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mama2many
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| Posted: Nov 01 2010 at 10:30am | IP Logged
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I have a 3mo old....I also have a 2yo, 4yo, 6yo, and 9yo... I'm looking into moving to a SCM schooling (about to finish reading Real Learning--it's been AMAZING) But how do I get it all done???
I'm scared. (but I've never done anything that is right/good that wasn't scary and hard)
Nursing seriously 24 hrs a day I don't have time to get much done!! We also have something every day outside the home right now.
We have also broken down and hired someone to help with the housework 2x a month.. 
We started with narrations this weekend, and it went really well!!
I'm so ready to get rid of cable.
I'm FREAKING OUT HERE, in mostly a good way...
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Krystin
wife to Kevin
mama to
M (12/00)
J (12/01)
K (6/06)
J (7/08)
A (7/10)
C (11/12)
My Clones in Action
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JennGM
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Keep your expectations low. Your post already has a reality check, and that's really good. You can do it!
And don't be embarrassed to say you have help with cleaning. I wish I had that. It's not a weakness to assess the situation and be able to point out the problem and actually have a solution. More power to you!!
I hope others will chime in, but I do think it's harder to do "add" Charlotte Mason inspired aspects to your homestudy then to do a straightforward CM. What I mean is if you have a curriculum or materials that require completion, dates, grades, etc. and then try to add things like Nature Study, picture study, artist study, narration, dictation, copywork, then you will burn out.
But if your plan is based on Charlotte Mason approach, and the schoolwork is the CM way, then it's so much easier to work it out in the day. The beauty of the CM approach is that it is just little chunks each day -- 15-20 minutes of each thing is still done pretty quickly. And your ages are very close that you could combine your levels for history and such.
I'm only beginning with my journey...so that's as much advice I can give!
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Erin
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| Posted: Nov 01 2010 at 2:13pm | IP Logged
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mama2many wrote:
I have a 3mo old....I also have a 2yo, 4yo, 6yo, and 9yo... I'm looking into moving to a SCM schooling (about to finish reading Real Learning--it's been AMAZING) But how do I get it all done???....
We have also broken down and hired someone to help with the housework 2x a month.. ....
We started with narrations this weekend, and it went really well!! |
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Krystin
How exciting to be starting out on your journey  
I think it wonderful you have someone to help with the house, I did for a short time after baby number 5, it helped immensely. You are juggling three full time jobs, a helping hand is valuable.
So glad narrations went well  that's a really solid place to start.
When you ask ALL I'm wondering if you mean everything on the CM list? Narrations, dictation, art study, nature study etc? Time for confession from me, I don't, I wish but well I don't.  Some of that is due to self-discipline, energy issues.
Where to start? with the basics. A little of Faith, Maths and Language Arts daily is very, very important. Before we add anything else we want a firm basis. On the days when you can only manage the basics of Language Arts I'd choose copywork and reading for your beginner reader plus enjoy a read aloud with all your children. Ideally to manage at least one dictation a week with your 9yr old would be great once you have a basic routine going. I highly recommend reading Jen's Language Arts posts.
More thoughts later.
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Mackfam
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JennGM wrote:
| I hope others will chime in, but I do think it's harder to do "add" Charlotte Mason inspired aspects to your homestudy then to do a straightforward CM. What I mean is if you have a curriculum or materials that require completion, dates, grades, etc. and then try to add things like Nature Study, picture study, artist study, narration, dictation, copywork, then you will burn out. |
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I agree with Jenn here. Straightforward CM is much simpler to me. I have found it to be most freeing and enjoyable and so much less a burden than other years we've had that were more CM influenced and less CM structured. So...with that in mind and keeping in mind the ages of your kids...
If it were me, I'd work with the 9 yo and have everyone else just "tag along". I'm sure there would be some fantastic picture books thrown in for the littles! 
For the 9 yo:
** Reading - choose living books from the period of history you're studying right now. Have this child narrate. Done.
** Language Arts - this comes from the wonderful books you've selected for history/literature - you're already doing narrations - keep rolling with it!! Add in a little copywork a few times a week - nothing long. Once you have a workable routine, add in a few dictation selections - study a short selection one day (maybe two days if needed), write it the next. Done. If you need some hand-holding here for copywork, I like these free/inexpensive resources:** Religion - continue with the books you've chosen for this. Add some living books - maybe a book from the life of a saint. There are so many to choose from! Narrate these as well!
** Math - keep rolling with what works for your family!
** Fine Arts/Humanities - look at your week on a piece of paper and choose one thing to do each day of the week...so one day work on Picture Study, another day Shakespeare, another day Poetry, another day Composer study...and so on.
** Nature Study - Go outside. Wonder. Sketch it. Done.
Need more help?? Check out Mater Amabilis level 1A (ages 7 - 9) and Mater Amabilis level 2 (ages 9 - 11). These CM structured plans are already written out and broken down for you and might help you even further! Choose which level your 9 yo best fits in and roll with it. Plans already done!
This is just a skeleton of ideas, but if you look at it with a calendar or planner in front of you, I think you can see that while it might take a little thought from you initially (mainly in selecting your living book choices), it can roll through the week rather smoothly. It's really quite do-able.
I did think of one other thing...not sure where your 6yo is with reading, but if he/she is showing interest that's the ONLY other thing I'd add in a few days of the week...short (15 minutes max) reading lessons.
*************
The outside the home cleaning help sounds WONDERFUL!!!! And, I don't know about you, but it's hard for me to set up routines and habits if I'm out of the home all the time - this is just me personally, but I become overwhelmed because I'm having to focus in too many areas at once and can't spend time doing one thing well. Perhaps you just need to give yourself permission to spend this busy-out-of-the-home season getting your ducks in a row and wait until you're able to spend more time at home to start new routines of learning. Certainly some things can be started now (reading and narrating are one!).
Hope this is a help! Good luck! Life home-educating with a lot of littles is challenging!!! But I want to encourage you! This is do-able and workable! Let us know how we can help you narrow and funnel and brainstorm more if needed!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Jenifleur
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Thanks for the great resource links, Mackfam! JennGM ~ where can I find the CM "list". I have only read Real Learning. Could you direct me to a resource where I can get all the basics of CM learning. Thanks!
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10 Bright Stars
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Funny that you use the words ,"Getting it all done" because I was just reading Kevin Clarks' article in this months Seton newsletter that he gets asked this question a lot. (i.e. how do you do "it all".) To which he replied, (paraphrasing here) "We don't do "it all" but we do "some of it". Doing "it all" is an impossible goal. Now, you may say, "Well, you know what I mean. I didn't mean, "it all" really." But don't we? As moms we DO think we can do it all, and think we are failures if we don't.
Set realistic goals for where you are now. Nursing baby is obviously priority one and keeping yourself healthy enough to nurse so much. Other little kids closely follow. Their health this winter, your and your spouses health. Next, your prayer life and family prayer. Then, focus on the 9 and 6 year olds BASICS. Can they read, write, and do their math fairly well. Religion-can do this from the chair. Anything else is gravy for now. Good books etc. I remember the year I had twins, my MIL took over my 5th grade sons school completely. (She lives next door and homeschooled.) I don't know why I just didn't do school that year with all the others. One was in 3rd grade, but for some reason, it bolstered my resolve to do even MORE school which was silly, and I just stressed my already stressed self out and missed a lot of those precious moments with a unique gift from God; twins! Just do enough school, and what is important for "foundation building" so when you can do more school, they will be ready to pick up the pace. Good luck and I am so encouraged to hear your enthusiasm! I used to get that every year and miss it! This is my FIRST year that I didn't have that bubble of excitement well up inside of me at the mere thought of school! Probably just a phase for me...burned out a bit and pregnant.. So, treasure the little ones, take it easy on yourself, and no, you cannot do it all, and probably cannot do it all perfectly at all anymore. This takes humility to recognize! It's hard to sit there nursing when it seems as if your world is spinning out of control around you and you haven't "accomplished anything." But, you have MADE PEOPLE!!! THINK OF THAT!! Simply amazing.
With each additional child I think (I at least) come to see more and more how frail and helpless we really are. That we have to call on God constantly..to help us discern what is important and what isn't, and to do what we are doing right then and there as well as we can, humbly submitting to His mercy and care! We become more and more His tool and in a way lose ourselves with so much on our plate, but really, become more pleasing in His eyes I think when our "self" is removed and we become more and more of a giver. (Just musing here. You are definately doing this!!! But be PROUD of that since that is doing something very great! ) We just need to learn to re-adjust our cultures "accomplishment oriented" mindset. Being a mother, rasing and educating your children....that is much more of a feat than climbing Mt. Everest!
O.K. That is enough. I noticed I am always a "conversation stopper" on here instead of a "conversation starter", so I won't write my usual book!  Enjoy the journey! It sounds like you are a wonderful mom! 
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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Erin
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Eight Wonders wrote:
| O.K. That is enough. I noticed I am always a "conversation stopper" on here instead of a "conversation starter", so I won't write my usual book! Enjoy the journey! It sounds like you are a wonderful mom! |
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Kim,
You have such words of wisdom, I'm sitting here pondering, feeling re-newed, looking at the bigger picture. Thank you.
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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mama2many
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| Posted: Nov 09 2010 at 8:43am | IP Logged
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THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
This is exactly what I needed to hear.. I feel like RIGHT NOW I'm pushing too hard with a 9yo and a nearly 7yo.. because I'm sooo used to the "school" mindset, ya know?
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Krystin
wife to Kevin
mama to
M (12/00)
J (12/01)
K (6/06)
J (7/08)
A (7/10)
C (11/12)
My Clones in Action
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Jenifleur
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| Posted: Nov 09 2010 at 6:21pm | IP Logged
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Yes! Thanks a million. I think that that is what my intuition is telling me but I don't think I have the "right" to believe it!! Thanks for the wise encouragement!!
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Wife and mother of five . . . so far :)
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: getting it all "done"
