Toddlers and Babies ... and getting school done!

[mamawaabangi]

Next fall we will have a 3rd grader, 2 1st graders, a Kindergartener... learning.

And a very active 3 year old, who functions at about 9-12 months younger than her chronological age... she is into everything!

And a newborn (due in Sept).

 

I am overwhelmed!

 

How do I get school done?

 

My 3 yo is really challenging. I will spend most of our current days keeping her out of trouble. I have thought of trying to do some sort of "school" with her... but honestly it isn't my focus. I need to get my other kids reading, and progressing. I am not much of a "preschool" minded person. She has some mild sensory issues, isn't potty trained (however we've tried for the last 6 months). 

 

Thoughts???

 

I am considering even hiring someone to take care of the 3 yo for me... I would consider preschool (outside our home) but there are none near enough to our home to make it worth my time/effort in getting her there. Plus I don't think they'd take her not being potty trained.

 

 

[MinivanMom]

Naptime. Figure out when you can get the newborn's naps and the 3-yr-old's nap/quiet time to overlap, and that time needs to be your new school time.

 

I would also seriously consider doing schoolwork over the summer, so that you can take a break when the baby is first born.

[prairiewindmomma]

Pair the 8 yo and 3 yo for 30 min with the 8 year old reading to the 3 yo.

Work with the 7 yo then.

Pair the 7 yo with the 3 yo for reading or play time.

Work with the 5 yo then.

Spend time with the 3 yo while your others work on handwriting or something they can do while you are in the room but not at the elbow. Put the 3 yo on a blanket at your feet with a task and finish up the 5 yo....

 

Or some version of that. Make life simple by lumping everyone together for science and history. Sotw is perfect for that. I often have nursed while we listen to it on audio.

 

Plan it on paper. Prep for things for the 3 yo to do. There are a ton of busy bag ideas that can be done from a highchair with tray, from a blanket on the floor, or inside a storage bin filled with beans or rice.

[lexi]

I do the things listed above but I get my oldest up at 6 and do school with her until breakfast at 8. She's able to finish most of her school by then and the baby is just waking up. The other littles get to play on the iPad for a little bit if they wake up early.

The rest of the morning my kids rotate playing with the baby and the toddler while I do school with the middles.

We also make good use of naptime.

And we school year round so I don't feel stressed by being "behind"

I created a schedule in 30 minute blocks so I could figure out where everything would fit. It really helped me see where I had extra time.

It is very challenging. I'm looking forward to the day that my older kids are slightly more independent with some of their school work

[katilac]

I would definitely consider a sitter or a mother's helper. Sometimes older siblings can take turns keeping littles occupied, but I'm not sure how that would work when the bigs are only 7 & 8, and the 3-yr-old is very active and very challenging. My kids weren't really napping at 3, but if they were, I'd be very reluctant to give up that quiet time, lol.

 

Additional help would definitely be my first choice. Take the money you would spend on preschool and hire a sitter or mother's helper. If there's a good candidate for mother's helper, you will get more hours for the money, and your preschooler will probably enjoy it more. 

[Coco_Clark]

Use naptime towards your advantage.  

 

Have older kids take turns watching the 3 yr old while you work with other kids. Call it babysitting 101 or Home Ec and treat it as part of their school schedule.  Maybe they can be the "preschool teachers" and work with her on something (colors and shapes, nursery rhymes, kids yoga video, ect, ect)? 

 

Have special toys and activities for the 3 yr old that ONLY come out when it's school time and rotate them so she only sees them every week or so.  Choose quiet things that can be done at the kitchen floor at your feet (or in another room with that handy older child you have watching her) like puzzles, water and droppers and measuring cups, play-dough and cookie cutters, very large beads and pipe cleaners, ect.  

 

Learn how to baby-wear for the infant.  

 

Check your local homeschooling community for a "mother's helper", it will almost definitely be cheaper than any other childcare.

[NoseInABook]

I definitely had to ditch the idea that school had to be done first thing in the morning. When my 1 and 2 year old nap is when we have the best chunk of school time. If they aren't sleeping, I'll often let them play with toys that are off limits otherwise, give them a bath because our school room is oh, three steps from the bathroom, or try to include them in what we're doing the best we can. Sometimes a movie in the babyproofed playroom will hold their attention too.

[FO4UR]

If you can afford it, hiring help would be helpful. A sitter to come for 2 hours a day on school days would help greatly.  I'm wishing for that, tbh.

[mamawaabangi]

Thanks for the great ideas. 

I am praying for a special person who would like to help me out. 

My issue is that we are very remote... but maybe there is someone out there...

 

Thanks!

[mamawaabangi]

An additional question...

 

Our toddler (age 3) is a very busy girl. She is slightly delayed, both motor and reasoning abilities... We are working on getting her evaluated.

 

Honestly I am so afraid our 3 yo will not get enough time and attention... both emotionally (as she is sort of more "needy") and also just in basic supervision and skills.

My husband suggested asking a friend of ours to do "preschool' for her 2 or 3 days a week ... as in me planning it and her coming over to do special school time with our 3 yo on her own and to sort of be an "aid" to me. I like that idea... 

 

Any good ideas on things that would be appropriate for a 3 yo to do for an hour and a half to two hours, three or so days a week?

 

She will be 3 years and 9 months when we would potentially start her "pre-school"... but she is probably at least about 8-12 months delayed in all areas except language. Her fine motor is so-so,,, but she still just scribbles to draw and doesn't draw pictures that are symbolic or have shapes yet. She can count to 10, but can't tell people she is 3 years old... she just picks a number... (we've worked and worked on her saying "3" but she doesn't seem to comprehend that concept yet). We are also still working on potty skills... very much one step forward, two back... 

 

Any good ideas that might help her fill in some of the gaps she has?

I have "Slow and Steady Get me Ready" and I have backed way up with that and I think I'll for sure have that continued...

 

[pollo_la]

Focus on the basics, Reading, math and handwriting for the older ones. Stick to just hands on activities for the younger ones (play based stuff). When they can read fluently, transition them to being independent.

 

In our house...

9 year old - Completely independent.

7 year old - short 15 minute reading lesson each day to work on phonics, one set of Sterling math facts done independently (about 10 minutes), one or two sheets of Apples and Pears (about 15 minutes) TOTAL TIME ON SCHOOL - just under an hour

5 year old - reads fluently so I pick a book and she reads to me for about 15-20 minutes each day, then Sterling math facts, and Apples and Pears   TOTAL TIME ON SCHOOL - just under an hour

3 year old - 10 minute reading lesson 3-4 times a week

2 year old - no school yet

baby - no school yet

 

Total school time that actively involves me, 2 hours max. And yes we also do read a louds and craft projects and such each day, but that's not school. That's just extra.

 

[sncstraub]

An additional question...

 

Our toddler (age 3) is a very busy girl. She is slightly delayed, both motor and reasoning abilities... We are working on getting her evaluated.

 

Honestly I am so afraid our 3 yo will not get enough time and attention... both emotionally (as she is sort of more "needy") and also just in basic supervision and skills.

My husband suggested asking a friend of ours to do "preschool' for her 2 or 3 days a week ... as in me planning it and her coming over to do special school time with our 3 yo on her own and to sort of be an "aid" to me. I like that idea... 

 

Any good ideas on things that would be appropriate for a 3 yo to do for an hour and a half to two hours, three or so days a week?

 

She will be 3 years and 9 months when we would potentially start her "pre-school"... but she is probably at least about 8-12 months delayed in all areas except language. Her fine motor is so-so,,, but she still just scribbles to draw and doesn't draw pictures that are symbolic or have shapes yet. She can count to 10, but can't tell people she is 3 years old... she just picks a number... (we've worked and worked on her saying "3" but she doesn't seem to comprehend that concept yet). We are also still working on potty skills... very much one step forward, two back... 

 

Any good ideas that might help her fill in some of the gaps she has?

I have "Slow and Steady Get me Ready" and I have backed way up with that and I think I'll for sure have that continued...

You've had lots of good suggestions, but I think this idea of your dh is a great one. When my 4th was born...actually, she was 6mo and I was floundering because she didn't sleep more than 45 mins for naps...dh talked to an older, retired neighbor lady and asked if she'd be interested in coming over to do some activities with our just turned 4yo dd. She nearly cried when he asked her because she said that there were so many times she wanted to volunteer to help me but was afraid I'd think she thought I wasn't capable if she offered. Ha! I know I'm not capable. :-)  So for a few months, she came over and spent about 2 hrs with dd 2-3x/week. They did puzzles, coloring, letter flash cards, lacing cards, playing Playmobils. And dd loved the individual attention. The baby finally napped better, and both boys got more focused attention from me. Eventually, the neighbor had her own family situation to deal with and couldn't come anymore, but she got us through those difficult months. 

 

If there is someone in your life who would be able to help you that way, it sounds like a great option! Wise dh!

[julie4]

My older ones take turns playing with the almost 3 year old, reading, coloring, puzzles, iPad games while I do 1:1 time with the other one. Then there is nap time. My oldest & I start pretty early in the day before the toddler is even awake. And I do allow him 30-45 minutes of Thomas the train DVDs. He's also getting more interested in activities that I save for school time like, play dough, lacing beads, a bucket of dry beans or rice, magnets. I rotate these fun things and they are exclusively for school hours so they hold his attention for a good long time.

[AimeeM]

Wish I had an answer for you. Unfortunately I have no older ones at home to play with my Toddler Boy, as the 5 year old at home is the one I need to work with, and my 12 year old is in brick and mortar school now. I have considered hiring a mother's helper or looking for a morning "mother's morning out" program, but I struggle with the amount of time we would lose driving DD12 to school, then across two towns to drop Toddler Boy off at mother's morning out, then back out again to get Toddler Dude after 12, then back out again around 3 to get DD12. Seems like too much hassle.