Do you ever feel like you're doing "enough" with your kids academically?

[phathui5]

We have five children, four who are old enough to homeschool.. We homeschool year round so that I don't feel bad when there are days that we don't get work done, but what happens is I still feel bad when there are days that we don't get work done.

 

I'm finishing midwifery school and in an apprenticeship that has irregular, though full-time hours. We've always homeschooled and I don't want that to change, but it has been really hard this year.

 

Planning has been an issue for me. There are things that I feel like I should plan for days that I'm home (i.e.- not when the babysitter has to deal with it). Stuff like Writing With Ease/Skill and science projects. But I'm having trouble nailing down days that I'm definitely going to be home to do them.

 

One of the problems we're running into lately is that 12yo ds is giving our babysitter a hard time about doing telling him to do schoolwork on the days that she's there. I wind up feeling mad at him and bad about him not having his work done at the same time. I've considered taking him to work with me and making him do the work in the staff room or not making him do work when the babysitter is home and just having him do it all in the evening. Any suggestions?

 

How do you get to where you feel like what you're doing with your kids is good enough?

[Melissa in Australia]

:grouphug:

 

the problem is that no matter how much academically I do, there is always something else that I would like to teach them.

[Moxie]

:grouphug:

 

the problem is that no matter how much academically I do, there is always something else that I would like to teach them.

 

I will never feel like I'm doing enough. It's my own private hell, I guess. I'll always feel like we should be getting in just. one. more. thing. Wish I could get over it.

[GinaPagnato]

Well, to be honest, I can't imagine working full time hours and still effectively teaching my kids. Especially 4 of them!

 

Homeschooling is a full time job, IMO, and it would be akin to working two FT jobs and realizing that I can't do both well.

 

I think especially with your 12 year old, you may need to reevaluate your schedule. Not the kids' schedule, but YOUR schedule. Is it possible to work less outside the home so you can focus more on the schooling? Do you have to maintain so many hours? I would start with reducing that load. You're feeling pulled, it's no wonder that you're feeling guilty about not doing enough.

 

Hope you can figure something out!

[bettyandbob]

I don't have anyone home anymore,but whatever I was doing, I always wanted to be doing more. And I always worried what I did do wasn't good or thorough enough. I'm a little critical with myself.

 

I did get a little validation when they went to high school. Both my dc seem to have a thorough grasp of content topics compared to the depth of their courses. The two older kids did/are doing a pretty intense high school course load. It made me feel good that they were ready. It's hard when you are the only teacher and don't have anything to measure against.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I also don't think that I personally could work a full time job and still homeschool effectively. There is just limited energy to expend. Taking the 12 yr. old with you might help relieve some of your anxiety about him not getting his work done. :grouphug: Hang in there.

[Night Elf]

What if you got the 12 yr. old involved in helping out the youngers? I don't mean taking over the babysitter's job, but having him sit with them and help them. He could assist with math, grammar, read them books aloud. You could ask him to do one subject of his own and then help him do the rest when you're home. Does the babysitter actually sit with him while he's working? Is he working completely independently? He just may not be able to do totally independent just yet if he is.

[Mergath]

With your 12yo, I wouldn't even get the babysitter involved, especially if he's not going to listen to her. Just make a list of what work he needs to get done. If he'd made no attempt at doing it when you get home, follow through with whatever your family considers to be appropriate consequences.

 

Also, I'm guessing the apprenticeship is short-term? Will you have more flexible hours and more free time to hs when you're done? If that's the case, you could always let your 12yo take a short break from whatever he's working on right now and do a few interest-led projects until your apprenticeship is done.

[phathui5]

Is it possible to work less outside the home so you can focus more on the schooling? Do you have to maintain so many hours?

 

No, clinical time and academic work, I can't really cut down until after June '13. And honestly, I wouldn't want to. I want to get in all the time I can so I can take the NARM exam next fall.

 

Does the babysitter actually sit with him while he's working? Is he working completely independently?

 

He does work independently, and I don't want her to have to hover for him to get the work done. I want him to just do it. It's not a question of ability. He's several years ahead in math, light years ahead in reading, though pretty normal in writing. I feel like it's more of an attitude problem.

 

Also, I'm guessing the apprenticeship is short-term? Will you have more flexible hours and more free time to hs when you're done?

 

It's through next June. I am planning to work there part-time when my NARM numbers are done.