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New and Doubting!
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Hello! I am new to Charlotte Mason, and would like some feedback on how to fit this ideal into real life! I have a 6 year old, 4.5 yr old and a 1 yr old. I am currently doing Year 1 on Ambleside Online with my eldest and also using Christian Light for Math and Reading/LA. Year 1 is… going. We are on week 7 and I feel like much of the readings go over my daughters head. She isn’t interested and therefore doesn’t pay attention as well and has difficulty narrating. The poetry, picture study, music and nature study is all wonderful though. I’m wondering if I should plug along with the books or maybe switch to something more Simply Charlotte Mason?
Another thing, actually this is a big thing, my 1 year old is very high needs. He cries a lot and has difficulty taking naps. As a result, I find myself unable to complete all the read alouds. If I give my 6 yr old work to do on her own, she does well with that while I tend to the baby (for example, the copywork and Christian Light stuff). She can read Aesop, poems and books like Paddle to the Sea to herself, but the others require me to read them to her as they are either too long or intimidating. Is there a way to make her schooling more independent yet still Charlotte Mason? Are there better books out there for her reading level? I’m starting to doubt myself in even being able to accomplish what I have set out to.
While at a friends’ house, she went on and on about all the fun things they are doing with their weather study, art and unit studies. It makes me reconsider what I am doing because I haven’t had time to do anything fun or extra outside of the main studies. I don’t want my 6 yr old to “miss out” on those fun aspects and I need ideas on how to incorporate it.
As long as I did it right, this is an article on AO about Y1:
readiness. http://amblesideonline.org/Yr0wait.shtml
You *could* schedule the riches, or fun activities you want to do first, then work on the “curriculum.” I would really try as much as you are able to get those riches in daily and beginning your day with poetry, art or nature study could set the tone for the rest of the day. And, at six, the studies should be short, ending before interest is lost, and begin again the next day. If your child enjoys audio books, I know many on AO can be found at librivox.com.
Have you asked her to draw a scene from the readings? Her narrations don’t need to be full length but maybe a drawing or Lego creation and then her telling you about the scene from the reading. And, I know it’s challenging, but alternating the list for the day is really helpful, as well.
My dc are much older than yours and we still have to purposefully add in the riches or it all becomes academics without the delights.
We are really enjoying AO this year so I don’t have any recommendations for changing your curriculum but if that is what you want to do, please do it! You may find that there is a lot of overlap between them but just substituting one or two of the readings may help.
HTH. I’m sure others will chime in or already have since it’s taken me a half hour to get this typed. 🙂
6 is still quite young, with plenty of time to learn. Though I have to used AO my understanding is that it is advanced so many use a year behind. For example using year 1 in 2nd grade.
Doing a full history program in 1st grade is not necessary. It was hard for me to “let go” when my oldest was in 1st 🙂 We did SCM Early American/World when my oldest was in 1st and most books she really enjoyed and the few that were a bit over her head I let go of and it was a great year 🙂 it was hard letting go though 🙂
You could swap out AO books if some are not enjoyed with out redoing everything 🙂 You could look through SCM history guides for suggested books from the time period, Beautiful Feet also has great suggestions, I look there for other book options.
Oh and narrations don’t have to be long and involved. Like mentioned above. You could just have her tell you, let her draw a picture, act it out… Narration grows as the child grows up 🙂
When my oldest was in 1st her littlest brother was 1, and he was a tough baby. I saved reading aloud until he was either napping or eating. I found that reading aloud and doing hands on things actually worked best around meal time because he was occupied.
Oh and as far as independent… my kids don’t really take off independent until 3rd grade, and even then I read a lot 🙂 Currently I read history family read aloud, science book, and family fun book (just finished Black Beauty). My oldest has independent history (and listens in on family) and my 2 older kids read books out loud to me as well. Lots of reading out loud, LOL
It took me a while to understand how involved I was to be, especially K-5th, but now I like it a lot. I am learning so much 🙂 They do there more independent things, math, copy work…, but I get to relearn History and Science, read poetry, learn about artists… It is fun! The kids are learning together and I will hear their conversations, or while playing, talking about something the learned in science or playing a scene they heard me read in a book.
It seemed hard at first, I was the “center” and with my youngest a tough little guy, it was difficult but each year got easier and more enjoyable. Now with 5th, 3rd and Kinder I am really seeing the “fruits” of a CM education. Even my DH will comment on how the kids tell him about what they are learning and he tells me “I don’t remember anything from elementary school or having fun learning, they are learning and having fun”
I don’t use AO but I am familiar with it. I also had a high needs baby/toddler and it made school so difficult! She didn’t nap regularly so school during nap wasn’t an option. So believe me-I get! I have a 6 yr old (and 2 older and younger than that). This is my advice.
AO is not the only CM option. If it isn’t working for you right now that’s ok. It might be a better fit next year. I would suggest A Delectable Education (ADE) podcast or reading CM’s works for yourself.
From my understanding CM believed you start where the child is and build from there. So shorten lessons, drop the harder books, go a bit slower. It will truly be ok. It will be better for her to give full attention to one or two things now and add to those as the year progresses. If a book doesn’t work-drop it.
You can definitely do this! You just have to be willing to adjust to what works for your family-not what some curriculum tells you you should be doing.
A CM education isn’t about checking boxes.
I love the age/stage where you are at. Truly, it is so exciting to be at the beginning with only little ones and 1 school age. However I also know it is exhausting if we are aiming for formal school work with only young ones. I’m still in the young ones stage and have been for 15 years! Ha! Right now my kids are 15, 11 (almost 12), 10, 8, 7, 5 (almost 6), 4, 3, 10mos. So I still have those little ones under the Kindergartener, one of which is still a baby.
I have not used AO. I have done unit studies before and enjoyed them, but like anything, you can try to do too much and burn out your child and yourself.
My ideal for a just starting out family in your ages/stages is picture books to enjoy and 1 read aloud chapter book at some point in the day. Then lots of time playing and living alongside momma ‘helping’ you. If you want something that has already done a lot of the brainstorming for you of lesson ideas/things to explore related to a picture book then I highly recommend Five in a Row. You read 1 picture book several days in a row and the explorations branch out from the book. For example they may be counting and adding/subtracting ducks in A Story about Ping, learning a little about ducks or China, imitating the art material used (did they use pen to draw, or colored pencil, or paint?), play with sinking and floating things for science, use tangrams to make a duck or pattern blocks, look at the words used to describe things and play with describing words (how would you describe a feather? a rock? your favorite toy? a duck? the boat in the book?).
Ack! Now I want to do some FIAR with my littlest guys….
(At my stage with so many older kids we just include younger ones in the older kids’ history/science when they are interested.)
I loved “Picture Perfect Childhood” for our early years. It has a year long plan of both picture books and longer books that covers all the topics of the “feast.” My library has most of them too. It offers a plethora of books without overwhelming you. It’s enough to whet her appetite for sure!
Narration takes practice. If you start a dialogue it can naturally lead into a narration from her without being so formal. But remember that every book does not need to be discussed and can be simply enjoyed.
This should allow for time to pursue some hands-on stuff for all to enjoy. Collecting leaves, acorns, visiting a pond/stream, feeding ducks, hiking, bird feeder/observing, looking for bugs under rocks…
You mentioned LA and I don’t know what that includes for her but she’s young for that. I believe you can focus on her reading and that is enough.
Just sharing some of the truth, beauty, and goodness that has blessed our homeschool.
I could not read all the responses so maybe somebody else already said that but something that might help could be audiobooks.
I definitely would not push through if a book is over a child’s head.
Most AO books were just too much for us.
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