If you had a gap and now you're doing K5 again, or you've just been at this a long time...

[PeterPan]

how did you get your pep?  I don't know, somehow mine went ZOOM out the window, and I loved doing K5 the first time.  Actually for me it was the 4th time, because I worked in K5 through undergrad as a teacher's aide as well.  

 

Did you shake things up or do something differently?  Did you radically shift to a boxed curriculum?  What did you do to get yourself in gear for it?  Somehow my world is turning into AP US History and learn to read at the same time.  How did that happen?   :lol: 

[Desert Strawberry]

My first two did workbooks. This time through, we are workbook free. Totally different situation, totally different approach. 

 

I can't say I am super excited about starting over, but I am planning to take it slow and easy and let them blossom in their own time. No stress. No pressure.

[PeterPan]

My first two did workbooks. This time through, we are workbook free. Totally different situation, totally different approach. 

 

I can't say I am super excited about starting over, but I am planning to take it slow and easy and let them blossom in their own time. No stress. No pressure.

That's interesting!  I saw your post in the other thread and was struck by it because it seemed so sane and out of the curriculum shoving rat race, hehe.  You're right that that's an element of what's going on.  It's not just that we're doing it again, but that it's DIFFERENT from what I did with dd.  Different child, different scenario.  I keep thinking if I'm not ramping up or prepping for this certain type of experience I'm doing something wrong, yet in the moment what we're doing feels very RIGHT and appropriate, kwim?  We do read alouds and read CHOW and spell words and talk math and do all sorts of beautiful, peaceful things together.  

 

So thank you, I think that's what was bugging me.  I just need to embrace the pace, you're right.  :)

[Meriwether]

This one will be different for me. She is my first kid to like coloring and projects. I'm looking forward to doing all the things with her that my others didn't want to do.

[stm4him]

I am excited to watch some of mine learn to read well and excited that we have a solid program and I can focus on adapting it to the student instead of curriculum hopping. When those basics are done we can focus on other fun things they want to do. This time I am not pressuring myself to do it all, and just focusing on consistently doing the main things and enjoying my sweet kids.

[coffeegal]

She loves school and begs for more! I love enthusiastic preschoolers. :hurray:

[Kathryn]

My gap is only four years, but it's enough that I was way past sounding out each letter and I sometimes feel like banging my head on the wall. The first time through, it was so exciting and new and amazing to watch this little person learn to read. This time (which, in all honesty, is going exactly the same), it seems so tedious and boring. I'd rather be discussing history and learning Greek with my older. I'm trying to get into it and I'm very careful not to show it, but I feel badly for for my little one because *I* am not as excited.

[strange_girl]

I have almost no gap whatsoever...and I still have no pep to do K again ;)

 

Oldest is just finishing up first grade, next kid in line is just starting K. Already I'm remembering how tedious phonics is.

However, second child is soooooooo much easier to teach than my intense, emotional, gifted oldest that I'm just enjoying that aspect of the year. :)

[....]

I don't have any suggestions, but I have a daughter working through Algebra 1 and a daughter learning to read/write her letters.  It IS weird!!  My experience this year has been...it's much more fun for me to read The Twelve Dancing Princesses than it is to figure out those distance = rate x time word problems.   :glare:  Blech!  I hate those things!

 

 

[Guest]

My gap is 16 years.

 

Pros: This is my first only child, I don't feel like I have to "prove" anything to anyone or answer to anyone about curriculum purchases, he chose regular lessons over unschooling or brick and mortar school, I know all too well how fast these years pass, and I "celebrate normal" after dealing with gifted and 2e siblings' eccentricities.

 

Cons: I'm overeager and looking back through blurry rose coloured glasses so I forget how short their attention spans really are and I lose my temper and take things too personally when all he gets out of lessons is "blah blah blah when will she shut up so I can play video games and pet the cat?"

 

It's been an interesting year.

[RootAnn]

When I was doing 1st grade math with dd#2, I remember thinking to myself, "I have to do this THREE MORE TIMES?!!" For some reason, it was a completely different experience with dd#3.

 

You're always a breath of fresh air when you talk about what you do with your dd. I think you are on the right track in just peacefully doing the things you do with your ds. It is going to be a completely different schooling experience with him because he's a different kid. You are going to have to learn new lessons just like (and completely different from how) you forged a new path with your dd. 

 

:grouphug:

[Ivey]

I'll have a kindergartener next year, but I'm not ready to think about it yet. He won't be 5 until August, so I'm thinking of putting kindergarten off until January. Or maybe I'll just tell him he's 4 for another year? I'm going to miss 4. :(

[PeterPan]

When I was doing 1st grade math with dd#2, I remember thinking to myself, "I have to do this THREE MORE TIMES?!!" For some reason, it was a completely different experience with dd#3.

 

You're always a breath of fresh air when you talk about what you do with your dd. I think you are on the right track in just peacefully doing the things you do with your ds. It is going to be a completely different schooling experience with him because he's a different kid. You are going to have to learn new lessons just like (and completely different from how) you forged a new path with your dd. 

 

:grouphug:

I'm just now getting back to this thread, but I just wanted to say how prescient you are on this and how much I appreciate it.  :)  It's something I need to remember every day.  Thanks.  :)

[PagesandFields]

I'll have a kindergartener next year, but I'm not ready to think about it yet. He won't be 5 until August, so I'm thinking of putting kindergarten off until January. Or maybe I'll just tell him he's 4 for another year? I'm going to miss 4. :(

 

Just wanted to say thanks for saying this... I'm about to start K with my first, he has a late summer birthday also... and I've just this past few weeks decided to do Jan-Dec schooling instead and start official K in Jan...