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Those with younger and older kids
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Hi there,
I’m really struggling with our homeschooling. We travel quite a bit and take our books with us. But when we are home, I have such a hard time homeschooling my youngest (she’s 5 yrs old) because I’m so focused on the olders and on working on the house, cooking, etc…
I have 3 olders (13, 11, 11 yrs old) and we all do Bible together (ideally with hymn study, poetry, memory work, Latin review) and we do TQ history. I also do another read aloud during the day.
I can’t even tell you with what, but my mornings are pretty busy helping my husband out the door (at a different time every morning), and just putting out little fires. My children do their chores, but I find that I’m continually having to check on each of them to see if they are doing what they are supposed to. My 5 yr old has floated around the day, playing, coloring, sitting in on our Bible time and some read alouds. At some point during the day I put on PBS or a video for her while I work on Roman history with the others.
I went through some type of funk a few weeks ago that I was absolutely burned out of homeschooling. I was repulsed to even think of reading aloud, reading history, or teaching my 5 yr old to read. She’s a much busier student than my others and doesn’t seem ready for lessons (she’s highly distractable). But she’s very bright and very demanding of my attention or a video. We did take a week off last week for spring break and that has helped. We’re also planning on going to our state homeschooling convention (FL) and I pray that the Lord will use it to renew to me the joy of homeschooling again.
Sometimes I just long to keep house and be just a Mommy. You know what I mean? I’ve been homeschooling 9years and this year was the worst case of burn out I’ve ever had.
We are not going to give up homeschooling, it is a calling for our family. It’s just my flesh that fighting me.
But maybe there are other ways of homeschooling and juggling a younger one than I’ve considered. I’m thinking of maybe having my 13yr old work with the 5 yr old for reading lessons? I do try to read aloud from our stash of FIAR books (but can’t seem to do the FIAR activities with her) and other books of her choice. I’m planning on getting Math U See Alpha for her too for math since she’s very hands on. But I would appreciate any ideas for jugggling the different ages and for some words of understanding from those of you who have had similar feelings.
MANY Blessings,
Betty
First off, I want you to know you are not alone. 🙂
I have three boys (11, 9, 8 ) and a girl (4). What curriculums are you using exactly? Maybe we could help you pair down or group kids.
We use the timer a lot. I try to keep the kids at their best attention levels and it is different for each one. If a child is really focusing when the timer dings they are done with that work for the day. They get 10 minutes of free time and then on to the next thing. Even with four kids we get math, latin, handwriting, Queen’s LL, piano, Simply Spelling, Bible with narrations, and history reading all done before lunch. I have my 2 hours of mommy time while they play outside after lunch. I read their read alouds before they go to bed.
My kids all do Queen’s LL and Sonya’s Spelling Wisdom. We also do an occasional written narration. These things have helped me so very much. My four year old LOVES her book and she also is loving Dekodiphukan (decode-if-you-can) a free phonics program you can find through google. Often my older boys will read to her when they have free time too. Really, at 4 or 5 you don’t have to do that much–especially with the youngest. Mine can conjugate amo and others just by hanging around. 🙂 We enjoy FIAR too, but we just read out of the basket since I don’t have time to plan hands on things.
Hang in there. It sounds like you might need a nice date night. 🙂
Date night??? What’s that?
We use Queen’s LL, Spelling Wisdom, Teaching Textbooks, and assigned reading. We have really dropped the ball with Latina Christiana. I read aloud for history and a fiction book, per day (ideally) and we do Bible and memory work and hymn study daily (ideally).
My little one, I was using Reading Made Easy to teach her to read. It worked well with the other three, but she’s just too busy for it. I’m going to be ordering some of the little books from starfall.com I just seem to have forgotten what to do with a 5 yr old. My brain is more geared to jr. high right now.
I can’t tell you all that I do in the morning, but I know I stop to check email in between tasks, and just putz around putting out little fires all day. Some of the children lag with chores till I figure it out and get on top of them. I just need to organize my time better and some fresh ideas. I need the Lord to breath life back into our schooling (at least for me) again. The kids aren’t complaining.
You sound like me three months ago. 🙂
We travel a lot and have moved for the miltitary 12 times since 2002. With so much activity I did get burned out.
Have you watched Sonya’s All Day Seminar? I bought this recently and it really inspired me. I felt all happy to get back in the groove. It was just what I needed.
Your curriculum sounds wonderful. I spread Latina Christiana over two weeks now that we are nearing the end and vocab is catching up with us. Here is what I do:
Monday: Copy new lesson
Tues: watch the DVD lesson
Wed: Copy the lesson again
Thurs: Copy yet again
Friday: Listen to cd
Monday: Listen to cd
Tues: vocab cards (all of them)
Wed: vocab cards again
Thursday: workbook page
Friday: Quiz sheet (back of teacher’s guide)
This has made my kids know the lesson so well they are bored with it, but they do know their stuff. We are going to use First Form when it comes out next fall. I guess it will have lots of worksheets to help with mastery.
HTH 🙂
DATE NIGHT? Isn’t that in fairy tales?
I totally am in the same place you are Betty. It’s hard when you are repulsed at the idea of having to do those things that at other times have brought joy. We have 3 children ages 18, 11 and 8. My mind bounces about trying to find balance and harmony with respect to academics, responsibility training and maintenance, all the while putting out the fires of sibling rivalry and disrespect toward me that comes from their rivalry. AND at the end of the day, being ‘fresh and welcoming’ for my husband who arrives home around 8:30pm. (He leaves at 6:15 am) The last few weeks I have prayed that God would take away my desire to homeschool if it truly wasn’t His will for us because “hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12) and my heart is sick!!
We jest about date night, but I think the husband/wife relationship really is a key to homeschooling being a joyful journey versus a burden. I can’t seem to find a godly “older woman” (as referenced in Titus 2)as an example for me or who can help me when things aren’t quite right. The churches we’ve been in aren’t really doing a good job of this either. I would welcome anyone (older OR younger) to shed some light on this topic as they feel led by the Spirit. Maybe I’m one of few that struggles in this area, and maybe there’s not a need, but I would love to see a separate “Main Theme” section in the forum for this.
mj
Betty,
I understand where you’re coming from. I have three boys – ages 13, 8 & almost 2. I understand the frustration of the different ages and being on totally different playing fields. What has helped me out alot this year has been to release my 13yo to be responsible for his own school work and do it independantly. This has set him free to not have to “wait” for mom or brothers to get their act together. I still like to readaloud at breakfast and lunch time but other than that, he’s on his own. Having him work independantly has also freed me to work with my 8yo and keep track of the toddler. I’m not sure where you’re at with this but it has been a burden releaser for me.
You are not alone – Gods grace is sufficient. What He has called you to; He will equip you for. I pray that the JOY of the Lord will be your strength…….
MJ,
Have you ever read the book “Created to Be His Helpmeet” by Debi Pearl?? She is an “older women” who has greatly encouraged me and may encourage you as well. Her message is that the joy of husband/wife relationship is MOST important in all aspects of home life including homeschooling.
May the Lord Himself bring balance to your day and peace to your heart….
Heather
Hi Betty, I’ve had times like this over the years. I’ve HS for 11 plus years and have 7 boys and a daughter ages 2-20. So, I have quite the mix. When times like these hit-we vacation! Museums, zoos, day trips,hiking, starting our garden (right now). Giving yourself permission to skip a few days is really fine. Read some books for your pleasure at night without thinking about what you will teach the next morning. I find it restores my sanity. The beauty of HS is you make your own rules. Have fun with your children a bit. Sometimes i just am mommy and not teacher and its a relief. Now, I do love HS and wouldn’t trade it but real (as in school) teachers get lots of breaks, we can have some.
As for your five year old, she is so young, why rush things. Your older children can each read her a story book during the day. I also make time with my 4 year to do some of the easy Hands of A child lapbooks. He loves that time. Start teaching her letter sounds. I use Speel to write to read by Sanseri. 5-10 minutes a day. Maybe evening daddy can read her a bunch of story books at bedtime. My DH is only home on weekends but each night I read many books with my little ones and my 12 and 14 yr old clean up after dinner. Give yourself a breather. Blessings, pamela
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