MistyMountain Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) I pulled one kid from school to homeschool and I am contemplating what to do next year with my 3 kids. I know I could manage two kids at home and just switch off but having time for 3 kids seems like it would be very hard to manage. They all have areas of challenges that will need one on one time and two are very slow workers. Edited February 9, 2017 by MistyMountain 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Is there one who is sorta ok in their school placement? I agree, some kids just need a lot extra. But, you know sometimes you get the herd thing going and that can be really good too. Like on the one hand it's a pain to have the extra work to do with them, but for behavioral issues that respond to herd effect, bringing all three would definitely get you that, assuming they get on well and are (for the most part) compliant, at least two of them, lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) It's something to really think about. I did it for a long time, but in the long run, I didn't have the stamina to give each of them everything they needed. My kids needed a lot of attention, redirection, one-on-one, and structure. I, on the other hand, am not a person who can be busy so much of the time without going bananas. Their level of need and my personality were a hard match. Some people manage it, though. I think it will greatly depend on how willingly they will work for you. We didn't have a lot of willingness here, and that was draining for me. Also whether you can figure out a way to work your schedule so that they have enough one-on-one time with you and also enough independent work or activities to keep them peacefully and productively occupied when you are busy with their siblings. I found that to be very hard, but for other families, it might come more easily. Edited February 9, 2017 by Storygirl 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) One did fine in school behavior wise but really did not like the chaos of a classroom. He really does not work well with his siblings in the room and does not respond to the herd effect of siblings. One is very compliant another gets used to routine at least and is ok once we start. Two get along mostly well. I thought one was ok in school and they were mostly ok until recently but things have just gotten worse and I do not know what to do. Edited February 9, 2017 by MistyMountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 What about the IEP process or working with the school for that one who could stay otherwise. Is that the dc you're most wanting to bring home? And he has APD or ADHD or ASD or something going on? (just thinking about explanations for those symptoms) He sounds like he would be very draining to work with, so it would either be him OR the two compliant ones, not both. And frankly, if school is good for him otherwise, I'd be more inclined to at least try the IEP process and get the placement and supports improved. He may require more supports, even at home, than one person can easily provide. My ds does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) I went through the IEP process and he did not qualify for anything at all. He has ADHD, a slow processing speed and most likely dysgraphia. He is not behind academically anymore and actually tested very high in reading both with comprehension and decoding. He is a little weak in spelling. He could not keep up in the classroom. School was not working for him at all. I already pulled him. Edited February 9, 2017 by MistyMountain 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom of 2 boys Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Can you hire someone to come in and help you with various things? I'm juggling two with autism at home right now (only one is school age). I'm outsourcing whatever I can and I have a respite provider coming in to help out (we get some minimal funding towards this and a few activities.) If I had three at home, I would probably be thinking along the lines of getting more help to come in somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) I had a very, very intense pre-schooler that I was doing heavy intervention with, with a 2nd child also at home, and a 3rd child at public school. My 2nd child watched a lot of tv. A huge amount. She has also turned out to be very independent and a self-starter in a lot of ways, so it is not all bad. But I was busy a lot with her brother. My 3rd child was also on the needy side, and I reserved a lot of time for him after he was home from public school. So for me to split my day and spend the public school time focusing on my high need child at home, and then after public school time focusing more on the one going to public school, was a good fit for me at the time. I think a lot depends on how much 1 on 1 your kids need, and how independent they are with anything. And what you think they would do while you are working with other kids if you are working 1 on 1. My "no needs" child will do things with her time that I consider very productive and beneficial, and also watch tv. She can manage her time and do different things. I can say "okay that is enough tv" and at the most she might drag her feet to turn it off, say she is bored once... and then she is off doing something. For my 3rd child, he has a lot harder time entertaining himself and is much more drawn to electronics. He has some executive function challenges that make it hard for him to plan and organize to entertain himself or do projects. He is better now and can entertain himself with reading or Legos at age 11. He entertains himself right now as well as my daughter did at age 4 (probably an older 4). I know how our summers go and in the summer I plan on an outing every day bc my 3rd child seems a bit limited in entertaining himself at home apart from electronics.... he can do some, yes, but in the summer I break up the day with an outing (usually swimming). So if I were to break up the day with an outing, I think it would be hard to get things done depending on how much one on one I wanted to do. So -- those are some considerations for me. I had a year or two where I was working with the two kids, and it was hard on me. Now the one who was working on reading is reading well so I don't have as much for him. But my "no needs" child, I have done a lot with her in the last year as my other two kids are doing a lot better. But I feel like I neglected her compared to what I would want to do with my kids if I didn't have a very needy child who legitimately needed a lot of time and energy from me. I think make some schedules up and think about how practical they are. Think about how your kids do when they are somewhat left to their own devices. For me I really only have one who excels when she is left to her own devices, so I think if your kids are this way that will be very positive. If it is just battling to keep them off of electronics or from just doing random things when you say "okay turn it off" then for me that would be harder to manage. If they do need a little guidance or help getting started (etc) then it really is more work than if they just figure something out on their own. And for me I connect this mostly to executive skills. Stronger executive skills mean it is easy to be self-directed and entertain yourself. Weaker ones mean that is a harder skill and mom should plan on filling in some blanks there. So that is how I think of it. My kids are all in public school now, and I was really needing my very intense pre-schooler to go to school. I am very very involved with him and 24/7 or anything approaching that is hard for me to manage. And, he also gets a lot of supports at school. He has a 1 on 1 aide at school and I approximate a 1 on 1 aide for him in a lot of ways at home. Edited February 10, 2017 by Lecka 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 (edited) :grouphug: In the non-challenge areas, are there any video or fairly independent curriculum that could work? Combine history and science and some spelling/reading for the 2 that get along with something like Webster so there is the common basis of syllables? Read aloud on tape or through audible or the libravox or library audio books, again, can re use it with 2 and then 1 or play at meals. If you can afford it, help with cooking or cleaning or a teen to help with some of the easier teaching or whatever will help you them most. Edited February 11, 2017 by ElizabethB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted February 11, 2017 Author Share Posted February 11, 2017 (edited) Two are reading well since running through Webster's this summer. One recently took the DORA and limited out the decoding section. One is a strong speller and could be independent with that. The challenges are comprehension especially with science and history and math with one. Writing, spelling and getting things done verrry slowly with another and handwriting, reading and motor planning for the other. I thought of combining writing for the older two and adjusting for the handwriting and spelling for the one that needs that. One of my kids loves audiobooks but non fiction ones would not work for the one who is weak in comprehension. We cannot afford any hired help. Edited February 11, 2017 by MistyMountain 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Here is an ESL comprehension resource from a friend/mentor of Don Potter, he also used it for non ESL students who needed explicit help in that area, it is in both English and Spanish, keep scrolling through if it switches to Spanish: http://www.donpotter.net/pdf/gonzalez_materials.pdf I found these helpful for my daughter who struggled with inference, we skipped to level 2 and some of the early exercises even in the level 2 book, but they all looked good, she just didn't need the first few books or the first bit of book 2: https://classicalacademicpress.com/subject/reasoning-reading/ Also, try to figure out what the challenge is--underlying specific vocabulary of the subject, problem with inference, problem with long sentences where you have to figure out the use of "but" or "and" or things like that, then isolate and work on problem area. Typing for student who writes slow. More chores for kids? Non-monetary incentives for extra chores? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Videos for science and history? Science and history that is picture heavy? Real Science 4 Kids is picture heavy and has short lessons. People can suggest picture heavy or video history. Here is the science website, you can look at samples. http://gravitaspublications.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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