Why am I doing this?

[Elizabeth86]

I ask myself sometimes.

 

My 5 year old is faking tired to try to get out of school work

 

My 4 year old wont stop whining because he hates when we do school because he just wants me to play. He wont stop talking about Pokemon which is distracting my 5 year old.

 

My toddler has a diaper box on her head making sounds just to hear it in the box while pretty much sitting on top of ds and his math workbook.

 

I want to take a nap, I need to wash dishes.

 

Ugh, ya know?

[Scarlett]

I ask myself sometimes.

 

My 5 year old is faking tired to try to get out of school work

 

My 4 year old wont stop whining because he hates when we do school because he just wants me to play. He wont stop talking about Pokemon which is distracting my 5 year old.

 

My toddler has a diaper box on her head making sounds just to hear it in the box while pretty much sitting on top of ds and his math workbook.

 

I want to take a nap, I need to wash dishes.

 

Ugh, ya know?

 

 

5 year olds don't need much school.  :)  Let them play.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

Five and four year olds should be allowed to play.  School at that age should be play (play store, play I Spy for letter sounds, snuggly read alouds that are short and not forced.)  Kids that age love to help wash dishes too.  Just my opinion. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

My 5 year old does about 10 minutes of "seat work", a math card or dice game, and we read books throughout the day.  That it...  

[Elizabeth86]

Five and four year olds should be allowed to play. School at that age should be play (play store, play I Spy for letter sounds, snuggly read alouds that are short and not forced.) Kids that age love to help wash dishes too. Just my opinion.

I was thinking first graders need math, but...

 

And he has been playing for the past 2 hours.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Elizabeth86

[Jean in Newcastle]

I was thinking first graders need math, but...

 

And he has been playing for the past 2 hours.

 

A play store is math.  So is finding all the cylinders in the house and the spheres and the cubes (geometry).  So is playing hop scotch with skip counting.  So is playing Candy Land. 

[unsinkable]

I was thinking first graders need math, but...

 

And he has been playing for the past 2 hours.

FWIW, math doesn't need to be done in a workbook.

 

One* of my kid's math skills far outpaced his fine motor skills and his sit still skills!

 

We did mostly oral work with me calling out stuff and him yelling the answers from where ever be was.

 

*I should say all my kids' math skills far outpaced their fine motor and sit still...But one's gaps were very wide.

Edited September 27, 2017 by unsinkable

[Scarlett]

I was thinking first graders need math, but...

 

And he has been playing for the past 2 hours.

 

 

1st grade?  At 5?

[regentrude]

I was thinking first graders need math, but...

 

And he has been playing for the past 2 hours.

 

He is five. In many countries, formal academics do not begin until age 6 or 7 - for a good reason. young kids learn best by playing.

 

Math can be counting, shapes, setting the table with the right number of plates. Playing store. Drawing geometrical shapes. Building with blocks. Origami. Playing card and dice games.

The goal is to develop spatial awareness and number sense.

 

Edited September 27, 2017 by regentrude

[Elizabeth86]

1st grade? At 5?

Yes. This is how is birthday fell in our state. So he is 5 a couple months of 1st grade.

[Bootsie]

I was thinking first graders need math, but...

 

And he has been playing for the past 2 hours.

if he is only five, I wouldn't stress about a 1st grade mathbook.  A first grade math book is, at best, designed for the average 6 or 7 year old.  (I say at best because I think much of the workbook/seat work that is now considered "first grade" is developmentally inappropriate for many children that age.)

[Guest]

Yes. This is how is birthday fell in our state. So he is 5 a couple months of 1st grade.

My child will turn 6 while still in pre-k. You might want to check those regulations again. And, echoing what others have said, let them play!! These are the good 'ole days you'll look back on some day when they are young and their needs are simple.

[SKL]

I'd try to break up the math into smaller parts and as much as possible do it orally while not sitting.

 

I had one of my kids hop on a mini-tramp while skip counting.

 

Are you using manipulatives such as Cuisenaire rods, base 10 blocks, or Legos to help make the math more concrete?

 

How about math story books?

 

When he gets a little older, he will catch up on the seat work if he has good number sense (which is developed by hands-on play better than seat work).

[Bootsie]

Yes. This is how is birthday fell in our state. So he is 5 a couple months of 1st grade.

Is this a requirement in your state, or just an option in your state for a child to start 1st grade before turning 6?  

 

Even if your state allows for 5 year olds to be placed in a first grade classroom, you must remember that there are other children who are turning 7 before they are in a first grade classroom--that is a huge developmental difference.  

[SKL]

My child will turn 6 while still in pre-k. You might want to check those regulations again. And, echoing what others have said, let them play!! These are the good 'ole days you'll look back on some day when they are young and their needs are simple.

 

My kids were 5 at the beginning of 1st.  It's normal in some locations.  It's not that a 5yo can't do math, but perhaps this individual 5yo (almost 6yo)  needs a little more movement in his school day.

 

[KungFuPanda]

Unless your 4-year-old WANTS to do workbooks, there's no point at that age. What objectives were you trying to teach? Transfer that concept to Legos or play dough, read a story, and call it good. Try outside recess first to get some of that energy out. Knock out a science objective while you're out there. As much as I believe that you have to put in the time in the older grades to do homeschooling justice, I really do believe that K can be accomplished with less than an hour a day at the school table if you can learn to harness those teachable moments throughout the day. Just count socks, do an easy kitchen experiment, let them dash across the room or yard to find the letter that makes the "k" sound or the card for the word you're working on. Run you own science experiment where you track your DS's activity level and maybe you can pinpoint his calmest time of day and do a lesson then. Tell him your going to start doing "activities" instead of school and do things where everyone can move and play a bit.

 

It's not supposed to be stressful at this age. Just tweak your program until it's something you all enjoy instead of a dreaded stressor. Steal 20 minutes with your daughter when your husband (morning or evening) is home to corral the others and knock out what you can't do with the little kids causing chaos. Come here and ask "How do I teach addition facts with a toddler climbing my head?" Then harvest a few ideas that sound doable for your family. Finally, PACE yourself for a marathon and not a sprint. You don't want to fry out in early elementary when you really can do just about anything and still give your kids a quality, age-appropriate education at home.

[Elizabeth86]

My child will turn 6 while still in pre-k. You might want to check those regulations again. And, echoing what others have said, let them play!! These are the good 'ole days you'll look back on some day when they are young and their needs are simple.

No, it is correct. 2 months of school for k he was 4 and 2 months of first he is 5. His birthday is the states cut off date.

[Elizabeth86]

Unless your 4-year-old WANTS to do workbooks, there's no point at that age. What objectives were you trying to teach? Transfer that concept to Legos or play dough, read a story, and call it good. Try outside recess first to get some of that energy out. Knock out a science objective while you're out there. As much as I believe that you have to put in the time in the older grades to do homeschooling justice, I really do believe that K can be accomplished with less than an hour a day at the school table if you can learn to harness those teachable moments throughout the day. Just count socks, do an easy kitchen experiment, let them dash across the room or yard to find the letter that makes the "k" sound or the card for the word you're working on. Run you own science experiment where you track your DS's activity level and maybe you can pinpoint his calmest time of day and do a lesson then. Tell him your going to start doing "activities" instead of school and do things where everyone can move and play a bit.

 

It's not supposed to be stressful at this age. Just tweak your program until it's something you all enjoy instead of a dreaded stressor. Steal 20 minutes with your daughter when your husband (morning or evening) is home to corral the others and knock out what you can't do with the little kids causing chaos. Come here and ask "How do I teach addition facts with a toddler climbing my head?" Then harvest a few ideas that sound doable for your family. Finally, PACE yourself for a marathon and not a sprint. You don't want to fry out in early elementary when you really can do just about anything and still give your kids a quality, age-appropriate education at home.

No Im not doing anything with the 4 yr old. He was whining about his brothers school.

[Arcadia]

Do math verbally. My DS11 did his math while cartwheeling, doing hand stands, dancing, walking everywhere. He did his grammar and vocabulary workbook walking everywhere too. He is in 7th grade now and can sit still when he have to.

 

Take photos and videos. My kids love the old videos and photos I took of one kid in a Pampers box and the other kid pushing the box. I think all my nephews have photos of themselves climbing in and out of Pampers boxes.

 

My child will turn 6 while still in pre-k. You might want to check those regulations again.

New York birthday cutoff is December 1st, California used to be December 2nd, Hawaii used to be December 31st.

 

My oldest turned 5 a few months into public school Kindergarten. No one held back for his cohort so the oldest Kindergartener out of 120 kids was 5 years 8 months on August 15th. The new cutoff for California is September 1st so the oldest kindergartener that is not held back would be turning 6 two weeks after school starts.

[KungFuPanda]

Yes. This is how is birthday fell in our state. So he is 5 a couple months of 1st grade.

Wait, so you have two boys and the oldest is 5 and first grade and the youngest is 4 and kindergarten? You might want to double check your laws and adjust them so they're K and Pre-k. The extra year can only help and you don't want to adjust later when they have a real grade identity (if they ever develop one.) I had a kid who was ready for K at 4 and another who wasn't ready until 6. Readiness matters. You'll spin your wheels and feel frustrated if you try to teach something before the kid is ready. When they are ready, it's just so much easier and more efficient, so you don't save any time by teaching them younger.

 

If you're confident they're ready, just use your books as a guide to teach objectives. My oldest did Singapore Math starting at 4 (Back when it was designed for that age and before we had American versions). We used a LOT of blocks and toy dishes to teach those concepts. Even kids who CAN do the workbook often enjoy learning through play even more.

[Scarlett]

No Im not doing anything with the 4 yr old. He was whining about his brothers school.

 

 

I feel your pain with this stuff.  I am a 'list' type person and I want to check off the boxes.  One low key thing you can do with a 5 year old--and the 4 year old---is print off those lists from your public school website on 'what a K'er needs to know' and use it in play so you can check off what they are learning.  

[Arctic Bunny]

It's a beautiful fall day here today! I think that if I had three little ones right now, we would go to the park, or find different coloured leaves! I don't know what it's like weather-wise at your house, but if I *had* to do seat work, I'd want to do it in the sunshine! Of course, I'm a grown up, and I do have seat work.... and I'm sitting in the sun not doing it, lol! Enjoy your babies today, especially if they're driving you a little nuts!

[Guest]

Why ARE you doing it? Stop.

 

Just in general, stress is oozing off your posts lately. (((()))) Take a big break, let your kids play literally all day except reading to them every once in a while through the day, enjoy them being that young for a while.

 

Does it matter that he'd be in first grade in your school? He's not in public school. In my private school he'd be Pre-K. So.

[Bootsie]

No, it is correct. 2 months of school for k he was 4 and 2 months of first he is 5. His birthday is the states cut off date.

If he is at the youngest age for your state, it is important to remember that when setting expectations and it is important to realize that most of the workbooks are going to be designed for children 12-24 months older--which at that age is a very big difference.

[Guest]

Yes. This is how is birthday fell in our state. So he is 5 a couple months of 1st grade.

Yeah, no. Kindergarten at five, maybe. But most first graders are in the 7-ish range for at least half the school year, and the difference between five and even six and a half is enormous. Cut out the formal academics if they don't love it and try again in six months. I had to do it three separate times with my third, and it was a great choice. On the third try he was finally ready and everything went so much more smoothly. We also covered the material in a fraction of the time it would have taken him at a younger age.

 

Play and read alouds. Play doh. Songs. Rinse and repeat.

[Guest]

I feel your pain with this stuff. I am a 'list' type person and I want to check off the boxes. One low key thing you can do with a 5 year old--and the 4 year old---is print off those lists from your public school website on 'what a K'er needs to know' and use it in play so you can check off what they are learning.

Along these same lines, Charlotte Mason's formidable list of attainments for six year olds. Remember, this is all BY the time they're seven, and done casually through life, the start of building excellent habits.

 

https://www.amblesideonline.org/CMAttainments.shtml

[Guest]

Why ARE you doing it? Stop.

 

Just in general, stress is oozing off your posts lately. (((()))) Take a big break, let your kids play literally all day except reading to them every once in a while through the day, enjoy them being that young for a while.

 

Does it matter that he'd be in first grade in your school? He's not in public school. In my private school he'd be Pre-K. So.

What she said! Stop doing this to yourself and him. You're killing your own joy in the years that homeschool is supposed to be the most relaxed and fun. He needs more time and you actually have it! He won't be behind for a break. Start up when the new baby is three months old, by then I think you'll be in a better place and there will be a world of difference in his ability.

[HomeAgain]

Along these same lines, Charlotte Mason's formidable list of attainments for six year olds. Remember, this is all BY the time they're seven, and done casually through life, the start of building excellent habits.

 

https://www.amblesideonline.org/CMAttainments.shtml

 

Oh, we are failing spectacularly by that list. :lol:

 

 

I'm going to chime in with the others.  "Redshirt" your son and let him play.  Do a lot of library books, lots of walks, lots of playgrounds.  Play board games.  Cook with them.  Paint.  Playdough. Do leaf rubbings, marble paintings, and chalk outlines.

 

They don't need the books yet.

[SamanthaCarter]

I get it. But mine are 11, 8 and 5. And it's the 11 year old that won't stop talking Pokémon, [emoji23]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Guest]

Oh, we are failing spectacularly by that list. :lol:

 

 

I'm going to chime in with the others. "Redshirt" your son and let him play. Do a lot of library books, lots of walks, lots of playgrounds. Play board games. Cook with them. Paint. Playdough. Do leaf rubbings, marble paintings, and chalk outlines.

 

They don't need the books yet.

I never did it either. But after some stuff went down that made me step back and get my priorities for school straight, keeping it up on my reefer helped me remember what I was building and aspiring to here.

[Scarlett]

Why ARE you doing it? Stop.

 

Just in general, stress is oozing off your posts lately. (((()))) Take a big break, let your kids play literally all day except reading to them every once in a while through the day, enjoy them being that young for a while.

 

Does it matter that he'd be in first grade in your school? He's not in public school. In my private school he'd be Pre-K. So.

 

 

Yep.  I totally agree.  Just stop and enjoy all your babies.  It goes so fast.

[fraidycat]

The best educating you can do right now, is to educate Yourself. What are the beginning concepts your child needs to understand to lay a solid foundation for academic bookwork later? Then work those in to your days of play.

 

Get fun read aloud books, develop number sense and spatial awareness, maybe get some cuisenaire rods to build and play with. Learning is so much fun at this age. Let him learn and have fun.

 

He's probably not faking tired, it's probably exhausting to him to have to think about bookwork while his siblings annoy him. I can be wide awake myself, but if I have to even think about cooking supper or grocery shopping, I can immediately start yawning and feel the need for a nap. Because they are so not fun, and I hate having to do them!! Don't make learning a chore - it'll bite you in the butt!

Edited September 27, 2017 by fraidycat

[Elizabeth86]

Wait, so you have two boys and the oldest is 5 and first grade and the youngest is 4 and kindergarten? You might want to double check your laws and adjust them so they're K and Pre-k. The extra year can only help and you don't want to adjust later when they have a real grade identity (if they ever develop one.) I had a kid who was ready for K at 4 and another who wasn't ready until 6. Readiness matters. You'll spin your wheels and feel frustrated if you try to teach something before the kid is ready. When they are ready, it's just so much easier and more efficient, so you don't save any time by teaching them younger.

 

If you're confident they're ready, just use your books as a guide to teach objectives. My oldest did Singapore Math starting at 4 (Back when it was designed for that age and before we had American versions). We used a LOT of blocks and toy dishes to teach those concepts. Even kids who CAN do the workbook often enjoy learning through play even more.

Ds 2 is not in k. I said ds 1 was 4 2 months of k and 5 2 months of 1stm. Ds 2 was born in spring so he is fine. He will be 5 for k.

[Rachel]

I agree with pp, he is very young for 1st grade. He may technically old enough to attend first grade in your state but he would be the youngest.

 

Waiting a year he will be a completely different child.

[Starr]

The beauty of home education, no hurry with the younger set. 

[Elizabeth86]

Why ARE you doing it? Stop.

 

Just in general, stress is oozing off your posts lately. (((()))) Take a big break, let your kids play literally all day except reading to them every once in a while through the day, enjoy them being that young for a while.

 

Does it matter that he'd be in first grade in your school? He's not in public school. In my private school he'd be Pre-K. So.

Wow that is amazing he would be prek at your school.

[Elizabeth86]

Good advice everyone. I am such a rule follower traditional person, this just feels so hard for me. For the record it is past noon and all wr have done is math. The boys are playing an exciting pokemon imagination game.

[barnwife]

By your standards, my kids must already be screwed up. It's coming on noon here. Keeping in mind I have a newly 7 yo, 5 yo, 4 yo, and baby...we've eaten breakfast, read some picture books (just for fun...not high quality, although one was about Odysseus), gone for a walk, played outside, done handwriting/copywork, done a "number of the day", and had snack.

The kids are asking to do their reading now.

Ideally we will also do a little more math and reading to self. We will also practice shoe tying and read about a saint or something for religion.

And that's it.

Everything else is just life.

So I think you can safely breathe. You are doing just fine.

[2_girls_mommy]

When my oldest was 5 the next was 3. My 5 yr olds were always kindergarten here. We did just about EVERYTHING together. School days went like this: 

 

1. watch Sesame Street together after breakfast. 

2. sometimes watch Little House on the Prairie after that. I'll admit it, lol. 

3. most days we had an out of the house experience: Library storytime or planned field trip with our homeschool field trip group, or a preschool meet up at the playground. If at the library, that was a lot of school for both for the day: story, activity, coloring sheet or craft, then outside to play and explore the grounds and playground. If it was a field trip, we made the most of them. If it was far away we listened to educational CDs in the car, like books on tape or classical music series for kids. 

4. home for lunch and nap. 

5. nap: this started with a long read aloud period. Some Dr. Seuss type for the younger, then something towards the older. Then some practice from the older from a Bob book or whatever reader we were on. 

6. After nap, which included more books on CD or silent reading or Classical or children's CDs of music in their room, out for playtime at home. 

7. Maybe bike riding practice, or playing with neighbor kids or painting or practice jump roping or skating, all age appropriate skills. 

8. Around dinner I would pull out the math workbook for the 5 yr old. By this time she and I could look at it and the 3 yr old could help me with making dinner when dd5 needed to do some writing in her workbook after we did the initial hands on lesson altogether. 

9. After dinner and baths, we did another reading period at bed. We would read on all topics we were learning about, learn a poem, have the older practice her reading, etc. 

 

Days at home would look like: 

1.start with calendar time after Sesame Street including both. We would count, look at the date and sing about the days of the week, the months of the year, the seasons and weather, and practice things like phone number and how to dial 911. Both sat in on this. Yes, the younger said silly thing about Elmo to distract. All part of the fun. 

2. table time- hear the story for day, this would be the day's Bible story or letter of the week story for the 3 yr old, and do the craft together. Younger one could wander off or stay and do playdough while 5 yr old practiced a handwriting sheet. Playdough at the table with lots of things was big, I remember. My current 3 yr old likes to water color paint and do legos on the floor for morning table time right now. I would get math in at the morning time on days at home back then, which was once or twice a week. Then we might go outside to the sandbox for a dinosaur dig since mine were into dinos at that age. We would talk about their teeth and what they ate as we dug them up, just whatever we were learning about in our reading times. We would do bubbles and march around the yard and swing and do as much gross motor as we could, practice catching balls and throwing, etc. Everyone involved, everyone using up energy. 

3. lunch, story, nap with educational CDs

4. outside playtime or afternoon art project around something we were learning about. Everyone loves to paint, cut, glue, sticker, and make a big fun mess. 

5. more reading at bedtime. 

*** My goals at 5 were a bit of math, a lot of reading- to me and from me, a bit of writing practice daily, and a LOT of adventures, outdoor and gross motor play, and art and music. I kind of followed WTM for that. 

 

Now for first grade we added more formal science and history ala WTM, but my preschoolers always listened in. I had a preschool niece through kindgergarten and then our own latest addition to the family. They are distracting, but they are part of the family. 

 

I LOVE our mornings. The teens are grumpier and harder than little kids, IMO, lol. This morning we did table time with the things we do to start our days this year. Preschooler wandered in and out. It is our routine, so she sits with us coloring or goes and gets things to do. They eventually get the routine and know what is acceptable. Yes, she is distracting while the olders are trying to math fact practice or listenting/auditory processing exercises. But I try to get her on something quiet for a couple of minutes at a time. That's all it really takes. Eventually while one had on headphones for her morning Mozart listening, the other was practicing piano, and the 3 yr old was water color painting on the floor with her lego mess and baby dolls from early spread around her. A bit of beautiful chaos around here. Then after I spent some time playing with toddler, she is now having some TV time and the olders are hitting their individual books with help from me when needed.  

 

 

 

[Scarlett]

Good advice everyone. I am such a rule follower traditional person, this just feels so hard for me. For the record it is past noon and all wr have done is math. The boys are playing an exciting pokemon imagination game.

 

 

I am a rule follower too.  If it makes you feel any better 12 years ago this board was talking to me just like we are talking to you now.  :)  

 

Just slow down and enjoy them.  I say if you got 10 min worth of math done today that is a win.  

[Elizabeth86]

By your standards, my kids must already be screwed up. It's coming on noon here. Keeping in mind I have a newly 7 yo, 5 yo, 4 yo, and baby...we've eaten breakfast, read some picture books (just for fun...not high quality, although one was about Odysseus), gone for a walk, played outside, done handwriting/copywork, done a "number of the day", and had snack.

 

The kids are asking to do their reading now.

 

Ideally we will also do a little more math and reading to self. We will also practice shoe tying and read about a saint or something for religion.

 

And that's it.

 

Everything else is just life.

 

So I think you can safely breathe. You are doing just fine.

No I dont think you are screwed up at all. I just feel I am inadequate compared to others. It seems they do so much more than I do.

[Elizabeth86]

I am a rule follower too. If it makes you feel any better 12 years ago this board was talking to me just like we are talking to you now. :)

 

Just slow down and enjoy them. I say if you got 10 min worth of math done today that is a win.

Thanks for understanding!

[HomeAgain]

Good advice everyone. I am such a rule follower traditional person, this just feels so hard for me. For the record it is past noon and all wr have done is math. The boys are playing an exciting pokemon imagination game.

 

Wait, so he did math, and then voluntarily engaged in a pre-writing literacy activity that focuses on cause/effect, order of events, and using a set of parameters to develop a story in?  That's fantastic!  Even more so when it's pointed out he's collaborating with a small team to learn how to work cooperatively!

 

:hurray:

[Catwoman]

Good advice everyone. I am such a rule follower traditional person, this just feels so hard for me. For the record it is past noon and all wr have done is math. The boys are playing an exciting pokemon imagination game.

I know how you feel.

 

My ds17 started the Calvert School program when he was 4 and he breezed right through it. He thought it was easy and fun. Back then, many people started formal education early and seriously. The "let them play" concept didn't seem to be as big a thing back then. I was actually pretty laid back compared to most of the people I knew because my son only did schoolwork for a short time every morning.

 

I think you should do whatever works best for your son and for your family. As my ds got older, I realized that he was so many grades ahead of his age that he would have finished high school before he was 12. It was a real eye-opener for me because the last thing I wanted was for my son to be a 12yo college student. (I know that works for some families, but I wasn't interested in it for our family.) And that's when it dawned on me that there was no reason to rush through the early grades. Education isn't a race. And kids learn so much from just simply living their everyday lives, and we can teach them in so many ways that don't involve workbooks and textbooks, so if your 5yo isn't ready to do a lot of formal schoolwork yet, it's not a big deal.

 

I don't see anything wrong with taking 20 minutes a day and calling it school. It can get your son into a good habit of sitting down and doing some seatwork. But do a little of this and a little of that, and make it more fun than "work" so he looks forward to being the big boy who gets to do school because he's the oldest, and not that he dreads doing school every day because that's not the attitude you want to develop in a 5yo.

 

If you want to have your ds5 do some schoolwork but the 4yo is too distracting, can you teach the 4yo alongside the 5yo? You might be able to teach both of them together, and that could end up making homeschooling a lot easier for you as they get older because you wouldn't have to teach so many individual "grades" each year.

[Guest]

Good advice everyone. I am such a rule follower traditional person, this just feels so hard for me. For the record it is past noon and all wr have done is math. The boys are playing an exciting pokemon imagination game.

You make the rules now, shoog!

 

What do YOU think people should know and do before they are six? Not what you heard others are doing, what do you think?

 

No need to answer (though do if you want! You'll have noticed that this is the crew to talk shop with lol) but figure it out, yanno? And then figure out if that will work with your kids. Then figure out how to do it with them.

 

The hard part is the responsibility you've taken on. But it's TRUE responsibility, where you set both the objective and the means by which you plan to achieve it. With the freedom to scrap those plans and sub in new ones at any time.

 

Bask in it, man. You're the boss.

[mykidsrmyjoy]

To the OP, I was very similar to you with my oldest child. She showed an interest in learning around the age of 3 , so I swooped in and decided she was going to learn! Rod and Staff preschool books at 3, full-blown, pull-out-all-the-stops Phonics curriculum at 4, and 1st grade at 5. She learned, too, with lots of tears and frustration, from child and teacher.

 

She's in 4th grade now, and despite our less-than-ideal start is doing fine, but I have a lot of regrets in pushing her that hard. I think she could have learned in a few months what it took me several years to teach her. I agree wholeheartedly with the advice already given to let them play. Read to them, surround them with an environment that is rich in learning experiences, and then relax and take a deep breath. They are learning far more than you realize. The time will come quickly enough when they have to bend their heads over books and won't be able to play all day, but prolong that carefree stage of childhood as long as you can.

 

 

Hugs, mama. I know it's hard to know the balance between doing too much and not enough.

[Guest]

I am a rule follower too. If it makes you feel any better 12 years ago this board was talking to me just like we are talking to you now. :)

 

Just slow down and enjoy them. I say if you got 10 min worth of math done today that is a win.

Haven't we all been there?? Freaking out with schooling littles is so normal it is expected! Ahh, the perspective having high school students brings.

Grade school should never be stressful. The most important thing is to instill a love of learning. Then the reading, math facts, state capitals, etc. are a breeze.

[Catwoman]

No I dont think you are screwed up at all. I just feel I am inadequate compared to others. It seems they do so much more than I do.

Don't compare yourself to others.

 

I'll bet most of us have done it, and that most of us have fallen short of what some other people told us they were doing.

 

Remember two things....

 

1. Sometimes, other people lie. And they exaggerate. And they like to make themselves feel better by making you feel like you're not as good at homeschooling as they are.

 

2. Even if other families are doing far more formal schoolwork than you're doing with your kids, remember that your kids are not the same as their kids. Maybe hours a day of school works for them, but so what? It doesn't effect you and your kids. Your kids are going to turn out just fine, whether they learn multiplication at 4 or at 8. Your kids will be fine if they can't read War and Peace by the time they're 7. Work at the pace that feels right for your own family, and smile and nod when other people talk about doing things differently.

 

Don't worry! You're doing fine! :)

[Guest]

Wow that is amazing he would be prek at your school.

Here too. PreK is 4-5, K is 5-6, 1st is 6-7, 2nd is 7-8, etc.

[Guest]

Don't compare yourself to others.

 

I'll bet most of us have done it, and that most of us have fallen short of what some other people told us they were doing.

 

Remember two things....

 

1. Sometimes, other people lie. And they exaggerate. And they like to make themselves feel better by making you feel like you're not as good at homeschooling as they are.

 

2. Even if other families are doing far more formal schoolwork than you're doing with your kids, remember that your kids are not the same as their kids. Maybe hours a day of school works for them, but so what? It doesn't effect you and your kids. Your kids are going to turn out just fine, whether they learn multiplication at 4 or at 8. Your kids will be fine if they can't read War and Peace by the time they're 7. Work at the pace that feels right for your own family, and smile and nod when other people talk about doing things differently.

 

Don't worry! You're doing fine! :)

And sometimes they really are doing everything plus repairing the kitchen sink and building a boat in their spare time but their kids hate them and grow up resenting homeschool.