Thursday, September 29, 2011
"Being Realistic"... about Homeschooling with a Toddler
Hmmm, my schedule isn't working!! Our days look nothing like the amazingly worked out plans I posted weeks ago!!
I think it's because my plans were "goals" ... and they really didn't fit our routine!!
And while I had hoped Nate would LOVE some individual time playing with his awesome older siblings...
he had high hopes of "doing school", too :)
And so instead of playing with the older sibling assigned to play with him, he stuck with the kids schooling... stealing pencils, writing all over himself with markers, standing on the school table, trying to eat calendar magnets.... toddler antics galore!!
So we're tweaking.... after 4 weeks of fighting it... we tried something new:)
And so far, last week and this week, it has been working well:)
Schooling pretty much finished before lunch, kids learning, happy or napping toddler....
and a less frazzled mom!!
Since Anna is the 1st one usually ready to start school.... I start with her:) Makes sense! I can get all her core work (that needs my individual attention) done in that first hour while the others finish chores and play. And before they get wild, Anna and I are finished and ready to include everyone;)
One of my goals was to start teaching Nate to be quiet while we did a devotion or reading time. By having him settling down in his crib while we work on memory verses, prayer, Bible reading and reading from The Book of Virtues (on Friday).... he is content, listening quietly, CONTAINed ;) and learning to listening quietly:) I was amazed how quietly he usually listens.... it has been working well... just need the older ones to stay focused and still :/
Those were the two biggest changes;)
And it's been working wonderfully:)
It's funny how the coolest "plans" can be made, but the ones that usually work the best are the obvious ones that come out of the normal flow of our day;)
I should mention that I'm saving the other plans;) Seems like once Nate gets a little older to realize siblings WANT to read and play with him and he doesn't nap as long in the AM...
we'll have to go back to man-to-man defense with him;)
Also, totally submitting this to You Capture for the bright green PJs and ugly green wipe turned marker box;)
I think it's because my plans were "goals" ... and they really didn't fit our routine!!
And while I had hoped Nate would LOVE some individual time playing with his awesome older siblings...
he had high hopes of "doing school", too :)
And so instead of playing with the older sibling assigned to play with him, he stuck with the kids schooling... stealing pencils, writing all over himself with markers, standing on the school table, trying to eat calendar magnets.... toddler antics galore!!
So we're tweaking.... after 4 weeks of fighting it... we tried something new:)
And so far, last week and this week, it has been working well:)
Schooling pretty much finished before lunch, kids learning, happy or napping toddler....
and a less frazzled mom!!
Since Anna is the 1st one usually ready to start school.... I start with her:) Makes sense! I can get all her core work (that needs my individual attention) done in that first hour while the others finish chores and play. And before they get wild, Anna and I are finished and ready to include everyone;)
One of my goals was to start teaching Nate to be quiet while we did a devotion or reading time. By having him settling down in his crib while we work on memory verses, prayer, Bible reading and reading from The Book of Virtues (on Friday).... he is content, listening quietly, CONTAINed ;) and learning to listening quietly:) I was amazed how quietly he usually listens.... it has been working well... just need the older ones to stay focused and still :/
Those were the two biggest changes;)
And it's been working wonderfully:)
It's funny how the coolest "plans" can be made, but the ones that usually work the best are the obvious ones that come out of the normal flow of our day;)
I should mention that I'm saving the other plans;) Seems like once Nate gets a little older to realize siblings WANT to read and play with him and he doesn't nap as long in the AM...
we'll have to go back to man-to-man defense with him;)
Also, totally submitting this to You Capture for the bright green PJs and ugly green wipe turned marker box;)
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4 comments:
I'm glad the new plan is working! LOL at Nate getting involved in school. My sister's little one also likes to wreck havoc during school time. Poor Matthew has a really hard time concentrating when Andy is running off with his stuff!
Glad your plan is working. Nate does seem to be having an impressive amount of nap time. From recent experience(!), it may be worth planning for when he drops his long morning nap.
We have found that plenty of time reading aloud to our toddler has helped keep him occupied and less destructive-not always easy to balance with home educating other children!
Your schedule for Nate looks almost exactly like my schedule for my 19 month old. The only difference is the pack and play is in her room. She is content though, so I haven't seen any reason to try to change her schedule. Though sometimes I feel guilty that she spends so much time by herself.
I want to read this further, but we are struggling with home school schedule big time because we have one crawler one toddler and adn a three year old. All of whom are on the immature side and if they are "contained" they just scream. Won't work AT ALL.
I am finding myself giving up some days all together and waiting until all three boys are asleep at 8pm so the daughter and I can work for an hour or two in quiet. This year is gonna be tough...
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