Larger family, but having a hard time getting to the younger grades.....

[thepoteetteam]

I have 7 kids....ages 16, 15, 13, 9, 7, 5, 3. My first 4 are very self sufficient. We are chugging along great with them. My bottom 3 are such a challenge. 3 very rambunctious boys. Again, ages 7, 5, 3. My 3 year old is unlike ANY of my others. Into so much and I constantly have to keep him with me. I'm 44, exhausted and a bit burned out. I cannot seem to get to my littles schooling everyday. Here we are at the end of the year and I am only a little more than halfway done with my 5 year old and my 7 year old. The older kids are almost finished. My 7 year old is my hardest yet. My 5 year old is my easier one. I actually started him early because he was dying to start school with his best buddy (the 7 yr old). The 5 year old could easily pass up the 7 year old......I'm almost wondering if I should just hold back my 7 year old and just school the two together next year. Any experience on this? I am just overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated, and burned out. I've been homeschooling for 12 years now and I still have another 14 to go. EEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[claluck]

I cannot totally relate. Well I do have 7 kids lol but not those ages. My youngest is 3 weeks and my oldest is 11. But I can see where you are at. I have a 3 year old right now. I find 3 a hard phase. They require alot of physical time and attention. They just do. I dont see why you cannot combine the 7 and 5 year old on most subjects. I mean if the 5 year old is up to it accelerate him a bit. Don't hold the 7 year old back though. I have a 11 and 9 year old who are 1 year apart in grades. I combine them on most of their subjects. I just have different expectations for what they will accomplish in each area. They are different with math and expectations for LA. Otherwise they do all the same stuff. Next year we are separating them more because the older one wants to push further ahead in some subjects. That said they are still going to be doing alot of the same stuff.

 

Christina

[Chris in VA]

This is advice from someone not in your shoes, so...lol--just hoping to be helpful.

 

I would ease off on the 5 yo and 7yo--just finish your 7's math and make him read, and read to them. Let the 5yo skate, or do math and reading with him, too.

 

Let the bigs finish, but continue thru the summer with the littles, taking a week or two here and there (perhaps two weeks when the bigs are completely finished, then start up with the littles again for about 8 weeks, then take off again before school starts up in Sept).

During the littles' school time, let the bigs occupy the 3yo.

 

I would consider rotating thru the bigs next year, making it part of their day to take over their brothers. Divide and conquer. Twenty to thirty minutes for each big with a little--that will go far towards you getting something done with the littles, and not interfere too terribly with the bigs' schedule.

What do you think?

[canadianmomtofour]

If it were me I might consider paying the olders to catch up the youngers through the summer, and try to take a break............. :leaving:

[Incognito]

I don't have the older kids, but my 7yo and 5yo are combined on most things. I expect more writing from the 7yo, and the 5yo is tagging along listening to the math (the 7yo has to do the writing). It has gone very well for us.

[Ecclecticmum]

One piece of advice I read somewhere (Donna @ Christopherus perhaps?) is to be wary of leaning your school days towards the elder ones. When you have a larger family, this is especially what will happen. My suggestion would be to have a children's/Kindergarten day. Have one day a week that is geared towards the younger ones. This is when you do stuff they may have missed out on, and generally just have a fun, more hands-on day dedicated to them (even if its just getting them in the kitchen and making a mess baking or going outside and letting them ride their bikes with the elder ones playing with them) think of this day as a total opposite to your other days.

 

For instance, your school may be towards getting the elder ones as rigorous education as possible, leaving the younger ones to listen in or go play. Do the opposite. Have a day geared towards the younger ones, and the elder ones can join in if they want or go play elsewhere. You'd be surprised even with the eldest child, how much he may end up joining in. And very surprised at how much the elder children learn, and act from a day like this with the younger ones.

[Walking-Iris]

I would do the little kid stuff first. Your oldest kids are old enough to do some independent studying in the morning without you with them, right? Just ask them to read quietly or get started on some math or a writing activity...whatever they lean toward for the morning. It would give you an hour or two to do the littles. I would try to carve out some time to put together some 3 year old busy bags or boxes together for your 3 year old. http://pinterest.com/walkingiris/homeschooling-preschool/ I get a ton of ideas for my dd from pinterest. Then do your K and 1st (or 2nd?) grade stuff together. Just sit with both and work on math or writing etc. have all your littles do science and history together. And read the same chapter book to them and add some picture books for one on one time. Definitely ask the older siblings to read a book or play some Candyland or something for you to get one on one time with the younger ones.

 

I sort of feel I stagger my kids, unintentionally. Some days I feel like my K and almost 3 year old had no attention from me at all. Some days I'm freaked out by how little I did with my 4th grader. You can't be all things to all kids, so setting your house up to inspire exploration really helps. My dd stays in the kitchen and plays in a sensory tub or with her play doh most times while I do math with my oldest. I've been letting her do "math" with my Kinder. A handful of c-rods and asking her to build flowers or stars or whatever and practice her counting makes her feel like a big girl.

 

And I agree with poster above. It's a good learning experience to have your oldest teach your youngers something. My oldest ds loves to sit down and play "teacher" with my dd and a stack of board books. He also likes to kelp my Kinder spell words.

[PhotoGal]

It sounds like you are doing great with the oldest four right on track! Academically, I wouldn't worry about the 3 and 5 year old. For the 7 year old, I would make sure math and reading are happening each day - maybe a bit of writing as well. I agree that you can do younger kid stuff during the summer. Measure while you cook, read aloud a lot, go to the children's museum - it doesn't have to be sit at a table and work for this age.

 

I think you can combine for next year - just have different expectations. I do that with my 7 and 9 year olds. For example, they might both be writing a summary of a book or story. The older one would be expected to write a few paragraphs, whereas the younger would write just one paragraph. Or they might learn the same things in science, but the older one would be expected to retain more. :) But I do keep reading/spelling/math separate.

[Oakblossoms]

I would totally pu the 7 and 5 year old together. Maybe something like KONOS. You could actually do KONOS with the 9, 7, and 5yo. I would schedule my day so that the 3yo was with someone at all times. My 2yo is nuts and my 3yo is a little artist. Insane.

[Mystie]

Audio books would help the younger set get those read alouds. Things like GeoPuzzles are good educational activities for the 9-5yo. Maybe a few games the 7 & 5 yo could play together? Blokus, Equilibrio, Spot It , and Stratego are favorites here that my 9-5yo can all play themselves without input from me (until there are squabbles, of course).

 

If you want to get in teaching time with them, put it first in the day. Or, even giving them your attention by letting them be your lunch or dinner helpers will help build the relationship, which is more important than the academics at those ages, in my opinion.

 

The time you spend with them doesn't have to be "school" to "count." Make sure you aren't measuring yourself up against unrealistic expectations, where you'll always fall short and beat yourself up over it. Do you have a friend or your husband you could talk to about what is a priority and what you need to let go?

[thepoteetteam]

Honeymaking Bee, that last paragraph really hit home. I love the way you reminded me to not measure myself up to unrealistic expectations. I do that so much to myself to the point of misery. My husband is amazing to talk to. So encouraging and reminding me what we are homeschooling for. To put God's Word into the lives our our children. My firstborn self beats myself over what I DIDN'T get done rather than being thankful for what we DID get done. I don't want to stop. I want to keep pressing on with those littles in my life. ;) I DO enjoy the time I do get with them when we are schooling. It's a blessing to be their mom and teacher. :)

[Mom2TheTeam]

I have 6 kids, but my oldest is 7. I have the 7 year old, twins who are 5 and twins who are 3 and a 7 month old. 5 of them are boys. My girl is one of the 5 year olds and VERY motivated, constantly asking "can I do school or more, more, more." It's hard! The 3 year olds are HARD. So, I get that. I don't have olders though. I would assign each of the olders and 15-30 minute time frame during the day to play with the 3 year old while you work with the 7 and 5 year olds. Let the olders finish up for the year and continue on with the youngers.

 

In our house, I often say, whatever gets done first....gets done. ;) So, I would start having the olders do independent work in the AM and working with the 5 and 7 year olds first thing in the morning. I have no doubt the 3 year old derails you as much as he can. Just keep going. Deal with the interruption and then gather them back and keep going. I have 2 3 year olds (one like you describe....into EVERYTHING CONSTANTLY...he peed on my computer today! It's fine...it was closed.), and a 7 month old. Not to mention very hard to focus 7 and 5 year olds (twins). Believe me, we get interrupted continually, but I have to just keep going.

 

I focus on the 3 R's and everything else is gravy. I'd love to do a lot more and do a lot of hands on projects, but that is not the season of life we are in. I do what I can. They enjoy what we do and they are learning. Give yourself grace. You are doing a great job!

[mindy9]

I feel for you. I have eight and one on the way. My oldest is 13 and very independent. My 12 year old is somewhat independent but after that - it is a bunch of boys who practically have to be sat on to work. I am so glad someone mentioned stepping back and making sure you do not have unrealistic expectations. I have that problem constantly and it is very difficult with so many children to not feel overwhelmed and spent. There are some great ideas of having the older kids help with the younger kids school and watching the 3 year old. I have a crazy two year old that needs a lot of attention and supervision too. But I have been reading about busy bags and want to research more. Maybe constructive activities will help. Good luck to you! You are definitely NOT alone! Take a deep breath and a break! And remember WHY you are homeschooling!