Scheduling question

[Sharilynn29]

I'm working on scheduling next year's calendar. I really want to do a 4 day school week, but my dd really likes following the ps schedule. She would of course love 1 less day of school a week, but would have a fit about schooling when her neighborhood friends are home. I don't think my ds will care either way.

 

My dd already is not a fan of homeschool. How do I do MY schedule without causing too much turmoil? I know I can just do it and she'll deal, but is there a way to make it easier?

[mschickie]

I am not sure how old your dd is but with my dd I just kept reinforcing the benefits of hs'ing, such as taking a day off just because we want to. Also when the ps kids are out we just try to make sure our work gets done in the morning so she can still hang out with her friends in the afternoon. When there is winter break here in Feb. we do not take off the entire week but we do take off a day here or there to do things with some of her ps friends. The first year was the hardest but now dd just knows her schedule is different.

[Ellie]

You just do it. You can't make everyone happy. :)

[KAM]

I agree with just letting her deal. I'm sure she won't complain after a few weeks.

 

If that's not an option-What about having the fifth day be more of a child-led learning day? Let them watch documentaries, do independent art work, work on a paper, or do whatever else will keep her busy but give you time to do what you want to do?

[Sharilynn29]

My dd is 8. She went to ps for 1 year and for whatever reason dislikes homeschool. She has hs friends and we're involved with the hs community. The main reason I want to go to a 4 day school week is so the kids can go to our homeschool skate and our homeschool gym day. They both love these activities. I just wish I could convince her to like being home. :sad::sad::sad::sad:

[EmmaNadine]

When you say "whatever reason" is that because you don't know why she doesn't like it, or is that because it is an issue you don't feel discussing on the boards?

[rjand6more]

We schedule enough school time on the fifth day to consider it a school day. We go to homeschool co op and do other activities on Fridays. I schedule things like activities, lapbooks, historical cooking, etc. Sometimes math lessons if we are behind.

 

Then, we can take time off when we want vacations. I do take time off sometimes when the kids ask.

[Sharilynn29]

When you say "whatever reason" is that because you don't know why she doesn't like it, or is that because it is an issue you don't feel discussing on the boards?

 

I honestly don't know the exact reason why she dislikes hsing. She went to ps for 1st grade and liked it. She always tells me she wants to go back, but I tell her it's not an option. She has a learning disability as well, so being home is best. I think she is overly social, and she has a lot of "the grass is greener" syndrome when it comes to ps. She only complains when she's frustrated and isn't happy with school.

[EmmaNadine]

When you ask her why she wants to go back, what does she say?

[ELITEANDLOVINGIT]

I think maybe try to listen to her and offer options.

 

Options that all lead back to the road you want to take... it may demand some creativity, but perhaps it will leave her feeling that she has "won" ?

 

I don't know, I tend to be strict, but I also know that sometimes things take a bit of negotiation?

 

:lurk5:

[abba12]

4 day school weeks were very popular when I was a kid homeschooling, and the families that did them still had time to do normal school holidays a lot of the time, with a little planning. When I was a kid homeschooling most friends went to school because there were simply so few HSers, so being available during holidays and after school was important.

 

One thing is incoporating a little extra school each day, for example, if there is independent reading to do for science/history, instead of taking up 'schooltime', when we did 4 day schooling we did our independent reading in bed before going to sleep (of course, we loved to read, so it didn't seem like school). It meant we could fit another half hour or so of curriculum into our school day. Another thing was leaving big projects like building a volcano, or 'fun topics' like arts and crafts, or things that didn't seem school-like, eg home ec, for weekends or school holidays. I remember we did an entire year of home ec one year, only doing it on non-school days! And art/craft instruction was a half hour of mum teaching on sunday afternoon, then her sending us outside with the supplies needed while she took a nap or cleaned up or did other sunday afternoon stuff. If there is a particularly fun or hands on sci/history unit coming up they can make great casual school holiday or summer projects.

 

If you can take the fun stuff and do it during the times your daughter gets upset about doing school, it might give a happy medium.

 

Then again, you're the parent, and you homeschool for a reason. There are plenty of advantages for homeschooling, but everything is a trade off and your daughter wanting the best of both worlds is impractical all around. As the parent you might decide to just put your foot down and tell her this is the way it is. It's your responsibility to do what's best for her, whether she likes it or not.

[Sharilynn29]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think that it is mostly a maturity issue with her. Her biggest complaint is that hsing is harder. Of course, she's comparing 1st grade with 2nd. Also, she tends to be very lazy. I sometimes think it's more about doing the work.

 

I like the idea of using non-school time to do fun school activities. If my dd thinks it's school, she'll rebel since she's under the impression that school is all work and no fun. We'll see what I can come up with. She's very creative on her own. Today she filled a cup with water, stuck her triceratops in the cup, and froze it to recreate the ice age. I do love how her mind works!

[Desert Strawberry]

My oldest went through the homeschool -is-hard blues. He went to one year of preK. Yeah. Second grade is much harder.

I like a 5 day schedule with short days and the option to drop a day as needed. But that is up to you. IMO the more you try to replicate PS, the harder it will be for her to adjust. She's not in PS. What the other kids are doing is not relevant.

one thing that I do, and now my kids do it, is point out freedoms and opportunities that homeschool provides. We can spend Tuesday afternoon hiking at the state park because they are not at school. We can go to the beach on a Wednesday in September because they are not in school. Their school day ends when they are finished,and not when the bell rings because we homeschool.

FWIW, it has never occurred to me to consult my children on our schedule. As the coordinator of our home and school, I take everyone's needs into account and plan a schedule that will be accommodate everyone.

[mschickie]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think that it is mostly a maturity issue with her. Her biggest complaint is that hsing is harder. Of course, she's comparing 1st grade with 2nd. Also, she tends to be very lazy. I sometimes think it's more about doing the work.

 

I like the idea of using non-school time to do fun school activities. If my dd thinks it's school, she'll rebel since she's under the impression that school is all work and no fun. We'll see what I can come up with. She's very creative on her own. Today she filled a cup with water, stuck her triceratops in the cup, and froze it to recreate the ice age. I do love how her mind works!

 

 

Dd also used to complain hs'ing was harder, she went to ps for k so pretty much anything is harder than that. We are involved in a great hs group that has a co-op which meets once a week. After a year or so there dd really looks foward to her co-op friends.

 

I would also suggest lots of field trips. We do a ton of field trips during the year. I then reinforce that the ps kids do not get to do this many trips in a year, they are lucky to do one or two. Dd loves going to plays so we go to 3-4 each year with our group.

 

I also pointed out days when she finishes her work well before the ps kids are out. Also as she has gotten older her friends are getting more and more homework where once she is done she is done. Now she tries to convince her friends to be homeschooled so they can have more time together.

[kirstenhill]

I am not sure how old your dd is but with my dd I just kept reinforcing the benefits of hs'ing, such as taking a day off just because we want to. Also when the ps kids are out we just try to make sure our work gets done in the morning so she can still hang out with her friends in the afternoon. When there is winter break here in Feb. we do not take off the entire week but we do take off a day here or there to do things with some of her ps friends. The first year was the hardest but now dd just knows her schedule is different.

 

:iagree: My DD was never in PS, but one of her best friends goes to PS so there is often a desire to go play with her friend when PS has break/days off. Knowing that she can have a playdate after her schoolwork is done when her friend is on break is a great motivation to get work done quickly!

 

DD's other best friend IS homeschooled, but the friend's family follows a different schedule than ours (they break much longer for summer, but their "school day" is a lot longer/goes later in the day during the school year). So I do occasionally hear complaints along the line of, "Why do I have to do spelling in July when my friend doesn't?" Or whatever...so we have to talk about the different choices our families make even when it comes to other homeschoolers.