{"id":1047,"date":"2014-12-24T09:47:11","date_gmt":"2014-12-24T16:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/?page_id=1047"},"modified":"2015-05-20T10:44:28","modified_gmt":"2015-05-20T16:44:28","slug":"what-to-do-with-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/what-to-do-with-baby\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do with Baby?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Rebekah

Rebekah<\/p><\/div>\n

Question:<\/h4>\n

This will be my first year to homeschool my 6-year-old. What can I do with my baby while I teach?<\/strong> The baby is one year old. I did read your Best Homeschool Secrets (thank you for the valuable tips), but I don\u2019t have other children to help me babysit, and the baby is too young to play alone for more than 5 minutes. Besides, my baby only takes about an hour nap once a day. What did you do when your babies were young? Help!<\/p>\n

Answer:<\/h4>\n

I just kept at the task of trying to teach while trying to help the baby be happy. With a 6-year-old, you can do lots of hands-on things, nature walks, exploring, drawing and art with different mediums\u2014all interesting stuff for a one year old, too. Also, you can read aloud while sitting on the \ufb02oor \u201cplaying\u201d with the little one such as handing him puzzle pieces and pointing to where they go so he can put them in place, playing \u201cpegs,\u201d etc.<\/p>\n

I never have used nap times for school time because I needed a break from the baby, too!<\/p>\n

Just keep your goal in mind (for example, your day\u2019s assignments or desired work: read aloud book, painting, playing number games, doing math, etc.\u2014whatever you choose) and patiently work at it. It may take you all day to get done, but since it is meaningful time that you are enjoying with your children, there is no pressing need to get it all done between 9 a.m. and noon.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>I still have a little one, and I still do have to keep her happy and occupied while I teach my other children. I read aloud to the bigger children while sitting on the floor with her puzzles or crayoning with her. I play math games with my children and give her a little stack of cards and dice to play along or let her roll for me and help move my piece. I also have a box of \u201cschoolwork\u201d for the baby<\/strong>, such as coloring books, crayons, peg puzzles, stacking pegs<\/a>,\u00a0lacing shapes, buttons or other little sorting things plus a spoon or tongs and a muffin tin to sort them into, a geoboard<\/a> with rubber bands, board books, etc. I set up water color painting, playdough, or another fascinating hands-on activity that will keep the little one going for awhile. As baby gets a little older, there are more activities you can add: Practice for Preschoolers.<\/a><\/p>\n

The baby can join in for singing time, pledge of allegiance, etc. I get her school box out when it is time for school and set the little one up at a \u201cstation,\u201d and that buys me about 10 minutes or more, if I am lucky.<\/p>\n

It can get hairy, and often does. Isn\u2019t motherhood just about patience?! But, they grow up very quickly. So, we try to enjoy the baby, laugh at her antics, and keep plodding towards the goal of getting each day\u2019s work done.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Little ones learn to live in the pattern of your school day, sensing when it is time to sing, read, get out the peg puzzles, etc., and it gets a little easier as time goes on. When the youngest one just gets too restless for school time anymore, I take him outside for a few minutes to swing or play in the sandbox, letting my other children continue working or come with us.<\/p>\n

There are lessons your older child is learning by watching you love, care for, nurture, and be patient with the baby<\/strong>, lessons that are not learned any other way. You are tutoring your older child in kindness, unselfishness and love. That is an incredibly valuable lesson!<\/em>
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

May I recommend:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

\"homeschooling-baby\"
\nHomeschool with a Baby
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\"3babies\"
\nBig Bear Hugs
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\"13403\"
\nSoft, Squeezable Blocks
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: This will be my first year to homeschool my 6-year-old. What can I do with my baby while I teach? The baby is one year old. I did read your Best Homeschool Secrets (thank you for the valuable tips), but I don\u2019t have other children to help me babysit, and the baby is too […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3891,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[14,3],"tags":[32],"class_list":["post-1047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homeschooling-concerns","category-how-to-homeschool","tag-baby","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/rebekah.jpg?fit=344%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6IrRN-gT","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1162,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/managing-with-a-baby\/","url_meta":{"origin":1047,"position":0},"title":"Managing with a Baby","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am homeschooling 3 boys (11, 8, 5 years with the new baby in tow). My 8 year old is emotionally immature and gets things slower. My 5 year-old is advanced for his age, and works well in group situations. I am considering sending my 5 year-old son to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Concerns"","block_context":{"text":"Concerns","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/homeschooling-concerns\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/baby-84552_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/baby-84552_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/baby-84552_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/baby-84552_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/baby-84552_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":308,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/homeschool-with-a-baby\/","url_meta":{"origin":1047,"position":1},"title":"Homeschool with a Baby","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2014 you are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to Homeschool"","block_context":{"text":"How to Homeschool","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/69.195.124.81\/~homescp3\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/homeschooling_0312_DSCF0021.sized_.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2052,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/the-baby-is-the-lesson\/","url_meta":{"origin":1047,"position":2},"title":"The Baby IS the Lesson","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"One morning on my daily walk, I was fretting and stewing over what I could possibly do with my one-year-old during school time. I was feeling some despair with a new baby on its way. I couldn\u2019t see any end to the disruption of babies in my home school for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Goals"","block_context":{"text":"Goals","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/homeschooling-goals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Isaac.jpeg?fit=479%2C639&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6790,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/plan-b-difficult-pregnancy\/","url_meta":{"origin":1047,"position":3},"title":"Plan B: Difficult Pregnancy","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2014I\u2019m just so tired. Any help? Answer: Pregnancy and birth: can there be any more pertinent lessons that these?! There is some real life educating going\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to Homeschool"","block_context":{"text":"How to Homeschool","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/hands-105455_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C870&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/hands-105455_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C870&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/hands-105455_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C870&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/hands-105455_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C870&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/hands-105455_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C870&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1164,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/is-homeschooling-for-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":1047,"position":4},"title":"Is Homeschooling for You?","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am a mother of a 1, 4, and 6 year old. I tried homeschooling this year with the attitude it is \"just kindergarten\" and my daughter is not enjoying it, I am not enjoying it, my son who is 4 drives me crazy he doesn't listen to anything\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Concerns"","block_context":{"text":"Concerns","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/homeschooling-concerns\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"My very sweet grandbabies: Abigial and Rebekah and their new baby brother Isaac","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/3babies-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1102,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/begin-with-the-end-in-mind\/","url_meta":{"origin":1047,"position":5},"title":"Begin with the End in Mind","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Ever feel like you are bumbling around amidst a three-ring circus in your attempts to homeschool? There is nothing like a new baby to restore a teacher\/mother\u2019s humility in the face of her own inadequacies! For our homeschool, this chaos repeats itself every few years with the advent of a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Goals"","block_context":{"text":"Goals","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/homeschooling-goals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"lovetosave1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/lovetosave1-e1430360640397.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1047"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1047\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7306,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1047\/revisions\/7306"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}