How do you schedule wiggly KG with 3rd grader

[workingmom]

I'm considering formally hs my wiggly to be young KG next year with my currently hs ds who'll be in 3rd. We had a terrific year of hs accomplished a lot and did great projects. I'm worried about how the KG will interrupt the routine of the older one. Since we do 4 days of school a week, I want to make sure I can spend that that with the older one and not get distracted or have the younger one sabotage our efforts.

 

This year I put the younger one in preschool just so we could get the solid amount of work done with the older one's first year of hs. Right now I do HOP, HWOT, and occasionally math games with the preschooler maybe 3 times a week for literally 5-10 minutes. But that whole time if the older one is trying to get work done, he'll be jumping off the chair, interrupting, or just acting crazy (typical boy).

 

I need real examples of been there done that stories to get me through it. I know this sounds wimpy when many of you are hs multiple kids, but it seems easier when they're all a bit older.

 

thanks

[SnowWhite]

Here, have a hug. :grouphug:

 

I will be in the same boat next year, with also adding a newborn to the mix.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that next fall your younger ds will be quite a bit more mature. I did not send my LO off to preschool this year, but bought WinterPromise's I'm Ready To Learn program to use to sort of acclimate little ds to the idea of school time. He actually loves the Rod & Staff Preschool Workbooks more, perhaps because they give him a sense of being a grownup. I went ahead and bought God Made Music K, and we've done one lesson in that. He loved it and kept saying, "I sure am working hard."

 

I plan to keep this next year pretty light-hearted for him, and sort of go with the flow, since he would not be officially required to do any type of schooling (he will be 4 until the end of Sept). I have the opposite worry that you do, though, because my oldest is pretty demanding and controlling. I intend to start with younger ds first, and spend a half hour or so on phonics, then work with the older one, then have about a half hour of math with little ds. Hopefully, the habits I am trying to establish with older ds will enable him to work independently on a few things while I concentrate on the LO. I feel personal attention is so important for the beginning of school. An investment in the LO this next year should pay off in the future with a more independent learner.

 

Then, too, I know the newborn is going to really make the year interesting, but by God's grace we will succeed!

[hsingscrapper]

Maybe I can help here.

 

I'm currently hsing a KG/1st grader and a 4th grader. Ds5 can have a short attention span at times but I keep his day really simple. We do math, handwriting, and reading everyday with history m-w-f and science t-th.

 

Ds9 has a bit more on his plate but he's old enough and responsible enough to handle doing his handwriting and spelling on his own if we don't get an hour's headstart on ds5. When ds5 is done with his math, then I have ds9 start on his.

 

Today is Friday and I'll be having the oldest take the circular and come up with some menu ideas for me. I give him a $10 limit and he works with it. I wonder what he'd do with $5? That's just one idea of working with the oldest and it's math he can sort of do on his own. Just remind him of how much he needs per person and you should be set with the ads, a notebook, and a pencil.

 

Pretty much, I'd stagger the kids so they aren't doing the same basics at the same time. I find I have to work with ds9 more closely on math and grammar than I do anything else so when he's working on other stuff, I work with ds5. I'm still working out the kinks, though.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Heidi

[linders]

I've had your dilemma this year, with a new (very active) K'er and DS8. DS5 was in preschool 3 mornings a week last year, and I hadn't realized what a blessing that was!

 

Recently we seem to have found a groove that works. I have scheduled out DS8's day in such a way that it alternates between mom-intensive time and independent work on a regular basis. While DS8 is doing something independent, I work for 15 minutes or so with DS5. Then DS5 goes off to play for a bit until his next session. I make sure there are lots of puzzles, games, little activities to occupy DS5.

 

For example, I will do the teacher-led part of our RightStart math with DS8, then he goes off to do the associated worksheet while I do math with DS5. Then I run through FLL and WWE with DS8, then he is off for some reading time while I do phonics with DS5.

 

This pattern is a change for us in that I used to clump more of the teacher-intensive time together for DS8.

 

Another thing I learned - for history and science, DS5 insists on having the same material as DS8. As in, he wanted his own student pages of the SOTW AG, even though he might not get as much from them as DS8. I gave in on this one pretty quickly. It was a relatively cheap way to keep him happy during school time!

 

The hardest thing for us has been keeping DS8 from being distracted while DS5 gets to play. We talk about how when he was in K, he had less schooltime and more playtime, but this is small consolation when DS5 pulls out the Legos. So, I have restricted DS5 somewhat in what he can play with while DS8 is working. It doesn't seem fair to DS5, but life isn't always fair, right?

 

Best wishes. Adding a second child to the homeschool mix can be a real change, but ultimately an enjoyable one!

[Emmy]

I start my oldest with some seatwork first thing - he has a list (written out) of all the independent things he can do. I vary it so he isn't writing the whole time or getting too bored. While oldest is occupied I work with Mr. wiggly #1 (my 6yo) and Mr. Wiggly #2 (my 5yo). I basically alternate my attentions to them in 15-20 minute increments. Math with one, then math with the other, reading with one, then reading with the other etc. This usually works pretty well and then I let the wigglies go play or color or build blocks etc when I'm done with them and then I can give my oldest my full attention for the subjects we do together like grammar. Stuff that is all of us - history, read alouds etc, we tend to do after lunch and I allow them to color while I read but typically they don't and like to sit next to me on the couch.

 

It can be a challenge but it works out - I think my best advice is - don't expect your wiggly K kid to sit for longer than 15-20 minutes.

[dcjlkplus3]

This is my first year of mixing them. I have a 2nd grader(7), a kinder(5) and an almost 4 yo old. My oldest has a very particular list. The 5yo has OPGTR and math. The 4yo has nothing scheduled, but does have a huge preschool workbook that he calls his math book. We have tons of puzzles, coloring pages, activity pages, preschool worksheets and tracing pages (letters, numbers and words). We also have a few "school" things, Mighty Minds, unifix cubes (school blocks), flashcards, wipe-off books. These are all things that the little ones can do with minimal instruction. They can do them in school area or even at the table. The oldest likes to read to them, which means they will sit and let her read one of the books on her list to them. My younger two will sometimes listen to history or science, but they always do the maps in history, and love to at least watch the experiments in science - depending on what they are, I even let them help or do them. I bet yours would like that too.

I generally do math with all three at once (the 4yo does his comprehensive curriculum workbook then). I go around the table, get my oldest started - explain and teach her for a few minutes, then the 5yo, then the 4yo. Around and around we go, until they are all finished. I do the 5yo reading lesson at some point when the 7yo is doing her reading (she has 3-4 reading "assignments" each day).

[Nakia]

I have a 3rd grader, K'er, and a very very very active 3 yr old. It can work! I start out with my 3rd grader doing the things she needs help with (while the little ones play). Then I get her started on her math, and I work with my K'er. After dd8 gets done with her math, she goes to her room for her independent reading (or if the 3 yr old is being unusually rowdy, she will entertain her). During that time, I finish up with dd5. That is a good day when things go just right. :D

[workingmom]

so is the wiggler doing "their activities" in the same room as you're trying to teach the older one. while many of you gave great ideas to preoccupy the wiggler, if they're doing it in the same room doesn't it distract the older one, who naturally has more seatwork? if the wiggler is in another room, how are you keeping an eye on him?

[hsingscrapper]

so is the wiggler doing "their activities" in the same room as you're trying to teach the older one. while many of you gave great ideas to preoccupy the wiggler, if they're doing it in the same room doesn't it distract the older one, who naturally has more seatwork? if the wiggler is in another room, how are you keeping an eye on him?

 

Sometimes my little man is in the room with us but as he finishes before older brother, I tend to pop in either School House Rock, one of our science dvds, or let him take his DS upstairs to play so I don't have to listen to it.

 

Heidi

[woolybear]

I tend to pop in either School House Rock, one of our science dvds, or let him take his DS upstairs to play so I don't have to listen to it.

 

Lol...when I read this I was trying to figure out how your ds(dear son) was taking "His DS" (his dear son??) upstairs..... It only took me a minute to get it, but at first I was a bit confused.:lol:

[linders]

Our living room and kitchen are adjacent but separated by a wall. DS8 works in one, DS5 works/plays in another. With me right around the corner, DS5 can't get into too much mischief - I think that extra year of growth between 4 and 5 really helps in that respect!

 

so is the wiggler doing "their activities" in the same room as you're trying to teach the older one. while many of you gave great ideas to preoccupy the wiggler, if they're doing it in the same room doesn't it distract the older one, who naturally has more seatwork? if the wiggler is in another room, how are you keeping an eye on him?

[dcjlkplus3]

so is the wiggler doing "their activities" in the same room as you're trying to teach the older one. while many of you gave great ideas to preoccupy the wiggler, if they're doing it in the same room doesn't it distract the older one, who naturally has more seatwork? if the wiggler is in another room, how are you keeping an eye on him?

 

Yes, but she (dd7.5) needs to learn to do her work even when her brother is distracting her. I'm not being mean - I here _____ is distracting me! many, many times throughout the day (sometimes even when her sister and brother are playing quietly upstairs in their rooms or downstairs in the playroom).

As for how *I* keep an eye on the littles - it is mostly by sound - I have the finely honed skill for differentiating between happy and not so happy sounds (I hear them both a lot).:tongue_smilie: I also feel that at almost 4 and 5.5 I can trust them to play on their rooms or the playroom - they don't play in the bathrooms and only rarely in my room.

[keptwoman]

I have a 4th, K and 9th this year.

I don't heavily schedule what we are doing. I give the children a list of things that they need to do in the day and it's up to them to put them in their preferred order.

Then if it's something that needs my input, I just balance it with what else is going on. Sometimes I suggest they move on to the next thing on their list because I am working with another child, sometimes when they are ready for me is perfect.

 

With DD in K, she does about 20 mins Math, about 30 mins phonics, and some science that takes about 10 or so minutes. So she has plenty of free time which she fills by messing up the house with her toys spread from one end to the other LOL. She really doesn't stop me doing what's needed with the others.

[HSmom25andRN]

I have 5 children ages 12,11,9,5, and almost 2. It is sometimes cray here also but it is well worth it to train the K'er to sit for school time for SHORT intervals. I would start now and do maybe 10 minutes, 2 x's per day and increase it every so often so you work up to maybe 3 sessions of 30 minutes each by next year. Try some hands-on history and science (like the Activity Guide that goes with Story of the World) or whatever suites you. I would also have him listen to read alouds maybe 10 minutes per day while playing with a quiet toy like legos or K'nex. I would reserve the K'nex so that my son could only play with them during read aloud time. I would also make him understand that school time (in small, reasonable intervals) is not an option. It's like brushing your teeth or eating your vegatables. Angela