real basics. The vocab, history, and science can all wait. I'd do the math and just a dab of LA daily, totally no more than 1 hour for your 4th grader. For the K5er, sounds like you could finish out her stuff in that time, even at half-pace or doing just 15-20 minutes a day. Life isn't necessarily going to get magically easier in the fall. There may be more stuff that comes up then with sickness or weather or whatever. Take a break, get rest for a month, then come back with some gentle routine, just an hour a day, to make progress on a few of the most important things so you don't feel swamped come fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 :iagree: I guess we're all unpopular :D. I would stop school and just read to them over the summer. If there are paticular skills you'd like to continue for the 4th grade I would do that, but only on a flexible basis and only after taking a big break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 this is probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I would drop everything and enjoy the summer. They are young enough and will be fine if you start back up in the fall. I would keep reading with DD, well both kids actually, but put away the formal stuff and just have fun. I'm cool with this..... keep reading with DD, maybe just pick up a "bridge" type of book for DS. I have to say - you jumped back into school faster than i did when i moved! But take some time to explore the area - that is still learning. Get ready for the "next chapter". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Most curriculums have a nice review built-in to the next year's level anyway. I would definitely stop for now. Maybe, when August arrives and it's too hot to go outside, you could pick a few things to work on (I'd choose whatever subject it is that they've been having the most trouble with, and do a few pages). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 We are military, and we are always taking extended breaks to accomodate my husband's schedule or PCS moves. The kids haven't had any trouble academically, but we do school year round to give ourselves time to finish our books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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