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sunny
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| Posted: May 26 2009 at 5:02pm | IP Logged
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Not sure where to post this topic. I am wondering how to deal with and how much to expect from a younger sibling. I am planning to begin CHC first grade with my ds(6 in Nov). My dd is only 18 months younger. I would like to include her as much as possible. Can I include her, yet not frustrate her? I feel I should either
1) expect her to participate fully to the extent she is capable or (if so, how to do this in practical CHC terms?)
2) show no expectations at all and tell her she will begin when she is older.
Just to give a bit of history that has led me to this questioning is her participation in past music classes. Or should I say lack of participation? She WILL NOT participate in music classes. Yet she comes home and “plays” music class and knows everything. Thru it, I vacillated between feeling she was so young I shouldn’t push her to much – it should be FUN, to feeling that I was allowing her to learn that non participation is ok. It is true, she may be shy but I don’t want to give her that “out” and music may not be her thing and she started too young but what do I do now? I might add that her brother is the one that already LOVES learning! All I have to do is crack a book and he practically comes running! He goes straight to the non-fiction rows at the library – she goes straight to the stuffed tiger! I feel it is so important for me to do this right, yet I am lost!! She says she never wants to go to school- only ballet school!
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LisaD
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| Posted: May 26 2009 at 5:20pm | IP Logged
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I would follow her lead. If she sees her older brother working, and she asks to do something, too, have something for her. My youngest two (3 and 5) love Kumon workbooks (I found them at Target), and my Kindergartner has been very happy using CHC's Little Stories for Little Folks, Number Practice for Little Folks, etc. They don't ask for work everyday, but when they do, I have things for them. Even with this relaxed approach, it is amazing to me how much the little ones absorb! CHC has some nice materials for pre-school an Kinder aged kids. You could have a few things available to her in case she asks. Otherwise, I'd let her observe, play and keep reading to her. Four years old is very little for any formal work. We have an animal alphabet Go Fish game that my 3 year old loves. We play that almost every day, and call it learning (because it is!).
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~Lisa
Mama to dd(99), ds(01), ds(03) and ds(06)
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Jody
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| Posted: May 26 2009 at 7:49pm | IP Logged
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I agree with Lisa.
Follow your daughter. If she wants to play during your son's lesson that's great, if she wants to sit and listen great too. If she wants to do some school stuff also then have things on hand for her. I suggest hands-on activities and lots of read alouds. Then just follow her lead. 
Jody
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Jody,
Mom to 10 blessings
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time4tea
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| Posted: May 26 2009 at 8:48pm | IP Logged
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Do you have the CHC Pre-K/K plans? They have lots of fun stuff in there that goes along with the Little Folks Number and Letter practice books, etc. Let her do as much as she feels comfortable doing. If she begins to get tired or wants to stop, don't push her, let her stop for the day. I have done this with my younger dc and will be doing it again when my current youngest (just 21 months old) gets a little older and wants to work alongside her older brothers and sisters!
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Blessings to you!
~Tea
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ALmom
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| Posted: May 27 2009 at 9:56am | IP Logged
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My very young ones were in no way ready to do any kind of workbooks or formal learning. Still, they almost always want to be with you, where you are. I would plan to have fun things she can do quietly nearby while you are working with the younger and not worry about what she does or does not pick up from what you are doing. They invariably pick up some things.
If we were making letters in the sand, my younger would have their own sand tray. I doubt they made letters in it, but they did "imitate" to some extent. I focused on teaching them neatness and cleaning up their own mess. They might be making straight lines or circles in the sand.
If my older child were using beads for math or such, my youngers might be sorting them, stacking them, stringing them.
I tried to find an acceptable use for the same materials but something more age appropriate if that makes any sense.
MUS blocks - older might be learning to add and subtract, while younger was just experimenting with lining them side by side.
I did not require the younger to join in, though they did have to learn (and this took time and patience) that this was quiet activity time (unless there was an older sibling who could take them outside to play) so they weren't required to use the materials and if they preferred they could play with quiet toys nearby.
I think when I only had littles, this was the hardest age combination. My 6- 9 year olds would often be distracted by the train set or duplos or playdough the younger was using and the younger would forget about the need of the oldest for quiet concentration. We took this as an opportunity to learn character - diligence to task, respect for the needs of others (both the oldest and youngest had to learn this as there will be many times when you simply do have to tend to the younger and other times when the youger is simply interrupting or being too loud), etc. I did try to have short play breaks from time to time or get creative when I knew the temptation would be waay too great for the older - so we might model letters in playdough for a short time and then have some play time. I also had to be realistic about the attention span of the younger - they will not play quietly for hours while your attention is focused on someone else, I guarantee - maybe 20 minutes so keep your lessons short and allow for time for you to just play and give attention to the younger as well.
Those years took a lot of energy on my part - and flexibility and sensitivity.
Janet
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sunny
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| Posted: May 28 2009 at 10:45pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for your responses! You have eased my mind!!
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: At a loss with younger sibling
