Have you ever homeschooled one kid?

[Janie Grace]

I homeschooled for a lot of years. The kids are in school now, and the youngest (1st grade) wants to homeschool next year. He did K and 1st at public. I stopped schooling everyone because I was burned out. For a variety of reasons, this year has not be replenishing to me, though the previous one was. I work part-time from home and right now we need my income (we may not six months from now, but I enjoy it). I supposed I could keep doing some work even while homeschooling but I hate the idea of my ds playing by himself for the 2-3 hours I would need to work each day. He's NOT good at entertaining himself, so I feel like it would be a constant temptation to let him use screens.

 

This ds (my "baby") is very attached to me. The reason he wants to homeschool is "because he loves me" and "so that he can eat anytime he wants." Also, because it's "more chill." He is definitely exhausted by the long schooldays and all the other kids. He's a homebody and a quiet kid who hates chaos. I find the early elementary grades easy to teach and he is a bright, interested, compliant kid without learning difficulties. He would be a pleasure to teach. However, by the end of my homeschooling journey, I was finding teaching mind-numbingly boring. I really don't want to be miserable again. I guess I am trying to figure out if I could get fresh wind in my sails for this. I think I probably could (at least initially) but I'm worried about what it would be like come November...

 

Any thoughts? I realize this is a very personal decision but I am curious if anyone has homeschooled one child. My kids have always schooled together, so I'm having a hard time picturing this. Not to mention my personal issues of fatigue, work, etc.

[Scarlett]

Yes. I have an only....I schooled him alone.

 

I would absolutely do it in your shoes.

[AK_Mom4]

DD15 has homeschooled since she was 7yo.   Her next-older brother is 6 years older, so even when they were both homeschooling, it was never "together".  The age gap has made it such that until this year, they never did any activities together.  DS graduated 3 years ago, so it's just been DD alone since then.

 

To begin with, DD never got any more screen time than any of the older kids did at that age.  I play board games, but am definitely not the Tea Party Lego Builder mom.  DD had to learn to find activities to entertain herself outside of school work.  For her, that's been drawing, crafty stuff (which I hate), Pokemon cards, reading and music.  Now, she has added in snakes to the mix.  Now that she is older, screens are part of her school day and she uses them fairly expensively in her drawing and reptile-herding activities.  

 

I find homeschooling just one to be very peaceful and generally pleasant.  We "do school" at the library and cool coffee shops.  We chase rabbit trails.  I think one kid works just fine.

[Scarlett]

DD15 has homeschooled since she was 7yo. Her next-older brother is 6 years older, so even when they were both homeschooling, it was never "together". The age gap has made it such that until this year, they never did any activities together. DS graduated 3 years ago, so it's just been DD alone since then.

 

To begin with, DD never got any more screen time than any of the older kids did at that age. I play board games, but am definitely not the Tea Party Lego Builder mom. DD had to learn to find activities to entertain herself outside of school work. For her, that's been drawing, crafty stuff (which I hate), Pokemon cards, reading and music. Now, she has added in snakes to the mix. Now that she is older, screens are part of her school day and she uses them fairly expensively in her drawing and reptile-herding activities.

 

I find homeschooling just one to be very peaceful and generally pleasant. We "do school" at the library and cool coffee shops. We chase rabbit trails. I think one kid works just fine.

Yep. Me too. I was very hands on until probably age 12 or 13. We had a lot of fun. I miss those days and I am so thankful I had them.

[jewellsmommy]

Yes. I have homeschooled dd alone for k, 1st, 2nd, part of 3rd, 8th, and 9th (now). You could try working in more hands-on/crafty projects. I would give dd the supplies, start with her and walk away a bit and then come back. Maybe that would help your ds. Dd liked the assignments and coloring pages that came with SOTW and you could let him listen to them on cd too. As a 2nd grader he would need that one on one teaching for math and language arts, but history and science could be just fun stuff. Send him outside to create a nature journal and build teepees or a covered wagon. At such a fun age you'll find the joy again, and you can still get some work done. Can you do it from the same room that your ds would be working in? That would be ideal.

 

 

[Spryte]

Yes, this was my first year with two. DS in 7, DD in K.

 

It's not terribly different, probably. There's no juggling time, it's all one on one.

 

I'd probably do it, but can see why you might not.

[MercyA]

I homeschool my only. If he's going into 2nd grade, he could probably do a lot of the work on his own. I say go for it! It sounds like it would be a good fit for him.

 

He's still little and wants his mom. IDK, I still remember feeling homesick at public school and I feel for him. 

[Guest]

I did a singleton. He went to school k and 1.

 

It brings distinct challenges but I'm glad we did it. He should have gone back to school at 8th grade tho--we. It's agree on that.

 

Could you hire a mother's helper for the 3 hours?

[heartlikealion]

I don't know what you can do but maybe we can brainstorm some ideas scheduled for the down time. Like audio books or independent work to take up a bit of the time you're working. Also sites like TeachYourMonstertoRead, ReadingBear, etc.??

 

I have always only taught one. Ds did a combination of seat work with me and time4learning.com when we did PreK-2nd. We'll be returning to homeschool for 4th and I might be able to find a few things to work on with dd but she's really too young for real school.

[jewellsmommy]

Would you still object to screen time if it were constructive? A learn to type program like from hwot or good quality math games would be a great way to spend 20 min!

[Liz CA]

Yes, after he completed 5th grade. If I could have a redo, I would have done it sooner, but oh well.

We enjoyed a lot of special projects like "Finding the Titanic" by Ballard. It was a special project where the kids had to use math to triangulate from points on a coordinate.

We had umpteen library books at all times and fairly limited outside activities (roller skating and soccer) because we lived very rural. But he was never alone since we had horses, chicken, dogs and cats and plenty of opportunity for a good workout. ;)

 

Your ds's reason of wanting to eat whenever he feels like it made me chuckle. :) You may find that with just one you can really zero in on special topics of interest.

Edited April 26, 2017 by Liz CA

[Guest]

DS is an only and has always been homeschooled....but he's also allowed unlimited screentime so we're probably not someone you'd want advice from :)  But homeschooling an only is mega fun! :)  We definitely lean more towards unschooling/child-directed than anything just because we can and don't have others having to tag along or worry about.

[Ailaena]

Dd was an only, homeschooled from 3rd grade. She was also terrible at entertaining herself, but she always went straight to gymnastics after finishing the day, so what little down time she had was taken up with a nap and everything was easy that way.

 

I would probably not have done it way back then if I was in your position and had that much time for her to spend by herself because I would have felt bad, like I need to be there constantly, or something. Nowadays I would probably do it (depending on the job, like I get really involved when I'm coding), but set up a schedule for things to do during that time (homework, free reading, crafts).

 

If y'all are in, I say go for it, see what happens!

 

Eta: we've always been no screen, so that wasn't even an option. Sorry that's no help!

Edited April 26, 2017 by Ailaena

[Rosie_0801]

Yep. But I had one who liked a bit of time out, and would happily play in her room or sit on top of the clothes line singing for hours.

 

Do you have choice over which few hours each day you work?

 

 

Maybe you'll enjoy homeschooling your last more than your elders. You already know the content so you can be more comfortable winging it than you probably were with the elders. 

[kroe1]

Yes, since mine are 20 years apart, both were "onlies". I worked throughout by switching to part-time during the early years and working nights.

 

Perhaps you could try a different teaching method than you have used before to help avoid burnout. Or, an online program can help keep your time commitment to a minimum.

[73349]

Yes, I homeschool my only, now in 3rd.

 

As your DS advances in reading, it will be easier for him  to entertain himself. We have a 90-minute quiet time in the afternoon (built up to it when he was younger), so if I needed to work for a while, that's when I'd do it. He can read, listen to audiobooks (though he doesn't really like those), build stuff, or play with unplugged toys--as long as he stays in his room and stays quiet.

 

Do you have a fenced yard where your DS could go out and play a bit? That would also give you some time. Give him some bubbles, a tennis ball he can bounce off the wall, a few square feet he's allowed to dig up and make a mud puddle out of, etc. to get him started.

 

It really is relaxing to just do a little school together in the morning. And my kid is not as easygoing as yours sounds.

Edited April 26, 2017 by whitehawk

[umsami]

I did DS1 alone for 4th grade, and then for part of last year.  He counts it as one of his best experiences ever.   

[Cinder]

My younger two are nearly 7 years apart. And since we sent ds2 to school full time starting in 8th, dd was my only homeschooler for a few years. It was exhausting. She's the kind of kid who needs me to sit with her while she's doing her lessons or they don't get done. But she's great at entertaining herself. If I explain a lesson and then walk away she'll immediately start drawing and won't get to the lesson until I return. *sigh*

 

So now she's in school part-time. If dh and I were comfortable with allowing her to draw all day and not do math ever she'd still be homeschooled. lol

[melbotoast]

I have one in public school and one at home this year. DS10 and I were both experiencing burnout so it was definitely the right decision to send him this year. He is the one that finds it hard to entertain himself. DD7 is doing first grade at home and really needs to be at home right now. (dealing with anxiety & adhd) I've found it much easier to teach when I only have one student at home to focus on, although admittedly we haven't done much beyond the basics this year. I enjoy teaching the early grades though.

[Janie Grace]

You all are helping me warm up to the idea. I would have a lot to research -- it has been a while since I homeschooled a second grader. We live on acreage so outside time isn't a problem. I guess I could school 8:30-11:30, do lunch, then work 12:00-3:00. Hmmmm.

[Janie Grace]

Yep. But I had one who liked a bit of time out, and would happily play in her room or sit on top of the clothes line singing for hours.

 

Do you have choice over which few hours each day you work?

 

 

Maybe you'll enjoy homeschooling your last more than your elders. You already know the content so you can be more comfortable winging it than you probably were with the elders.

Yes, I can choose my hours for the most part. I have the occasional conference call, but otherwise, there is flexibility.

[sassenach]

Dd is my only homeschooler this year. It's been super easy, but she's much older.

 

Do you control your work schedule? Does it have to be 3 hours at once or can you break it up? My initial thought would be to let ds sleep in (or try to adjust his schedule to sleep in) and get as much work done in the early morning hours as you can.

 

My kids have always liked slow mornings. Even when they were little, the could easily flitter the morning away until 10. If you could even get 2 hours done in the morning, then fitting the last hour of work in wouldn't be too hard (even if that meant screens for an hour).

 

School wise, your days will be short. Two or 3 hours max, I think. So the only other thing to fit in will be the social aspects- park day or some other time with friends.

[FaithManor]

My youngest has been alone this year and next, after which he graduates. No biggie. Has been fine.

[Lady Florida.]

I have an only. He was homeschooled from kindergarten through part of high school. I stopped when he began taking dual enrollment classes in his junior year.

[Lady Florida.]

The tough part about homeschooling just one is it makes discussions difficult when there are only two of you. At your ds' age it won't matter much but sometimes I thought it would have been nice to have several kids discussing a topic. 

 

The best part about homeschooling just one is you can follow rabbit trails that interest him.

 

 

[Saddlemomma]

My kids are twelve years apart in age.  I've only ever homeschooled my youngest.  I love homeschooling her and only having the one. Interruptions and distractions within our home are almost non-existent. I only have to focus on her and so have so much more time to devote to her studies, tailor her curricula to her learning style, and, because of that, have the time to actually write most of her curricula rather than purchase open & go resources or workbooks, which she hates. I couldn't imagine having to do that for 2, 3, or even 4+ kids?  It takes an enormous amount of time for just the one! Out of expediency, I (me, personally) wouldn't be able to do that for all of them.

 

Honestly, I have only admiration and the utmost respect for those who homeschool multiple kids.  I don't know how they do it.  Most often, when I read about these moms with multiples and what they're doing, I'm in awe and feel like such a slouch!

[Guest]

The tough part about homeschooling just one is it makes discussions difficult when there are only two of you. At your ds' age it won't matter much but sometimes I thought it would have been nice to have several kids discussing a topic. 

 

The best part about homeschooling just one is you can follow rabbit trails that interest him.

 

This!  

 

I also found that it was totally worth it to do any playdates we could, and to enroll in a GOOD co-op at about 5th-6th grade.  But I don't know how I would have worked in a job in a solid block at a regular time.  

 

(I still don't know how I would do that though, and I am retired, so there is that...  I think I used up all my work energy in my 30s.)

[Scarlett]

My kids are twelve years apart in age.  I've only ever homeschooled my youngest.  I love homeschooling her and only having the one. Interruptions and distractions within our home are almost non-existent. I only have to focus on her and so have so much more time to devote to her studies, tailor her curricula to her learning style, and, because of that, have the time to actually write most of her curricula rather than purchase open & go resources or workbooks, which she hates. I couldn't imagine having to do that for 2, 3, or even 4+ kids?  It takes an enormous amount of time for just the one! Out of expediency, I (me, personally) wouldn't be able to do that for all of them.

 

Honestly, I have only admiration and the utmost respect for those who homeschool multiple kids.  I don't know how they do it.  Most often, when I read about these moms with multiples and what they're doing, I'm in awe and feel like such a slouch!

 

 

Yep me too.  I don't know how they do it.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I was in almost the same situation you are.  I homeschooled my older two into high school, then had this little one.  I was totally burned out by the time she was in kindergarten, so even though she was "homeschooled", we didn't actually do very much that year.  (She already knew how to read).  I put her in school for first grade.  By second grade, I had realized how much she wasn't getting at school, so (through a set of unique circumstances), I was able to pull her out for all afternoons, starting in second grade.  We homeschooled half-time for second and third grades.  When she reached fourth grade, I was out of burn-out, and we had goals she wanted to meet, but she wasn't on track to meet them in school, so I pulled her out and homeschooled full time for fourth and fifth grades.  

 

While she was in school, she met several friends who would end up being long-time friends.  This ended up being very beneficial to us both.  Homeschooling went really well, but she also was able to meet her bottomless need for social time by doing lots of activities with her previous school friends, as well as new homeschool friends.  We did Classical Conversations both those years, and that helped as well because it gave her one day of "school" each week, which she enjoyed, and helped keep me out of burn-out.

 

She didn't lack for friendships, or for activities.  While homeschooling, she did soccer, basketball, volleyball, drama club, two theater productions, choir (including two years of All State and one Regional Honor Choir), robotics team, and regular play dates with friends.  She also met her academic goals and got into the independent private school she's wanted to attend since she was 5yo.  

 

It is totally do-able to homeschool an only child, especially if you are willing and able to keep her involved outside activities.