Posted by: mimzie Mar 31 2006, 04:20 PM

Zachary is the only one really doing school right now (he's 6) but even that is hard to do sometimes. Its like pulling teeth lately! We had a LONG spring break because of sickness and this was the first week (minus Monday,I was sick) that we've really been able to do anything but it's been horrible just trying to get him to sit and read his book! We are mainly doing reading right now and that's pretty much it, math is an every day thing but we dont actually sit and do it. We have a lot to cover still but its so hard to do it?

He's in 1st but I'm wondering if I should really buckle down right now or let him finish the year like this? Yeah he's learning and all that but could learn SOOO much more if we buckled down. Is asking a hyper 6yr old to buckle down too much though?? We homeschool because I know he couldnt handle a regular school setting with sitting there for 8hrs a day and all that. So I guess I need advice from others that went thru the hyper 1st grade LOL Is it ok to start buckling down next year? Or should we do it this year? When?? help! I feel like such a homeschool failure because we cant even get an hour of school done a day!!! (sitting time)

It seems kinda hard now though because of the little ones (just turned 3 and 1) but then I think I shouldnt use that as an excuse, many mothers have 2 little ones or more! Help please! Would love to hear advice and BTDT and what you did!

Rachel

Posted by: cctabb Mar 31 2006, 04:45 PM

Ahhh, Rachael. We are having the same problem here. We were off all last week and most of this week. There isn't much more to do really, but we need to do something. We started doing work on Tuesday but then it got warm here. All the snow is gone, the yard is mostly dry and the temps are in the 50's. She has been wanting outside. I've got to get dd started again memorizing addition tables. I have to keep reminding myself that she is a young six and only "supposed" to be in K this year. So I'll put everything down for the last two days as P.E.

Hopefully we will get some reading done today and each day of the weekend then buckle down starting Monday. Do you want to "keep tabs" on me so to speak? And I can check in with you Monday and see how much you guys have gotten done. Let me know.

Posted by: mom-to-five Mar 31 2006, 04:51 PM

Rachel,
First of all take a deep breathe!!

Second of all here is a

I guess my question would be what do think you will accomplish by buckling down? And what exactly does buckling down mean to you? It does not have to mean sitting for 8 hours a day!! It sure sound like you have your hands full with 2 other little ones running around.

Also this is just my 2 cents but my 5 year will be 6 in sept. and we are barely doing kindergarten... I really do not have to legally report to anyone until he is 6 so I do not have to do anything as far as that goes until the end of next school year.. so I decided to take it really slow and just let him enjoy being a little boy... I mean yes he is learning but not really formally yet. I know some might now agree with it I think kids grow up so fast and as long as he is happy healthy and learning I am happy.... thats just my little old 2 cents!!!

Posted by: mimzie Mar 31 2006, 05:33 PM

cctabb That may help us both! What will we plan to accomplish though?? LOL Zac needs to work on addition tables too so maybe that. We havent really done any of them yet We just work on a lot of mental math right now. We are using the Robinson Curriculum and have just started the 1st book, cant go further til we finish it but we arent finishing it!

mom-to-five Thank you for your words!! Honestly I keep thinking I just need to let him have fun right now. We are in Texas and it's been 80 here so they go outside a LOT! And in Tx I do not have to report anything so I dont have to worry about getting in trouble. I guess I just feel we should be doing more because other ppl are, does that make sense ? LOL I wonder if he will be behind because we arent keeping up kinda thing.

Zachary will be 7 in May so by age, he should be doing the work but be gender.. well.. he's a boy! LOL I've read a lot that boys arent really ready to buckle down til 8, but is it safe to wait that long? Is it safe not to? By all rights I could but will brain developement hurt things because it wasnt use to doing it? That's the main thing I worry about, if I wait another year will the brain have matured past the beginning of learning?

I've also heard ppl say "Train a child til they are 7 and then it will be instinct" I think many of the nazi's use to do that didnt they or something like that? My mom was telling me about it where the nazi's (or someone like that) would teach a child to think a certain way (religion or something) and at 7 they would no longer have to do it because they would automatically do it so of course that has gone into my thinking with homeschool. If I let him continue past 7, will he then just procastinate because for the first 7yrs of his life he didnt have to do it? Which I know on his 7th bday a magic fairy isnt going to come along and make him stop thinking or anything LOL But I just worry it holds true with learning?

Sorry this sounds like ramblings from a lunitic! LOL

Rachel

Posted by: sumi Mar 31 2006, 06:00 PM

I dunno about the 7 thing...

From someone who has been there and done that... my advice would be to check your own motivation for not buckling down.

I'm a classic avoider...I tend to talk myself out of dealing with tough situations. Last year, when it became tough to have a baby and homeschool 3 boys it was easy for me to grasp on to the whole..."they learn at their own pace...boys need more time to be ready..." thing. Really it was a way of letting myself off the hook so I won't have to knuckle down in some areas of their schooling. The year wasn't a dismal failure, but if I am brutally honest with myself I have to concede that the middle boy was ready and could have been further along with his reading, and the little one in his handwriting, had I been more faithful. Oh, I sound like a terrible mother now ...but for the most part I was just a very overwhelmed one.

Homeschooling with little ones is not easy. There will be times you will have to force some issues with your children. When you'll have to stand your ground and be the "mean mom" even when everything inside you wants to give in. They may resist you innitially but once they see you mean business things will become easier as they fall into a routine of sorts.

My middle boy didn't keep up with his age group in some areas...and I regret not being more consistent when I was able to.

You know I am just sharing my perspective with you, and I'm not saying that you are like me. But if you search your motives you will know...are you really giving the boy a well-needed break or are you giving yourself one at his expense?

I'm sorry this is such a tough post. I wish I had one like this last year when I needed to knuckle down but grabbed onto every excuse in the book not to.

Posted by: hs4hmom Mar 31 2006, 06:06 PM

Try reading "Better Late than Early" by Robert and Dorothy Moore. I personally believe we are asking too much of our children too soon. I'm not talking about when kids are ready, but pushing them before they are ready. It really opened my eyes to what my objective really was. I asked myself did I want my 4th grader reading at grade level--and hating it? or did I want her to love reading.
And, I'll date myself here, but when I was in K it was like a socializing time--learning to get along with others. My kiddos were learning in K what I didn't learn until 1st and even 2nd grade. Kids of my generation were graduating high school at what might be considered 2nd year college now. Schools are dumbing down and I feel this need to do more earlier and faster is part of the problem.
So, while I do ask of my kids, I consider their abilities. My nearly 11 yo is re-doing 4th grade this year because when she started K in ps at age 5, she was not really ready. It has been a struggle to keep her up with where she "should be" and so I just made the decision to back up with her. We don't make a big deal of what "grade" she's in, but if she wants to call herself 5th grade, what do I care? Some of her work is 5th grade level--just not all of it. She's progressing and that's really the name of the game.
Anyway, maybe you've got a little spring fever going on and need to take a quick break.
Good luck.

Posted by: sumi Mar 31 2006, 06:17 PM

I totally agree with this and I am frustrated at how the trend in education is on bragging about what the kids know...(my kid learned all of the states and capitals in first grade....wow, he must be soooo clever!) when the vital foundational skills that supports the learning often goes so lacking. I believe in taking time to get the foundation down firmly...so don't get me wrong, I am not against delayed learning in the least, I am actually very much for it.


I think this is key... being aware where your children are at and requiring them to step up to a challenge that they are actually capable of doing.

I just mean to say that I wish I had been more consistent last year. It is probably unfair of me to assume that anyone is like me in my tendency to avoid things once they become too difficult...and I am embarrassed to admit everything I've said in my post, ...really baring my soul here...but I do wish that I had been more honest with myself last year and that I had been more tough on myself and on the boys.

Posted by: Dr. Pepper Mar 31 2006, 07:25 PM

This is my spin .... why not enjoy the beautiful weather now except for reading every day and when it is 110 outside in August begin home schooling full throttle?

Posted by: mimzie Mar 31 2006, 08:45 PM

Sumi Dont 2nd guess yourself cause you SOOO hit the nail on the head!! lol I do tend to give in because I dont want to push too much, it makes for a horrible day when I push and push and push and then I sit and think "Ok, I've been mean, I've buckled down and he's sitting there......doing his work..every bit... fuming mad, not soaking in a dang thing cause I made him mad.. so what was the point in that??"

As I read your post, I related to every single bit of it thinking "Yep, thats what I'm doing..."

hs4hmom I saw that book a few weeks/months ago and feel that is the way it should be so then I wonder, "Am I not buckling down because I really dont want to right now because of his age?" I havent read the book yet, I just read about it and about the concept and all that and am a true believer in every bit of it but... my child is almost 7 and cant read a chapter book yet!! Even though I want to follow that concept I worry ... well now thinking about it, I worry more about what others will think mainly which I know I shouldnt.

I've read a lot about schools and all that and you are all so right, years ago school was so much more. Todays schools arent even as good as they were 10yrs ago when I was in highschool! What will they be in 10yrs when MY kids are in highschool 20yrs after I graduated?? ACK!!

My grandmother has a 5th grade education, she had to quit school to raise her siblings (she's like 80+) and you would NEVER know that woman never went to even junior high cause there isnt a thing she doesnt know. She's always reading so obviously she either had enough education in the 5yrs she went or she taught herself a lot? Nowadays if a child quit in 5th grade.... .. yikes!

Anyway, I think I have a LOT of thinking to do, I really want to wait with my kids too but honestly even though my kids arent reading way above level yet and all that, they do know a lot of other things. My 4yr old knows all 7 continents!! She memorized them shortly after her 4th bday. My 6yr old LOVES building things (does so daily) and is always exploring things, figuring out how they work etc SO I guess I need to look at it all, they are not sitting around watching tv all day (they hardly watch tv, no cable here lol) so they are constantly learning other things and that's all that matters I guess. I just need to relax and let them be kids. I guess I just needed some encouraging words from others that feel the same way. Thanx for all the help

Dr. Pepper, you are so right too, its always way too hot in the summer so we can get some good schooling in then too! lol I'm going to try not to worry so much about it!

Rachel

Posted by: hs4hmom Mar 31 2006, 09:31 PM

Rachel,
John Rosemond--remember Child's Bill of Rights posted a while back??? Well, he said years ago that a child that went to pre-school and a child that stayed home until starting kindergarten were pretty much even academically by the time they were in third grade.
When a child is older and a little better able to grasp concepts, it will be a quick 1-2-3 thing for them to learn rather than struggle trying to learn something before they are mature enough to handle it.
Robert Moore feels a child should have no more than a few basics until they are in the age range of 8-12 years of age. It's a maturity thing. It's not that you should do nothing, but that you should be limiting the amount of paperwork he does. More activity-oriented type things. He even breaks down age groups and what he thinks they should be doing and why they should be doing it. He's very family-oriented in his philosophy, which I like as well.
It's hard not to give in to the ps timetable of when something is done, but I do try to resist it. Because people do ask my kids questions that they feel the kids should know the answer to--and most times the kids know the answer but mainly they don't like it (the intrusiveness of people). I still struggle with this one because it puts the kids and myself on the spot and none of us likes it.
And you know, it may just all click with him one day for no apparent reason. My 14yodd struggled through public school every year until after the Christmas break and then the lightbulb went on. All the extra work at home, summer school every summer--none of it made any difference. She was on her own timetable. Still is for that matter.
And you certainly don't want to damage the love of learning by forcing simply because it's done at this time somewhere else.
Good luck

Posted by: Sherinova Mar 31 2006, 09:36 PM

Just throwing my in here at the end. Both my boys had a lax first grade and they are fine. I'm quite certain we wouldn't be any further along than we are right now if I had really pushed them.

Posted by: cctabb Mar 31 2006, 10:05 PM

How about this: each child (6 year olds) have to read one book that is at their level, we mom's have to read a slightly higher than grade level storybook to the kids, and some form of math - whatever is comfortable for each child.

Posted by: mimzie Mar 31 2006, 10:44 PM

Ok sounds like a plan! He is using the McGuffeys Primer right now, he reads thru it fine now (He actually figured out how to read with this book) so I guess we'll do a page or two of that if we can.

We've also been reading Treasure Island, 1 chapter at a time, it's a kid version, not sure what grade level but each chapter is *maybe* 3-5 pages per chapter, has pictures so really not full pages of words. Is that an ok book to read to them or you think it's way over his head? I guess it doesnt matter since I'm reading it? I'm really lost on grade level reading too, the books with just a few words he doesnt like reading cause they are too babyish to him? I guess in 1st grade that is too babyish? We have TONS of books but I'd have to search and search and search to find out what grade level they are.. is there an easy way to figure it out? And also, he doesnt know sight words (He's learning them as we go) We never liked the whole memorizing words so we never did it so that throws in a few blocks there, not too bad, I'd rather do it this way than have him memorizing 200+ words by sight right now.

And yes, I think we do a lot of unschooling but I'm really afraid to call it that... why? I dont know.. I guess for what others will think! LOL but just a few mins ago he made a book, no words til the end and he wrote "No" "Yes" (like on starfall... "Did you like this book?") He is always doing stuff like that, making books or making whatever. Sometimes he'll put words in them, sometimes not and he'll try to sound them out (never seeing the word before) and does a pretty good job. Maybe I could have him make a book a day to keep up the learning? He'll love that! Anyway, every day we do stuff, making books or sounding out words, just nothing to show for it really cause we never SIT and do it, but we do stuff like this ALL day long (even right now as I'm typing he's making a "flyer" I guess, he stapled a baby picture of himself on a paper and he put "Kiss" and "I Luv" cause we are gonna go to walmart and get him a girlfriend he said LOL )

Anyway, I better go, cant even concentrate, he's asking a million questions (see why my post are always scadder brained? LOL)

Rachel

Posted by: cctabb Apr 1 2006, 12:20 PM

I'll try to report to you here as we go through the day.

Treasure Island should be fine. I've found that my dd doesn't sit still, but she does listen to what I am reading. For a while I though I was wasting my time because of all the fidgeting, playing, etc that happened while I was reading. But then I got the idea to ask her about what I read when it was over. Open ended questions didn't work. I had to ask specific leading questions. I got specific answers.

I have no clue about grade level reading and what determines it. I figure that if she can read the book with no problems it is just below grade level. If she can read one with a few prompts for new words than she is reading a book at grade level. If I have to prompt her for more than 4 or 5 a page then it is above grade level. Sight words have always been a bit of a problem for us. It is getting better as she gets more fluent, but there are days when she forgets the word "the."

I'm personally not a fan of sight reading (doulch? reading). I perfer a phonics type program of some sort. That way if the word wasn't memorized the child will have the tools to sound it out to get it.

If you don't want to call what you do "unschooling" than go with "eclectic." That is what we do (and probably most homeschoolers) I try very hard to follow a classical curriculum, but it doesn't always happen. We have many unschooling days and days that we just read a bit. Then I'll have a big push to finish up workbook pages and "assigned" activities/projects. (One reason we are doing away with most workbooks next year!) I have to remember to count the days that I let dd sit in front of her computer with her educational software. At the ages our kids are they are always learning - even if it isn't formal school.

Posted by: cornerstone Apr 2 2006, 02:29 PM

Lets face it boys would rather be out playing then inside doing boring schoolwork. My boys are men now but I remember those days. That bike in the laneway was a zillion times more interesting then the math lesson. We use to go for adventures via bike or walks and park under a tree and do a page of math or read a book together. We had a packed snack and chocolate milk in used ketchup bottles.My sons remember this so well. They said it was great fun........because it wasn't in a classroom setting ( home).

Posted by: tabv Apr 3 2006, 02:28 PM

My boys are like this too... Michael is my example right now. He is NOW in third grade, was reading at age 4, so I thought we'd skip ahead and such and be doing academic bookwork immediately. Well, he's a boy, and he's all boy, and he knows his own mind. We fought and fought. I went back to more unschooling and learning form everything around us, with no requirements...

And he's still reading wonderfully, he's ahead of his grade level, even though this is the first year we've done a whole lot of bookwork each day, and he's excelling and very self motivated.

We did hardly anything for K, 1, or 2. Sure, we learned, but it really was up to all of us what we did or when we did it.

Just letting you know of successes and not problems with just backing off and letting him be your guide, especially this young.

My now 7 year old started reading just before he turned 7, and while he isn't as far ahead as his older brother, he is still doing great with whatever I put in front of him, still trying to keep it very low key and laid back.

He is taking more initiative now with Michael doing so much that looks so cool, and I think that helps.

Oh, and my 6 year old (next Tuesday) is a girl, but she is very active as well, but when she wants to do her work? She sits and works for hours... not that she is this way all the time, it goes in spurts, but I think it as much a difference in individual personalities as gender differences lol.

Posted by: mimzie Apr 3 2006, 02:45 PM

Tabitha, thank you so much! That does help a lot to know that it has been done with great success LOL I talked with DH today about kinda unschooling, he's never heard of it before so he keeps asking questions but he's so laid back with the homeschool stuff that he has faith in whatever I decide I guess.

Anyway, I loved reading about those kids that have done this and arent lazy bums or anything LOL!!

Rachel