Yikes – Need last minute help! Taking over homeschooling completely.

I will be interested in reading responses here as I have a young-6yo and an almost-4yo. I always appreciate inspiration in this area! We have a bin of play-doh things, watercolors, books good for their age (I like Ambleside for ideas—just picked up a big stack of new ones from the library today) and floor puzzles on hand. I include them with the 4 older kids when we do picture study and poetry. They color on the floor while we do Bible. When I really need to focus with the older ones for geography or a history lesson I stick them in front of “One More Story,” an online subscription (totally worth it) where they can “watch” and listen to good quality picture books. I try really hard to not let them watch shows beyond that during the day even if it’s challenging to keep them occupied. They spend a lot of time figuring out their own fun and playing with each other. As your toddler gets older you will likely see more of that. Lots of forts made out of blankets and random disasters.

We transitioned from school to homeschool 4 years ago and it was really hard because I had been used to the older ones going off to school each day while I cuddled with the little ones. I found myself looking at the toddlers as “intrusions” when we had lessons to do. I had to be resolved to not let the special moments with them go away just because the big ones came home. They had their time.

I am wondering the age(s) of the kid(s) you are home educating. My first thought is to encourage as much self-education in the older ones as possible. Say yes when the little ones pull on your hand to go outside and play with them for a few minutes. Insist on a daily Quiet Time no matter what ages they are so that you can have some Mother Culture (see Karen Andreola). It’s good for everybody.

Sometimes spending a bit of cuddle time first thing in the with the littles before you start lessons helps tank them up.

I have never tried to do any “child training”. I think the attachment patenting like found in the Dr Sears books is a much better. Children are much less needy if you are in tune to them and they are attached to you.

I also have never found a strict schedule helps us. We do better with more of a “to do” list. It doesn’t really matter when (math or whatever) gets done as long as it gets done;) For example, my 6 year old read Cowboy Sam to me while I fried hamburgers tonight…

I’ve found that each toddler is different but some things work well with practice (also called habit training). Right now I’m on my 9th 2 year old, with the rest of the kids at these ages: 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, plus I’m due with a baby in January.

First, we have bins with a variety of activities in them kept on shelves in our dining room. These can be all sorts of things: puzzles, playdoh, coloring items, lacing toys, anything Melissa and Doug, math manipulatives, dominoes, paintbrush with water on construction paper, etc.

The habit we teach each toddler is ‘table time’. They learn to sit at the table where I am, in a booster seat that has a seat belt, and play with one bin. We begin with 10 minutes of play. They gradually move to being there up to an hour, with a change of bins once or twice in an hour. At the same time I’m at the table working with other kids as needed.

The rules are simple: They can play with the items or not, but I will not pick up anything they toss on the floor, and they will stay seatbelted there until the timer rings. So if they toss everything they sit with nothing to do. (This is why we begin with just 10 minutes!).

The timer is the boss of MOM and child. I literally set a timer to tell us when to change bins or when it’s time to get down during these early training stages. I tell them what we are doing in a cheerful voice. I smile. I sit at the table too.

Every toddler I’ve had, and 7 of those are boys, has been able to learn this simple habit of playing contentedly at the table for table time. The first few days or week-ish can be loud and distracting for the other kids, but they know that their part of helping the current toddler learn this habit is to work quietly at the table and ignore any fuss.

Once a toddler masters table time for 10 minutes we bump the time up to 15 minutes without comment. When that is easy, it increases again.

Other things:

Feed little tummies! Make sure they aren’t being forgotten.

Read to them for a few minutes before you begin working with the other kids.

Give them things to do down from the table but still in the same room as you if you can’t trust them out of your sight for long. 😉

Talk with them and include them in your chores.

Tristan once again you rock! I take in all you say and wish you wouldn’t stop. I wish in my heart I could be half the Mom you are your awesome! I need to implement these toddler trainings for my little one as well, especially since another baby brother is expected in April.  I could never imagine how you do all you do with your very large family but your awesome! I wish I could pick your brain on a thousand subjects. Quick question since we all are talking about toddlers. Mine never ever sat in a high chair he absolutely despised it from the beginning and doesn’t use one now he sits in a regular chair at the table with us. He is very large for his age and can reach the table on his bottom. So never really forced him into one. What can we do if the toddler doesn’t have it won’t sit strapped into the chair at the table?