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CM with many children????
- This topic has 9 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 9 months ago by
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How do you moms with many children juggle the different books for literature , personal development, etc. ? It makes my head spin just thinking about it.
I only have 3 kids (11, 7 and 4) and now that we have gently converted over to this method I find it much easier to keep track of what we’re doing. Plus I use binders, lots of binders, page protectors, book lists, dividers and crates (for library books, and family subjects like science and their own grade level work).
I have been hsing for almost 4 years (still kind of a newbie in comparison to some) and have felt the most content with this method. It has taken awhile to digest it all and I’m still working on it, but I certainly feel like I have a clear picture for our future, that I didn’t have before or even knew I could have.
One of the reasons that I was drawn to the CM method is for exactly that reason, you can do CM with MANY children. There are so many subjects that you combine their learning for – it makes it much more manageable than have a pile of textbooks for each child and feeling scattered because they are all on different topics. You don’t mention how many children you have or hold old they are, but you can really keep most of the younger children together for literature and read it aloud to them, the middle school aged children can even help with the reading aloud, many of the literature stories for even the youngest children will hold the attention of everyone AND still have amazing vocabulary for the older ones.
There’s also a DRASTIC difference between Simply Charlotte Mason and other CM programs/websites. I have found some of the other websites to be overwhelming when considering implementing their schedules with a number of children, while SCM is achievable and well-balanced, plus you can always use those other resources to supplement if you have extra time.
You CAN do it. There’s lots of moms that do, and I’m sure more will chime in, but of course the ones with the most children are spending the least time online, so you should keep checking back.
Rebekah
For Literature, choose one book as your family read-aloud to share together. Then if you want to, you can assign more Lit books to your grades 10-12 students as independent reading.
The Personal Development books listed for grades 1-6 can be read aloud to all the children in those grades. Just choose one per year to read through slowly. Students in grades 7-12 can read their Personal Development books independently and then discuss/narrate with you. Each year lists only one book so you will have time to spread out the readings or assign one student to do his/her Personal Development reading during Term 1, another during Term 2, etc.
Does that help any?
I read this post and really had the same question. I’m new to this group and not homeschooling (yet!) I really like what I’ve read so far about CM. I’m halfway through CM’s first book. BTW, my kids are almost 7, 5, & almost 4. I was wondering if I could just read the literature to all of them. Although I don’t really think the youngest would understand too much. I tried reading Aesop’s fables and my oldest didn’t really understand. I explained it to her and then asked her to narrate it to me. Which I’m not sure is actually correct. Thanks for listening
The SCM suggestions are simply a starting point of books to read aloud and enjoy as a family. Personally, we always have a family literature RA going and my 9yo has at least 2 going at a time. My 6yo is learning to read and has his little lesson daily. I choose all of the literature from a collection of booklists.
Currently…
- Family RA – On the Banks of Plum Creek
- 9yo selections – Misty, Stormy’s Foal and Frederic Chopin, the Early Years
- 6yo – I RA from Aesop daily & he narrates. I RA a good children’s book to enjoy, today Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel. Quite often we read more or from a chapter book, but this is today. He reads the lesson out loud from Alpha-Phonics and reads a Nora Gaydos reader out loud to me.
- almost 3yo – I RA whatever she asks for or that I pick from the myriad of picture books we own.
There have been recent threads re. book options with many booklists shared. Do a search and you’ll get plenty to choose from. Also, don’t forget the bookfinder.
HTH,
Christie
We have lots of children and what works the best for us is to catch the older ones at a meal time. I try to keep a missionary bio going at breakfast, along with our Bible reading. Lunch is another opportunity to rotate through a couple of subjects during the week. I have another read aloud time that is geared toward the junior high and down.
Blessings,
Cindy
Okay, I just reread the question and see that the topic is literature. Sorry about the additions to my post:) I’ll chime in later.
Thank you so much for all the help. All the posts have been helpful!! Yes SCM seems to be the easiest for me to navigate. I have been checking some others and they have really made my head spin. I’m a box checker or list maker by birth. 🙂 I am desperately trying to not have to conform to someone elses list or box. I love what I’ve been reading and want to go this route. I believe it will be an answer to prayer for our family!! I just need to relax and realize that I can pick what will work best for our family. Thanks again!!!
Oh, my children are 11, almost 9, 7, 2 and 8 months. We have been all over the map with homeschooling and resources. Nothing has seem to really fit for us. We love books and have mostly done real books and not many textbooks. But as far as programs we just can seem to find the one that works for us. We do better when I come up with our own plan. But lets face it, that takes time… lots of time. 🙂
Although, I checked out the SCM planner and WOW it looks awesome. As soon as I get my plan semi in order, I am definetly going that route!!! That must have been hard work and lots of time!!! Thanks SCM!!!
I could’ve written the same as you did, Nina, without the two extra blessings, of course. And, we have been “all over the map with homeschooling and resources”, as well, and I have said those very words to several other friend’s of mine. I finally feel like I have some concrete direction and something that I can work with or modify without ending up “all over the map” again.
I have received some of the best suggestions and reviews from this site and have found it to be a blessing to my family. Blessings to you and your family:)
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