How can you do a good job with high school and still have time for teaching youngers?

[jenniferlee]

I am doing my schedule for this year and getting worried for the upcoming years.

I have 5 kids oldest starting 8th and youngest starting K.

 

I'm just seeing that for the next 4 years, the youngest 2 or 3 are going to need a lot of my time - direct instruction, oversight, hands-on attention etc.

 

But my oldest 2 are going to need me for help with complicated subject matter, discussions, writing help, correcting their work etc.

 

I'm just not seeing enough hours in my day.

 

Does/has anyone done this successfully. Larger family, all the way through? And felt like they weren't giving one group or another the short end of the stick?

 

I need some reassurance or redirection.

 

Thanks

Jen

[Gwen in VA]

Every family handles the challenge of homeschooling the high school years differently.

 

I realized that I can't do it all -- I can't do an amazing job homeschooling chemistry and British lit and pre-calculus and Latin 3 AND be a mother to my family AND homeschool the younger kids AND be a wife AND an active member of my community.

 

What worked for us -- outsourcing. Starting in 9th grade, we progressively signed the kids up for more and more online or CC or nearby 4-year college classes.

 

Online classes are not cheap, and not every kid thrives with this approach, but we loved it. There are some absolutely amazing teachers out there who are leading challenging and excellent classes.

[ABQmom]

I agree that this stage of life is a challenge! Last year when I had a freshman in HS and a first grader was the worst. We are committed to making it work and wanting to homeschool all four children through grade 12, so I have to make it work. This year hasn't been so bad because we've made the adjustment. I know what I can handle and what I cannot.

 

I combine the older kids where I can--waiting on my oldest to do certain courses until my second youngest can participate with her for example. I've been fortunate to have a lady at our church teach science to my oldest in a co-op setting, but she allowed those with young children to go back home and teach them. So basically, I have been getting a free science class for high school. This mom had four children and is schooling her last child, so she understands the challenge.

 

I read aloud to my youngest at night, and to my older children before lunch. My older kids have also had to be more independent as they get older which they have been fine with--they like that independence. I might only meet with them for 30 minutes each day and some days not at all.

 

Lastly, dh has had to take over math and science homework with my older children to free up some time for me to spend with the younger two.

 

Anyway, those are some ways we have handled the adjustment. I hope that helps you some.

[choirfarm]

Yep, you are absolutely right to be worried. It is impossible to do your best in every subject for every kid. There. Period. It just is. That said, ps doesn't do a GREAT job for EVERY subject either. So decide where you want to put your priorities. Basically I set a main priority or two for each child. For my 4th grader it is math and writing, so no matter what that MUST get done even if other things fall behind. So we don't do a fantastic job on science, it is ok for me. This year for my 9th grader it is surviving AP government, keeping up with CC Spanish and Geometry... His English isn't that hard this year because I just don't have the time. Well,, I say that but what I mean is hard in years past. He is doing Windows at co-op and Great Expectations for me. Some year we need to make grammar a priority. I had wanted the priority for my 11th grader to be writing, but haven't been successful. All of the online work Spanish, AP Government and AP Chemistry is taking 4 hours or more a day. Since he has CC classes Tues, and Thursday and co-op on Wednesday where he does lab work and SAT prep.., there just isn't enough time.

 

As you can see I outsource. I wish I had outsources precalc for my oldest. He's doing ok on homework but making C's on the tests!! GRR.. He has always made A's on math.. And I don't understand any of it!! I'm having a hard enough time helping my middle one with Geometry, rereading Great Expectations, helping with writing, grading middle one's Biology and teaching everything to my youngest. And I only have 3 kids!!!

 

Christine

[jenniferlee]

Gwen,

would you mind sharing what your favorite on line classes have been? Most worth the money? Kids enjoyed/learned from the most? There are so many choices out there...

 

ABQmom - thanks for the suggestions and encouragement. I was just talking with dh about ways for him to be more involved. I don't see how we'll make it otherwise. We are also committed to homeschooling all the way through, but now that that commitment is going to be tested, I'm scared.

I can't see only meeting with my older students for 30 min/day. It just doesn't seem like enough.

 

choirfarm- I like the idea of prioritizing. I know I can't be the best at everything. And I don't mind outsourcing some things. But we can't afford a lot and even if we could, I still want to be in there with them. kwim?

[ABQmom]

Gwen,

would you mind sharing what your favorite on line classes have been? Most worth the money? Kids enjoyed/learned from the most? There are so many choices out there...

 

ABQmom - thanks for the suggestions and encouragement. I was just talking with dh about ways for him to be more involved. I don't see how we'll make it otherwise. We are also committed to homeschooling all the way through, but now that that commitment is going to be tested, I'm scared.

I can't see only meeting with my older students for 30 min/day. It just doesn't seem like enough.

 

choirfarm- I like the idea of prioritizing. I know I can't be the best at everything. And I don't mind outsourcing some things. But we can't afford a lot and even if we could, I still want to be in there with them. kwim?

 

I could not have imagined 30 minutes a day either! But, remember, dh spends quite a bit of time with them in the evenings as well.

[Gwen in VA]

My all-time favorite online classes --

 

Pennsylvania Homeschoolers for AP classes. We have done about twelve through them. Some are excellent and some are "merely" very good, but we haven't had one that I would rate less than "very good." The teachers have been really helpful, and the classes have ALL done a great job preparing my kids for the various AP exams.

 

Scholars Online -- I particularly recommend Dr. McMenomy's literature classes. My older two kids (senior in college and a grad student) still talk about his classes with affection and admiration. He teaches how to analyze literature like no one else. My kids have taken strong science classes from SO that did a GREAT job preparing them for the relevant SAT-2's, and they have taken Latin and Greek there as well. My son placed into 200-level Greek classes in college after taking through Greek 3 at SO.

 

My youngest is currently taking Latin 3 through Lone Pine Classical, and I am really impressed with the class and with the teacher. (She couldn't take Latin 3 at SO due to a schedule conflict.)

 

Caveat emptor with online classes though -- read the descriptions CAREFULLY, talk with the teacher, read reviews if possible, and if possible talk with someone you trust who has taken a class through the organization before.

Edited September 24, 2011 by Gwen in VA

[EKS]

I don't have five kids, but I do have a 10th grader and a younger child. I'm finding that farming out some of the classes is really helping. Last year in 9th grade my son only did one outside course (Latin) and I taught/supervised 5.5 other courses (math, English, history, two sciences, and health). It was beyond too much. This year he's doing math, English, and Latin through outside classes and I'm dealing with only three myself, as it happens ones that I particularly enjoy--biology, world history, and history of science.

 

So that's my suggestion--keep teaching the classes you enjoy (or feel particularly strongly about homeschooling) and farm out some or all of the rest.

[regentrude]

I do not have five children, but I have a 10th grader, a 7th grader, and work 25 hours outside the home.

I find that homeschooling high school is much less time consuming than homeschooling a younger child. The largest chunk of time I need to invest is spent researching materials and selecting curriculum over the summer.

 

During the school year, my high schooler is working mostly independently. I do not think that I spend more than one hour daily interacting one-on-one with her. Not because I do not have the time (I do), but because she prefers to do her own thing and to involve me only for the following tasks: to read and discuss her writing with her, to help out when she gets stuck on a chemistry problem, and to nugde her to work on her French. We use time in the car to listen to history lectures together or to discuss history and literature.

 

One big time saver is that I give very few tests and do not grade any daily work. In subjects like math I give comprehensive final exams at the end of the semester. No weekly quizzes, no homework grades.

She self-checks her work in math and chemistry with the solution manuals and reworks the problems if there are issues (we expect homework done 100% correct- so giving grades is pointless)

 

Other people outsource subjects to online courses or CC.

Good luck.

[snowbeltmom]

I find that homeschooling high school is much less time consuming than homeschooling a younger child. The largest chunk of time I need to invest is spent researching materials and selecting curriculum over the summer.

I have found this to be the case as well. My oldest is taking math, chemistry, Latin and writing with on-line providers. I spend about an hour/weekday discussing his other subjects (mainly literature and history) with him.

[Lori D.]

NOT a mom with many children -- just summarizing some of the tips I've heard other moms say have worked for them! Hope something here will be of help! BEST of luck! Lori D.

 

 

 

- Start each day with the youngers, and get them squared away with all their one-on-one things with you in the mornings; release each to solo schoolwork, chores and independent time as they finish. Grades K-3 will be done before lunch; and grades 4-6 done by 1pm -- which leaves you 1-2 hours per afternoon to work with middle schoolers/high schoolers.

 

- Drastically limit outside-the-home activities. Maybe church on Sundays, and then student classes/sports/activities/groups on 2-3 evenings AT MOST. See if your middle schoolers and high schoolers can carpool to events/activities, with you giving gas money to another family to take them. That gives you evenings to do read alouds, or go over math (or other subject) as "homework" with whichever student is struggling.

 

- Have a once-a-week dedicated grading afternoon. Everyone turns in all their things into your in-box and on that afternoon, say, Tuesday from 1-4pm, you grade everyone's past week worth of work so you don't let any student get TOO far along in not understanding.

 

- Schedule schoolwork for 4 days a week, and use one day a week to mentor/tutor whichever students need one-on-one time. Very likely you will need to shift to a year-round school schedule to get a full-year's worth of work done on just 4 days a week.

 

- Outsource the one or two high school level classes that would be the hardest and most time-consuming for YOU to have to deal with at home. (Dual credit at community college; online course; class at local high school, etc.)

 

- Hire a college student (maybe one who wants to get a degree in education or in working with children!) -- or a homeschooling high school student or mom! -- to come in 2 mornings or afternoons a week (4 hours per day), to assist as you direct -- do group activities, allowing you to work one-on-one, OR, vice-versa; grading; tutoring of the high school student; etc.

 

- If your students' learning styles and YOUR teaching style permit, try to find programs for EACH student and for EACH subject that require little teacher prep or teaching time, allowing you to set up a schedule which allows each child to work fairly independently, and allowing you to drift and bounce from student to student as needed throughout the day.

 

- Enroll all youngers in a (drop-off) half-day or full-day co-op once a week, and use that time once a week while youngers are at co-op to work with older students.

 

- Join forces with another homeschooling "mom of many" of similar ages -- once a week for half a day, one of you takes ALL the youngers (grade 6 and below) and the other takes all the middle school/high school aged ones and work one-on-one with them. The following week, swap -- so every week you have a more dedicated time at a more similar learning level, making it easier to combine students.

 

- Write two school timeslots a week (40-60 minutes each) as one-on-one time just with the high schooler for literature discussion, intensive time on an area of struggle, discussion of science, history, etc. While you have this time with the high school, set up youngers with an educational supplement -- book on tape as a read aloud; educational video; feature film set in the time/culture of your history studies; take turns on the computer with educational software; solo reading time; put out craft supplies and let them be creative; science or art kit; etc.

 

- Youngers do regular work 4 days a week, with Fridays as fun educational supplement day, and devote Fridays to the middle school/high schooler(s).

Edited September 24, 2011 by Lori D.

[jenniferlee]

Gwen, thanks so much! I will check those out.

What would you say you are warning against, or, what are the main pitfalls I should be looking out for in checking out online tutors?

Thanks so much for sharing your experience to help me out!

 

Everyone - thank you for so many good suggestions. Lori especially - that is a great list. I am going to take some time to really digest it.

 

I see all of you saying that you don't need to spend as much time with the older kids, that they work more independently. I'm so wary of this. I'm afraid of doing them a disservice by having to give all my time to the younger ones and just leaving the high schoolers to figure it out by themselves.

 

I mean, if they were in public school they would have classes all day with teachers for each subject to go over things, give exams, papers, lecture, etc.

 

I guess that's where the farming it out part comes in. I think that makes me a little sad in some ways. Like I was looking forward to this part and now I have to turn it over to someone else. :(

 

But I see some great suggestions for ways to work in discussions, etc. Or to just make sure I cover the subjects that are the most interesting to me.

 

So I am going to take courage and keep at it.

 

Thanks again everyone for taking the time.

 

This is a much harder job than I realized it would be when I started. Which is good, or I might never have tried.:D

[regentrude]

I mean, if they were in public school they would have classes all day with teachers for each subject to go over things, give exams, papers, lecture, etc.

 

 

I do not think a student in public school gets even 30 minutes daily of personalized attention by a teacher in school. Part of what a teacher does is crowd management, part is assessment, part is delivering information to the whole class without specifically targeting the student's needs.

 

Giving exams and papers does not teach the student anything, it just assesses their performance. It can be reduced to an absolute minimum without impacting the quality of the education. Much of assessment can be turned over to the student.

 

As for lectures: many things a student can learn just as effectively (or even more so) by reading a book. We also bring expert teachers into our home via The Teaching Company lectures. Thus, we have the top experts lecturing, going over difficult concepts, while still retaining all benefits of homeschooling: complete control over the curriculum and spending time together.

The reality is that I, as a parent, would not be competent to deliver lectures to my high schooler in every subject. Even if I had the time, I can not simultaneously be an expert in calculus, physics, medieval history, ancients, biology, chemistry and French. Nobody can; you always have to use resources, whether they are textbooks, DVDs, audio lectures, or outsource classes.

[jenniferlee]

OK, I just looked up the teaching company lectures - what a great resource!

I'm so excited to check that out.

 

And thanks for the reassurance.

 

I think I had some really great high school teachers who gave me a huge amount of one on one time and I am comparing what I can give my kids to that experience.

 

On the other hand, I also experienced a certain amount of boredom and frustration in many of my classes and didn't have any other options.

I think we can do a lot better on that front.

Not to mention all the teenage drama:tongue_smilie:

[cbollin]

I have a 10th grader, 7th grader, and 3rd grader. youngest is autistic. I work as fitness instructor outside of home multiple times per week.

 

oldest is using materials where she has to follow the syllabus on her own.

I am available to listen to her throughout the day.

Once a week, sometimes Fridays, sometimes Saturday morning over coffee, we do a "conference" to go over everything for the week.

I found it helpful to use answer key for grading things.

My husband grades/edits/makes suggestion for her writing projects, and he grades Chemistry test (he's a research scientist, so why not?)

 

Then, I teach middle gal her Bible and history, and encourage her to work as much as possible on her own in English, math, science - again using lesson plans developed by mfw so she can direct her self. She comes and asks for help after a subject. if she gets stuck on math, we go over at all at the end.

 

meanwhile, I have to do speech therapy homework and regular school with youngest who needs a lot of focus time.

 

and somewhere in there get time to structure my fitness sets and learn the routines.

 

not much different than what was said already. High schoolers can work more on their own - buy lesson plans for them to follow. Be available for quick consultation - but if possible have it quasi scheduled (evenings work for us to go over homework). Try to think about a once a week special time with high schooler to discuss content and thoughts and all of that.

 

outsource when needed. Ask spouse to help with some grading or teaching.

 

When I was a newbie homeschooler, those around me who were homeschooling high schoolers said "well.. at high school, they're more on their own so you have some time with youngers." and it's turning out to be the case for us as well.

 

just how it works over here

-crystal

[cathmom]

I am in this situation now and I am finding it impossible to deal with. Many of these suggestions will not or do not work in my situation. I hope you can find solutions that work for you. I don't see it working out for me, however.

[Gwen in VA]

Pitfalls we have run into --

 

1) Places that consider themselves a "tutoring" service instead of a full-fledged class. Thus, no quizzes or tests or grade at the end. Somehow many years ago I missed that in the course description.....

 

2) Courses that were ridiculously easy. Look at the materials used. Look at the syllabus. Talk to the teacher about his/her expectations. Talk about what students who have taken the class have gone onto do -- do the students take an SAT-2? Do the students continue in Latin or do they drop it?

 

3) Talk about the expected time commitment. Are we talking 12+ hours per week for the class (not unreasonable for some AP classes) or 5 hours per week including class time?

 

4) Does the teacher give tests and grades? Does the teacher give a final grade? (We have had worthwhile classes that did not, but you should know about the policy ahead of time.) Does the teacher provide a transcript? (Useful for college admissions though certainly not required)

 

5) Recommendations (applicable for juniors mostly) -- Will the teacher write a recommendation? Some online providers will not write one; they want students to get a rec from someone who knows them personally in real life. But some teachers write strong recommendations. Two of my son's strongest recs (involving surprisingly accurate insights about his character as well as his academic abilities and accomplishments) were from online teachers.

 

6) If it's more of a "school" (like Scholars Online or Regina Coeli) that offers a wide range of classes, ask where previous students have gone to college. That list can tell you a lot!

 

Some teachers allow interested students and parents to sit on on a class during the spring before they enroll. That is quite helpful if it is an option.

[Wildiris]

A different perspective.

 

I have a 9th grader and a 3rd grader and a husband that works from home. Sometimes I need to work along side my husband in the middle of the day to ship orders. I could see last year that both of my kids, my house, everything suffered because there just was not enough of me to go around.

 

This year both girls are in online classes through K12. The 9th grader is completely independent of me, and in a way I feel it has help her develop responsibility for her learning. Deadlines are real and not mom enforced. My 3rd grader, also in K12, benefits from total one-on-one with me. Certainly there are other online options besides K12. The key is finding what works for your situation. Community college is another great option, just make sure your local JC is not so impacted with students that concurrent enrollment for high school students is closed or extremely limited. Our local JC has over 30,000 students and few slots for high school students.

[jenniferlee]

Gwen,

thanks again. those are things I would not have thought of. Online classes are totally new to us!

 

Cathmom-

would you be willing to share why the suggestions made are not working out for you? And what decisions are you going to make to finish out your kids' education? If you can't share, no prob. I am just wondering if we have any similiarities.

 

thanks again for everyone's input. I feel like I am gaining some perspective.

 

Jen

[Murphy101]

I'm not Cathmom but most of the suggestions wouldn't work here either.

 

Outsourcing. Most of the time it is beyond our budget. Most online classes and coops are literally more than the cost of a college course and most are fluff or social, rather than academic. Be very careful choosing these. It is very easy to spend a lot of money thinking you are reducing your load and end up with it actually end up doubling it. None of our core classes this year are outsourced for this reason. We are doing a Spanish coop local, and 2 online classes (Greek and aviation science) - so far these are going well. I sure do hope they continue that way.

 

Not grading daily work. I think if I don't bother to make an effort to go over their work and spend a few minutes giving discussion and feedback, then I shouldn't complain if they don't want to make the effort to do the work either. I have several children who really need that factor to fully absorb and comprehend the material. That said, I am very careful about what curriculum we use. I have to be harshly realistic. No matter how awesome cool the program, if we can't actually get it done - then it's a waste of money and a frustration of time. I try to have a mix of styles and methods. Having one subject that needs lots of my attention is fine. 6 of them is nuts. Having one subject that needs several projects is fine for a kid. Having an entirely project based curriculum is doomed. If math is mom's weak subject, outsource it or

get a solution manual and a solidly well written text. We don't combine much. Maybe one or two subjects. They are all different levels of math, which means different levels of science. Then there is personal interest and abilities issues.

 

Dh works his bum off. We all get up at 6:30, dh leaves for work, we have breakfast, then mass, then start the school day. Dh usually doesn't get back home until 7. Maybe later. He will help if he can, but it isn't realistic to expect him to help with school work several times a week.

 

In the mornings, everyone works in the same room as me. If I'm cooking, they work at the dining table. If I'm nursing baby and helping the littles with their beginning reading/maths, then they are all in the living room with me. If I have to print off stuff or work at a table, then they are all in the library/school room with me. This way I can see what everyone is doing and be there for questions or just to notice little things that impact their learning. It could be the sudden shine of "wow" on the face of a kid who just discovered the next section of his science book is geology. I had no idea this was his passion until I noticed that. Or the son who spent 4 hours on his math lesson and only answered one question. The math is boring, he can do it. He was too busy drawing very good art work all over his paper. (If he hadn't been in the room, I have no doubt I would have only seen a different paper with only math on it and no idea what took so long.) Now we have art incorporated into every day for him and his academic progress has nearly doubled. Most importantly, my little ones don't feel neglected because they aren't ostracized during school time. They come in and quietly do whatever around us and leave when they get bored. :)

 

My job as home schooling mom and wife is two full-time jobs. It's a lot of work. Most of the time I don't mind. It's just the way life is now and once I accepted that and embraced it, it's been easier to do this crazy job. I can't think of anything better I should be doing with my time.

 

I'm sorry if I sound discouraging. I don't want to discourage anyone. But it's okay to admit this is just hard work. It seems hard because it IS hard.:grouphug:

[jenniferlee]

Oh Martha -

I had to laugh at your math/art boy story. My 11 yo does that exact same thing all the time. No work done after 30 minutes, but a lot of really cool little drawings all over the margins, on top of the problems, etc. I DO give him extra time for art already, but he'll take more wherever he can. :D

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Martha, thank you so much for posting that. I've been trying to word my response all day and you pretty much said it.

 

I have two full-time jobs: Teaching and running this house. It is too hard, I don't do any of it as well as I like, I confess I sometimes cry in closets...but mostly I really do love my life. ( I don't have the money for online or otherwise outsourced classes, so this is my life whether I love it or not!)

 

My teens need me more than ever and I'm going to be there for them.

 

One is too social and extroverted to go off and work all by himself at a computer all day. He needs discussion, debate, joking, and face time. He and I have always been very close, and he thinks I am the best teacher for him even now because I work with his quirks. He'll be out of the house in a few years and I will miss him so much!!! He fills our home with laughter and music, literally. If he wants to share his homeschooling with me I will make myself available. He is smarter than I, so for his curriculum I chose materials written for the true classical autodidact (that still come with teacher's notes and answer keys) such as Tapestry of Grace.

 

My other teen is a little slow to detach from the apron strings, but he's always been a little slow at developmental milestones. He's the slow-but-steady turtle who does win the races, but he needs a cheerleader and coach on the sidelines. That would be me. He works quietly and independently in his corner of the room, but he does check in every half hour or so. My main priority for this one is that he'll be able to look back on these years and remember being happy and content. For him, 'happy' means being near Mama and his brothers. For his curriculum I chose materials that I do feel confident teaching. Is he headed for the Ivy Leagues? No. He might not even go to college. Still, I think he will be well-prepared for life with Sonlight, Write Shop, Henle Latin, and other materials of that level of rigor.

 

I am not going to tell these two boys, these two teenagers who actually want to spend the day doing schoolwork with their mother, to go to their rooms and study alone. They may be six feet tall but they are still my boys for this last fleeting moment.

 

Our schoolroom has four desks that reflect the personalities of four very different children. Our schoolroom accommodates all of the classical stages: Lower Grammar, Upper Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. I think it is funny when the 7yo pipes up to contribute to the Formal Logic class. I think it is very, very sweet when the boy studying high school Biology stops to help the 11yo with his Latin.

 

One messy loud homeschool. Enough to make me crazy, but the kids are happy as clams and can't imagine doing this any other way.

 

The kitchen is next to the schoolroom so at least I can get them fed while we all study. I fold laundry while hearing recitations. The rest of the housework is catch-as-catch-can.

 

The youngest boy is done by early afternoon but the oldest is still talking past bedtime at least three nights a week. That's how long it takes me to educate four levels.

 

I only have four years of this level of insanity. Then there will only be three children. Two years after that, there will only be two children. Two years after that, just one boy who will only have high school left.

 

I'll blink and this homeschooling time of my life will be over, having taken a quarter of a century in all.

Edited September 25, 2011 by Tibbie Dunbar

[silliness7]

I'm not Cathmom but most of the suggestions wouldn't work here either.

 

Outsourcing. Most of the time it is beyond our budget. Most online classes and coops are literally more than the cost of a college course and most are fluff or social, rather than academic. Be very careful choosing these. It is very easy to spend a lot of money thinking you are reducing your load and end up with it actually end up doubling it. None of our core classes this year are outsourced for this reason. We are doing a Spanish coop local, and 2 online classes (Greek and aviation science) - so far these are going well. I sure do hope they continue that way.

 

Not grading daily work. I think if I don't bother to make an effort to go over their work and spend a few minutes giving discussion and feedback, then I shouldn't complain if they don't want to make the effort to do the work either. I have several children who really need that factor to fully absorb and comprehend the material. That said, I am very careful about what curriculum we use. I have to be harshly realistic. No matter how awesome cool the program, if we can't actually get it done - then it's a waste of money and a frustration of time. I try to have a mix of styles and methods. Having one subject that needs lots of my attention is fine. 6 of them is nuts. Having one subject that needs several projects is fine for a kid. Having an entirely project based curriculum is doomed. If math is mom's weak subject, outsource it or

get a solution manual and a solidly well written text. We don't combine much. Maybe one or two subjects. They are all different levels of math, which means different levels of science. Then there is personal interest and abilities issues.

 

Dh works his bum off. We all get up at 6:30, dh leaves for work, we have breakfast, then mass, then start the school day. Dh usually doesn't get back home until 7. Maybe later. He will help if he can, but it isn't realistic to expect him to help with school work several times a week.

 

In the mornings, everyone works in the same room as me. If I'm cooking, they work at the dining table. If I'm nursing baby and helping the littles with their beginning reading/maths, then they are all in the living room with me. If I have to print off stuff or work at a table, then they are all in the library/school room with me. This way I can see what everyone is doing and be there for questions or just to notice little things that impact their learning. It could be the sudden shine of "wow" on the face of a kid who just discovered the next section of his science book is geology. I had no idea this was his passion until I noticed that. Or the son who spent 4 hours on his math lesson and only answered one question. The math is boring, he can do it. He was too busy drawing very good art work all over his paper. (If he hadn't been in the room, I have no doubt I would have only seen a different paper with only math on it and no idea what took so long.) Now we have art incorporated into every day for him and his academic progress has nearly doubled. Most importantly, my little ones don't feel neglected because they aren't ostracized during school time. They come in and quietly do whatever around us and leave when they get bored. :)

 

My job as home schooling mom and wife is two full-time jobs. It's a lot of work. Most of the time I don't mind. It's just the way life is now and once I accepted that and embraced it, it's been easier to do this crazy job. I can't think of anything better I should be doing with my time.

 

I'm sorry if I sound discouraging. I don't want to discourage anyone. But it's okay to admit this is just hard work. It seems hard because it IS hard.:grouphug:

 

Thanks Martha!! I am very encouraged by your post. We don't have the funds to outsource either and it's been a rocky four weeks here trying to find our groove with my first high schooler plus everyone else. It IS hard!! It just plain is. My dh isn't academically inclined and so it all falls to me. I love your idea of having them all together in one room. I do let them go off to do their independent assignments away from me but I can't catch them so easily when they're goofing off. I've had to become quite strict this year with deadlines too and I did find that we ALL need the accountability of graded daily work. We tried the once a week meeting thing for my 9th grader with MFW. Did NOT work.

Anyway, thanks for sharing.

[silliness7]

Martha, thank you so much for posting that. I've been trying to word my response all day and you pretty much said it.

 

I have two full-time jobs: Teaching and running this house. It is too hard, I don't do any of it as well as I like, I confess I sometimes cry in closets...but mostly I really do love my life. ( I don't have the money for online or otherwise outsourced classes, so this is my life whether I love it or not!)

 

My teens need me more than ever and I'm going to be there for them.

 

One is too social and extroverted to go off and work all by himself at a computer all day. He needs discussion, debate, joking, and face time. He and I have always been very close, and he thinks I am the best teacher for him even now because I work with his quirks. He'll be out of the house in a few years and I will miss him so much!!! He fills our home with laughter and music, literally. If he wants to share his homeschooling with me I will make myself available. He is smarter than I, so for his curriculum I chose materials written for the true classical autodidact (that still come with teacher's notes and answer keys) such as Tapestry of Grace.

 

My other teen is a little slow to detach from the apron strings, but he's always been a little slow at developmental milestones. He's the slow-but-steady turtle who does win the races, but he needs a cheerleader and coach on the sidelines. That would be me. He works quietly and independently in his corner of the room, but he does check in every half hour or so. My main priority for this one is that he'll be able to look back on these years and remember being happy and content. For him, 'happy' means being near Mama and his brothers. For his curriculum I chose materials that I do feel confident teaching. Is he headed for the Ivy Leagues? No. He might not even go to college. Still, I think he will be well-prepared for life with Sonlight, Write Shop, Henle Latin, and other materials of that level of rigor.

 

I am not going to tell these two boys, these two teenagers who actually want to spend the day doing schoolwork with their mother, to go to their rooms and study alone. They may be six feet tall but they are still my boys for this last fleeting moment.

 

Our schoolroom has four desks that reflect the personalities of four very different children. Our schoolroom accommodates all of the classical stages: Lower Grammar, Upper Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. I think it is funny when the 7yo pipes up to contribute to the Formal Logic class. I think it is very, very sweet when the boy studying high school Biology stops to help the 11yo with his Latin.

 

One messy loud homeschool. Enough to make me crazy, but the kids are happy as clams and can't imagine doing this any other way.

 

The kitchen is next to the schoolroom so at least I can get them fed while we all study. I fold laundry while hearing recitations. The rest of the housework is catch-as-catch-can.

 

The youngest boy is done by early afternoon but the oldest is still talking past bedtime at least three nights a week. That's how long it takes me to educate four levels.

 

I only have four years of this level of insanity. Then there will only be three children. Two years after that, there will only be two children. Two years after that, just one boy who will only have high school left.

 

I'll blink and this homeschooling time of my life will be over, having taken a quarter of a century in all.

 

 

Awww....

I love your post too, Tibbie.

I really need to see if I can bring mine back to the schoolroom. You ladies are awesome!! Such an inspiration. Thank you for saying that you love your life. These last few days I haven't really been loving mine and seriously wondered what in tarnation I've gotten myself into. I am encouraged. Thank you!

[cathmom]

Here is my situation:

 

9th grader who has severe dyslexia and dysgraphia (thus cannot do a lot of work alone, and I am against trying to have a high schooler do all his/her work alone anyway)

 

7/8th grader who has a severe math phobia and can do no math alone

 

2nd grader

 

K'er and K'er: twins with severe speech delays (3x per wk therapy) and who cannot read yet

 

3 yo with speech delay (also 3 x a week therapy)

 

I teach Spanish part-time, five days a week, which usually means that I am gone from around 12 to 3. I am teaching so that we are not living hand to mouth and relying on food stamps. My dh's income combined with my teaching income just barely covers our bills with no savings and no miscellaneous. It is a fact of life that I will need to keep working throughout the rest of the time our dc are in school.

 

What I really need is another 3 hours in my day. I think I can do a good job teaching the younger ones or the older ones, but I cannot get to all of them with what they need. And it was that way before I started teaching outside the home, but if I didn't do that, we wouldn't have the money we need.

 

My dc have minimal activities and I would be loathe to cut what they do have. These activities are extremely important to me, since they are geared around their interests and give them valuable skills, and since we are all MUCH happier when we aren't all stuck at home with each other constantly. Since we live rurally, activities involve at least a half hour's drive each way.

 

I cannot afford most outsourcing, nor can I fit it into our schedule. I did have my 7/8th grader enroll in a couple Seton courses this year so that I could lessen my workload. I also started using the workbox system, which is helping the younger ones learn to work independently and also working well with the older ones, but still doesn't give me more time in my day.

 

As for what I plan to do about it, well, I'm still working on that. :D But I also have had a lot of health issues and this constant stress and pressure is not helping, I'm sure.

 

Sorry to be a downer, but, well, it's not working the best here. It's an awful lot to ask of one person, I think.

[Tohru]

:bigear:

[KJB]

and I can't do it. I gave up this year. My oldest is in 10th grade, followed by 7th, 3rd, 1st, and a three year old.

 

My solution has been for the older two a split between The Potter's School online classes and our public school which allows dual enrollment and will give credit for outsourced classes on their transcript (DODEA). My younger ones are home. I am teaching 3rd and 1st and playing with the 3 year old.

 

I was finding last year the task of providing an excellent education x 5 was too overwhelming and someone was always getting slighted. We are military living overseas which made matters more difficult. We have almost no other older kids home schooling where we live and my kids were lonely. There are no opportunities for co/ops here or any other place to outsource. A primary motivation for home schooling for us has always been academic excellence and I found it too difficult to achieve by myself in our situation.

 

I will hopefully home school my younger three until they graduate. I love The Potter's School and will use them again for their excellent classes.

[BlsdMama]

Hey mama... First, the hug! ;) Then let's be honest for a minute.... Would you be a good mom if you weren't worried about having enough time or doing a good job? Let's face it, mamas with ONE worry (rightly so) and fret about managing. ;)

 

We currently have a tenth grader, a seventh grader, a fourth grader, a second grader, a first grader, one K, one pre-K, an almost 2yo, and the new baby.... who is remarkably sweet! ;) I'd love to tell you to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and just "git 'er done" but it wouldn't be useful OR encouraging, LOL.

 

My goal for high school is really to have self motivated, self educators. After all, that is what I want them to be as adults! Read A Thomas Jefferson Education and be encouraged! Ana and I read and discuss. She is setting her schedule, learning to manage her time, set goals, and push. These things will serve her well in the future! My job? Accountability, encouragement, and helping her as needed or finding resources.

 

My goal for my middle schooled is to teach, but also to prepare him to do this in high school.

 

Do you remember how much YOU have learned over the years of teaching? It's a great example of how assigning your grammar weak 11yo can teach grammar to the 8yo. It further cements grammar

understanding and has the virtue of older kids help younger, or less able children.

 

I admit my house is rarely truly clean before 4:00 in the afternoon. My clean laundry goes into a pile to be sorted later before Dad comes home! :D

 

My goal for my little's are to get them reading as quick as I can and I'm no longer above using the frog. :P. I've cut out a lot of superfluous things like lots of workbooks. I get the most bang for my Buck out of instilling a deep love for real books and limiting electronic media as much as I can get away with..

Edited September 25, 2011 by BlsdMama

[BlsdMama]

Which is why, LOL, this post was made from my phone and is probably RIDDLED with typos. Hopefully you'll forgive me. ;) But do let this serve as an encouragement. No, you can't do it all. But you can successfully raise internally motivated, well educated, beautiful inside and out, young people. It happens! Shockingly enough I believe it's not IN SPITE of being from a large family, but sometimes BECAUSE of being from a large family. Had I been able to "spoon feed" Ana her education would she be the same young lady she is now? Maybe. I can't pretend to know but I really do like her and will do my best to duplicate the results again. Perhaps when you are limited, then you choose only the best best time will allow. Frankly I believe that is also a benefit of a large family. So many things call our name, we are forced to choose between good, better, and best constantly. Sometimes we cannot do GOOD things, this is true. But then I would ask - is it NEEDFUL? Choose those things which are best and this becomes not a problem, but a blessing instead.

Edited September 25, 2011 by BlsdMama

[jenniferlee]

Wow -

I don't have time this morning to reply to these newer posts, but just checking in to say thanks for taking the time and being vulnerable, everyone!

 

Jen

[justamouse]

Dh works his bum off. We all get up at 6:30, dh leaves for work, we have breakfast, then mass, then start the school day. Dh usually doesn't get back home until 7. Maybe later. He will help if he can, but it isn't realistic to expect him to help with school work several times a week.

 

In the mornings, everyone works in the same room as me. If I'm cooking, they work at the dining table. If I'm nursing baby and helping the littles with their beginning reading/maths, then they are all in the living room with me. If I have to print off stuff or work at a table, then they are all in the library/school room with me. This way I can see what everyone is doing and be there for questions or just to notice little things that impact their learning. It could be the sudden shine of "wow" on the face of a kid who just discovered the next section of his science book is geology. I had no idea this was his passion until I noticed that. Or the son who spent 4 hours on his math lesson and only answered one question. The math is boring, he can do it. He was too busy drawing very good art work all over his paper. (If he hadn't been in the room, I have no doubt I would have only seen a different paper with only math on it and no idea what took so long.) Now we have art incorporated into every day for him and his academic progress has nearly doubled. Most importantly, my little ones don't feel neglected because they aren't ostracized during school time. They come in and quietly do whatever around us and leave when they get bored. :)

 

My job as home schooling mom and wife is two full-time jobs. It's a lot of work. Most of the time I don't mind. It's just the way life is now and once I accepted that and embraced it, it's been easier to do this crazy job. I can't think of anything better I should be doing with my time.

 

I'm sorry if I sound discouraging. I don't want to discourage anyone. But it's okay to admit this is just hard work. It seems hard because it IS hard.:grouphug:

 

 

Our day pretty much runs the same way. Dh helps on weekends when he has to.

 

As they've gotten older, school has moved from a set time, to an all day thing. This is where my mantra is Charlotte Mason's quote, "Education is a life." We chat over dinner, read before bed, sing all day long, listen to music, read over the weekend. There's not enough time from 8-3, so it gets spread through your life. Now, come 9 I have everyone at one table and we work until about 2:30-3 every day (minus lunch) and then everyone is free and there's much play and running and whatnot. But that doesn't mean it stops. And when Dd16 was still schooling 10th last year, it was just an all day thing for me, and that's OK. The more you fight it, the more you hate it, and struggle. You just have to give into it and realize that it's for a season.

[happygrrl]

I have a 14 yr. old with learning disabilities (doing 8th grade work really) who needs me every.dang.minute, a 13 year old (dd) and a 11 year old with dyslexia. It has been a rough year so far; I keep moaning to my husband that "we have been doing this for 3 weeks, how can I be two weeks behind?". This is hard!

 

Grouping my olders together does not work. What I have done was bite the bullet and purchase DVD instruction for dd. She loves working independently and finally she is not hampered by the method of instruction that ds must have. In order to help with the comparison aspect I actually have her doing different programs than ds, even if they are on the same grade level (with the exception of Analytical Grammar). I will have to continue this with her, as there is no way I can give her what she needs with out that sort of semi-outsourcing.

 

I am thankful to all who responded! I am planning on utilizing some of your advice this very week.

[BlsdMama]

This is where my mantra is Charlotte Mason's quote, "Education is a life." We chat over dinner, read before bed, sing all day long, listen to music, read over the weekend. There's not enough time from 8-3, so it gets spread through your life. Now, come 9 I have everyone at one table and we work until about 2:30-3 every day (minus lunch) and then everyone is free and there's much play and running and whatnot. But that doesn't mean it stops. And when Dd16 was still schooling 10th last year, it was just an all day thing for me, and that's OK. The more you fight it, the more you hate it, and struggle. You just have to give into it and realize that it's for a season.

 

 

I've read all four pages so far and, mark this, this post is the best.

 

In the end what will you consider success as a hom@@eschooler? This is the bottom line and what you aim for. I prayed. Then I prayed more... I did not know if I was preparing my oldest for Ivy League education or to be a homemaker or, worse, if

one was "right" while the other was wrong. In the end I found my job was simply to PREPARE her for her life beyond me... It's less about the education and more a out the relationship. This doesn't mean we blow off school. But it gave me clearer direction in MY role. My role with my high schooled isn't teacher/student. It's now a mentorship. There are no school hours for that. Experience has taught me the most time intensive period is middle school. If that's where you're at right now I COMPLETELY understand why you might feel like your head is under water! But I will say, during MY panic attack just before my oldest's freshman year, there was nothing to do except to do it. And pray. Now it is a little more than a year later. Peace. Clarity. It's a beautiful thing. No, were not doing online classes. Yes we've had a struggle in Algebra. Yes, she's doing college prep. She's using a tutor for advanced Latin I admit. The point? I worried there wouldn't be enough ME to go around. And yet we took on each day. Here we are, a year later, in a better place. We didn't survive. We thrived. But it be American about relationships and education as life instead of boxes to be checked. What was the difference? Where my eyes were looking. Fix them where they ought to be if you are a believer.

[cathmom]

. You just have to give into it and realize that it's for a season.

 

If it were just for a season, I might be better able to handle it. Many of my friends stopped having children after the 2nd or 3rd dc. Those children are now around 13 or so, and they have 5 more years of this.

 

My youngest is 3. Fifteen more years of this, when I have already been homeschooling for fifteen years, is longer than some careers.

 

For many people homeschooling is a season. But for me, well, it's more than one third my expected life span if I continue. :001_smile:

[BlsdMama]

Think of it as a really loooooong season.

 

I jest,, because I have the same thought as you especially when I'm wiped out. It's legitimate too... Most mamas don't understand this chaos isn't temporary. There are fifteen years between my oldest to my youngest IF we don't have more. I'm only 34..... Some days when I do the math I can feel overwhelmed. Sometimes I think this is why we are to focus on today and not continuously look forward or backwards. To do the best I can with what I have, where I'm at, this very day... I believe it is good.

[Teachin'Mine]

...

Edited September 27, 2011 by Teachin'Mine

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I do see it as temporary, but I may be working with a different definition of 'season.' Justamouse has more children than I have, and she considers homeschooling to be a season of her life.

 

My homeschooling season is a quarter of a century. Right now I have 12 years behind me and 12 years to go after this one. I still think it is a season.

 

Here are my life seasons:

 

1. Child (1-12)

2. Teen (13-17)

3. Young Adult, working and studying (16-19)

4. Wife (20)

5. Mother of babies and toddlers (21-32)

6. Homeschooling mother (24 to 49)

7. Something productive, I hope? Most of my friends in their 50's and 60's are doing fulfilling and productive things with their lives. I have two or three ideas on how I will spend this time. (50-70)

8. Senior Citizen, Grandma, who knows? Maybe I'll write a book or take up painting. (70 to death)

 

So I might get 8 seasons, even with spending 25 years as a homeschooling Mom. Not bad for a life.

[jenniferlee]

kelly and mouse-

thanks for the encouragement. I currently have my schedule written out down to the 1/2 hr. I have only one hour of "unspecified" time between 6:30a.m and 8:30pm. And I still don't have everything in there that I would "like" to do. So I'm feeling the all day thing. We're starting our first full week tomorrow. I'm just nervous.

I really identify with the idea of mentoring. Thanks for reaffirming that.

 

Also, whoever mentioned the social child problem. My oldest dd is just like that. She views it as punishment to be sent away to work "independently". She just loves to be in the center of the action. But that means she doesn't get as much done or is distracting to others. So this is a hard one for me.

 

Also, for those of you that mentioned having all the kids in the same room...how on earth can you do this? I mean, isn't it just chaotic? Or do you have them really well trained:D Like when you have to read to the little ones, aren't the older kids really bothered by it, or listening in and not doing their own work? I just can't see how to do this.

How did the old one-room school house thing ever work? Maybe I need to help my kids learn to be quieter:001_smile:

 

Anyway, thanks for the other perspective. Even if it is the "this isn't working" or the "this is really hard" perspective. Its important to hear all the "sides".

I really relate to the whole season thing. It goes by fast in some regards. It's overwhelming in others. realizing that you are giving a huge amount of your life to this and you want it to be "worth it". I guess. But what else would I be doing anyway?:tongue_smilie:

 

Jen

[Shelly in VA]

I agree with the other post that recommended thinking of it as a LOOOONNNGG season. I struggle with this as well. My oldest is a junior in high school this year, and my youngest is in kindergarten. I have to think of it, actually, as smaller seasons within the long season of homeschooling, because in my mind, I separate our hs years so far into those when my oldest were both in elementary school, then the years when we entered the dialectic stage (and moved state-to-state twice in twenty-four months, and now the phase where I am juggling completely different developmental and academic needs.

 

Where I struggle is with my friends and family who have their kids more blocked in chronologically. It makes me miss the days when I had just two, and they were only two years apart, so I could make them both happy with a trip to the park, or the same movie, or a popsicle. Try making everyone from a kindergartner to a high schooler happy at once, without resorting to something along the lines of a trip to Disney World! Shallow though I may be, I am often jealous of my peers who are nearly done raising children, or entering the teen years with their youngest, and moving on to the next phase of their lives. Dh has a sister who is just 2 years older than he is, and her youngest is a freshman in college this year, while her oldest is just 25. Dh has another sister with two sons, both now in school at the same university, and she and her husband just bought a lake home and a convertible. Here I am, looking at Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons thinking, "I just don't know that I can plod through this book AGAIN." Not that I'm not grateful for my children, and not that I would change anything about the size of our family or the choice to homeschool, but jealousy and bitterness do creep in on me.

 

So, like I said, I break my season down into smaller seasons. And I try to remain thankful that I am given the opportunity to be here, doing what I do, even if it is draining at times. Usually, I just have to think of my oldest being gone to college in 2 years, and tearful Mom replaces tired Mom, at least long enough for me to recenter a bit. :)

 

Shelly

[8filltheheart]

I am doing my schedule for this year and getting worried for the upcoming years.

I have 5 kids oldest starting 8th and youngest starting K.

 

I'm just seeing that for the next 4 years, the youngest 2 or 3 are going to need a lot of my time - direct instruction, oversight, hands-on attention etc.

 

But my oldest 2 are going to need me for help with complicated subject matter, discussions, writing help, correcting their work etc.

 

I'm just not seeing enough hours in my day.

 

Does/has anyone done this successfully. Larger family, all the way through? And felt like they weren't giving one group or another the short end of the stick?

 

I need some reassurance or redirection.

 

Thanks

Jen

 

It is possible, but it takes commitment and complete organization. Is it possible w/o any drawbacks.....no. But is it possible with the benefits outweighing the drawbacks.....absolutely or I would have given up a long time ago.

 

While I have been really tired the last couple of yrs since our youngest was born (there are 20+ yrs between our oldest and youngest :001_smile:), I would not trade homeschooling for sending them to school for anything.

 

I work on a rotating schedule. My younger kids do not do ps hours; they avg ~1 1/2 hrs/grade level. The younger yrs do not take as much time as one would suspect.

 

I sit with my kids all day long. I don't leave the main area where school is being done. (my 9 yod is pretty much glued to my side while she works w/the exception of reading b/c she loves to read.) I do math with my older kids (until they hit pre-cal.) I do discussions w/my teens while doing other things (walking, folding laundry, cooking).

 

FWIW, I don't rely on outsourcing that much. I haven't been that thrilled w/most of our outsourced classes and most of the time could have done better myself. AoPS is one of the few exceptions. PAH has some great classes as well.

 

I do rely on TC lectures, Cengage or other online components to texts which accompany many college textbooks, opencourseware, and tweaking pre-fab programs (Kolbe and Smarr are 2 that have worked well that way for us.)

 

HTH

[cathmom]

:lol:

 

I appreciate you guys trying, but there's really no way that I can consider 30 years to be a "season" of my life LOL!

 

I think it may be harder for me than others, because the way I want to homeschool is not possible, and because I have other things that I would immediately step into if I were no longer homeschooling (teaching, writing). I see people writing things that I could have written or would have written just a couple of years ago about the pros and benefits of homeschooling, and I just no longer feel that way.

 

So I will just reiterate my position as to the OP and say that, for me in my situation, I don't feel that I can do a good job with both my olders and youngers. One group always suffers, and it's getting to the point where I'm no longer willing to deal with that.

[Hope in God]

This is my struggle exactly. I have 9th, 3rd and 1st graders as well as a toddler to make things exciting. This year I am trying to work with my oldest more while giving the younger kids some freedom.

 

I have never been fond of using websites to school but now I am finding that my kids (especially my first grader who needs LOTS of reinforcement) do really well with computer based learning. My 1st grader uses reading eggs and it has really improved her attitude toward reading as well as her reading ability in just 7 days! Both of my younger ones are using math whizz for math and are doing better because they actually do it (a lot). Really, when kids are young they don't have to accomplish too much to be able to meet learning outcomes. We listen to the Story of the World CD's as well as many other audio books too.

 

I am finding that my older child needs more attention this year to give her that final push of encouragement toward independance. Whatever your situation is I think that a previous poster had good advice when they said to choose two main goals per child and don't sweat the rest.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

:lol:

 

I appreciate you guys trying, but there's really no way that I can consider 30 years to be a "season" of my life LOL!

 

 

 

No? Well, it was worth trying! Tune in again next week for another episode of, "What We Tell Ourselves." :lol:

 

What are your options to change things, for either your olders or your youngers or yourself?

 

(My self-esteem is hanging by a thread. This weekend, two friends who don't even know each other each made special effort to tell me about private school options in our city. Does nobody believe I can hs for the duration? OK, I'm not totally convinced, either, but is it that obvious?)

[cathmom]

The charter school I teach at is considering adding an elementary school. It currently has a middle and high school. I am considering sending my two older ones there next year, but then I would need to find a babysitter while I teach. If they add an elementary school next year or the following year, I would be most likely send them all there and quit homeschooling, or possibly finish out homeschooling my current high schooler, with her taking a few classes there, and have the rest go to the school. I had already been considering sending my dc there when the youngest got to middle school age, but that's quite a few years away.

[jenniferlee]

Tibbie -

thanks for a little humor!

 

Also, the hardest thing for me is seeing all my real life homeschooling friends either going to SOS, or ditching altogether, over the years. I feel like one of the lone hold-outs. It's nice to have an online community at least to get ideas from.

 

8fill the heart - thanks for your perspective. I am totally committed to this. I think it is worth the effort and sacrifice. If I can actually physically, pull it off.

Can you tell me what AoPS is?

 

Shelly, I am right there with 100ez lessons. This is my 4th and 5th time through this book and I am so done with it. Ready to move on to different pastures :D

But it works, so what can I do? They need to learn to read, I guess :tongue_smilie:

[justamouse]

If it were just for a season, I might be better able to handle it. Many of my friends stopped having children after the 2nd or 3rd dc. Those children are now around 13 or so, and they have 5 more years of this.

 

My youngest is 3. Fifteen more years of this, when I have already been homeschooling for fifteen years, is longer than some careers.

 

For many people homeschooling is a season. But for me, well, it's more than one third my expected life span if I continue. :001_smile:

 

:D My youngest is 5, I've got 12 more years, too. BUT I expect that as my last one is rounding out her homeschool, she'll be older and I'll be in the mentoring phase, not the teaching skills phase.

 

 

Also, for those of you that mentioned having all the kids in the same room...how on earth can you do this? I mean, isn't it just chaotic? Or do you have them really well trained:D Like when you have to read to the little ones, aren't the older kids really bothered by it, or listening in and not doing their own work? I just can't see how to do this.

How did the old one-room school house thing ever work? Maybe I need to help my kids learn to be quieter:001_smile:

 

Jen

 

 

It is possible, but it takes commitment and complete organization. Is it possible w/o any drawbacks.....no. But is it possible with the benefits outweighing the drawbacks.....absolutely or I would have given up a long time ago.

 

While I have been really tired the last couple of yrs since our youngest was born (there are 20+ yrs between our oldest and youngest :001_smile:), I would not trade homeschooling for sending them to school for anything.

 

I work on a rotating schedule. My younger kids do not do ps hours; they avg ~1 1/2 hrs/grade level. The younger yrs do not take as much time as one would suspect.

I sit with my kids all day long. I don't leave the main area where school is being done. (my 9 yod is pretty much glued to my side while she works w/the exception of reading b/c she loves to read.) I do math with my older kids (until they hit pre-cal.) I do discussions w/my teens while doing other things (walking, folding laundry, cooking).

 

FWIW, I don't rely on outsourcing that much. I haven't been that thrilled w/most of our outsourced classes and most of the time could have done better myself. AoPS is one of the few exceptions. PAH has some great classes as well.

 

I do rely on TC lectures, Cengage or other online components to texts which accompany many college textbooks, opencourseware, and tweaking pre-fab programs (Kolbe and Smarr are 2 that have worked well that way for us.)

 

HTH

:iagree:

 

I sit at the table, and they work. They know what they need to do. After breakfast (where I read the read aloud to ALL of them) they get ready, brush teeth, load and unload the dishwasher. That takes about 15 minutes. Some of them take showers that morning, some the night before, but after breakfast there's a quick break.

 

Then, we all regroup around the table at about 9. They sit and do spelling while everyone peters in. I'll grab another cup of coffee or tea and meet them in there.

 

And we get it done.

[justamouse]

No? Well, it was worth trying! Tune in again next week for another episode of, "What We Tell Ourselves." :lol:

 

What are your options to change things, for either your olders or your youngers or yourself?

 

(My self-esteem is hanging by a thread. This weekend, two friends who don't even know each other each made special effort to tell me about private school options in our city. Does nobody believe I can hs for the duration? OK, I'm not totally convinced, either, but is it that obvious?)

 

You know, this boggles my mind. If there is anyone I think who can do this, it's you. I know how committed you are, I know how much work you put into them. I totally believe you can.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

You know, this boggles my mind. If there is anyone I think who can do this, it's you. I know how committed you are, I know how much work you put into them. I totally believe you can.

 

Thank you so much for this! :grouphug: I might print it out, to live on all week.

 

I have reasonable explanations for both cases. The first woman had just never known one single family that homeschooled through high school. She was trying to convince me to send #1 son to the gifted/talented boarding school her daughter attended. And the second woman had heard me say (last summer) that I would have considered a local Catholic school if it weren't for the high tuition, so she went and found me some cheaper private schools.

 

Still, not what I want to hear right this very minute.

[cathmom]

Perhaps my perspective is colored by the fact that I've been in pain since my last pregnancy (and he is now 3), that I've had two major health crises this year, and that I've been in physical therapy since February. I've been overwhelmed for 3 years now, trying to get everyone's bare minimum done between multiple therapies and tutoring and feeling like I'm failing miserably. I'm tired of the constant pressure and guilt.

 

Sorry to be such a downer. :tongue_smilie:

[jenniferlee]

Cathmom-

don't worry about being a downer. You are just sharing where you are honestly. This is a hard world to live in and sometimes it's harder for some than others - that's not a downer, it's just reality. I'm sorry that you are going through a rough time. We all have our times of despair and feelings of failure. I don't (and I hope no one does) condemn you.

I pray God's blessing on you and your family.

Jen