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claireg
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| Posted: April 01 2014 at 11:53am | IP Logged
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My kids are young - 8, 5.5, 3.5, and almost 1. My oldest is preparing for first holy communion next month. I feel really overwhelmed with school and housework and everything. We actually don't do many extracurricular activities (see overwhelmed statement above!). I don't feel like I have enough hours in the day. I'm either putting off the baby and 3 year old to work with the older kids, or not getting enough school work done (math in particular). I want to have time to play outside, especially now that it's finally spring!
How can I simplify school? Can we just do basic subjects like math, phonics for my kindergartener, writing for my second grader, handwriting, and religion? History and science as bedtime read alouds? Am I missing anything really important?
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SallyT
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| Posted: April 01 2014 at 12:51pm | IP Logged
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Sounds good to me. We have always covered a lot via "extracurricular" read-alouds, and at 8, I'd still be doing only about 20 minutes of math per day -- same amount of time for any other "sit-down" subject. Even now, with slightly older kids, I frequently split a supposedly one-day math lesson over two days, just to keep the lesson from going on and on beyond the child's ability to focus.
Are writing and handwriting two separate things? You might consider conflating the two by doing copywork instead (if you don't already), which provides penmanship practice while teaching composition by imitation. And that's another five-minute activity for a second grader.
At that age we have loved Mead Primary Journals -- primary-ruled notebooks with room for illustration at the top -- with simple copywork passages that I pull from things like the Daily Office, or something we're reading for school. A second grader might write a sentence, or one to two lines of a Bible verse or poem. There are lots of ready-made resources for copywork, but I don't find it difficult to do my own. I either write out the passage before I go to bed at night, or before the kids are up in the morning. At that stage I find it helpful to write the passage on every other line, so that the child can copy right under my writing. My handwriting is not a perfect model, by the way, but it sure has improved since I've been doing copywork . . .
The kindergartener can also copy, depending on ability: individual letters or, if able, whatever words are being read in phonics. One word a day, done well. I've actually started my kindergarteners off tracing letters and words that I write -- I write them on paper, and the child uses tracing paper to write over my writing. Then as motor control improves, we transition to actual copying. Gradually you work up to simple sentences, but in the beginning single words are enough. Again, writing words that are being used for reading is a great way to reinforce that skill and make the connection between what we hear and what we see on the page.
I don't know what you're doing for religion, but bedtime is also a good time for a saint or a Bible story, or even a short catechism question-and-answer before prayers. During the day, you can extend your preparation by having *everyone* practice things like the Sign of the Cross, genuflecting, going up for Communion, etc. I'm the FHC catechist in our parish, and let me tell you, at the end of the day, I often think the physical-coordination aspect of receiving Communion is about as important as the theology of it! Thirty second graders, still not sure which one is their right hand . . . :)
I tend to count outside play as "nature study," especially at this time of year. I just don't ask a lot of questions, and trust that they are noticing things!
We've also really enjoyed audiobooks as a way to extend our learning time -- well, mostly my children have just thought that we enjoy audiobooks. I'm the one who thinks, "More learning!" I often turn an audiobook on when we're having lunch, when people are falling asleep (it's a great after-lunch nap/quiet-time ritual that buys you some time to do housework or just regroup). Children can color or play quietly while a book is playing and still absorb the story quite well. You might find that even the 3-year-old gets drawn in.
And in the meantime, as long as they're safe and not tearing the house down, it won't hurt your younger children to have to wait for your attention (as they're reasonably able to wait) while you focus on your older children. It's easy to feel guilty that you're neglecting someone, but "just a minute, Mommy is helping So-and-So" is not a bad message for a young child to hear. And of course sometimes it works the other way: "You need to get on with your math for five minutes while I change the baby's diaper. If you get stuck, pick up this book and read until I can get back to help you." Sometimes children will surprise you by needing your help less than either of you thought, and it is not a bad thing to encourage them to go on independently without your having to be right there the whole time.
Hang in there. I always hit the wall this time of year!
Sally
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3ringcircus
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| Posted: April 02 2014 at 12:43am | IP Logged
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My boys are very close in age to yours (minus the baby). It is so hard to keep my cool while I bounce between the elder two! And I really think we're doing the minimum.
My 2nd grader still needs a lot of hand-holding, which means there just isn't as much leftover time to trickle down to the other two. Seems like there is a light at the end of the tunnel re: his reading level, so I have hope that he will finally be a bit more independent next year. That will allow me to do more work w/ the rising 1st grader since he has done almost no math. I have noticed that that he really is pretty good with beginning reading and has even picked up handwriting on his own w/ almost no practice. Next year, cursive will be doable for him.
Keep the hope! I'm just seeing hints that they are indeed learning and retaining. Not sure they're at "grade level" for the basics, but they sure do know a lot about the things we do as a family, and I think the rest will come.
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claireg
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| Posted: April 03 2014 at 1:54pm | IP Logged
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful replies.
I think I have been trying to accomplish too much and we're all getting overwhelmed by it. I have been finding that my oldest has very little retention from the workbooks that I assigned to her but didn't do WITH her this year, even when she was consistently getting things right.
Yesterday and today were much better - we spent a lot less time on school and we got a chance to play outside together.
Thank you again!!!
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: April 04 2014 at 6:44pm | IP Logged
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As you have so many little people, obviously as far as average ages go, they will rule the day! So, keep this in mind. The 8 year old can easily have a school day that is only 3-4 hours long, split up around nap times, and even after dinner times! (Don't forget that it is o.k. to do school in the evenings too when Dad can take an hour to watch the little people.) Also, now that it is getting pretty weather wise, do you have a nice yard for the kids to play in? This time of year, I love to sit on the porch and read books, help with the workbooks or even give an English or math lesson as the little children blissfully play in the dirt with trucks, or run wild in the grass. Not only does it keep the house cleaner, but they are running around and playing instead of parking in front of a t.v. or getting into mischief! You will need to keep them near-by of course, and this may not work if you live on a busy street and would need to be constantly stressed about their safety, but if you have a nice yard....then go outside!!!!! My mood is improved from the fresh air and sunshine as well! FHC prep. can be at a special time each weekend, perhaps for a time on Sunday afternoons while Daddy and the little people are napping. (That's what happens around here on Sundays) So, you can give daily instructions in religion, but maybe do something as a special focus on Sundays. Even just a 1/2 hour, done consistently, can really add up! Good luck!
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: simplifying the day!
