Claire
Member
My children are doing more and more independently - reading by themselves and then writing narrations versus orally narrating to me. Has anyone found this a little "hands off" feeling? What do you do during these independent times? I know this probably seems ridiculous but our first year we were so *together* (so much was done orally) and now ...
In middle school CM are students primarily working independently?
MelissaB
Member
Umm, take a bubble bath and eat bon bons of course!
Actually I'm not there yet because I have a first grader, but my other three do a lot independently. I'm guessing I'll plan dinner and do other homemaking tasks during the snippet of them working independently.
Bookworm
Member
Well, mine work mostly independently but somebody always seems to want me to narrate to or bounce ideas off or look at their paper or help them when they're stuck with a calculus problem or listen to their new song or just talk, or I'm fiddling with the laundry, or frantically trying to read up on one's physics lesson so I can grade their papers better, or trying to figure out what to use for American history next year, or . . . How do I sign up for bubble baths and bonbons??
houseofchaos
Member
It's pretty busy here - even the independent workers need plenty of interaction (which I love) - and we just had our ninth baby! I don't forsee any bubble baths and bonbons in the near future.... I feel privileged if I have privacy in the bathroom....
:-D
jmac17
Member
Ha! I'm with you houseofchaos! Oh to have some privacy. Last night I actually did have a bubble bath (no bonbons though) because I wasn't feeling well. I put the kids to bed and then tried to relax and steam away this cold. In the middle, however, I had to get out to let 2yoDD into the bathroom because she needed to go and can't open the door herself. Sigh.
Joanne
MelissaB
Member
Honestly, even on those rough days, I remind myself of the season I'm in. Some days I get frusterated that I don't get any time of my own, but I'm going to blink and they'll all be grown up. I don't mind they are not 100% independent (maybe that will change years from now), but even my 8th grader still needs my help with some things. It's my job, I'm their teacher. I am not sure how much idle time I'll have once they are all independent. It seems like years from now since my youngest is in 1st.
Claire, I miss the interaction of the earlier years too....not that we don't still have interaction, it is just different. I'm still adjusting. 
I do review her math and English as she finishes so corrections can be made if needed and I read written narrations on the spot too so I can encourage her in her work. Sometimes we have discussions after an oral narration....but I do miss the days of doing more together.
Right now while dd is working independently, I'm trying to use the time to write/blog, read ahead or preview books and prepare for next year....plus do chores and such. Sometimes I crochet (which I just learned to do this school year....) So it's a mix of things.
-Kim
Claire
Member
It is a constant adjustment. I like to think of home schooling as "liquid" then I'm not shocked by all the forms it can take, how much it morphs and changes or the power it has! I know there are a few more subjects they could really read on their own and narrate on their own but we like being together. I really enjoy their company so when we work together we get the time to talk during/afterwards and it seems like we all benefit. I do the same things you do ... putter a bit around the house, read myself, think and plan for things coming up ...
Bookworm
Member
You know, there are things I miss from younger days, too, when we'd all curl up on the couch and do history together. I miss it. BUT there are compensations. And I don't mean extra time (I haven't really found any of that yet ) Last week we all ended up sitting in the living room watching a political debate together, having fun alternately cheering and jeering, and then we stayed up way too late discussing the candidates and positions and what we really neeeded to do in the country--it was wonderful. Parenting teens is hard at times, and you do miss the jammies-and-teddies stage, but it has its own joys. I really don't feel less close to my children now--just close in a different way. It is SO FUN seeing them turning into the people they are becoming. There are so many things we can share now that we couldn't before because they were so young. It is such a delight to see them turning into . . . grown up people we enjoy spending time with. I no longer tuck my boys in or hear their prayers at night--I miss that. But on the other hand, I've gained young men who want to check in with me before they go to bed (usually sooo much later than *I* want to go to bed!) and tell me about their days and what they are thinking and who they want to be and what they did with their friends or what they've just learned about prayer . . . on their own--and it's just as dazzling and wonderful in its own way as snuggling sweet-smelling just-bathed little ones when you tuck them in.
simple home
Member
Bookworm, It's refreshing to see over the other side of the fence with older kids. Thanks for sharing, My oldest son is 12, and I pray to have similar experiences with him in just a few short years! :)
Claire
Member
Bookworm you are so right! I am just enjoying my children so much lately. I think when I wrote this post I was thinking some of how we are in a stage of change. My son is now 9 and my daughter 11. They are developing and changing and becoming more and more every minute almost. Sometimes it's a little painful ... emotions, physical growing pains, or adjusting to a new format for our days/our CM. All in all though I am just in awe of them both right now. I loved their baby and elementary stages but this is so much more fun to me. Maybe because I can't turn back the clock? But talking with them after watching a really good Nova program or listening to the news together ... at this stage of the game the conversations are so rich and I love hearing their intellectual sides come bounding forward eager to share.
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