How do I teach my 7 year old AND 5 year old when everything is different

[justLisa]

I'm having a hard time making a daily schedule and I feel like i'm constantly running around like a chicken without a head. DS is 7, accelerated in math and basically everywhere, but he is still VERY needy of my time. He is slow to write so I cannot force more independence yet. Also, he learns better when we do something together rather than give him the book and do the worksheet type thing. I know this because he spent a while with GWG and I swear he didn't retain a thing LOL. It doesn't seem like it should be so crazy but it ends up that way! He was doing SM, but I went back to MM because I thought it would be a little more intuitive however this is not the case.

 

So DD is 5.5, but she is very interested and capable of dedicated school work. She is using SM 1, and that takes just a few minutes to explain, and we just started using FLL1 because she really likes it. She is still working on reading fluency. I feel like I don't have enough time to devote to everything in aday. I don't want to hold her back just because she is in "K" grade. Both kids are very mature for their ages. DS enjoys helping DD so he actually read her a lesson in OPGTR last week and she was much happier than when *I* do it LOL. Maybe I am on to something there. He actually has a teaching tone and emphasizes appropriately. It's kinda funny.

 

I know these are very labor intensive years as not much is independent, but how do you do it? Especially if you have two young children both of whom are accelerating in at least one area?

[Amy Jo]

Can you do the basics with each individually? You could probably get your 5 yos work done in half an hour? And your seven year old in under an hour. Then sit them both down for a good read-aloud. Provide a book basket for them to choose from (either they can read/look at the books, or perhaps take turns choosing a book for you to read). Get them each a nature journal, and go find something to observe, then draw. Check out the living math ideas floating around (I love the Sir Cumference books, and my library has several).

 

If you want more science, BFSU would work for both together, and it's easy to get through the book scheduling once a week. History and geography could be all read alouds. If your library has "The Core" by Bortins (sp?) read the geography chapter - she has the children draw a world map from memory, starting in K/1st and refining until they can do the whole map around 8th grade.

 

For a schedule, how about start after breakfast (or whenever) and work with your 7 year old for thirty minutes. Then the 5 year old for fifteen to thirty minutes. Then back to the 7 year old. (Have the other child use a book like Draw Write Now, play in their room, use an educational game like starfall, etc.) Then take a break together for some living math or good books or a nature walk. Are you out of the house a lot? We accomplish nothing if we do errands first.

 

It takes time to find a groove. (And re-find it... I was doing really well until my 2 yo started getting into everything.) Remember to have fun!

[missmoe]

Where the independence comes in is independently working on something while you work with your other child.

 

So have coloring sheets, mazes, puzzles, easy art projects, mad libs (for 7 year old), lacing activity, ect to work on while you work with the other child. So start with K and reading while your 7 yo works on his maze (to warm up writing skills). Then in 15 minutes switch. Work with your 7 yo and MM while your K works on a puzzle. Then perhaps read a book together. Then work with your K on math while your 7 yo works on something from the independent work list. Back and forth between the two.

 

Kindergarten shouldn't take more than 45 minutes--plus what ever time you spend working with both at the same time. Even an accelerated 7 year old should be done in about 1 1/2 hours. Though he may want to keep working on things on his own after school time is over. That's where the fun experiments and more hands-on things happen. My oldest loved to play with numbers and figure out patterns. I let him do it, and I was available if he wanted help, but I didn't sit down and teach him those things.

[Jay3fer]

Another vote for more read-alouds, with selections of independent work for both. I occasionally give my 6 yo work to do while I nurse my 4-yo at naptime. I spell out the steps very carefully ahead of time and make sure it's something she can complete all on her own. ("draw four pictures, one in each box, showing the steps you do when you wake up each morning" or "color the mummy, the face mask, and the sarcophagus")

 

Of course, that would only work if you were nursing your 5-yo who still has a naptime :001_smile: (I'm weaning mine before his birthday if he hasn't stopped by then, honest!), but you could also just go into another room to read or something.

 

I also highly recommend naps, even if they're not sleeping. Quiet reading time will keep you sane!

[ByGrace3]

We will be here next year, so I am :bigear:

 

As for now, my plan is to do math and LA separately, should take about 1.5 to 2 hr hours for dd and 45 minutes for ds then do Bible, science, history, read alouds together. I will start with Bible with all, let dd work on copywork and anything independent while I do phonics with ds, then switch give ds a break while I do LA with dd, then teach math to dd, allow her to work on her own as much as she can while I teach ds math, finish up with dd then lunch, read aloud, rest time for an hour, then science or history together. That's the tentative plan anyway ;)

[boscopup]

I have a 7 year old and a 5 year old, along with a 2 year old. If it weren't for the 2 year old, it'd be super duper easy! :lol:

 

I just work with them separately. The 7 year old spends 2-2.5 hours on school M-W, and probably 1 hour on Th and F. The 5 year old needs about 30-45 minutes at the most, though we often do more like 10-15 (he's technically K4, not K, so I'm more lax with him).

 

My goal is to give my kids the level of work they need, but also to give them age appropriate quantity of work. So if it were taking you 8 hours to school both kids (and I assume it's not), you'd probably be doing too much at their ages. No, these aren't independent ages, but they also don't have that much that they must be doing each day. By time there is a larger quantity of work to do, they should (hopefully!) start to get more independent, at least, ideally. ;)

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I am in the same situation as you. My ds7 has HFA, sensory issues and a host of other issues. He requires me to sit down right beside him the entire time. We are basically doing 'K year 2 with him' just with 1st grade math. I am not certain what his reading level is, whether its end of K or beginning of 1st but he just started VT and because of testing there I now know why he struggles so bad to read. So he is a 1st grade doing the 3 R's plus lots of read alouds. Next year when we cycle back to Ancients and Biology I will start him and his brother. Ds 5 wants to do school when his brother does, plus during his school time. He just doesn't understand that I need to have 1 on 1 time with both of them alone. Hang in there.

 

His brother seems to be such a natural at everything- but is still a 5 year old boy so he needs me right there too. He doesn't need the constant repetition/review that his brother needs. Plus the girls- who can work independently on alot but do still need me occasionally. I am like a chicken running around with my head cut off.

 

Its a struggle. You will eventually fall into a groove that works well for you!

[PhotoGal]

Your kids sound somewhat similar to mine. Here is what our schedule looks like:

 

9am - Write in journal together (I write, kids give ideas/wording)

 

9:15am - I do Language Arts with ds. Dd works independently (ETC, Starfall on computer, handwriting)

 

10am - We switch and I do Language Arts with dd. Ds works independently (handwriting, fun reading comp book, Typing on computer)

 

10:30am - break

 

10:45am - I do Math with ds. Dd plays a Math game on computer.

 

11:15am - I do Math with dd. Ds plays a Math game on computer.

 

11:45am - read aloud together on couch

 

12pm - lunch and break

 

1pm - either Science or Social Studies together

 

Whenever that is done we do P.E., Music, Art, Chinese homework, etc.

[Ellie]

You have to do it the way teachers do in one-room, multi-grade classrooms: give one child something to do while you work with the other (even if that means playing with the Legos, lol). You might have to do some training so that the one who is working independently knows he cannot be disruptive during his alone time.

[justLisa]

I feel better, I think LOL.

 

I think it's just that *I* am constantly busy. I know they are not doing hours and hours of work, it's just like sometimes I feel like I am bouncing around like a nut job. It's good to know I'm not the only one and that I don't need them spending hours at seat work. We usually have 3 heavier days, and 1 or 2 lighter ones.

 

I REALLY just need to be better at fully planning the night before. I used to be religious about this, but lately I am having to do so much reading that it's hard to do that all the time.

 

I guess I should be happy that they both find decent things to do on their own and don't complain about boredom etc.

 

I think I am just struggling lately with the holiday busyness and it's driving me bonkers trying to fit everything in.

Edited November 27, 2011 by 425lisamarie

[boscopup]

I think it's just that *I* am constantly busy.

 

I think that's just the reality of being a homeschooling mom. :tongue_smilie:

 

I REALLY just need to be better at fully planning the night before. I used to be religious about this, but lately I am having to do so much reading that it's hard to do that all the time.

I plan on Sunday afternoon for the whole week. Everything is printed out and ready to go, schedule is figured out, assignments figured out, etc. So each day is pick up and go. We have a checklist to mark off (my DS LOVES check lists!). So much less stressful for me! I just finished preparing math for the week - reading the HIG, printing out a game board from the appendix (I scanned in all the appendix pages to a USB drive and now can print them out at will :D), etc. Tomorrow, I'll pick everything up and get right to teaching, all prepared. Being prepared at the beginning of the week (or beginning of the 6 weeks, even better!) makes a world of difference for me. I feel a LOT more relaxed.

 

I think I am just struggling lately with the holiday busyness and it's driving me bonkers trying to fit everything in.

Maybe you could cut down to the basics this month and pick up full steam in January? You might just be needing a bit of a break. :) I've cut out some things recently that I just didn't think we needed to do right now. It helped a ton.

[justLisa]

I think that's just the reality of being a homeschooling mom. :tongue_smilie:

 

I plan on Sunday afternoon for the whole week. Everything is printed out and ready to go, schedule is figured out, assignments figured out, etc. So each day is pick up and go. We have a checklist to mark off (my DS LOVES check lists!). So much less stressful for me! I just finished preparing math for the week - reading the HIG, printing out a game board from the appendix (I scanned in all the appendix pages to a USB drive and now can print them out at will :D), etc. Tomorrow, I'll pick everything up and get right to teaching, all prepared. Being prepared at the beginning of the week (or beginning of the 6 weeks, even better!) makes a world of difference for me. I feel a LOT more relaxed.

 

Maybe you could cut down to the basics this month and pick up full steam in January? You might just be needing a bit of a break. :) I've cut out some things recently that I just didn't think we needed to do right now. It helped a ton.

 

That's a good idea. I think I should cut down a little until after holidays. I NEED to be baking with DD and letting DS loose with the sewing machine (yikes, but I have to remind myself this is helping his fine motor development for writing not matter how many times I have to fix a thread jam).

 

I think I need to make a checklist available to DS. Right now I have one, sort of , and we are still recovering from trying to use a "workbox" idea. He would LOVE a daily, and weekly checklist. I have considered the idea of a weekly one for certain things so he can work ahead and have things done for the week, but the problem is most everything requires my attention. We just have to use FLL instead of anything independent because it just doesn't stick. We tried GWG but it's just dry, and doesnt' seem to work well.

 

Also I have gone back from MM to SM, back to MM and it always takes some situating. I WISH DS loved SM, but he is so opposed to the character quality of it he can't stand it. That makes me think of another thread to start lol.....

[LMD]

Thanks for this thread, very timely. I'm just wondering how I'm going to do it with a 2nd and a K-er in a few weeks...

I've resigned myself to having to be more organised, busy and tired!

[boscopup]

I have considered the idea of a weekly one for certain things so he can work ahead and have things done for the week, but the problem is most everything requires my attention.

 

I have no thoughts of my son working ahead in anything anytime soon. :lol: We also use FLL because it involves me, and he just learns better that way. It's ok. They're just 7! I keep reminding myself that... :)

 

(ok, I take that back... DS *did* work ahead the week we were doing fractions in math... He LOVES fractions and will do pages and pages of them!)

[Walking-Iris]

:bigear: As well!

 

Our routine is constantly changing. Having an 8 year old, 4 year old, and 16 month old---I feel more than a bit frazzled most days as well.

 

I try to get a large chunk of the basics done with my 3rd grader in the morning. I've also found that if I give my ds4 something to do during that time that he can work on by himself he's more content (those inexpensive preschool style books from WalMart are wonderful for that) and then I'll sit down with him and we'll do HWT or a Kumon book together---he just wants to talk about everything rather than "do" anything really at this stage.

 

I include my ds4 in our science and SOTW discussions (he loves the pages in the ag and a lot of the projects are appropriate as well for little ones), he doesn't really listen to the text though. My ds4 will play with math manipulatives while we do math---sometimes I'm just switching gears each moment---taking a moment to talk to my ds4 at a level he can understand about any thing we're doing.

 

We also thrive on having things planned---I'm not a schedule person, but my oldest is on the spectrum so knowing exactly what is expected each day is a must. And then there's my dd---keeping her well fed and nursed and the timely introduction of a box of blocks or some chunky crayons are keeping us sort of sane this year.

 

I usually take December off--sort of---I may still do some very basic basics---keeping up with math and reading, but drop a lot of other things and focus on Xmas/holiday themed stuff and make some plans for the next "semester". I get a bit of a break and the kids get to veg out a little. I need the winter/holiday break---to read some new books or websites--print out some new materials---order some new books---

[justLisa]

I have no thoughts of my son working ahead in anything anytime soon. :lol: We also use FLL because it involves me, and he just learns better that way. It's ok. They're just 7! I keep reminding myself that... :)

 

(ok, I take that back... DS *did* work ahead the week we were doing fractions in math... He LOVES fractions and will do pages and pages of them!)

 

I'll bet our boys are just about exactly the same. You have figured things out far before I have though so lucky for yours! I have to remind myself it's good that already at 7 he has a focus. We talked about how it is important to be well rounded, but having one thing you love and are good at is also great, and it's ok to put most or more of your efforts into it. He definitely is more math oriented, so I need to just stop worrying about everything else so much and let him excel in what he is good at. Not that I am throwing anything out the window, but I cannot expect him to jump way ahead in everything.

[Amy Jo]

I also highly recommend naps, even if they're not sleeping. Quiet reading time will keep you sane!

 

Another vote for enforced quiet time. One of my favorite homeschooling websites lists a one hour quiet time (mainly for mom's sanity!) and two hours outside.

[FairProspects]

I plan on Sunday afternoon for the whole week. Everything is printed out and ready to go, schedule is figured out, assignments figured out, etc. So each day is pick up and go. We have a checklist to mark off (my DS LOVES check lists!). So much less stressful for me!

 

:iagree:This is exactly what I do too, except I do it on Friday afternoons since I started dreading Sundays and with the switch I have the weekend free to enjoy with friends and family. We use sticker chart checklists that the boys love putting stickers on when they finish a subject.

 

I also combine as much as possible. Science, Bible, read-alouds, and a good part of history are combined just at different levels - Ds 1 does a narration & illustration/notebooking page, Ds 2 just draws a picture, etc.

 

When I can't combine I do what Ellie suggested, Ds 2 plays with legos while I work with Ds 1 on writing. Ds 1 then goes to build an airplane while I work on AAR with Ds 2. It makes for a busy day, but works out well!

[Beth in SW WA]

I'm having a hard time making a daily schedule and I feel like i'm constantly running around like a chicken without a head.

 

Story of my life. It's better this year (now that dd14 is in high school) but I need to bring my A-game each day to manage my 2 youngers. They don't do ANY subjects together due to dd8 being slightly advanced while dd7 is more of an average student. Thankfully this jugging act is a labor of love and I find immense satisfaction when 3 PM rolls around and I look back at what we accomplished. God's grace sustains me each day and I give Him the glory. :)

[HiddenJewel]

Try teach the one while the other plays and then teach the other. Those grades should not be taking much time each day so there are plenty of hours to be able to concentrate on them separately.

[Embassy]

I alternate between my 7 and 9 year old for subjects that are too different to combine. I write down a list of assignments to be completed for one child while I am working with the other child. My 9 year old is highly focused and can do independent subjects for 1-2 hours without interruption. My 7 year old isn't quite so focused and can probably do about 30 minutes of seatwork independently. I typically give him some seatwork and then the rest of his independent time is something like typing, watching an educational video, math games, or art. I have a preschool aged child as well so my kids each have a time period in the day where they play with their sister. It gives me focused one-on-one time with the non-playing child.

[Hedgehogs4]

I had a very similar scenario up until just recently. I had a typing program on the computer that my son would do while I worked with the 5yo. He would also do math drills, silent reading (then narrate back when done), and math problems.

 

All of our curriculum is teacher-intensive. I chose them because they are better than handing a worksheet. I somehow figured out a way to make it work, just like these other ladies have suggested (I like Miss Moe's suggestions of mazes and puzzles. I have used this a lot. Kumon has great math puzzle books for your 5yo).

 

Before you know it they are 10 and finishing their work on their own and going, "Mom, what else do you have for me?" :ohmy: where did the time go?

[....]

I'm having a hard time making a daily schedule and I feel like i'm constantly running around like a chicken without a head. DS is 7, accelerated in math and basically everywhere, but he is still VERY needy of my time. He is slow to write so I cannot force more independence yet. Also, he learns better when we do something together rather than give him the book and do the worksheet type thing. I know this because he spent a while with GWG and I swear he didn't retain a thing LOL. It doesn't seem like it should be so crazy but it ends up that way! He was doing SM, but I went back to MM because I thought it would be a little more intuitive however this is not the case.

 

So DD is 5.5, but she is very interested and capable of dedicated school work. She is using SM 1, and that takes just a few minutes to explain, and we just started using FLL1 because she really likes it. She is still working on reading fluency. I feel like I don't have enough time to devote to everything in aday. I don't want to hold her back just because she is in "K" grade. Both kids are very mature for their ages. DS enjoys helping DD so he actually read her a lesson in OPGTR last week and she was much happier than when *I* do it LOL. Maybe I am on to something there. He actually has a teaching tone and emphasizes appropriately. It's kinda funny.

 

I know these are very labor intensive years as not much is independent, but how do you do it? Especially if you have two young children both of whom are accelerating in at least one area?

 

Hi, this year, I'm teaching a 10 yro, 9 yro, 6 yro and 4 yro. You can do it! :thumbup:

 

With a 7 yro and 5 yro, neither of your kids are going to be able to work independently. They're going to need you to interact with them almost the entire time. When your oldest kid hits 3rd or 4th grade, he will be able to do a lot more on his own. I always think of 2nd grade as THE most teacher-intensive year, because they make big leaps in things like their writing.

 

Spend one hour with the 5 yro...2 hours with the 7 yro.

 

Like other posters said, have a quiet time/nap time for the 5 yro and (if I'm desperate) I'm not opposed to letting the little ones watch a movie.

 

My kids have been homeschooling for a few years, but they take off like animals running from a forest fire when school books appear. ;) After a while, your kids will know that they need to give you some space so you can teach. They'll get used to it.

 

Also, don't curriculum hop too much. Your kids are really young. Some people don't even do LA until later. Also, it seems like they aren't retaining things, but you may realize later that they did (this has happened to me).

[boscopup]

All of our curriculum is teacher-intensive. I chose them because they are better than handing a worksheet. I somehow figured out a way to make it work, just like these other ladies have suggested (I like Miss Moe's suggestions of mazes and puzzles. I have used this a lot. Kumon has great math puzzle books for your 5yo).

 

Krazydad.com has free mazes - lots of them! Both my kids love them, so sometimes I'll print out a "book" of mazes, staple it together, and hand it to the kid that isn't needing my one-on-one attention to teach right now. That helps a lot!

 

I also like the suggestion of quiet time in the afternoon. You could probably do that if you don't have a younger kid not listed in your sig. I do it sometimes if we manage to finish in the morning. I used to institute quiet time before we started homeschooling. Now I do have to do some school in the afternoons because I need time where I can focus on DS1 without DS3 (a 2 year old) distracting us. DS gets distracted by talking, yelling, playing, really anything. :tongue_smilie: But if he's having a good day, he can get his work done even with the 2 year old around. Or if I'm desperate, I might put on Blue's Clues (they say it's preschool on your TV! :glare:). Then in the afternoon, when it's time to put 2 year old down for a nap, if we've already finished everything, I'll institute quiet time for everyone. They can grab books and go lay on my bed (the boys all share one room, so can't use their beds... they'd be wild and hopping around with NO nap for 2 year old) or the couch in the den, depending on what I'm wanting to do with MY quiet time. :D

[Marsha SC]

I found out very early, in the education of my girls, that neither of them retain anything I read outloud to them, at least not history. Storytime is a totally different thing. ;)

 

My girls are two years apart also. They way I did it when they were younger is I would give one (usually my oldest) a subject she could do by herself (reading usually), while I did math with my youngest. So, I would have one child do an "easy" subject (easy for that child), while doing a subject with the other child that required my help.

 

It is a difficult when you have two that close together, accelerated or not. Trust me though the difficulty will pass. My girls are now ten and eight and can do many things on their own. They come to me with drills and questions. I still feel pulled in different directions some days, but it is much better now.

 

Marsha

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

My oldest two kids are 7yo dd and 5.5yo ds. I also have a 3.5yo, a 1.5yo, and am expecting a new baby next year. This is what our daily schedule looks like:

 

6:30am get up, breakfast, and get ready for the day plus a few chores

 

dd's morning school (hopefully starting by 8 or 8:30): math, WWE, and Prima Latina

 

9:30: morning snack

 

K ds's read-alouds

 

10:30: help toddler ds go to sleep

 

ds's schoolwork: handwriting, math, and "reading" (word building M/W, simple reading practice and games T/Th)

 

5yo and 3yo go outside, weather permitting, or play quietly downstairs

 

dd does AAS M/W or FLL T/Th, then she goes outside

 

12:30 or 1ish (when ds gets up from his nap): lunch

 

playtime until 2pm

 

2pm: Quiet time for 3yo and 5yo in their rooms

Afternoon schoolwork for dd: faith formation and history M/W or science T/Th

 

4pm: Quiet time and schoolwork are done. We tidy bedrooms and the downstairs. Then the kids have snack. After that it's playtime for the kids until dinner. If they request to play outside, I let the older three go out. Otherwise it's inside. I start dinner and work on that as needed.

 

5:30 dinner

 

family prayer time

 

get ready for bed

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

 

I think it's just that *I* am constantly busy. I know they are not doing hours and hours of work, it's just like sometimes I feel like I am bouncing around like a nut job.

 

I noticed a huge change this year as well. Last year dd was in first grade and we mostly just did the basics and read-alouds. This year we added in more subjects, plus a new student. I used to get a free time to myself every day right in the middle and now that doesn't always happen. Plus I have less time for cleaning, etc. I also have less time to play with and read to my littles. :(

 

I REALLY just need to be better at fully planning the night before. I used to be religious about this, but lately I am having to do so much reading that it's hard to do that all the time.

 

That's why I made up my schedule written out in the previous post. Other than science and a little bit for history I can just do the next thing. I use the weekends or evenings to read ahead and plan for science and history.

 

I think I am just struggling lately with the holiday busyness and it's driving me bonkers trying to fit everything in.

 

As others have mentioned, we slow down for Advent. In the past we didn't really do much school work at all, just prepared our minds, hearts, and home for the birth of Christ. This year, we'll keep doing the basics, but will leave time for baking, decorating, and preparing ourselves for Christmas.

[Mommy22alyns]

You have to do it the way teachers do in one-room, multi-grade classrooms: give one child something to do while you work with the other (even if that means playing with the Legos, lol). You might have to do some training so that the one who is working independently knows he cannot be disruptive during his alone time.

 

 

:iagree:

 

I'm just now starting to have to teach both girls by myself. I just pull out all their books and sit with both of them at the table. I give each girl something to do according to what I need - one needs my help, so the other gets something (semi) independent. We also have reading and book basket selections, so I can send one of them off to do that (usually Sylvia) while I work more intensively with the other. We're not actually doing things in a specific order right now as their work times vary day to day.

[Alte Veste Academy]

I know these are very labor intensive years as not much is independent, but how do you do it? Especially if you have two young children both of whom are accelerating in at least one area?

 

I think it's just that *I* am constantly busy. I know they are not doing hours and hours of work, it's just like sometimes I feel like I am bouncing around like a nut job.

 

I felt like this a bit last year. This year I have moved to a schedule where group subjects (circle time, conversational Spanish, science, history, and art) are done in the morning and individual subjects (language and math) are done one-on-one with mom each afternoon.

 

The new schedule enables us to all come together in the mornings and stay together. No one goes off bored and I don't have to constantly be saying "just a minute." They're all good listeners and I mostly do the same read-alouds for everyone. (I save read-alouds that do not keep my little one's attention for later in the day or bedtime.) I ask for narrations from one or all children for much of the reading, then use those for copywork/dictation later. We do group projects for history and art and experiments for science. They do timeline entries and science notebooks at their own level as well, but they do them at the same time, which is the important part. We're all working together and no one is waiting.

 

By the time the afternoon rolls around, there are no issues with boredom because they've had a pretty full morning and are ready to go off on their own. I call them to me one by one for their individual work, which generally takes an hour. They work more efficiently because I am not distracted with juggling.

 

I hope you find what works for you!

[sagira]

I've been reading this thread with much interest. Next year, I'll have a 4th grader, a K-er, and an 18-month-old! Heaven help me with the little one :D I think dd Ker is going to spend quite some time with baby dd.

 

Nobody has activities at 2:30 like we do? This is when dd's ballet is. School in the morning, activities in the afternoon.

 

Subscribing to this thread :bigear:

[TengoFive]

Workboxes might work wonderfully for you. When I used them exclusively, I would stagger them, so they would have an educational, independent activity between the times they needed me right beside them. At those times I would work with one of the others. This is when I would have them do things we have on hand that we never really got around to: mazes, cuisenaire rods, pattern blocks, math drill, Kumon books, etc.

The last few boxes I made the subjects we do together. It worked well for us.

[LMD]

I just finished our schedule for next year (2nd, K-er and 18 month old :eek:), now I'm working on about 40 activity packets/boxes for the toddler, to try to keep him busy in 20 minute blocks!

 

I simply have to be organised and know what each child is (supposed to be) doing when, otherwise my brain seizes up and our day becomes chaos! I'm not an organised person by nature, and part of me is dreading it!

[Alison in KY]

I am basically a tutor for each of my 3 children. Each year my schedule has been a bit different, due to where my children are at academically, and how their personalities are. I still sit down alongside my 12 year old for his school...I am just there for his hard stuff though. He is really easily distracted;).

 

I'd love to get some of my oldest's childs harder work finished first, but my middle one works quickly and is extremely impatient. So, I begin the one on one with her.

 

Our day, in general, goes like this:

 

Together time for writing, memory work, a vocab word a day, and history reading.

 

Then everyone is split up for one on one time. Two of my kids take piano. One can practice (with headphones on) while the other can either go play or do math facts and typing on the computer.

 

I basically let my kids go play, do computer work, piano practice, some independent work (if they are capable) or read while I'm doing one on one time. There have been years where my youngest watched PBS for an hour during our school, but in another room so it wouldn't distract everyone else. We've also used time4learning, time4writing, and StudyDog on the internet to help give some independent time to our school rotation.

 

Every day I am spending alone time on English and math with each of my kids. I usually run out of energy before science, so I leave that to the oldest two to work on independently in a little science notebook. We've hardly ever, in any year, been able to complete anything in science. I have to keep things simple, because of my teacher mom curriculum choices, because my youngest isn't a strong reader or at math yet, because my oldest will NOT sit down and focus on his work, etc.

 

Actually, even though I'm doing one on one with 3 kids (12, 10, and 8), I basically try to keep everything else simple. This has been a good year so far and I am being much better at keeping on top of laundry and dishes during our school day.

 

At your kids ages, I'd do one on one with each of them for English and math. I would keep lessons short though. I actually still do short lessons for all of mine. You can combine them for some science reading and history read alouds. You could buy some computer games that are educational for them to have computer time. When my child was 5 I probably only did about 5 or 10 minutes of writing, 10 to 20 minutes of a phonics program, and 10 to 20 minutes of math. That's less than an hour total. I'd then have them read a bit at night, with mom or dad. I wouldn't do much more than that with my 7 year old. You slowly get to beef your academics up for each of the kids.

 

Everything will work out, there's just a learning curve on how to manage everything...and just when you figure it out something new will come up:tongue_smilie:. But that's okay, because you'll know you just have to make a few changes and keep going with things. It'll all work out and you'll do a great job.

 

Alison

[go_go_gadget]

Mine are 6 and 5, and both are working at least a year ahead of grade level. We do block scheduling, and combine for content areas like history, Spanish, Latin, geography, art, and science. Our school routine usually goes like this:

 

Monday, Tuesday, and Friday:

 

I work with DS on math while DD does her penmanship

DS takes a break while I do DD's math with her

DD takes a break while I do DS's writing and grammar

DS takes a break while I do DD's reading and grammar

DD does her copywork while DS does his penmanship

We do history together (Monday and Tuesday)

We go to Spanish class (every other Tuesday)

We do Latin and geography together (Friday)

 

DS reads during quiet time and before bed, so it's not a separate subject for him.

 

Wednesday:

DD does her penmanship and copywork while I do DS's writing

DS does his penmanship while I do DD's reading

I go back and forth between them for logic

We do art together

They each do 15 minutes of Math Rider (drilling software)

 

Thursday:

DD does her penmanship while I do DS's spelling

DS does his penmanship while I do DD's reading

They go to a class for science

DS does Math Rider while I do reading with DD

DD does Math Rider

 

So we do math lessons 3x/week (but we often do more than one lesson at a time), and drill the other two days. Reading and penmanship happen daily, grammar is 3x/week, writing is 3x (but we combine copywork days and narration days, so we do four lessons/week), Spelling is 1x/week but we do several lessons at once (we would increase the frequency and decrease the amount of material covered in a session if they weren't natural spellers), history is 2x/week, science, art, latin, geography, and logic are 1x/week. This will change as they get older; they're still pretty young.

 

Our longest days are two and a half to three hours if everyone's well and focused, and longer (with more breaks), if either of those are compromised. The short days are about an hour and a half, with the same exceptions.

[Brooketopia]

I have a 7yo and a 5yo. I only do phonics, math and penmanship with my 5yo, which takes 45 minutes tops.

 

After our devotional (together, obviously) I start working on 7yo's math with her and once we're done with her lesson she does a worksheet (Saxon). While she does her worksheet I do 5yo's math lesson. We take a break after math.

 

When we come back from our break they both do penmanship while I supervise. Then 7yo does her spelling worksheets (Spelling Workout) while I go through 5yo's phonics. Then 5yo is done for the day and I work intensively with 7yo on grammar and writing.

 

I read history/science out loud while kiddos play with LEGOs and 7yo generally reads her own literature assignments. We do art/music appreciation together in the afternoon.