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Need encouragement . . . lost the fun all the sudden
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Background: kids are ds 12, dd 9, ds 7 – all were in PS until last Jan, when I pulled them. We spent our first semester having fun, deschooling, field trips, math, reading, writing. Read up on CM over the summer and did all the planning, ordered all the books, and began our semester in Sept. We are in week 6.
What’s working: Nature study, artist study, applied arts, music/composer study, applied music, History/Bible (module 1), scripture memory. I also added in Virginia History because we just moved to this state and think we all need to know it – that is going well, they enjoy the readings. And we have a special study going on right now: Jamestown, a colonial historic place that we study for 6 weeks, then take a field trip there. They love this.
The problem: suddenly, things aren’t fun anymore. Our days seems so “school-like” and over-structured. They sigh when they look at their schedules for the day, they race to get done, cut corners wherever they can, and spend 2 hours on art because they love it and are avoiding the other subjects.
I’ve asked more specific questions in another post about each age and subjects, but overall I feel like it’s not what I had planned, you know?
Do I have too much on our schedules, maybe? They have so much guided work, I’m having a hard time making my rounds to help them all. My ds7 needs me for almost everything, dd9 needs me for math, computer skills, and some science. ds12 needs me for grammar, science experiments, and discovering doctrine.
It’s hard to determine if they’re doing too much without seeing your actual schedule; could you post it?
I might add, that life will never be all fun and it’s a very valuable lesson, might I say a Biblical virtue, to learn how to do things you don’t enjoy well and without grumbling. They are at the ages that they need to learn this.
Rachel
they do their chores, then get their “computer time”. This is really a reward for them. It’s what they look forward to doing. They play roblox, webkinz, club penguin, etc. Or they go outside and jump on the trampoline, go exploring in the woods, whittle sticks, or play with neighborhood friends. They play together really well.
Here’s an average day:
Family Studies: Bible/History, Scripture Memory, P.E./Exercise, and either Geography/Virginia History (90 min)
Independent/Guided Work: I rotate through each child with their guided work (2 hrs total) – with a 20 min. outdoor break & snack in middle
Lunch
Family Studies: varies (literature read aloud; poetry; special study; spanish; handicrafts)
Activities: mon-piano; tues-horse riding; thurs-band; other days they have free choice
We are usually done by 1-2:00 PM; but if they are not staying on task, it’s been up to 4-5pm
I understand life is not all fun and games, but it’s important to me for them to be enjoying their day. We are mostly right-brain, creative sort of learners, so I know what it was like trying to learn boring textbook stuff (as a kid) when your brain doesn’t think like that. I’m just looking for some fun ideas to add in.
Thanks,
Diana
What if you combine everyone for science and do the experiments family style. Then, the oldest could have a lab sheet to do on his own. What Grammar do you use, maybe you could switch to a more independent one like Easy Grammar. My 4th grade son does it on his own.
How can you combine art into your other subjects more, this would probably help? Throw some crafts into your geography and bible. For Breakfast make pancakes in the shape of continents. You know at VBS they do snacks that match the bible lesson, try something like that. I know CM doesn’t recommend pointless crafts, but it might be needed to make it fun for some kids. I have had my son take an empty cereal box and wrap it in brown paper, then do his Book report on there for narration. Decorate it and write the summary, list the characters, and so on…
I’ve been thinking about combining for science experiments. My youngest loves them all.
Grammar: ds12 is using Analytical Grammar; dd9 does English for Thoughtful Child 2; ds7 does English for Thoughtful Child 1; dd9 is the only one who can do it independently
I like the idea of adding art into other subjects; I could do that in little ways.
Thank you!
Diana
Hi Diana, Yes, you want to combine as much as possible and the 12 yr. old is old enough to assist at times. Also, I couldn’t quite tell, but are you doing every subject everyday, as a family and independantly? If so, you can reduce what you do every day by alternating subjects through the week.
Also, have you looked into making lapbooks? It’s my understanding that any subject can be turned into a lapbook. There are companies, those I know are Hands of a Child and Homeschool in the Woods Time Travelors series (more notebooking, but lots of activities to go along with history). But from what I’ve read, once you get the hang of, you can do it your self. That would be artsy!
Rachel
my boys love doing things as a family, but dd9 does not. She is especially protective of our science experiment time. Her little brother so badly wants to watch and see her experiments (making circuits with batteries and light bulb), but she gets frustrated with him always wanting to be there. She values the 1-1 time with me. While I understand, it’s frustrating for me.
she also gets frustrated with our family studies that involve me reading aloud (which is several). She is a child who wants to work independently and get things done.
It is my goal this year to get her to enjoy the learning and family time more, so she focuses less on the goal of completion. So I’m still scheduling lots of famiy time, but not sure if I should add any more right now.
We did lapbooks for a colonial study last spring. I loved them and thought it was fun, but the kids didn’t enjoy it much. I think I should read up on them some more and try again. It seems there are many versions.
As for the daily subjects –
Daily: History/Bible, Literature (content varies daily); Math (indiv), Literature (indiv), Science (oldest only)
4 days/wk: VA History, Science (indiv)
everything else is 1-3 days/wk
Diana
Thank you!
Diana
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