60-day returns • free shipping on USA orders $129+
Wanting to be at the point of others who have posted…..
- This topic has 23 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 3 months ago by
.
- Posts
The 4.5 year old still has nap time, she falls asleep 2-3 days a week. The 2.5 year old sleeps everyday.
Room time is independant play time. It is 1 hour everyday, dd4 goes in her room gated in with just her baby doll and dress up and books. Ds2 is in a pack n play with 1-2 toys and a couple books. My kids need this time, I can tell if we missed it because tey need their alone time.
I wrote more but it got deleted and I don’t have time to type it right now
@HiddenJewel. Link to CT math, please.
@Nagada. Sounds like your son likes AAS. I really think if you set up a simple daily routine for it (and the rest,) you’d all feel better. Short lessons build a solid foundation over time in all subjects. Habits have to be established to make even hard things work out in the long run.
@Rebekahy. I’m agreeing with your nap suggestion! That’s the only thing that saved me each time we had a toddler in the mix!
@cdm2kk. I like the way you think! Should’ve done some bathroom finger painting! Rats. Missed out on that, but we’ve used the “how ’bout a relaxing bath” in the middle of the day with one of our DC. Helped everyone!!!
@apbeery & apsews. I love the links you’ve shared! Some of my favorites. I’m adding SW style activites and they work well. AO is just a reference at our house, but SO helpful. I like CMHelp better for whatever reason. More approachable for me. Not necessarily in relation to the kids, yet. We do family style subjects, but will likely switch to separate studies next year.
@apbeery have you ever used PLL? I’m considering Queen’s, but have used PLL and ILL with most of my older children, PLL mainly orally. I’m (me) drawn to the pictures in Queen’s, but not sure that’s a reason to switch as they seem very similar and I have PLL. Color versus b&w is a factor, as is the idea of consumable versus having to use paper alongside PLL/ILL. Thoughts?
@Nagada. I feel for you. I was a teacher prior to Homeschooling. (back in the 1900’s, heh.). It was an enormous struggle to overcome grade leveled, “on task/on time” thinking. God will finish what you are starting. Be faithful in your daily attempts. He will teach them through you. 🙂
@curlywhirly. You are So right about habits bringing joy. Without them, it’s quite the opposite!
@Viking. I love your hints on classical music. One thing I’d add is to use calm, quiet pieces for toddler nap/rest time.
It is spendy but it was what seemed the best fit for her at that time.
The biggest obstacle to peace and joy in our homeschool is my youngest daughter! (18months) 😉 I am schooling a 12, 8 and 7 year old. The things that I’ve found the most helpful are-
* established nap times. She does 1 hour in the am (sometimes she actually sleeps, sometimes not, but either way, she’s in the crib for one hour, and 2 hours in the pm.
* utilize meal times for some group subjects-the toddler is contained in a high chair and everyone else is quietly eating, so they have less opportunity to bicker. We do Bible at breakfast and history,science,literature read alouds at lunch.
Hang in there! It’s hard not to worry that you have students who are “behind”, I have that worry too-I have a very good friend that reminds me often, “They are right where they are supposed to be.” 🙂
@TailorMade I have looked at PLL and ILL and they do seem very similar to Queen Language Lessons. I like the ease of consumable, but of course there’s more expense involved. Somehow my mind works more with the flow of Queen LL than with ILL. I wasn’t that thrilled with the “read and discuss other topics” that is part of ILL. Queen does a great job of sticking with just the basics, yet keeping it variable enough to make it interesting. The pictures are neat, although I use SCM’s art portfolios, so I don’t rely on Queen for picture study anyway — just a nice bonus. 🙂
Hi Nagada,
I too think you have heard some great advice. I also think the list you provided of what you are doing is great. I would be sure to limit to 15 or 20 minutes for each lesson. That is a big help for us. When I look at our list of work (I use the SCM Organizer) it looks like a LOT to do in one day. However, if you remain true to your time-block you can achieve a lot.
Don’t fret if you miss something here or there, just pick it back up on the next day you have it scheduled.
I worked on switching to CM over the spring and summer. I used the guide from SCM that helps you plan things out. I can’t say enough about it…it’s like having a friend help you through each step. I just used the guide, not the video but maybe the video would work better for you.
I also watched the All Day Seminar to help me feel more comfortable about “doing it” correctly. I found it comforting and fun to watch.
This year is up and rolling; but don’t feel that you can’t work on this as you go. You already have great resources planned out and are using them. Much of the work is figuring that out. Mostly you can take the planning guide and plug things in. Give yourself the first term of 12 or 14 weeks to work on it. Maybe implement it the 2nd term or even the 3rd. There is no rush, as I see it, because you are already 3/4 of the way there.
My best advice is to give up your concerns to the Lord and let your day unfold. Stick to a time frame and then move on.
Lastly, we are doing Astronomy too. I don’t read it all, just the things that I think they can handle or need to know. So far so good, they have added a lot and we discuss a lot.
Good Luck! Keep us posted!
Thank you all so much! You have all helped.
I changed things a little today. For math, we focused on a sheet of clocks that I had him do orally with me sitting there. He did fine. On our way to gym class, we went through some addition facts. We were working on +1s and he kept confusing it with x1s but we got it.
I have put Rod and Staff spelling aside for now and am going to try SCM’s way of doing spelling (like Spelling Wisdom). If the method works like I hope for the next week or 2, I plan on getting SW Book 1.
I have never been able to determine my boys’ learning styles. Just not something I could pick out. But I think Oldest is Auditory. While out running errands this week-end, he told us about a story he heard on the radio with my Dad (a Sirius laugh-in station) back in June. While he couldn’t articulate the story back to us very well, the fact that he remembered a story he heard once from so long ago lead me to think about things. Perhaps he *is* auditory and that’s why he remembers the facts from TV shows or why he gets frustrated while trying to work and younger brothers are playing. I’ve been praying that God would show me how to teach them. So now I need to explore this and see what I can do. I am more visual than auditory I think. Listening to an audiobook, my mind starts to drift. But I love to read a “real” book. This will be interesting for me. 🙂
I’m sure I’ve missed something I should have replied to. I will be back to read and re-read again.
Again, thank you so much!
- The topic ‘Wanting to be at the point of others who have posted…..’ is closed to new replies.