Ok. I need some words of wisdom. I feel like a failure today...I feel like homeschooling is the absolute worst thing I could be doing for my kids. I was such a bad teacher today that noone in my house is loving to learn...and I'm not loving to teach! Let me explain: 7:00 - up and watching cartoons, eating breakfast...because mom has to load laundry 8:00 - doing bible devotional and review of food groups -- because we have to make a trip to grocery store so we have some food in this house.... 10:00 -- home from grocery store -- kids play outside while mom puts up groceries...give 10 minute warning for school to begin 10:30 --- go over pledge of allegiance and alphabet, days of week....3 year old screaming, yelling and trying his best to distract from any learning.... 11:00 --- kids whine that they are hungry -- fix them lunch, let them watch Sid the Science Kid...feel like it is at least kind of educational. 12:00 --- phone rings, friend jabber for nearly 45 minutes...kids play outside trying to catch butterflies... 1:00 -- try to do phonics and sight words with 5 year old.....everyone gets frustrated.....3 year old bites me (for attention I suppose).....I scream about everything....threaten to send kids to school..... Uuughhh --- what a day. I know it is mostly my fault...but I get tired of the whining and complaining, not focusing, running around undressing themselves....etc. I really feel like the kids aren't getting any learning done.....now they are watching Tom and Jerry so mom can take a hot bath, cool off, and vent on the computer!!!! Any advice to help me survive the afternoon? I find we are getting less and less school work done, instead of more and more....
Before you beat yourself up let me just ask........your kids are 3 and 5? If so then you are doing great!! I see nothing wrong with going over food groups, taking them shopping and letting them chase butterflies! How fun! Learning doesn't only come from books and formal lessons. Learning also comes from exploring and just living. My 5 year old does only a bit of actual work per day. A little math, little reading and a little handwriting. An hour tops. Then we garden, dig in the dirt and find worms and yep, chase butterflies! Just take it easy and don't be so hard on yourself. Let them enjoy being little because the heavy bookwork will come one day and then they'll have years of it. Exploring nature is in my opnion one of the best things to do with the little ones.
Monkeymomma, thanks for your encouraging words. I often wonder if I am putting too much pressure on myself. I wonder what other moms of 3 and 5 year olds are doing in homeschool. My fear is that my high-strung expectations will cause everyone to give up on homeschooling....how do I learn to calm down and not expect a full days work? Also, does homeschooling get easier as the kids get older?
I wouldn't sweat much sit-down time with kids at that age. I used Bob Jones K5 for my two when they were 5 & 6, and the total sit-down time for stuff was about 30 minutes. We did the stuff like community helpers and science fun things in the afternoon [usually amounted to little crafts and such]. Remember, too, that kids aren't in school doing school things for at least 4 months out of a whole year; so, if you do stuff all year round, you can take days off to do errands and catch up on chores and such without having to worry that you're "behind" (not that homeschoolers can really be 'behind' unless they're under some requirement to have so much done by a certain date, which I know some are).
At 3 & 5, I'd say they had a very educational day. Chasing butterflies is P.E. & Science(nature study). Food groups is Science/Health. Shopping is life skills. Plus, you covered the alphabet & some reading. I'd say that's a pretty good day (except the biting, obviously). My ds is almost 5. We do some reading/phonics work; each day he chooses between Explode the Code, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and Starfall.com. We read together for at least 15 min a day. We play lots of games, do puzzles, watch educational TV, arts & crafts projects, a little bit of writing work, etc. Of course I also have a 10 year old, so I do have to have time to work with her, so ds plays by himself during those times. At that age, they learn a lot by playing, exploring, and just living. Take it easy on yourself. You're doing great.
I totally understand what you're feeling. The good news is you probably covered everything that gets covered in a full day of kindergarten!
Ok First take a deep breath, your children are young and like Monkeymamma said they don't need all that sit down work. Who said they need 8 to 3 school. First of all they did well with what you had plan. Just sit back and enjoy, believe me the heavy I mean heavy book work will be coming and coming fast enough. Enjoy them and enjoy learning. Right now at that ages hands on is the best way of learning... Good luck..
I was going through something simalar just the other day with my 4 1/2 year old.(if she was in school shed be in the reception year) she is quite bright IMO, as she has totaly got letter recognition and can do simple sums in her head, Ie, if you say what is 5 + 2 she will answer 7 but she can not write any decent amount of numbers or letters, she can write her name but unless you know at the time which letteres shes attempting it isnt legable as such, so i spent the last few days doing handwriting aimed for preschoolers (wiggly lines ect) but we waisted energy and fun time stressing over it all. She is my second girl and my first could write her name aged 3 and was doing 5-6 year workbooks at that age too, so although each child is different and i soooo know this. It is hard not to compare and to worry things arnt going the right way. I know that in the end she will get it but i am overly worrying about when. I worry that if she can't write, then we cant progress into other work and projects.
I agree with those that have said it sounds like a good amount of learning went on even with the stress. Each day is different around here and I have a feeling it will be at your house too. I hope tomorrow is a better day for you. My kids seem to have a hard time getting back to work after running errands, when possible I try to do school work before going out for the day, but that is not always an option so we do what we have to do. My 7 year old first grader has spent a minimum of an hour on his school work and up to 4 hours one day, he had about the same amount and type of work on those two days, one day he was on task and focused nad just flew through it, the other he was distracted by everything, I was ready to go insane, LOL. Most days are somewhere in between. I don't have any suggestions for the 3 year old since I am having similar trouble with my 4 year old, he hates having big brother and I busy and ignoring him.
HUGs first of all.. my first thoughts were.. Nap time! I used to wait to work with kgardener untill the younger sibs were napping, aside from that I see you did Science twice ( video and butterflies) SOunds like you did a great day, though the phonics may have been hard, with a nap time or quiet rest time as I had to call it with my youngest at that age, they will work together. Dont beat yourself up, you realy sound like you have the main things down! its not about quantity but quality, so dont push that factor either. You worked on letters, and such, in your "circle" sounding time, that was Preschool time, Got that one taken care of! Next K gardener time if yours does not nap as some peoples children dont, find playdoh or big legos for that particular time.. tell 3 yr that this is his special time to play with such and such and OOOOOOOOOOONLLY he gets to play with it. Give him an idea with the playdoh of what to make... ask him to make a castle or soemthing with the legos, and that should take care of enough minutes to do the phonics stuff... Just my 3 cents worth!
Thanks ladies! And I did take some of your advice and insisted that they both rest (a.k.a. nap). I am going to take today as a learning day for ME -- and try to get errands done in the afternoon and morning spent doing schoolwork. I think we might all feel better. Sometimes it is the guilt of not getting tons done that gets me down. Thanks again!
You did fine! Remember, the kids holding and playing with the fruit, at their age, is a great lesson in food groups. You can tell them what it is while they play or eat the fruit, veggie, bread.... I agree, chasing after butterflies is exercise. We used to give Ems a basket and send her running to the back to collect fruit. She loved it and came back winded. LOL They are young and hands on play is the way they often like to learn.
I almost forgot, I no longer answer my phone during school unless I am expecting a call. I have an answering machine and I can scan the calls. My family calls my cell if they need me.
Yes I was thinking that too! no answering phone , or if you do answer it the name of your school, friends who pursist will get the message that way with out you having to not answer and hear the phone. You can turn the ringer down during school time too!
Great idea re: phone calls! I hesitated ,but did end up answering. Actually I shouldn't answer the phone during school...or instant messages if I am online. Many of my friends think we don't do anything because I make myself available to them during school hours. Perhaps if I take my time more seriously the kids will too.
Oh gosh! Don't worry about school work! I bet if you asked most homeschooling moms what one of their biggest regrets was it would be not relaxing with their kids when they were as young as yours are. Read to them, take walks with them, play Go Fish and sing the alphabet song and you've covered what kids in Kindergarten need. You know what kids really need today that they simply aren't getting enough of and that may have huge implications for future learning and happiness? Enough free time to play and relax with family. You're in the perfect position to give your kids that.
I learned this last school year and have really weaned it down. My sister still calls sometimes but we keep it short and generally I only answer for immediate family and a few close homeschool friends (who might be having an urgent issue and need help if they're calling me during their school day). Phone calls last year zapped away the day...doing much better this year!
You've got to set priorities. Can you grocery shop and do laundry on the weekend? I fit loads in between subjects, but the loads will sit until we're done with a subject, too.In summer, my husband will hang it out as it gets done, then one of us takes it down later. Groceries wait till Friday night or Saturday. Sometimes Sunday! Ignore the phone. I had a friend who never answered their phone during school hours. She'd call back in the evening. I've been tempted to even turn the ringer off here.
You might have to tell people to not call during school unless it is an emergency. I had to do this and most people took it well. I had a friend who didn't understand until she started homeschooling.LOL
Your kiddos are young but can they help do laundry? Make this part of Life Skills. When they help, and it doesn't have to be during school, give them a sticker to put on a chart. Make it fun and educational.
