Plenty of time out of doors

I don’t know if you’re doing too much or not; would you provide your “schedule”? But briefly, if all you have is a 4 and 6 yr. old, and you’re running into this problem then, yes, doing too much is probably the reason. There really isn’t “school” per se for a 4 yr. old and just barely one for a 6. I don’t know how “rigorous” you’re expecting to make their studies at this age? Also, remember to keep reinforcing to the 4 yr. old who is the parent/teacher, and whose authority she is under by G-d’s determination; as you don’t want to have obedience issues in the area of homeschooling-your days will be a constant battle. 

Outdoor exploration is ‘school’, too. But if you’ll post your studies schedule, maybe I can help.

Rachel

Ok, here is my suggestion…

I’d go outside with everyone in the morning for a couple of hours.  Then I would put the 1 yo down for a nap, and do your schooling while he/she is in the nap.  (I have a 6yo, 4yo, and almost 2yo too…)

So it might look like

9:30 – everyone outside!  Read to 1yo outside…

11:30 – come in and prepare lunch.  6yo and 4yo HELP prepare lunch.

12:00 – Lunch

1:00 – youngest in nap.  Do your homeschool routine until about 2:30  (this is about 15min less than you had…)

2:30 – Everyone helps with chores

3:00 – 1yo up, snack time.  Mom can finish up with some chores (maybe leave any kitchen chores?)

3:30 – outside time until dinner….  They can help prepare dinner too.

I have everyone over the age of 2 help make meals.  My kids (6 and 4) can do most of the work to making eggs (breaking the eggs, stiring, adding some milk, stiring, put in microwave, punch buttons mom says, (mom takes out) – they mix with fork – put back in microwave for a bit, repeat until done.)  and making juice from concentrate (mom has to do some of the mashing…) and pancakes (from a mix mind you).  They can help with sandwiches.  My 6yo has made Mac and Cheese with mom helping.  At supper they mostly fetch ingredients.  Oh, they also peel potatoes and carrots.   It does take more time to start, and it is frustrating at times – but they get so much out of it.

Anyway, that is my suggestion.  It doesn’t give them tonnes of outdoor time, but it does give them a bit more.  I have to admit that my kids only get a couple of hours in good weather, and a lot of the school year here is very cold snowy wintertime, so they don’t get very much then….

I read your post because I too am concerned about fitting in all of the reading, and school things as well as getting plenty of time outdoors.  I have a 4 yr old and 6 yr old (almost 5 and 7) and one thing I thought I’d mention is that I usually let my kids play outside while I am doing certain chores – I can have the back door and windows open and am able to see and hear them from the lvingrm, kitchen, and my bdrm.  I agree that it’s great to have them helping with the chores and food prep, and I know I need to do that more.  I don’t know if that would work for you, or if you would even be comfortable with that…just a suggestion.  

On a side note, I was looking into HOD for next year, but I’ve decided to go ahead and use SCM instead.  The more I read and ask questions on this forum, the more confidence I have to just go ahead and do it.  My dd 6 is finishing out K at a 4 day a week Christian school, and we’ll start hsing this fall.  I got the all day seminar dvds and they have been a tremendous help!  I’m not trying to change your mind – I’ve heard wonderful things about HOD, too…I just thought I’d mention that in case you were thinking about trying it.

I love what suzukimom suggested…I need to try some of those things, too!  🙂

Megan

Well, I know that I posted a suggestion based on the original schedule…  that said, even though our almost-2yo naps in the afternoon, we do our homeschool in the morning too.  Especially now (my husband is around in the afternoon now).

We would do the homeschooling from about 10-12.  (Before we would do a bit of cleaning).  Then lunch.  My 2yo would nap, and the olders would play (in winter) or go outside on their own (in fall/spring)  If outside, they know the rules, and I would check on them a bit.   Then the rest of the afternoon tended to vary…  scouting stuff, nature study, errands, etc.  If we hadn’t gotten to violin practice I’d try to get it done then.  We might (in spring/fall) go to the playground.  (occasionally it would be recess – I always had to watch when recess was called in, as the teachers would try to round my son up with the others.  My daughter must look young enough still.    I could do this stuff because my youngest generally only naps for an hour or two…

Mine are 8, 5, 4, 2, 1.  We do school in the AM and everyone is up at 7.  Letting them laze in bed only works well with a few kids I’ve found, but with 5 I don’t want to be making 5 separate breakfasts, making everyone else wait on someone who is up much later to get ready for family schoolwork (we do most things together) etc.  They go to bed at 8pm and some of mine wake up before 6:15AM on their own, while others still need woken at 7am. 

We eat, do chores, and then get school done.  Then they are free to play, they help make lunch, we do nap/quiet time for the whole house at 1pm.  Outside time is after that and/or after dinner.

In summer things switch.  We go out first thing after chores/breakfast(everyone is still up by 7am).  This is the coolest time of day.  Then we come in for a snack, a little schoolwork, later lunch, later naps.  After naps we do a little more schoolwork while it is way to hot to be outside (last summer averaged in the 90s and up most days.).

Every family is different, so find what works for you and do it.  Don’t get caught up in following what works for someone else’s family. 

Yes, 4 and 6 still don’t NEED any academics.  However, I have a few motivated kids who insist.  My now 4 year old learned her letters and their sounds at age 18 months in one week’s time and pretty much kept on from there.  Her brother (now 5) is the opposite, deciding he’s too busy doing to slow down for ‘school’ much – and that’s okay too!  The now 2yo is usually participating.  The 8yo is the only one I actually have to homeschool by law in my state.  The rest are below the age statute.  However, we learn as a family with lots of reading aloud and play, homeschool is just a part of life, why try to separate it out and not allow the younger children to join in if they want to?