My experience homeschooling my 7 years son, looking for more patterns... can you help?

[thisisap]

I'm homeschooling my son aged 7 years this year!

so far so good, I'm pretty excited about this informal learning pattern but focused on few key things like Mathematics, Coding, Couple of languages...

Its good to see how far our kids go when we help them focus on core aspects, I'm glad I took this decision.

If anyone interested in the curriculum I'm following, nothing magical or unknown... I'm laser focused on Khan academy and code.org and I feel my son enjoys it a lot

While there are many positives and the entire group talks about it a lot, I do like to think ahead and hear about the group opinions on few things...

While I'm focused on academic, what do y'all think I should spend time on outside of it? Anyone has any practices that works well and keep their kids engaged?

How do you identify mis-fits like what parameters you use to evaluate whether your kid is liking this approach?

In addition, what strategy you take to help them get a 360 degree learning approach (including life hacking skills, financial advice etc.)

I believe everyone understand where I'm going here, everyone hear believes that only WE know our kids better and give the best learning environment possible. However it is in the interest of our kids that there may be faults in each of our approach and I wish we could figure that early so that each of us can learn and DO better. because at the end of the day, its our KIDS future and they trusting us to be a better person in this world!

Any thoughts?

[mathmarm]

This can be tricky in a financially insecure world and mid-pandemic, but allowing my children to experience money and guiding them on financial habits and decisions is the way that we've chosen to educate on finances during the elementary years. We're focusing just on the idea of budget, saving vs spending. We encourage our kids to give, but don't require it of them.  The children are required to save $35 of their pocket money in order to open a savings account. Once the child is old enough, let them sit in on a part of you and your spouses budget meetings every week/month so that they can see that it's normal and even mom and dad make decisions about where to put money.

As far as life-hacks, I think it's important to model such things in the home. Buy DIY books and use them. Actually work on DIY projects, announce when you have an annoying problem and ask your spouse and kids for ideas on clever solutions--brainstorm the ideas together and try one of your ideas **before** looking one up online.

Hubby and I don't really require the kids to **enjoy** school, but we love it when they do. I think that is one thing that can be a slippery slope. I want the kids to be engaged/challenged and benefiting (long term) from their schooling, even if they aren't loving every minute of it. We want to build the expectation and understanding that even when it's hard we do it. Even when it's uncomfortable, we push through that part and keep working because it is going to pay off in the long-run.

In our home, we've chosen to prioritize an education where the dominant electronic device is the lighting we use. Hubby, who is a CS profess and writes software, insists that coding/Comp. Science in elementary years is mostly a massive distraction and huge time-waster. Hubby is a CS expert yet insists that the kids master K-5 without screens of any kind. A child who can reason, think, break down problems systematically, read (and reread) closely to find specific information, express themselves coherently in writing and visually, as well as express creativity in writing or in visual form will transition to coding just fine. While the child who can psuedo-code can't be expected to transition to from coding to being able to express themselves coherently/creatively, reason, think, breakdown problems, read critically etc.

Build a learning culture in the home. Kids shouldn't groan or think why do I have to learn outside of school? For us, we strive hard to be a learning house. It's as much about the example that you set for the kids as it is the culture that you build for them in the home.

 

Enjoy the journey.

[kiwik]

Honestly it sounds like you are complicating things more than needed.  The child is 7.  Don't burn yourself out before he is 8.

[8filltheheart]

I agree with @kiwikthat it sounds like you are over complicating things. At 7 I focus on reading, math, handwriting, and simple copy work assignments. Academics consume around 2 hrs and the rest of their day is spent playing. I value self-entertainment and using their imaginations above almost anything academic at that age.

I dont let my younger kids have electronics for playing. So no video games, no focus on computers. They grow up to be advanced across the board and pick up things like coding quickly bc they know how to problem solve and have mastered self-discipline. Life skills are more about developing self and trying things out (plenty of time for exploring and projects) vs. checking of boxes off a list of I should have my kid do x.

I have done this a few times now, so not hypothetical for my kids. I wouldn't change a thing.

Edited December 8, 2020 by 8filltheheart