mlkmnsgrl Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 So, my kiddos are both under 2...obviously I've got plenty of time to look at materials and such, but has anyone followed TWTM suggestions for preschool and kindergarten more or less exactly or does everybody make adjustments from the beginning? At this point I'm planning on following the recommendations pretty much exactly for the first year and then adjust as I learn. Is that pretty typical? Also--does anyone actually do all of the Slow and Steady book's activities with their toddlers? My ds isn't remotely interested in paying attention to anything I try to do with him no matter how informally. Plus, I don't feel like he's ready for the activities suggested for his age. My dd is 6 mos and she does seem more engaged when I try things, but she's really interested in everything regardless. If I don't do all of the activities with her, will she end up seeming to be behind as he does or can I pick and choose based on when I've got time to put things together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I did not read TERM until my kids were 3&5. I never did any activities in Slow and Steady with him, he was way ahead of the book before I got it. He has been packing his own overnight bag, one of the last activities, since he was 3. My 3 year old is way ahead of the book as well, without ever using it. I would say you could pick and choose. As long as you are reading to them, playing and building with them, and making sure they have time for gross motor development; they will be fine. If you are worried about missing something, do all the exercises. But I don't think you have to do them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I don't follow TWTM at all at this point after following it very closely/exactly for a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 (edited) I pick and choose the activities from Slow & Steady. I wanted to do every activity from day 1 for ds2, but he was born premature and we had problems and it was all I could do to get through the days (I had also wanted to do baby signs, too.) Year 4-5 is mostly learning the alphabet, one letter a week, which ds1 already knew when he was 3, and ds2 knows at 2.5 years old. If you can do it and it works, that's great! But I wouldn't worry about being behind if you don't do all of it. And you don't have to wait until they're a certain age to do some of the older stuff if they're ready for it. ETA We are planning on following WTM VERY closely, with room for adjustments. Our kindergarten is a bit more than described/recommended, but it's what ds is enjoying doing. I still haven't got my hands on the science books recommended, but I want to. Edited September 12, 2011 by theYoungerMrsWarde Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlkmnsgrl Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 Thanks all. I know I'll never do every activity in the book, but I hope to do more than I am now! I'm so excited to hs and it makes me crazy that I've got years to wait for formal teaching, so I see this as my chance to begin developing the time management and such required to hs. I want to show my husband that we can manage it--he's supportive but skeptical about my commitment to the time it'll take. So maybe that's my answer--if I need to show I'll take the time, maybe I should make a concerted effort to really do each week. By the way, the science books (Mudpies to Magnets and II) are awesome. Obviously haven't done any of them, but I've paged through the first--got a good deal and bought it--and it's great! Lots of variety, and room to add/subtract from the basic project described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Why not just let your babies be babies? The academic stuff can wait a few years. Otherwise you run the risk of burning them and yourself out before starting kindergarten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AEC Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I'm so excited to hs and it makes me crazy that I've got years to wait for formal teaching "Patience, grasshopper." You have LOTS of time for the academics and figuring out how to do it...and only a few years for NOT having academics. Be a fun mom, have fun kids. Learn to walk, eat, run, jump, climb, talk, etc. But, for the question you asked.... We've become more WTM-ish as the kids have gotten older (currently, 2nd and 4th grade). I read and liked the book when we started homeschooling (oldest was entering K), but honestly it was just too much to absorb. Everything was just so new. We had really simple clear goals for the kids to reach by the end of K (which are, I think consistent with the WTM philosophy, if not their suggested implementation method). 1) learn to read, using phonics. As well as they could possibly learn to read. Both were comfortable with medium-length chapter books by end of K (dd, now 7 read on her own most of the Magic Treehous books over the summer between K and 1). But we did nothing with this till K...or whenever they asked to. 2) learn to count well, understanding that the numbers are symbols that mean quantities. Have fun manipulating quantities, sets, weighing things, etc. IME, it's difficult to NOT accomplish this goal as long as you talk to your kids and have them around. 3) learn that we can ask questions, and that answers can be found. Enjoy finding interesting things (bugs, cars, historical people, whatever) and learning about them. 4) play and have fun with this. but...those were the goals for the END of K. You're years from that. <shrug> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeaganS Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I never used it, and I was in about the same boat as you a few years ago. I still plan on starting a mostly WTM homeschool as soon as my children are ready. I think the Slow and Steady book was thrown in there because they had to recommend something for that age, not because it is actually important. From what I understand, it is all practical stuff. If you do that type of stuff with your kids anyways, it's not that helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Why not just let your babies be babies? The academic stuff can wait a few years. Otherwise you run the risk of burning them and yourself out before starting kindergarten. Slow and Steady isn't academic though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Slow and Steady was one of the most useless books I ever bought! Maybe some kids like that sort of thing, but my dd found it insulting. :lol: Both of mine gained more from eating tanbark. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ButterfliesandBooks Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Slow and Steady was one of the most useless books I ever bought! Maybe some kids like that sort of thing, but my dd found it insulting. :lol: Both of mine gained more from eating tanbark. :lol: :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Your kids are babies. They will learn best from playing and trying to help you with everyday chores. Read to them; walk with them; sing songs; sort blocks and build towers. THAT is how little children best learn. There is absolutely no need to follow any curriculum or recommendations from a book. Honestly, the best thing you can do right now is to get to know them and learn what they like to do. That is how you will have the instincts to know what is best to do to teach them when they are older. As a time honored veteran homeschooler (gosh I'm getting old!), stop looking at materials now. All the "best" stuff is going to change by the time your kids get there. Start smelling the roses because they don't bloom long. (Of course, other flowers bloom later. Smell them when you get to them:)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Slow and Steady was one of the most useless books I ever bought! Maybe some kids like that sort of thing, but my dd found it insulting. :lol: Both of mine gained more from eating tanbark. This, if you substitute boogers for tanbark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I didn't find Slow and Steady useless... but nor did I look it much at after the first time I looked through it. It was mostly common sense. There were a few things where I was like, oh, that's a nice idea. But mostly it was just obvious stuff. I think things like that can be positive if people read them, get ideas for stimulating games and activities and then move on and let their babies grow and learn at their own pace. I think they're less good when people see them as some sort of baby curriculum where a toddler can actually be behind at playing with balloons or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Your children are so little. Enjoy them. Take them to the park, read to them, get down on the floor and crawl about, roll in the grass together, dig in the sandbox, lie on a blanket and look at the clouds or stars, etc. I don't begin formal academics until between 5 and 6. I didn't read TWTM until my eldest was in 4th grade so, no, I didn't follow any of it's recs with my little ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All4one Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I finally gave my copy away after it sat on my bookcase for years. Just read to them and help them vocalize their observations of the world around them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I think it's a useful book if you have absolutely no idea what to do with a kid. I have met such parents. It certainly beats large amounts of tv or expecting a two year old to quietly play board games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I think it's a useful book if you have absolutely no idea what to do with a kid. I have met such parents. It certainly beats large amounts of tv or expecting a two year old to quietly play board games. *raises hand slowly* I had zero experience with small children until the moment I expelled one from my uterus. I have Slow and Steady, but we use it mostly as a "reference for the craft-impaired parent" than anything. I would have never thought little boys would want to play with fake flowers and foam blocks, because I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to anything sold in a Hobby Lobby. I do like the checklists in the back for age milestones, but I'm sure you could find something similar online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlkmnsgrl Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 Yah, that's me: no understanding of kids whatsoever, but so psyched to be a mom! For the record, I just want to say that I'm not trying to force them to do anything, but if my son is interested in books (as he is times 20!), I'd like to know that I've helped him with the pre-language skills, etc, to allow him to read them whenever he wants. Thanks to all for your responses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Just watch your kids. They'll let you know what you need to do with them. :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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