Question:I have been homeschooling for four years, most of which have been enjoyable. I have four children, 14 months to 11 years old. This year the children complained of mother’s “grumpies” and not having the one-on-one time they were used to before the baby. Lately, rather than being a joy, the day seems more of a struggle to get everything done (school work, practice, etc) around the baby’s schedule.
Not too many people like the word “chores”, but oh, they can be wonderful! They are the best teacher you’ll ever find! They teach a host of skills and virtues such as self-control, “stick-to-it”-ness, joy in accomplishment, problem-solving, perseverance, and the work ethic. Plus, they lighten many a tired mom’s load.
I need help! My toddler is so demanding, and takes up much of my attention and time, that I am having trouble homeschooling my other children.
It’s tough—I sympathize!
Having a bin of interesting toys for your toddler to play with on the floor while you are reading aloud or teaching can buy you some time. Rotating the toys (so your little ones expects to find something new in the bin) helps keep interest. Something they have to manipulate works well and keeps them busy longer. My favorites are Stacking Pegs and the Toddler Tote. A ramp racer is a good one too!
Puffer Fish
We need to keep going with homeschooling, but I sure am in need of a break? Have any ideas, short of stopping school?
Have you ever tried doing a “Favorite Subject Immersion Week”? It is really a fun break for everyone! [Read more…]
Question:All my kids do is complain, whine, and try to get out of school work. Any advice?
Your job is to find the best resources and methods to teach the information in a fun and interesting way that captivates their interest. Are you doing your job?
Your children’s job is to obey you, be grateful for your efforts, have a good attitude and do their work without whining. Are they doing their job?
Working on a quilt with my daughter Julianna
Years ago, I made a list of all my duties I was attempting to keep up with—which can be voluminous when you are a young mother! It looked something like this:
Nurse the baby
Wash the clothes
Fix meals
Keep the house clean
Do errands for Daddy
Take kids on field trips or outings
Play with the little ones
Do my church job
Take a child on a one-on-one date
Wash the dishes
Look pretty and fresh
Clean the bathrooms
Take kids to the park or playground
Buy groceries
Read aloud to the kids
Bake homemade bread
Sew costumes or special clothes for the kids
Play games with the kids
Help kids have parties with their friends
Take walks with the kids
Make Daddy’s favorite meal
Mend the clothes
Go shopping for clothes
Teach kids homeschool
Go on a date with Daddy
Make a meal to take in to the sick
Read the scriptures with kids
Make treats
Not overwork myself
Sit and talk with Daddy
Talk with kids one-on-one
Garden
Have other families over
Cook healthy food from scratch
Go to bed on time
Help Daddy make financial decisions
Drive kids to their activities
Teach a class for the kids and their friends
Make holidays special
Help neighbors
Have dinner ready when Dad gets home
Toys are the tools of little ones! I learned in college how stimulating a child’s brain led to higher intelligence, so I always wanted to have as many as good toys as possible at my house, feeling like they would help my kids brain develop. I was on the lookout at yard sales when I was a young mother, and pretty soon, the house was littered with toys. And the kids got bored of them. I got a big toy chest thinking I could lasso the toy mess but it just became a black hole—it seemed toys from the bottom were irretrievable! And you could break them just trying to yank them out.
Question:I am going through a difficult pregnancy and cannot manage all the subjects, preparing lesson plans, trying to get them to do their schoolwork—I’m just so tired. Any help?
Pregnancy and birth: can there be any more pertinent lessons that these?! There is some real life educating going on that you may not be aware of. You can increase the value of it by discussing it with the children, showing them pictures of what the baby looks like inside from library books, DVDs and the internet. There are actual photographs of the fetus day-by-day on the internet and on phone apps. Have the children keep an ongoing “Our New Brother/Sister” notebook with a page a week about what the baby is developing (eyelashes, etc.) and drawings. Make the most of this fascinating and very important “unit study”!
Company’s coming . . . and it can be a bit nerve-wracking wondering just what your kids are going to say or do! Get them ready to host guests—or to be good, mannerly guests themselves—wherever you go!
