Hello, everyone! I will be homeschooling my daughter next year for Kindergarten. She is very bright and loves "learning time." I also have a toddler who will be 2 next year when we start school. My question is, should I put the toddler in a preschool program 2 days/week from 9-12 so I can have some solid uninterrupted chunks of time to work with my older daughter? The toddler is social and friendly and would probably enjoy it. I'm worried that either the older one's homeschooling experience will get "dumbed down" because we have to cut everything short each day, or the 2 year-old will be bored to death while we're doing school everyday! I've never done this before and would love your input. Thank you!
I don't think it's necessary. My boys are about that age (turn 5 & 2 this Fall), and they've been fine. This is our 2nd year homeschooling. School work only takes us 2 hours or less, so we're able to do it during "down" times. Anything that requires concentration (or otherwise "no brother") is done in the afternoon while the little one naps. Everything else is done in the morning. There are interruptions, but they're minimal. The little one either watches Leapfrog DVDs or sits near us with his board books and such. He's learning a little, too. He picks up on things like the Latin songs we sing. Kids are sponges. Letting the little one watch helps them understand that school is school, and play is play. Sometimes school and play overlap, of course, but it's nice for each child to have a little one on one time. Things like handwriting practice give me time with the little one while the older one works independently.
I don't think it's necessary. I currently am homeschooling my 6 and 7 year old boys for 1st and 2nd grade, then I have my 15 month old. We do the bulk of our schooling while he's napping, but we still get quite a bit done during the time he's awake if we have to. Really it's no big deal.
No. You might be surprised what your 2yo will pick up. Keep extra papers around for the days your little one wants to "play school" with her big sissy. It's OK if she just scribbles on them! You really won't be teaching your older one for long lengths of time, and it will be good for the little one to learn that "I'm doing this with Sissy until the timer goes off. Then I will read you a story." Also, take full advantage of nap times!
There's something someone told me about a long time ago as well: http://www.schoolofabraham.com/babylesson.htm
I agree with what everyone else has said. I start "school" with my almost 5 yr. this year and almost 3 yr. either joins in or not, which ever he wants. 3yo isn't near the distraction for 5 yo as 13 yo is. LOL Anyway, I am so excited with what 3 yo has picked up from listening in even when I didn't think he would. We had a great first 3 wk. and can't dream of not having 3yo here to enjoy it with us. Once you get into a routine, if it didn't work having both of them home, you could do the preschool thing then. JMHO
I wouldn't. But then it's USUALLY not that hard for me to fit our school in each day as we only do about 30 minutes of 'formal school' each day that can't be done with the 3 year old around (well he can be around-but he has to entertain himself) But we don't believe in a lot of formal school at a young age-my oldest is in 1st and we do mostly learning through play.
Thank you, everyone! I'm glad to hear how you all do it with little ones around. I guess we'll have some time beforehand to "practice" so we can all get used to it!
I wouldn't do it either. I have a 3 year old and a 2 year old, and while the 3 year old and I work, the 2 year old picks up on ALOT! Plus, this s a good time to teach them about playing quietly by themselves for a bit while you and the older one work. Plus, learning time doesn't have to be stationary, and all in one sitting. Spread it out during the day, and include the toddler! Good luck!
I have a kindergartner, 5th grader, 7th grader and a 2 year old. My toddler isn't going anywhere. There are challenges but it's all worth it. Besides, my 2 year old is picking up quite a bit! And in a family with 4 kids, I actually can spend a bit more one on one time with my toddler as the others work. I will admit that since naptime is often used for K lessons my house is not as orderly as it could be. In fact, I am behind on laundry and cleaning in general..lol. That can be solved easily by just not looking at it..LOL..or if I just got better organized with the chores.
I have done school last year with a 2 year old and it was trying sometimes. He is now 3 and sometimes I wish that I would have put him in a preschool setting this year. It isn't b/c he is hard for me while I teach, but that he has difficulty during co-op with his age peers. I think he could use some time in a group with other 3 year olds, but that is a different reason than him making school difficult for us. We will see how being in the co-op class weekly helps this issue. For your situation, I would probably invest in lots of Montessori style activities for him to do. Pouring activities with beans, strips of construction paper to cut up, play-dough...things you can show him how to do once and then leave trays with the options available to your toddler.
My first response was going to be "yes" because your it would be great for your younger child to have some socialization outlets, but after reading everyone else's responses, I can see why you would be okay with your younger one at home during this time! It would provide some one on one time with your older child that she might not usually have, but make sure you give your younger daughter the same treatment once she begins schooling!
