Homeschooling With Little Ones

This post is in response to a question I have received three times in the past couple of weeks. How do I manage to homeschool multiple children (this coming from people who only homeschool one and find it so time consuming they wonder how they can teach three or four children) with little ones in the mix. Here is how things look around here in a nutshell.

1. I focus on getting my basic chores done first thing in the morning while baby is awake. Everyone 2 and up is involved in this process from wiping down counters, to sweeping floors, making beds, etc.

2. I wait till the littlest’s morning nap to start school.

3. I start my fourth grader on her math first thing so that I can focus on the younger kids subjects while she is busy with independent seatwork (for the most part).

4. I combine kids in certain subjects regardless of age gaps. My 4 (just 5) and 6 (almost 7) year old are combined in science, history and poetry readings. I do their combined subjects first and then again, get my first grader started on her math so that I can concentrate on the youngest for his math and language arts. In total my preschooler only has about half hour of seatwork.

5. During this half hour my two year old is working in his own coloring and activity books in his booster seat at the table with us. When my pre-k’er has completed his work they move into the living room to watch 1/2 hour of kids shows until my first grader is done her seat work. At that time she (little mother that she is) plays with the kids until lunch. In winter this involves crafts, games or just free play with their books and toys. In summer they play outside.

6. Once I have finished seat work with my first grader (around 11:00 am) I then mark my fourth grader’s math and move on to science and history readings with her. By the time we have finished these two subjects it is about noon and I start her on her Language Arts seatwork and go to get lunch ready.

7. After lunch we all take a 30-45 min quiet time and this is when my daughters do their readers, I lay down on the couch with my 2 year old and read, he looks at a book till he falls asleep. My four year old plays quietly in his room and the baby is usually still napping (or going down for his second nap when very small).

8. After quiet time I take care of the baby and get him changed and fed, while supervising daughter as she finishes her language arts.

9. That’s about it, besides the fact that we do family read alouds in the evening after supper if we are home (so Daddy can participate), otherwise, if we have an engagement in the evening, I read to the kids between 3 and 4 and then start making supper at 4 pm.

10. When my babies get older and don’t sleep so much they play in the room with us, either in a jolly jumper in the doorway when they are 4-6 months, or in an exersaucer after that or just sitting in the high chair next to me with some finger food and baby toys. Usually they are quite happy to just be near everyone.

11. Yes, there are inevitably times when the baby doesn’t sleep and wants to be held. I’ve learned to relax and that that is okay too.

It’s a constant adjustment of schedule and approach each year as I add new kids to the mix and as they move up in grade levels (I find that the student’s work takes an extra quarter hour from pre-k-grade one then an additional hour every year after that), thus my fourth grader spends about four hours doing school where last year she only spent three, and my first grader spends one) but so far it has never been overwhelming, and I have always had babies and toddlers in the mix. You forget that the kids you started teaching first get more and more independent and that they help with other kids and housework too. When they are young you think you will be solely responsible for EVERYTHING and then you learn as you go that it is a family effort and it all turns out just fine. Take courage.