happycc Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 (edited) I got my older kids in high school pretty independent. I got my 13 yrs old in Moving Beyond the Page. My 8yrs old is moving along but struggles and requires me by his side for everything. My 4.5 is starting TK and I am so unmotivated!!!!! The thought of starting all over again with my 4.5yrs old is making me go buggy eyed. Someone please please send me resources that will inspire me. A new computer program, game, board game, curriculum===something. Mind you my 4.5 yrs is a child with severe speech issues. So that makes it more challenging. I don't think I can read all the classic books all over again. I did it all with my first set of kids who are adults now and then did it again with the 2nd set and now the third set...I just want to hid under the covers. I challenge you all to inspire me!! Edited June 28, 2017 by happycc 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Is there a play based half day 4k program you could put him in? Maybe, with the speech issues, he might benefit from delaying formal academics for a bit? Is he in therapy? If you had some targeted time to work one on one with the 8 year old without the 4.5 year old, that might help you to be more motivated when the 4.5 year old is home, too. And it would give you a perhaps much needed break from all these years of homeschooling with at least your littlest. You can get into full blown homeschooling mode later, when he is a bit older. After all, he is really little. FWIW, DS thrived, literally thrived in his 4k. It did some great academics but it was really play based. And the school gave them access to so many cool things. They hatched butterflies and built a butterfly garden, they carved pumpkins and learned what foods they could prepare from pumpkin, they played lots of fun group games, etc. He loved that year and made quite a few friends. And when he would come in from 4k he was upbeat and enthusiastic and it was so much fun for him to show me things he had learned. He would also want to learn more so we had great rabbit trails every afternoon. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happycc Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 Yes very much considering that but I have to see if they accept his medical exemption form. We are in California and they are strict about vaccinations even though an MD has advised us not to vaccinate him until older. We have her letter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Ah, I understand. Hopefully you find one that is a good fit and they accept his form. I think you need a break and he might really do well. :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 :grouphug: I replied to your other thread. I don't have any advice, but I'm having a homeschool nervous breakdown this year, myself. And after 5 kids, I don't want to teach the youngest with the same stuff I used over and over again. I'm seriously thinking about selling it all on Ebay this year and starting over picking stuff for the youngest. I would say use curriculum you've never taught before with the youngest. Like buy Oak Meadow or something completely different/new... :tongue_smilie: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 :grouphug: I replied to your other thread. I don't have any advice, but I'm having a homeschool nervous breakdown this year, myself. And after 5 kids, I don't want to teach the youngest with the same stuff I used over and over again. I'm seriously thinking about selling it all on Ebay this year and starting over picking stuff for the youngest. I would say use curriculum you've never taught before with the youngest. Like buy Oak Meadow or something completely different/new... :tongue_smilie: I'm outta likes, but yes. This. I wanted to say this earlier, but not currently in burn out, felt like I shouldn't presume to advise. (But when I look at what I think we're doing this fall, I might be joining you soon. :D ) :grouphug: to both of you! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcitedMama Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Since you're in CA have you looked into any virtual charter schools? There's so much fun stuff you can buy with their funds that might inspire you. My 4.5 will be in TK and still gets the same 2k to spend as my oldest who will be in 2nd. She is doing AAR Pre, but it is very pricey so I'd probably skip it unless you had charter funds for it. MP First Start Reading is super easy and DS enjoyed it. You don't need the TM. She loves MP Jr. K. There's only one book to read a week and two days of activities that you could split up. It has really cute poems and there's a separate craft book. My favorite year of MP Enrichment was the K book. It's really great and could help you schedule in some fun extras and really doesn't take long. What about doing art with your two youngest? My 4 year old does Artistic Pursuits along with her 7 yr old brother. It's a great use of charter funds too since you can buy two of the supply kits. Have you done Miquon? I don't think of math as fun but DS enjoys Miquon and I think gets more out of it than other math we've tried. I'm not a fun, artsy and crafty type of person but I want my kids to have those fun messy experiences so I just splurged on A Year of Playing Skillfully. It's very pricey, but I'm trying to think about how cheap it is when broken up over a year, and I hope to do it for a few years. You can look at a sample month and maybe it will inspire you. It looks very hands on and doesn't require reading tons of books you've already read. It's recommended by the authors for up to age 7 but I googled and found lots of blogs where people used it with their older kids too so I'm hoping my 7.5 yr old will enjoy it too so it might work for both of your youngers. I'm pretty much out a FIAR dropout but have you tried it before? There are tons of blogs with fun ideas to make it work. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happycc Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 (edited) Thank you for your advice but for someone who has been homeschooling for over 20 years I think I have used all the curriculum out there :laugh: :laugh: I was even on twtm forum before they switched over to this system.. I even started homeschooling before TWTM came out :lol: Its the whole act of searching and finding a new curriculum that is even burning me out. Every curriculum you have mentioned, I have done already. Sigh I homeschooled 8 kids. I am burnt! I am thinking maybe just doing a board game curriculum. Just play board games for every subject. HAHAHA I do think my biggest slump regarding all this is that my last three kids have special needs and they are exhausting to teach. It's fun to teach the ones who want to learn and learn easily. Only four out of my 8 was like this and then the other four made me want to tear my hair out every step of the way. Edited June 29, 2017 by happycc 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 :grouphug: I can only imagine. I'm rather crispy around the edges myself right now and would rather reminisce with you about the good old days than offer advice. It's a very, very, very different world and can be quite demoralizing if you are/were a philosophical homeschooler. I'm not sure if this helps or not, but your oldest kids are much younger than mine were before they showed any gratitude or even real indications that I hadn't completely thrown my life away. That part DOES get better when their 30th birthdays get a bit closer. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
three4me Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 What about something like an Ivy Kids subscription, where something new comes to your doorstep every month? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Did you do TK with all your kids? How about just letting him play this year? Is he in speech therapy? I would think that speech plus maybe a play based preschool a few days a week if he wants social time would be sufficient. I have one turning five in August with speech difficulties and some other special needs, I'm really not planning to tackle academics with him. I may pull out an introductory phonics something or other or try headsprout on the computer, but mostly I think we'll work on speech and self regulation and social skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Re: re-reading books.... Audible is your answer!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKT Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Re: re-reading books.... Audible is your answer!!! Totally agree! Do classic books (or any that you just can't bear to read again) via Audible and/or CDs from the library. Then, you can make all your read-alouds books that are new-to-you and inspiring. There is NO shortage of excellent books, so feel no guilt about this! I think your read-aloud enthusiasm matters far more than the actual content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5hskids Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Playing Skillfully a blog I follow is in love with this program Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5hskids Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Oh Happy Phonics is a game based phonics curriculum which I love very much and all my kids LOVE it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Thank you for your advice but for someone who has been homeschooling for over 20 years I think I have used all the curriculum out there :laugh: :laugh: I can imagine! I think we own one level of every math program out there. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TX Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Thank you for your advice but for someone who has been homeschooling for over 20 years I think I have used all the curriculum out there :laugh: :laugh: I was even on twtm forum before they switched over to this system.. I even started homeschooling before TWTM came out :lol: Nice to see another old timer here that is still in the trenches. I was beginning to think I was the only one still here. Susan in TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 You are way more experienced than me, so ignore me if you want. Since he is 4.5, do you have to do anything formal? Maybe plan a regular library and play date and just let him catch up with his speech? Does he need activities so he will stay out of trouble while you work with your other kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fralala Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Thank you for your advice but for someone who has been homeschooling for over 20 years I think I have used all the curriculum out there :laugh: :laugh: I was even on twtm forum before they switched over to this system.. I even started homeschooling before TWTM came out :lol: Its the whole act of searching and finding a new curriculum that is even burning me out. Every curriculum you have mentioned, I have done already. Sigh I homeschooled 8 kids. I am burnt! I am thinking maybe just doing a board game curriculum. Just play board games for every subject. HAHAHA I do think my biggest slump regarding all this is that my last three kids have special needs and they are exhausting to teach. It's fun to teach the ones who want to learn and learn easily. Only four out of my 8 was like this and then the other four made me want to tear my hair out every step of the way. DO IT!!! Board games and children's books/activity and coloring books that were published within the last 2-3 years. And then write down what you did and sell this "curriculum" to me. :lol: The speech thing, though, is a really good excuse to get a kid out of the house (at least, out of my house, and into a place where people will actually LISTEN to the poor kid and stop interrupting/speaking over her...or just understanding the mishmash so well that there's no impetus to improve). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaOz Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 (edited) Maybe checkout www.allinonehomeschool.com and look at the Getting Started material. It's a lot computer based but also stuff to print out and make etc. My two younger kids really liked it and still ask for it sometimes even though we are doing other things. It would also be something different and fun for you which may be refreshing and give you a chance to just enjoy and connect with the youngest without worrying about applying a curriculum. Allinonehomeschool is all done for you so you and your 4yo just get to enjoy together :) Just a thought. Edited July 29, 2017 by LindaOz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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