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3yo – am I doing enough?
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right now, I have just my 3yo daughter, and I work outside the home 2 days/week. She is not at a preschool, and I”m having to defend that a lot now. I’m hooked into a couple of local homeschool groups, which luckily are large and supportive. But, so far I haven’t met anyone who does CM. And while they are all well-meaning, they still encourage me to be doing ‘curriculum’ or ‘themes’ or activities, crafts, printables, worksheets, workbooks, etc. And the thought of all those things makes me hyperventilate!! I tried it once, and neither she nor I liked it.
I printed off the Early Years Guide (for 3, 4, and 5 year olds) and have it posted by my little desk. I look at it dailiy to make sure we’re kind of covering everything – letters, sounds, counting, lots of reading (even poetry!), bible stories. I even put up artists works for her to look at. I do learning activities with her, answer her questions, and take her to various places. I”m really focusing on her behavior and habits, and am chore training her (to me, these are most important). But mostly I just want my little girl to play!! And I want to watch her play!! And sometimes even play with her!!
Am I so wrong? Or crazy? Since I don’t know any CM’ers locally, I just need some encouragement that I’m doing what I should do. That I do not need to start lesson planning week-long curriculums with 15 activities about Dogs (or Cats, or Trees, etc.). I want to enjoy this precious time with her.
Yes, you are absolutely doing enough! I know how hard it can be when you get a lot of pressure for going against the grain…we started our homeschooling journey in a community that pretty much thought all homeschoolers were nuts. Enjoy this time with her…there will be lots of time for more formal learning later.
Jen
I agree. On the AO boards they say NO formal schooling at all until age 6. On here, they do suggest a bit of gentle “schooling” for the early years… but I think it is all agreed at that stage it is mostly according to their interest. Less is More. Less is More. (I have to remind myself of that regularily).
You are right – focus on habits, behaviours, and simple chores. and time for play and to enjoy each other. If you feel the need to add more (which you don’t at this point…) – add in lots of outdoor time and some (very very basic) nature study.
Most of the stuff like letters and numbers can easily be done in day to day life, and not a “lesson”.
thank you thank you for the confirmation!! I have definitely seen already how much she has learned in day to day life – letters, numbers, objects, opposites, and so much more – and we’ve never done a workbook page!! I kept wondering why I should do a dozen printables on the letter ‘D’, when she knows it?
I have recently found a nature center nearby us, and I believe we will be spending lots of time out there. She won’t play outside too much by herself, but she loooooves going to the ‘woods’, and picking up collections and things.
When I’m questioned or criticized, I’ll just keep reminding myself how much sweet, precious, wonderful time we’re spending together 🙂
YES, you are doing enough and being such a blessing to your child! And as the mom of a 21yo, the days pass too quickly. Enjoy these days. They’ll be gone before you know it. Don’t blink…
You are doing exactly what I wish I had done with my oldest right on down to my youngest. I was focused on ps, which is not entirely bad, but I did not focus on what was truly important: spending time together, reading, playing, being outdoors ALOT, cooking/baking…well, you get the idea. You have 2-3 years to worry about “formal” studies, and even then, it should be light, fun, somewhat interest led, quality-based, etc.
Have fun and enjoy every minute!
PS: If I could hit “redo” I would focus on what you are focusing on (among other things) AND be acquiring books along the way that would set up a nice home library for my kids. Just a thought 🙂
my3boys – thanks for more affirmation!! And, I have acquired quite an obsession for old books…..my ‘fun’ time is to scour antique stores, flea markets, goodwill, etc, for great old classic books! I already have a shelf full of books that she can’t read now, but she will someday.
I was shopping with a friend once at a used book store, and I was gleefully skipping along with armfuls of Little House, Anne of Green Gables, Louisa May Alcott, etc. She thought I was nuts, that I should have been grabbing books about Dora, Pooh and Blue’s clues.
Don’t forget learning a handicraft to teach your kids when they get older. I wish I had learned when I had less children and more time to focus. 🙂
I agree with everyone else – now is the time to play and learn through playtime. The last thing you want to do is force your daughter into “formal” schooling and create the audio track “I hate schoolwork” in her head. I started a kindergarten curriculum with my 4-1/2 year old this fall. I thought since we were easing into it and going slowly, it would be fine. I was so, so wrong! She hated school; she hated sitting at the table; she didn’t want to listen to anything I said; we fought and butted heads – then I asked myself, “Why am I doing this?” She wasn’t learning information, but she was learning defiance, anger and resentment. We were both miserable, and I really think that I was robbing her of the play that is her right at this age. I completely backed off, and now she comes every couple days and asks to “do school” with us. We do a few fun, hands-on activiites, and then she’s done. There is so much time to do formal education. Now is the time to play, enjoy each other, set up good habits, and learn from doing. Don’t make choices based on outside pressure – if we want our kids to live what they know is right regardless of peer pressure, we have to set the example first! Hang in there, mama!
suzukimom – yes, and I am totally surprised by this! I *always* thought that I was the lesson-curriculum-textbook-test-printable-craft-workbook kind of mom. I would look at them, ooh and aaah over them, want to buy them all. But somehow, reality has said “no”. so I”m trying to embrace it!
Hm, ME learn handicrafts? I hadn’t thought of that. I”ll have to look at the list again. I can scrapbook and do photography. I”m taking a mosaic class this fall (just for me!)….?
LOL, I used to ooh and aah over a couple of homeschool catalogs, and we have a teacher store here (that has a lot of workbook type stuff, and kits and stuff – been a few times, but way to expensive….)
Now at the teacher store, I look at most of it and go “ugh”. Haven’t looked at a homeschool catalog for a couple of years… so not sure what I’d think if I see them….
Now that said, there are lots of CM types of websites with products that I ooh and aah over…..
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