Newbie in need of reassurance and critique

[CelticHaiku]

We are just embarking on our homeschool journey. I have been lurking on the forums here for almost three years but now that it comes down to actually beginning I am looking for a little reassurance that my plan for the upcoming year is reasonable and am open to any critique on that plan as well. 

 

My daughter has a late birthday and will be turning 5 mid October. She is sort of in that limbo stage of should she begin Kindergarten or not. We are currently in a low requirement State and I can call this year whatever I want. However she is definitely ready for *something.* She has been wanting not just to be read to but to know what the "words say." She loves to run, climb, and jump as well as to color, draw, and "write" letters to cousins and grandparents. I should also mention that we have a son (19 months) and are expecting in the beginning of August.

 

In light of all this we recently began 100EZ lessons (and by recently i mean we are on lesson 6). I wanted to get farther along and have it a solid part of our day before baby #3 comes and throws everything into chaos. My plan is to continue with reading lessons in the fall along with the program A Year of Playing Skillfully. I think the combination go formal reading lessons and a hands on play based program will be a good fit for her. I also thought the do-as-musch-or-as-little-as-you-want aspect of A Year of Playing Skillfully would fit right in with a new baby. We will hold off on formal math until the new year and begin RightStart A in January or February. We may or may not being a handwriting program at the same time. We currently read aloud quite a bit and will continue to do so. Depending on how the year goes (poking along with indifference or soaking it all in with eagerness) it will be PreK or K.

 

So my question is, Does this sound okay? Tell me this is doable or alternatively tell me where the pitfalls are. Mostly tell me to make a deep breath and go for it. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Arcadia]

Have fun. You can do informal math year round instead of formal math from Jan/Feb if you want to. My ex-boss once said 5 year olds are sponges. Your child would learn just by listening and observing :)

 

Here besides calling it preK or K, there is also TK (Transitional K). Too many ways to call it :)

Edited June 2, 2016 by Arcadia

[OneStepAtATime]

You might look at getting her a way to hear audio books that she can operate herself (maybe a Kindle with a rugged case and audio book capability) and see what is available before the baby comes.  You could get her a pair of headsets for kids (NOT earbuds) for times when she wants to be near but you don't want too much noise.  If she had the option to pick her own books that she didn't have to decode or wait for you to read to her she might happily listen to books while she played with playdough or legos or whatever.  That would give her exposure to more advanced vocabulary/grammar/stories/etc., she would have some control over choices (kids love to have a bit of control) and it might buy you time to feed the baby or occupy the toddler or clean something or take a nap or whatever...  :)

[Starr]

She's turning 5, she'll be fine. Enjoy the things you do together and don't worry. I taught one of mine to read, sitting in bed while I drank my morning coffee, with Bob Books. Go for it and change your mind if you need to along the way.  :grouphug:

[Kiara.I]

Sounds fine.

Here, she's K age, so do as much or as little as you like, but call it K.  I understand there are places where the age cut-offs are different though.

 

Frankly, I'd do as much or as little as you like, but call it whatever grade she would be in according to the age cut-off in your area (unless you fully intend to move areas soon, and then use the other area's cutoff.  You get the idea.)   There's really no reason to "decide" what grade it is based on how it goes--just call her the level she'd be if you were putting her in school, and teach her where she is and however it goes.  You could have a child who's "Grade 1" and doing grade 4 math, if that's what works for the child, you know?  Or a child who's "grade 3" and just mastering addition.   That's the beauty of homeschooling.

 

 

I like the audiobook suggestions!

[SparklyUnicorn]

Sounds fine to me.  I was so nervous in the beginning so I get that. 

[Upennmama]

Sounds great. Go for it! You can't really screw up kindergarten as long as you're letting her play, reading to her, and loving her. :)