x-post: Do you do anything with your preschooler?

[PeacefulChaos]

Not education-wise. I see all the 'tot packs' and 'preschool packs' and they make me want to bang my head against the wall. Same with letter of the week type stuff - I bought into the whole idea of doing fun little school type stuff with Pink for about 3 weeks when we started homeschooling (in 2011 :lol: - 2012 I totally knew better!) and then realized it was just not worth it. So I'm not talking about that.

Here's my dilemma: When the boys are doing their school work, she's, like, the lowest on the totem pole. She does great playing by herself (most of the time!) or coloring or whatnot. But I guess I just kind of feel bad because, like, today, we had school this morning - she got in trouble a bit, we had lunch, she took a nap, she woke up and I was making dinner, then I left and didn't get home til an hour before bedtime, to discover things in disarray and not how I felt they should be an hour before bedtime ( lol) and then she got in trouble again, and overall I was just left feeling like on days when I'm homeschooling the boys I just don't interact with her much, and when I do it's usually really light and superficial (Oh, thank you for this cup of tea! It's delicious! or Oh, yes, you can color - yes, you can use the markers - yes, I like your picture of me - etc...) or it's because she's in trouble. Granted, she doesn't get in trouble much - not usually even every day, I'm pretty reasonable about what a 3 year old can and can't be expected to do ;) - but Idk... I just want to have more time with her, kwim? Like I'm thinking, 'Is she going to think that when the boys were doing school that mom was just mean/didn't care/whatever'?

So anyway, go easy on me. I'm trying to think of what to do with her - and WHEN (that's the BIG thing) - where I'm actually investing in her. Any ideas are appreciated. :) (well... as long as you're nice to me. :D )

:lurk5:

[lil' maids in a row]

I'm with you! It is easy for the little one to fall through the cracks. My oldest dds are 6 and 4.5 and my little one is 3. I find that scheduling a time to do "school" with her makes a huge difference. I do school with her first (while the others do seatwork). It only takes 15 minutes, but I am totally focused on her (alone in a room with just me and her). We do a page or two of rod and staff, practice her letters and learn a number. Sometimes I have her do a puzzle or we read a quick book. There is a lot of cheering, a lot of snuggling and she walks out of that room looking 10 feet tall :lol:.

 

I know you weren't interested in a school solution, but I wanted to share what has been helpful for us.

It is so quick and easy, but it is a way for her to feel included and for us to really connect everyday.

 

Meredith

[besroma]

:grouphug:

 

I do know what you mean. It is really difficult.

 

My DD loves to read and cuddle. She likes tea parties and playing with dolls. I try to stop when I can (which is so hard to do), even just to spend five minutes reading to her (several times in the day).

 

While I cannot have an extended tea party, I will make some herbal tea, put it into some nice cups, sit down next to her, and call it our tea party. With the dolls, I try to help her dress one or two and interact with her.

 

Like you, I want her to have good memories of time spent with me....not that I did not have time for her.

 

(I am still trying to do better than I am doing now. I guess I always will be, as she has a little sister who will need attention too!)

Edited August 17, 2012 by besroma

[Tohru]

:grouphug: Oh! It sounds like my house.

 

I get very sad at the end of the day when I realize that I haven't interacted with her unless she was in trouble and she pretty much was by herself all day, coloring or playing or whatever else she does. :(

 

I don't have any solutions, but I'd love to hear some others on how they handle it and learn how to interact more with her in some frequent way so she knows how special and wonderful I think she is.

[LucyStoner]

Lots o' reading.

 

I make a point to take him to the drop in indoor playground at the local gymnastics gym just for his age group. He loves it and he loves the hands on mama attention without big brother around (usually my older son sits and reads or does something else with grandpa or dad.)

 

We do a lot of my older son's schoolwork at the library and I take headphones so the little one can use the computers in between read aloud time with me and picking his own books and DVDs to take home.

[Snickerdoodle]

I got a lot of ideas from this website for things to do to keep the little one busy. You wouldn't believe how long they can spend moving beans, beads, buttons from one bowl to another using different kind of spoons/implements. This she can do nearby you while you are working with the boys.

[happypamama]

I've noticed that this tends to happen with my third child; he's sandwiched between the two big kids and the baby, and he's an easygoing, happy little guy, so he tends to get skipped. He also is begging to "do schoolwork" like the big kids. So I've been making a point to sit down and read picture books with him for at least a little while most days, and he is thriving. He also likes to be involved with whatever I'm doing, so I have him keep me company while I cook or fold laundry or whatever.

[BakersDozen]

My "littles" are almost always at the table/on the floor with us as we school. I make sure they have their own "work" as that is what intrigues them as they watch older siblings. For example, my 2yo and 3yo both have 3-ring binders with scratch paper inside page protectors. Under my (usually) watchful eye, they have a blast drawing on the page protectors with dry erase markers. I have a tub with math manipulatives that keeps them busy during math time and another tub with ABC manipulatives as well. They have their toys and spend a lot of time with those yet they really want to be doing what big brothers/sisters are doing and I've found it easier to accomodate them rather then shoo them away.

 

I also make the very first time slot in my day available for "littles". While the older ones go for a walk or do chores I sit with my toddlers and do puzzles, play a game, read, etc. If I don't do this then I find it is dinnertime or even bedtime and I've not spent that time with my young ones like I really want to.

 

I find a lot of moments during the day to cuddle and read with them, even if it is only briefly between subjects. More often than not, they remain sitting on my lap while we move to the next subject; I've gotten very good at teaching/grading one-handed. ;)

[ChristineW]

I got a lot of ideas from this website for things to do to keep the little one busy. You wouldn't believe how long they can spend moving beans, beads, buttons from one bowl to another using different kind of spoons/implements. This she can do nearby you while you are working with the boys.

 

I agree lots of montessori activities. Barbara Curtis has some great books especially Mommy Teach Me.

 

Christine