For the fourth week of the "Not Back to School" Blog Hop, we’re supposed to share about a typical day of school in our homes. We started our school year yesterday, and I’m purposely starting slowly. To be honest, when we started school yesterday, it seemed as if not a day had passed since we finished up in the summer. I don’t mean that in a good way. All the little annoyances and problems didn’t magically disappear over the summer.
- Sixth grade son still interrupts me constantly and has no concept of the distraction that he is causing by asking me questions willy-nilly.
- Fourth grade daughter still breaks into tears when her brothers’ interruptions break her concentration for the hundredth time.
- Second grade son still can’t focus on anything for more than a few seconds. I have to stay right on him, but then he gets annoyed and frustrated at my interference.
- Almost three year old can’t find anything quiet to amuse herself while I’m teaching the others. She can play quietly any other time, but there’s something about my busyness that makes her need to be with me and talk…or yell.
I honestly am at a loss as to what adjustments I need to make to help with these problems. I can make beautiful schedules on paper, but somehow things just won’t happen the way they’re supposed to. (I know it’s only the second day. Things will get better, etc. but this is not the newness. This is our pattern.)
Part of me thinks that I need to let go of some of my ideals with how school should be done. One of the things I’m thinking about changing is our beginning. I want us to start our day TOGETHER with a short devotion and time of prayer. The problem with that is I’ve got 2 dawdlers who aren’t ready to start, while my daughter is ready. She winds up doing nothing until mid-morning when she could reasonably be done with her seat work by then. Part of me says, yes, the starting together is important, you just need to keep pressing toward the goal, and not give up and they’ll get it. Then the other part of me is asking why? Maybe things would work better if I allowed for the staggered start. We could have our devotion time at lunch when we are all together. Beginning the day in prayer points to our reliance on God, but if I’m frazzled and frustrated every morning when it’s time for prayer, then what I’m teaching them?
You may wonder why I’m posting this. (Actually, I am wondering that too.) I’m going to post in the hope that it will provide encouragement to someone else. Even though this is our seventh year of homeschooling, we do not have everything figured out. We grow, we change, we make necessary adjustments. I will spend time in prayer over this, and many of the underlying issues with the children. I will seek my husband’s opinion about our schedule. I will press on.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Phil. 3:13-14
I have only just started homeschooling so I do not speak from experience, but I think having the devotions late when you are all together anyway makes sense. It may make for a smoother less frustrated start to your day.
I would try praying and devotions at lunch time. We have made many alterations in the last 11 years and I have let some things go forever and others go for a time. I was raised to pray all throughout the day. I think whenever you do your devotions the kids will know that you are devoted.
Blessings,
Dawn
We are starting our 20th year of homeschooling … each and every year has looked different! I keep waiting to get it perfectly right! LOL!
As far as starting together w/devotions & prayer — what exactly do your two dawdlers have to do to be "ready"?. Wake up & go potty … hehe! Then after devotions, they can commence dawdling! :o) Just my .02
Theresa
Our oldest is going into the 4th grade and we've been schooling since she was 3. Our second is in 1st grade and our youngest is 3. Our schedule and day has changed every single year that we've done this. =) We've made changes as we need to, and you know when you need to make changes, so go ahead and do what you need to do. There have been times that I did school with one and then another. Last year we all started together (the toddler included) and the first 30 minutes or so was CRAZY. Then Little Prince would move on, and then Drama Queen would be done and then Princess would finish up and I'd crash on the couch in a huge sigh of relief. This year we're doing a modified version of the workbox system (if you haven't heard of it, google it and start reading all the blog posts about it) and I think it's going to help my two older ones navigate their way through their day with more independence and help to occupy my littlest one (who is going to have his boxes full of coloring pages, puzzles and that sort of thing.) All of their first boxes are going to contain the bible lesson and verse for the day so we're still starting together with that, but they're moving through their own systems. I'm really hoping it helps our school day move along more smoothly. Here's to hoping anyway! =) Good luck & God bless with finding a right fit for this year. God provides, He'll make a way.
Amber @ Classic Housewife
http://www.classichousewife.com
Thanks for sharing this. You are right, it is encouraging to hear of some seasoned homeschoolers who struggles with dawdling children, or any other issue for that matter. For the encouraging word from me, I'd say, I am sure you are doing a great job, and I guess the beauty of homeschooling is the freedom to adjust every so often. Like the others have said I would go for the lunch time devotion as well, or whenever everybody can be together and focus.
Oh, you have provided me a lot of encouragement because I see much of the same things. This is our first year homeschooling and I have DS-11 yelling which distracts my DD-7 who bursts into tears because her concentration is broken….oh yeah. It's my house too! I've found that the day does go better if we start out with the Lord, so that's what I work towards. I'm still working on the little issues as we work, hoping that we get more into a routine that eliminates them. 🙂 -Beth
however, I think you need to take your own family and situation into consideration. What we do is have breakfast (hopefully everyone is dressed before breakfast but not always!) and then have some quick morning chores. Then I try to start everyone with Bible and prayer time. Sometimes, though, I have someone taking too long and I'll start someone who is ready to work with something while we wait on the dawdler. Then when all are together, we'll do our Bible and prayer time.
I am glad someone else feels the same way I do. . . and I'm only juggling two this year! My 4 year old cannot keep from interrupting and my 9 year old is ADHD, so he is easily distracted. Nightmare! I'm sure it will get better though. 🙂 Good luck,
Brandi
Thankyou for posting this it is very encouraging to know that we are not alone in our struggles.
You know what I've tried in the past…. to get everyone prepared to focus including the 4yr old and 2 yr old first thing after breakfast, I would head off to the gym with all 4…the 7 yr old would exercise with me and the younger ones would run around like crazy in the playhouse we would stay there for 2hrs as soon as we got back home everyone would get a snack and we would begin schooling at 9 or 10a.m. a bit late for some but let me till you it was the most productive days we've had for both the kids and myself.
So my suggestion take them to the park, or for a walk, or exercise all together in the living room even the lil' ones would find that fun. Any activity where they can get all that couped up energy out!
Eevee
thanks chica for being real! i didnt post this week to the blog hop because as many schedules as I have written down we NEVER seem to be able to stick to them. No matter how good my intentions – it is a struggle to get it all done!
what if you spent time in prayer with each one when they started school at different times and then did devotions and together prayer at lunch?? just a thought!