When does hs'ing several get easier?

[Stayseeliz]

I have a 10, 7, 4 and 7 month old. Homeschooling and well-everything is just hard this year. I've always been a go go go person and I just feel totally overwhelmed this year. I'm staying home way more than I used to because it's just hard to get everyone ready to go anywhere and I'm always tired. I feel like the littles are getting the shaft because I have to focus on school and the big kids are getting the shaft because the baby needs something or the preschooler is getting into something.

 

What can I do to make the day flow better? Any tips? I tried getting up and getting to the gym before DH left for work and starting the day earlier and that just doesn't work with the baby not sleeping through the night. I was exhausted ALL day! Naps didn't happen. So I'm just trying to work around the baby's schedule. But it is total chaos. Help!

[....]

I don't have any advice, but I'm teaching 4 this year and it is rough. :glare:

 

We're actually taking a break this week, because I'm burned out.

 

I'm just planning for this to take all day and no one is taking enrichment classes this year (so we don't have big chunks missing out of our day).

[Lolly]

May I?:lol:

 

 

Okay, the truth from my house. It gets easier when they start leaving for college. Less kids to teach.:D

 

Other than that, I don't know that it gets any easier. The stressors just change. It becomes different. In some ways, the longer you homeschool the easier it gets just because YOU relax some because you know what you are doing and have done it so many times before. Then again, you keep trying new things, so it is always different.;) I did learn to relax a little at some point. That does not mean it got easier or less hectic. It just means that I relaxed about it all.:tongue_smilie:

 

This is my first year with my eldest in college. She is living at home, so I still am asked to help her with stuff now and then. (She cannot use her right arm, so I have to write out her note cards. She likes to bounce ideas off of me for essays. Every once in a while, she asks me to check a math problem. And, I have to hold her when she is having a nervous breakdown over an assignment. Only partially kidding there.) But, at home they are all in high school now. We are truly able to all work on the same level, and they mostly all combined for classes this year. It has made things way, way easier.

[LidiyaDawn]

I don't have suggestions.. we have a new baby in the house too. My older two are teenagers, so you'd think that it would be simple enough - but it isn't. Life is still pretty chaotic and revolving around the baby… we're kinda unschooling by default right now. :laugh:

[MomsintheGarden]

:iagree:with Lolly.

 

In our house it started out with two dc, one in K, and one a fairly "easy" preschooler. Then we had 5 babies (including a set of twins) in 8 years, and things got pretty crazy. Just as our older two got mature enough to babysit, drive, and be really useful around the house, they also got busier. Finally they left for college, after an intense period of "guidance counseling" and simply getting ready for life, along with all the challenging (and time consuming) issues that go along with that.

 

In the meantime, the 5 younger children started sleeping through the night, learned to eat solid food, got potty trained, and learned how to (mostly) pick up after themselves and do some chores. All of this was very hard work, but not official homeschooling work.

 

So now I am homeschooling just the 5 younger children, in 2nd-8th grade. I believe the teaching will get easier as they get older. The one-on-one tutoring sessions will ebb and flow with each child and each subject. They will start getting involved in more activities. We'll go through the career counseling/college app/scholarship search process again. And then one day, in the somewhat near future, they will be gone.

 

So I would say that every stage has its physical, emotional, and intellectual challenges. It is probably easiest when you just have 1-2 school-age children to teach who have a good attitude and can read. It is hardest when you have a baby (or babies!) and a toddler to look after when you need to work with a 1st-3rd grader one-on-one for a decent chunk of time each day. It gets easier when all the children are elementary or middle school age, but harder again when they are in high school and you are planning for college. No matter what, it's all hard work. I usually work hard almost all day, every day.

 

Hang in there! You are not alone.

 

GardenMom

Edited November 4, 2011 by MomsintheGarden

[laughing lioness]

Agreeing with Lolly, too! But before that, when everyone is potty trained it's easier. When everyone is reading independently it is easier.

Train them young to listen to CD's and have a break each day. My 2 notsolittles have spent HOURS listening to CD's (SOTW, etc) which has made my life immeasureably easier.

Agreeing with MomsintheGarden. It is hard work. We have 4 at home, 3 still homeschooling, remodeling the house (from a fire) and garden. It's busy. I have FB friends who work f.t. and they are not nearly as busy as I am.

Keep the end in mind. Why are you doing what you are doing? Stay focused. What benefits are you "purchasing" for your family, dc and you by being home?

And, seriously, schedule time for you- to read, walk, etc. so that you maintain. You have a lot on your plate.

[PrincessBride]

Agreeing with all that's been said already. :) And, don't sell yourself short on what your littles are actually getting. I remember the guilt I felt that #3 wasn't getting the same library story times, park days, etc. that my older 2 had because of schooling them and having a baby #4. But when I actually listed out the opportunities and exposure to things he WAS getting, I felt better. My younger kids haven't necessarily had the same experiences (e.g. Library story time) but they've gotten to do some fun stuff.

 

And don't feel too guilty about being housebound either. When my twins were born we rarely left the house, for months. Even now it can be a challenge! We have plenty to keep up busy at home, and it saves money, too. ;)

 

As others said, the challenges don't go away, but they do change and you will gain confidence over time. I am stressing about high school, but for my 5th child going into K next year, I can relax, I've done it so many times now. :)

[Stayseeliz]

Thanks for the kind words. This is our fifth year homeschooling but it's just been hard with the baby and some learning issues of my 7yo's that aren't getting properly addressed. I want to "relax" but I honestly feel like I've been too relaxed in the past and I'm trying to step it up academically this year. My 4th graders writing skills are horrible and there are various other things we're dealing with. I just want to hide. Me time is non-existant. I'm trying but there just isn't much time.

 

This is DH's busy season and he's not home until 8 or even sometimes 10-11. I'm also making calls for him and doing some computer work. That's not easy. Sigh. I guess I just have to wade through it and if my kids are behind and graduate at 20 we'll just have to deal with it. Hah. What a depressing thought.

 

Sorry for the whine! :)

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

May I?:lol:

 

 

Okay, the truth from my house. It gets easier when they start leaving for college. Less kids to teach.:D

 

This is what I am thinking.

 

I have K/1st, 3rd and 7th. The 7th grader is independent in completing his work, but there are so many important discussions I want to have with him, that I find I need to spend extra time with him. I don't see these important discussions ending before he graduates.

 

The 3rd grader is needing help with reading fluency and decoding still, and so I have do to about 80% of his school with him. I'm working with him *really* hard to (hopefully) get his reading more independent so he can *be* a bit more independent with his work. It's tough, though.

 

Now that kid #3 is old enough for school, I need to help him with his reading. Thankfully, he is a sponge and picks up on whatever we are doing with the others. He'll probably end up having the best homeschool education of them all!

[Upward Journey]

May I?:lol:

 

 

Okay, the truth from my house. It gets easier when they start leaving for college. Less kids to teach.:D

 

Other than that, I don't know that it gets any easier. The stressors just change. It becomes different. In some ways, the longer you homeschool the easier it gets just because YOU relax some because you know what you are doing and have done it so many times before. Then again, you keep trying new things, so it is always different.;) I did learn to relax a little at some point. That does not mean it got easier or less hectic. It just means that I relaxed about it all.:tongue_smilie:

 

This is my first year with my eldest in college. She is living at home, so I still am asked to help her with stuff now and then. (She cannot use her right arm, so I have to write out her note cards. She likes to bounce ideas off of me for essays. Every once in a while, she asks me to check a math problem. And, I have to hold her when she is having a nervous breakdown over an assignment. Only partially kidding there.) But, at home they are all in high school now. We are truly able to all work on the same level, and they mostly all combined for classes this year. It has made things way, way easier.

 

This. :iagree:

I have a 7, 10 & 12 yo at home this year. No baby or pre-schooler, no high schooler (sent her to ps this year), and oldest is graduated. I had come to believe that I just didn't like homeschooling anymore. Not so. It's just kind of overwhelming when they're all little, or the age span is large.

[fairfarmhand]

yep. It IS going to be hard with your kids' ages. Mine are almost the same spread and the first 2 years my youngest was around were horrifically hard. However, since he's gotten bigger it helps. And my older kids have gotten old enough to be big helpers too.

 

Hang in there. Over the next 2 years you should get some relief. (that is of course, unless you have another baby!!!) :)

[fairfarmhand]

Thanks for the kind words. This is our fifth year homeschooling but it's just been hard with the baby and some learning issues of my 7yo's that aren't getting properly addressed. I want to "relax" but I honestly feel like I've been too relaxed in the past and I'm trying to step it up academically this year. My 4th graders writing skills are horrible and there are various other things we're dealing with. I just want to hide. Me time is non-existant. I'm trying but there just isn't much time.

 

This is DH's busy season and he's not home until 8 or even sometimes 10-11. I'm also making calls for him and doing some computer work. That's not easy. Sigh. I guess I just have to wade through it and if my kids are behind and graduate at 20 we'll just have to deal with it. Hah. What a depressing thought.

 

Sorry for the whine! :)

 

I freaked out about my #2's learning issues as well. Alot of it stemmed from the fact that she learned SO differently from her Type A perfectionist, smarty pants sister. When I stepped back and let her lead the way, giving her space to be herself, it helped immensely. It took her till halfway through the 3rd grade before she was reading without sounding out EVERY SINGLE WORD!

 

So be patient with yourself.

[Stayseeliz]

Thanks guys! After a somewhat decent night sleep I'm feeling better. I have family coming into town so there are 8 billion things to do today but it feels a little better. I think I'm going to start school in July next year instead of August 1st so we get a head start on the schoolyear. November is DH's crazy busy month and he needs my help so I need to be able to focus on that. Lesson learned on that. :) That being said we're already 65ish days into the school year. But we are behind from 8 weeks of bedrest and a NICU stay, newborn etc last spring.

 

I just pictured homeschooling being easier. Naive I guess. :) I just don't feel like I enjoy my kids right now. I'm always trying to "get them out of the way" because I have a thousand other things to do. I need to change my mentality! Or at least just wade through this month until things slow down with DH's job.