? about when you schedule 3Rs for kindergartner...w/ very active toddler around!

[pehp]

I am thinking of our schedule for the upcoming kindergarten year and trying to determine when might be the best time to do the 'concentrated' work with my 5yo son, in light of the fact that my daughter is 18 months never, ever, ever seems to stop moving (unless she is asleep). Our 'focused' work will basically be OPGTR (we're already working through this), some very light and mostly fun math, and read-alouds. I am currently doing some summer schooling with my son, and we do this type of work during my daughter's afternoon nap. it works fairly well, although I can tell by early afternoon my son is a little tired (he doesn't nap any more, *usually* but sometimes does!). I have also been daydreaming about having 30 minutes or so to myself while the baby naps and my son does 'quiet time' (he does this already, when I actually am getting her to sleep, and then we have our school time)...instead of getting her down for her nap and then rushing right into school.

 

We also plan to do copywork and Elemental Science, but we can do those with the toddler around! and we can do read-alouds with her around too...*sometimes.*

 

She's just...active. At this age my son would sit and read books, play w/ blocks, etc, but my daughter is a live wire. She is always on the move and as soon as I sit down to do anything she's in my lap.

 

I would really like, I think, to get schooling over earlier in the day--say, the 'concentrated' work between 9-9:30. (I only plan on 10 mins phonics, 10 mins math, etc unless a math game runs longer or we are just having fun! :)) I think my son would be fresh and that would free up a little time, albeit not a lot, in the afternoon for me to have a bit of time alone to regroup.

 

so, i'm curious as to when you do school w/ your young-ish (ie needs hands-on help) child when you have a WHIRLING DERVISH for a toddler?! I am just looking for experiences, input and thoughts; I will probably try to think of some activities she can do if we try for schooling in the morning (and any advice on that point is welcome too).

 

Thank you!

[blondeviolin]

Can you put her in the bath tub and do school in the bathroom?

[boscopup]

I lowered expectations when I had an 18 month old, and that was when I started homeschooling too, and it was with a 1st grader. :tongue_smilie:

 

I do find it helps if I work with my youngest FIRST, so he gets some concentrated mommy time. But again, with an 18 month old... good luck. :lol: The good news is, it should get a bit better as she gets older and is better able to understand, "Go play!"

 

Oh, and I completely understand on the read-aloud thing. We read-aloud very little that first year of homeschooling. My 18 month old was not ready to sit for books. Now it's a lot easier. It does help to do read-alouds while they're eating, so they're occupied. In fact, perhaps you could have your DD eat while you do a bit of school with your DS, then swap and let DS eat while you play with DD? Just an idea. Really, you'll probably just be in survival mode this year, but thankfully, K is fairly simple.

 

And does your DD still take naps? That's when I did work where my oldest needed to really concentrate. I enforce nap time until they're about 5 years old. If they don't want to nap, they can at least play in their room (and possibly eventually fall asleep ;)).

[SilverMoon]

What goes up, must come down. Naptime is your friend. :)

[KAM]

When I had a toddler we always did that sort of thing first thing, because they were usually content to play for at least a little while right after breakfast. If they didn't go off to play, I would set something up on the table for them next to us, like lacing cards, playdough, a peg puzzle, etc. Stuff reserved just for school time.

[2squared]

I try to embrace the chaos. I have always had a toddler since we started homeschooling, so this is my life.

 

I usually sit on the floor with my K aged kids. The toddlers/babies are in my lap or by my side. They read with us, play with math manips, and write on their own paper. I have not had success trying to occupy my toddler elsewhere (unless he/she is with an older sib), whereas including them as much as possible has been very successful. K in our house is 1/2 hour of seat work. Content areas are either not covered (with no ill effect) or covered via read alouds and nature study.

 

And then there's always nap time....my favorite part of the day. :D

[BoyOBoy]

I wish I had a good answer to this. My 13 mo old is the same way, and refuses to play with anything with which he is allowed to play. Makes school time difficult. And I also am reluctant to keep DS up from his rest. He doesn't nap, but does spend 2hr reading/looking at books in his bed. I've been reading to them all first thing, even before breakfast, then doing light math games and handwriting after breakfast. I zip back and forth between my k'er and my toddler. I have a 3yr old who is occasionally able to help by playing tag/chase with toddler. Makes for a very peaceful learning environment.

[pehp]

I lowered expectations when I had an 18 month old, and that was when I started homeschooling too, and it was with a 1st grader. :tongue_smilie:

 

I do find it helps if I work with my youngest FIRST, so he gets some concentrated mommy time. But again, with an 18 month old... good luck. :lol: The good news is, it should get a bit better as she gets older and is better able to understand, "Go play!"

 

Oh, and I completely understand on the read-aloud thing. We read-aloud very little that first year of homeschooling. My 18 month old was not ready to sit for books. Now it's a lot easier. It does help to do read-alouds while they're eating, so they're occupied. In fact, perhaps you could have your DD eat while you do a bit of school with your DS, then swap and let DS eat while you play with DD? Just an idea. Really, you'll probably just be in survival mode this year, but thankfully, K is fairly simple.

 

And does your DD still take naps? That's when I did work where my oldest needed to really concentrate. I enforce nap time until they're about 5 years old. If they don't want to nap, they can at least play in their room (and possibly eventually fall asleep ;)).

 

soooo true!!! I am trying to remember it is a 'season of life' thing. Then again, I think of all these women who have toddlers always while homeschooling...and I think "it must be somehow possible!!!"

 

K is simple and that is one reason I have kept my planning/goals very simple and streamlined--because I just don't want to stress myself out. My dd does it well enough. :tongue_smilie:

[pehp]

I try to embrace the chaos. I have always had a toddler since we started homeschooling, so this is my life.

 

I usually sit on the floor with my K aged kids. The toddlers/babies are in my lap or by my side. They read with us, play with math manips, and write on their own paper. I have not had success trying to occupy my toddler elsewhere (unless he/she is with an older sib), whereas including them as much as possible has been very successful. K in our house is 1/2 hour of seat work. Content areas are either not covered (with no ill effect) or covered via read alouds and nature study.

 

And then there's always nap time....my favorite part of the day. :D

 

Maybe I will try this. I will also try the nice suggestion of some special 'school-time' toys. I'm thinking, after reading these posts, that maybe I will TRY to do school in the morning....and see how it goes. And if things fall apart one day, I will just do our short school in the afternoon during naptime. That way if the morning goes great, I will have a little free time (usually that means doing laundry and drinking tea!) in the afternoon....which refreshes me...but if the morning doesn't go great, it's no big deal b/c we can just shift our schoolwork for the day to naptime.

[Chelli]

What goes up, must come down. Naptime is your friend. :)

 

:iagree: I did all of my oldest's Kindergarten work during my middle child's two-hour naps every afternoon. The rest of the day we all just played together! :001_smile:

[meggie]

soooo true!!! I am trying to remember it is a 'season of life' thing. Then again, I think of all these women who have toddlers always while homeschooling...and I think "it must be somehow possible!!!"

K is simple and that is one reason I have kept my planning/goals very simple and streamlined--because I just don't want to stress myself out. My dd does it well enough. :tongue_smilie:

 

Those women probably have older children who can occupy the toddler for 20-30 minutes at a time. I remember even Michelle Duggar commented about how much harder life was with so many little children. Her life now isn't quite so hard.

[ivey_family]

We're in a very similar boat, although I also have a PreK'er too. My dd, the toddler, will often sit at the table with us with her own crayons or puzzle, etc. I feel like I walk circles around my table for school.

 

Would your dd play in a pack n play nearby? If you caught her right after breakfast with something especially fun, you might get 20-30 minutes of good time. I actually put my pnp away, but am thinking I might need to get it back out again. ;)

 

Regards,

C.

[8filltheheart]

Sometimes the best opportunity is while the toddler is in their high chair. Instead of trying to figure out how to entertain her after breakfast, use breakfast to your advantage. Dry Cheerios on the tray (or whatever) while you work w/your Ker can typically buy you about 20 mins.

 

I also use it as an opportunity for training time. Homeschooling is as much about the discipline of family functioning as it is about teacher prep. My little ones have all had to learn that school days mean their daily life is different than non-school days and that means a few minutes of self-entertainment or waiting a few minutes for their turn, etc. (it doesn't have to be a long time.....even 2 minutes is a huge victory at 18 mos!)

 

Eating or play dough in the high chair is one way of entertaining/confining.

 

Playing w/water is another. When it is warm outside, we often make "pools" for dolls, animals, whatever out of large plastic containers and the toddler can play w/them in the water and I sit w/someone nearby doing school.

 

I haven't tried the bathtub idea someone mentioned, but that is another great idea.

 

School can take place just about anywhere. (Even beside a swingset w/the toddler being pushed in a swing and the Ker at a plastic picnic table right beside it. ;)

[thundersweet]

I don't know but I am having such a hard time homeschooling with my 2yo around. Some days I think it just can't be done. We have a homeschool room that can't be used because he pulls everything off the shelf. Right now, I have that room gated off and I bring our schoolwork to the bar in the kitchen. So far, this has worked ok. I still have to deal with him climbing up the chair, hanging off our backs.....plus, he is so loud it. Makes reading aloud impossible. I know this will get better, but in the meantime...lol

 

Sandy

[pehp]

I am glad to see I'm not the only one. My firstborn was soooo not like this--very independent, quiet, play with toys by himself for long stretches of time...I am starting to realize he was unusual, and my daughter is....probably more typical.

 

I don't have a pack-n-play (sold it) and the highchair was my uncle's (it is 'vintage') and doesn't have a 'seat belt' so she won't stay it in very well at mealtime (she's a lap baby) but if I put playdough on it she might actually be distracted for a few minutes! That's a good thought.

 

And the SWING! I didn't even think about that! I need to get my husband to hang our baby swing up outside--she LOVES swinging and it is the one thing she really COULD do for a long time. If I could set a little table up on the patio or somewhere nearby, we might actually have a distraction that could last through math and phonics!!!!! That is brilliant.