Homeschool with a baby? Yes, it presents about the same likelihood as taking a family vacation to Mars, teaching your dog to talk, or abolishing Santa Claus. Depending on the temperament of your baby, and the number of non-reading children who need instructions read to them during homeschool— you are in for one unique experience. This is tough stuff!
Given a choice of every Fisher Price toy ever manufactured, my darling 9-month-old Louisa won’t give them a second look. Instead she somehow wheedles her way up onto one of our laps as we sit at the school table. Before anyone can bat an eye, she has lunged into the coin box we use for math with great gusto. Nickels and dimes are flying everywhere. Then, even though we all frown and make spitting sounds so she definitely knows better, she eventually sneaks one in her fat little cheeks. Frantically, we promptly scoop up all the coins and before I can get the lid on the box, she has dumped the crayons and is grinning with bright blue crayon stuck in between her two little budding teeth. Why can’t the girl just play with baby toys while we do math?
On the other hand, having a baby around (even during homeschool) is sweetness and pure delight! What a refreshing perspective they bring to education. After all, their every move is to learn to master and manipulate and explore the world around them. They crave learning! They work at it constantly and never seem to need a recess from it. My little one is trying to learn to take her first step. Does she moan and complain about it? Of course not. She tirelessly persists day after day until she has mastered the skill. Learning is exciting! What a perfect example of the correct attitude towards education!
One homeschool lesson I have learned well: babies just don’t stay little. I know from repeated experience that this is just a very brief time and we want to cherish every delightful moment. Her learning is just as important as the rest of the children’s. Besides, it really makes math more fun!
May I recommend:
