My 4 year old LOVES learning! He would sit and read with me all day If I could. He lives projects, is learning to write his name, ABC, 1,2,3 etc. He wants to learn more and I want to teach more... I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 5 month old. My 2 year old is into everything, doesn't want to sit long enough to read, barely wants to do projects unless "he" wants too. My 5 month old wants to nurse all day, and doesn't want to be put down. AHHHHH! My desire is to homeschool, but at this point I can't imagine getting into a groove whatsoever. I know they are still young, I just feel discouraged.
Don't feel discouraged! They ARE still young, and learning happens all the time...not just when we have formal sit down time. My boys are 4, 3, and 1 and it's hard to keep the 3 year old and the 1 year old busy! Break out some toys for the 2 year old that are special for "school time", and my best advice for the 5 month old is to get a Wrap or a sling. Saved my life when I had Marion (still use it from time to time). I can hold the baby in the sling to pacify him and he is close to Momma, I can teach the older, and the middle kid is satisfied with toys, or a coloring book or a work book. Don't fret about formal sit down time. Do what you can! The kids are still young
By the time your 4yo is old enough to worry about formal school (2-3 years) the 2yo will be 4ish and the baby will be 2ish. They'll be able to entertain each other. I was there, so I'm speaking from experience. When my oldest was 4, #2 was 2 and #3 was just a few months old. But by the time we rolled into 1st grade, we were just fine.
Amie is right, you'll be able to do it no prob by then! I have a 6 yr old, 3 yr old and 1 yr old. They keep my busy, but we're very successful at getting it done, it's just not always when we think we'll get it done!
At one point my kids were 5, 3, 2, and 5 mo. But homeschooling is fun and it's flexible. Flexibility is key. I find something that works, it works for a few weeks, someone hits a new stage and we start all over again finding something that works. Eventually they will all be old enough to actually listen to a story. Eventually they will all be excited to do a project. Eventually the problem will be that you want to work one on one with the oldest and suddenly the others absolutely MUST be involved in every little thing you do. Ask me how I know. lol Really it can feel discouraging but it's so fun.
I have such passion for it, but I feel Like "all the others" have it all figured out and I don't. I know they are young, and things will fall into place, but I can't imagine getting to that point from here. We have such awesome days, but when they are rough THEY ARE ROUGH! In my mind, I know exactly what I want to do each day, and get done, but St the end of the day I look back and it's so different. Our "cooking day" (today) consisted of my oldest dehusking corn, while my 2 year old SCREAMED not knowing what wanted. Our reading time turned into caos as they fought over who held the book, etc etc etc. I know we all have these moments, I'm just venting. Thanks for listening.
You vent away, sweetie, if it helps. "Everybody" learned it the same way: by living through it. (((((HUGZ)))))
Aw, hugs for you! and kudos for even attempting it with your kiddos! They are so young, not even in K yet--I probably wouldn't have started til kindergarten age. This is my first year; I have one in 4th, K, and a now 9month old. If it helps any, my year was awful and I was hanging on only by a thread until sometime late Feb/early March, I think. Then things sort of just fell into place. We got into a really good routine. At that time, I also subscribed to a daily email newsletter from AOP and those daily emails are SO encouraging!! I think they helped me a lot! Hang in there and feel free to vent :love:
Oh, believe me, we only LOOK like we've got it all together!!! NONE of us really do, its all an illusion!!!
This. Also, chill out a little sweetie! Do you really need to sit with any of them and "do school" every day? Or even every week? At this age, not so much. It's great that they are wanting to learn and sit and read, etc, but take it in tiny bites and keep it as something fun to do with Mom now and then... not as a time where it's "time to learn now". Not yet. Remember that so many of us have done and done and done, driven ourselves to the edge and became burned out and ready to quit, and had to drop it all and wean ourselves back in. Don't do so much you burn out before it's even really time to start! Keep it simple, keep it fun, and if you don't get all the things done which were on your list, remember that it just helps you start your list for tomorrow. It's not EVER all done here, not ever. And I like it that way... now that I've learned what matters today and what can wait for tomorrow.
I know the feeling! My oldest is 5, my youngest is 2 and will be adding a newborn to the mix in July! Some days the most we get done is reading in bed and dvd's! I hear it gets better lol
Aw, it is tough isn't it - I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old and have had to adapt so much and learn to change my own expectations. I think often we concentrate on the eldest and think the youngers are getting in the way - I've now tried to find things that the youngest enjoys (the elder always likes these baby activities too) and do those first before trying to do anything quiet with the eldest. Try to change your own expectations as its what you want that is causing the disappointment - your children are probably blissfully unaware and happy even (and especially) if there is a lot of mess and chaos. Aim for now to have fun and learn something secondarily - as you get into the routine and relax you will find all your children are learning more and more.
My oldest was about the same age as yours when I started looking into homeschooling. I used the time primarily for me to study up on different methods, and to watch how my kids learned the simple thing. Mind you, my daughter was begging me to teach her to read, so we did a lot of library trips and games...reading time while I held the baby...projects while the baby was sleeping and the other kid(s) was/were distracted. In a lot of ways, she learned to be a bit more independent in her learning while young because of it, and to be more flexible. We seized every random opportunity to learn, but I refused to let myself stress over it (though I was trying not to hyperventilate at the idea, since previously I had been counting down to preschool). They'll get older...fast...and then your problem will be that they are begging you to "let" them do your 6th grader's work while you're like, go, play with legos!!!
I remember the craziness of life with two little ones! :lol: So much chaos, but so FUN! This coming year will be the first for me to homeschool our son (8 years old). But, we have always had an atmosphere for learning in our home. Sounds like you're doing the same! Cooking, cleaning, organizing, and reading with your children are all forms of schooling them. Take a deep breath, Momma! You're doing awesome!!!
I am so impressed that you are already thinking about these things while your kids are so young! I wish that I had started back then, but we all have to grow and learn things on our own terms. This has been our official year of homeschooling, and most days I have been proud of what we have accomplished, but there are days when I have thought, can I really do this??? It's just the learning process. Don't worry! I am sure as the time approaches, you will do great!
