Ok, I just ordered and received Managers in Their Homes. It looks like an excellent book- very thorough and helpful. I have resisted such scheduling, preferring to have some scheduling, and lots of unscheduling. That didn't work. Often the school morning would start with me not having eaten, grumpy and without having had time to exercise or having a personal Bible/prayer time. Not great to start of your day feeling like I could have a stressed induced heart attack or that my blood pressure was going through the roof- not enjoyable for anyone else either! Anyhoo, this year we are going to try to be better stewards of our time- this is where MOTH comes in. I like to fill out forms, but this is going to require some thinking and prayer! I believe it can work, but I am still hanging on to my free spirited ways(which we have already established are not working for me in our home school environment!) I ordered a simple curriculum for J and M (ages 4 and 2). I am not big on formal schooling for this age, but wanted something that myself and the older ones could take turns working on the littles with while I had individual time with one of the older ones in school subjects. Here is the part where I am going to rant and live up the red headed generalizations: I KNOW THAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO FREE ME UP TO HAVE MORE TIME, BUT I THINK THAT IT MIGHT KILL ME FIRST. LIKE OUR 2 YEAR OLD IS GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT HIS BIG SIS AND BRO WANT HIM TO- HE IS GOING TO BE OFF IN THE BATHROOM WASHING THE DOG DISH IN THE TOILET WHILE I TRY TO OVERSEE THE MATH PROJECT, THE PRESCHOOL LESSON, AND THE TODDLER- NOT TO MENTION ANSWERING THE PHONE AND DISCUSSING RELIGION WITH THE JW'S WHO LIKE TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR DURING SCHOOL HOURS! I CAN FEEL MY HEART PALPITATING ALREADY!!!!
OK, my evil twin is gone, and Calm Homeschooling Jane is back. Does anyone have a book of those kinds of stories? Real stories of coping with everyday home learning life? With real children who are not sitting down memorizing scripture at 19 months? I actually love teaching the little ones, that was the area I was trained to teach in. I do feel like they miss out on more Mommy time now that we are homeschooling. They are left to free play too much, I think. So, like I said, this year we are making changes... I would be interested in feedback on how you make all the age groups work together. I just had to blurt out what I said above as I have my misgivings about balancing it all, though I think that the little ones anticipating more of a routine for themselves will make it a lot easier. That is where faith and not relying on my own power comes in anyways, doesn't it.
5 comments:
I don't home scool--I feeeeeeeeel for you guys. I respect you. I don't think I could do it. If I can feel my air being squeezed off my 8:00 wiating for everyone to go to bed and the kitchen to be clean--I can't imagine what it would be like if I had to teach too.
Bless you girls!
I can relate to that NSRE Mom, my kids talk constantly too- even little guy who doesn't say too many words still manages to make lots of noise!
I bought this book a few years back... and I HATED it! HATED IT HATED IT HATED IT. OK, I feel better now. All it did was show me how un organized I really am by setting un realistic schedules, by women who CAN'T actually live that way, and if they do, they suck. Where's the fun? Where are the spontanious moments? How do they sit in their jammies until noon eating pizza for breakfast while watching Little House re-runs and calling it school? Nope... moth was NOT my thing, but hey... hope it works for you (; ~Karlie
PS. I love the look of the new blog!
I bought his book when we went to the homeschool convention. I love it in theory, but haven't yet tried to put my schedule in to action. I had a good laugh at some of the sample schedules. People had scheduled when their baby was going to nurse. As if your baby knows he is supposed to follow a schedule. Also some moms seemed to scheduled to the max they didn't actually seem to have any time for enjoying their lives (or their kids). I'm actually surprised some of them didn't schedule in a Saturday evening romp! Well, maybe they did but it just didn't make the cut for the book!!
i don't usually do well with manage your home in 305 easy steps books. My home never has and never will look the same as anyone else's and while they have some good ideas, I just seem to be cut from some alien mold and can never make it work.
I really liked Lisa Welchel's book about "so you think you can homeschool" or something like that. It showed so many different sides to approaching practical family situations.
My motto is: You do what you have to do, and chuck the rest till you can get to it without pulling your hair out.
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