Life is really getting in the way of homeschooling

[A home for their hearts]

I think I picked a bad year to start homeschooling! We just added a forth child in October and although I knew it wouldn't be easy I never thought we would be so far behind and I would start feeling sick to my stomach with worry that my dc are way behind! Honestly the past few days when I think about how far behind we are I really start feeling sick. Plus it doesn't help any that I still don't have all our curriculum together. I feel so overwhelmed that I can't function and just break down and do nothing. My school age dc are in first and second grade, and I've been told before that it's ok if we get a little behind now. Is it? I'm really beginnig to worry. I just sent a request to book samaritan for math. We haven't be able to buy much this year and math was just too expensive. I've been pulling worksheets from the internet but are still doing single digit addition.

I could go on and on. I'm just needing to vent and to get some support.

[WTMCassandra]

The first year is just plain hard. There's a steep learning curve for Mom. So, you have done no small thing adding in a fourth baby your first year of homeschooling. I say, be kind to yourself and just keep plugging away--even if it's only one subject a day. You could do phonics one day, math the next. I would recommend keeping them going over the summer as much as you can, even if it's "light school," so they don't forget too much. Then, I think you'll find yourself in a better place in the fall. Don't think about how far behind you are or how far you have to go. Just think about today and try to get one or two subjects in. Breathe. It *will* get easier.

[blessedmom5k]

What you're going through is NORMAL! And yes, your kids will be fine. Do as many life skills as you can right now and fit school in any time you can. You're going to get LESS done with all the stressing. My 5th & last birth baby just turned 2 last month and I'm finally feeling human again. ;-) I forgot how functional and organized I can be! It was all trapped behind the chaos we lived in for years. Blissful chaos of course that we'll never have again so I'm glad I took that time to just enjoy. :-)

 

Take a deep breath, enjoy the beautiful chaos and fit in what you can. What's the absolute basic you'll be happy with for now? And work from there. They'll be fine.

 

Hugs...

[blessedmom5k]

PS. I felt better getting worksheets and online educational games, DVD's, books they could do on their own. Take field trips if you feel up to it. Do community things. If you really feel pressured you can always do something like Switched on Schoolhouse just to keep them occupied and used to learning but they'll be fine doing a little at a time...

[Mx5]

All you need to concentrate on for the rest of this year is simply reading skills and basic math skills. Resist the urge to compare your children to other children represented here in this forum, in the neighborhood, at church, etc.

 

What is the goal of education? For some, it seems to be to cram as much as possible into every waking moment of their lives. This, to me, is not living, and is certainly not why we homeschool. One of the greatest things about hsing is flexibility. The goal, in my mind, for my children's education is that by the time they leave my nest, they can think logically, read well, have mastered math through Algebra 2 & geometry. Most importantly, I want them to be able to stand on their own moral and faith convictions.

 

Work with your first and second graders by reading aloud to them, having lots of library books around, letting them watch educational tv (get dvds from the library for free). Cut them loose to draw, make their own comic books, create, have fun. Your baby is very young - only 3 months old? You are still post-partum in many ways... emotionally, hormonally, physically.

 

Trust me - your kids will be just fine. Really!

 

For what it's worth, my oldest child is nearly 18yrs old, and he is a fine, funny, articulate and intelligent young man. He learned how to read while the babies slept. We have afternoon-taught for our entire homeschooling stint.

 

All this to say, relax. Read. Snuggle your baby. Tickle your older kids. Have them read or read to them frequently. Ignore where everyone thinks YOUR children "need" to be. They are learning much just by having a new sibling in the home!

 

Also, for a very reasonable math program, I LOVE Mammoth Math. For only about $4 per ebook you can download all their workbook pages.

 

Here's the link: Math Mammoth

[Jean in Newcastle]

I know it is stress-full and hard right now. But you have years to work with them (or if not you, then someone else does;)) At this age they are really learning a lot from their environment - science, language arts etc. If you do some each day (as was suggested above!) - just a little- it really will be ok. What they are getting - love and security from you and your dh, the experience of watching a tiny one start to grow and develop is valuable too.

[jedbel]

I have seen --a lot of learnin' happenin'--- this past year in my house even when we just have not been able to "do school" as often as I would of liked.

Our baby is now on more of a schedule but it still can be quite a challenge trying to get things done. Do not get discouraged, it will get better. One thing I tried to do during the dfficult newborn months was read to the boys when I nursed or rocked the baby. Needless to say we got tons of reading done!

[Lady_Dulcinea]

I just read a book that might be helpful for you. Homeschooling at the Speed of Life by Marilyn Rockett. (It is very strong christian if that matters to you.) It's an organizational book as well as a devotional. I read it straight through and plan to go through it again and work through it. It came with a CD with a lot of forms you can print off.

 

As for curriculum, how about using Five in a Row. http://www.fiarhq.com/ My library carries them so check yours and you can see what you think. You can get a lot of reading in while feeding the baby. BOB books and Webster's Blue back speller can teach reading and phonics.

 

At this age you can teach so much if you just have the energy to be with your kids. While cooking dinner have your 8yr old there and you can get math, health and science topics in there. My 8yr old even knows what a roux is from being in the kitchen with us.

 

"One of the beauties of homeschooling is that is allows us to recognize and nurture each one of our very special individual childrne." ~ Cathy Duffy, 100 Top Picks

 

Joni(in NC)

[mcconnellboys]

Honey, they are very little. Even if you're drilling math facts orally in a sing-song to help placate the little guys (they'll probably learn too, LOL) then they're learning.

 

Do you have cards or other games you can play to help with math facts? You can make up a ton of addition/subtraction type games just using cards. Uncle Wiggly is a great counting game.

 

Making up a sheet full of boxes (about a hundred per page is good) and having them just write their numbers to fill up that page helps them learn place value. My older son did this in his private school in K/first grade. They taped the first page to a used paper towel roll and then taped each successive page onto the last one (leave a margin at one side of each page). They called it their "number scroll" and the kids really were proud of unrolling theirs as it got longer and longer! You can also then use it to ask place value questions.

 

Save old bottles and cartons and put price tags on them. Get some play money and let them play store and learn to add and subtract in that way, making change, etc.

 

Check out great movie versions of literature classics; also history and science on video. Check out books on tape so they can listen and follow along. Make a regular library day each week when you can go and return/check out. If your library has programming, make it on a day when there's programming so they can enjoy a special treat while they're there.

 

Regena

[JennifersLost]

Read, read, read

 

Do real life math whenever you're walking around.

 

And do "stroller" schooling. Pop whoever can fit into a stroller and make the others walk with you. Test them on spelling words, math facts, history lessons, etc., while you're on the move.

 

I had a four-seater jogger stroller that I used for several years, even with my big kids - they brought along workbooks, etc, perched on the seats and worked away while I pushed. It was a little weird, but they were fine with it and the littlest ones were way happier being out and about and moving around.

 

The best thing you could do is be available for helping them pursue their interests and make sure you have plenty of craft supplies around.

 

Math really doesn't need to be anything more than a workbook from your local bookstore or drug store - really. That's what we used for years and it's been fine!

[Quiver0f10]

The first year is the hardest and it's hard to get back on track after a baby. I would drop any non-core subjects for the rest of the year and jus concentrate on readng, writing, english and math.

[Deb in NZ]

I used the math & phonics workbooks with my boys. I found it easier to have a workbook, than try to find time (& paper & printer ink) to print out worksheets. The Spectrum workbooks are colorful & my boys really enjoyed them. They also have preschool workbooks if your 3yo wants to "do school." That, along with read-alouds & nature walks, would make a fine education plan for busy family times.

 

Involve you dc in everyday life activities. Things like cooking, cleaning, gardening, laundry are all educational & if you train your dc when they are young, you actually take a bit of stress off yourself. My dc had jobs from age 1. Their responsibilities grew as their ability did. Now all 3 of my dc can do laundry, cook meals (& clean-up, too :)), and do most of what I can do.

 

Check with your local library to see if they have storytimes. Some have preschool story hours & others even have homeschool book clubs. I used to take my youngest to the preschool storytimes & my older 2 dc would choose library books for the week.

 

Even if all you do is read, read, read & live life for the rest of the year, your kids will learn heaps. We had 7 months in the States helping my mother care for my sister in her final days. I thought we'd accomplished little as I found it hard to "do school" as we did at home, but when I listed everything we'd done, I was shocked at how much we had completed.

 

JMHO,

[Danestress]

I would not want my child to be truly behind at any age but I guess the question really is what "behind" looks like.

 

We have all heard of families who didn't do any school work at all until their children were about 8. None. But the kids had a super-rich environment. They had acres of land, orchards, went camping and hiking, raised animals etc. I guess for me I would look at what your children *are* doing when they aren't doing anything schoolish.

 

If they are painting,reading books with you, building blocks and legos, taking walks in the woods, bird watching, making origami, cooking, etc, then that's really different then if they are watching tv or videos or playing with electronics.

 

I think if we are going to keep our children at home, we owe it to them (and are obliged legally) to actually educate them. But if you are reading to them, teaching them to read, and providing a really rich environment, I don't think you are failing to educate. I would try to move beyond single digit math with the second grader. You could probably buckle down and make that happen in three hours.

 

I would want a plan. How is next year going to be different? Next year you will have a one year old who may be into everything. You might feel equally overwhelmed. So I would set educational goals and I would make a plan to stick to those goals, making school a major life priority. But that "school" doesn't have to look like lots of seat work and worksheets. I would definitely want to work harder on math, but if your children are learning to read, there is a lot you can do with a baby in arms during the day. If you can't afford a mother's helper for the baby, I would do a certain amount of "work" after Dad comes home and can either take over the baby or do the work with the big kids. That might mean that you save some of that reading or math for night time, and that's totally okay. Or do school on Saturday when Dad is available for a block of hours.