Child Education Help Needed!

I don't mean to sound mean or even play devil's advocate here, but I want to put something out there. Why do you think that this is the right move for your family? I mean, I get that you don't want your kids in public school, but that doesn't automatically make you a good candidate for homeschooling. All mothers aren't meant to stay at home with children all day. Some parents better serve their children (and families) by outsourcing certain things. People wrongly assume that motherhood means that you're a natural at all things concerning your children and that it is appropriate and "the right thing" for you to be the one to do all things for them. Uh, no--some women need to go out and make the money and let someone else keep their kids all day. All people who want to teach in that capacity--even their own children--aren't meant to do so. If it's gonna be that much of a struggle for you, then you might need to figure something else out. You shouldn't do it at all if you're not surely called to do so. That's actually one of the problems with the public school system--just anybody thinks that being a teacher is the right option, instead of following the natural calls for their lives.

Just food for thought. Please do more research and get a better handle on whether you're even meant to do this before you jump on it. Older children could learn more independently, but yours are so little. The wrong decision here could be worse for your family and for the rest of us who have to live with the finished product.

If you find that this is the right move for you, then by all means do it, and do it well!!! Be blessed.

Congrats on wanting to get in there and teach and play with your kids. I know a lot of your day involves the newest baby, too which is a challenge. I'd recommend that you plan out your day as much as possible. Find a great routine that includes: daily chores that the kids can either help with or do on there own, time for reading with each one individually and together, a "theme" activity that's relevant to them, some sort of hands-on play, and anything else you'd think they'd enjoy. There are lots of preschool websites that will help give you ideas. I definitely encourage you to pick a theme that you focus on for a week or two at a time and develop activities around the theme. For example, right now is a great time to talk about fall harvest. You can get books about apples, pumpkins, and fall in general from the library. You can then move into "Manners" or "Thankfullness" as Thanksgiving approaches and so on. Here are some simple theme ideas: November: Thanksgiving December: The meaning of Christmas, Holiday Traditions, January: Winter/Snow February: Healthy Teeth and Healthy Hearts, March: weather, spring, April: animals, flowers, May: summer, bugs, June: ice cream, construction, July: flags, vacations, August: grass and snakes, September: apples, nocturnal animals, October: spiders, fairy tales.
The 4 and 3 year old can begin to learn letters and their sounds, numbers, counting objects, sorting objects based on their characteristics. The 14 month old can be learning colors and shapes and language in general. Sign language is great if you haven't done that yet. Remember that little attention spans are short, so 15 mintues is really tops for an activity/story. Also, don't expect them to be able to sit for long periods of time and work on something or listen. It's just not in their nature. I'd try to balance free play, sit, get up and move around, read, etc. so that their constantly switching it up. It takes longer at first, but teaching them independence really is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and your children. Allow them to pick out their clothes, dress themselves, take care of their laundry, make their beds, brush their teeth, put away their toys and books, help mommy with laundry, help mommy cook, help mommy with the baby. Be right there with them and model the correct way and allow them to try it out. Allow them to fail (as long as no one is going to be hurt) and reteach as necessary. This does take MUCH longer, but it really does pay off. In every activity, try to figure out how they can be involved or how they can do it themselves. Can they dress/undress for pottying? Can they flush? Can they wash their own hands? Can they turn the light off and on?

Here's a sample schedule to give you an idea of what I mean:
7:30 wake up (kids pick out clothes, dress, make bed, brush teeth, bring dirty clothes to washer)
8:00 Breakfast (14 month old gives everyone a napkin, 3 year old gives every one a spoon, 4 year old helps pour cereal, etc)
8:30 laundry - 3 and 4 year old help swap loads and sort the clothes into piles such as these are mommies, these are big sisters, these are mine, these are brothers, etc.
9:00 Story time/free play - while 2 are playing sit down with one and read a story together. The 14 month old might not be ready for all the words on the page, so point out what you see in the pictures and practice naming things: cat, moon, oh look, she looks sad and so on. Rotate them through this until everyone has had a turn.
10:00 Playdough or craft. Use online preschool sources (I like: perpetual preschool, homeschooling.about.com, first-school, and AmblesideOnline.org) to find something to do. If they want to color, great! If you want to bust out the shaving cream and have them play in it - it's awesome. It cleans up your table nicely and the whole room and your children smell fresh and clean afterwards! :)
10:30Free Play
11:00Story or fingerplay or song that fits the theme.
11:30 Math or science time - practice counting leaves (you can make them out of paper if you can't fetch them from outside), discover what happens when you put lemon juice on a sliced apple and leave one apple without the lemon juice. Compare the results. Explore the parts of an apple, and so on. Play with puzzles (yes, that's math), play simon says, play "I spy" play "I'm thinking of a word that starts with.... and is blue" etc.
There are a million opportunities to talk about science and math in everyday household chores. You can learn about ice, water, and steam easily in your kitchen. You can talk about why mommy can touch the pan in the oven with the mitts on, but can't with them off. You can talk about bubbles in soap, what's in dust, why we need to brush our teeth, how to follow a recipe, how to properly care for different types of food (this can stay in the pantry, but this has to go in the fridge or it gets bad), why we keep things clean, why we keep the windows and doors closed in the summer, but open in the fall, what happens to the sun at night, why the sun sets, our bodies and their parts, how to stay healthy and so on. Just start to think of every little thing that you're doing and talk while you do it, even to the baby when you're changing a diaper. Your 4 year old can bag up the garbage and take it outside. Your 3 year old can clean with a dust rag or feather duster, your 14 month old can take "this" and put it "over there"

Good for you wanting to stay home! It really can be enjoyable. First I wanted to tell you about a craft that my daughter just brought home the other day. It's swedish fish aquarium. You can take any old glass jar and wash it out. She used cheerios for her rocks on the bottom,(you could use fuity pebbles or rice crispies and get the same effect) and then she twisted up a pipe cleaner as her "grass". Then her daycare provider put fishing line through a couple of swedish fish and closed the jar with a little bit of the line hanging out. I just thought it was so cute, and really original. As for chores the 4 year old can help collect laundry and dishes from around the house as well as help you put the soap in the machines. She can make her own bed ( may not be as pretty as you like it but at least it's done). She can also start sweeping and mopping. Your 3 year old can also help gather things up around the house and he can start trying to make his bed. The baby isn't going to be doing much obviously, but the other children can all pick up their toys.

I know you wrote this awhile ago, but here is a website I really love, it has a christian base and has tons of information, great base for homeschoolers...
www.kidzone.ws
and some more that KISD uses.
www.starfall.com
www.auntlee.com

It is never to early to teach them the fun of chores...
I do mine as a family activity...every one helps with everything..but we have fun doing it.
Good Luck...

Hi J.,

I know that you know this, but your life will be so much nicer if you teach your children how to do chores. It will be hard work now, but not only will you being teaching your children to help you, but you’ll be teaching them personally responsibility. Start by having a place for their toys and showing them how and where to put them. The “Clean up” song is wonderful for this, the kids will actual start to sing it and pick up on their own. Let them be responsible for putting their towels and dirt cloths in the wash room/hamper. Let your oldest 2 wipe the table after dinner or help sweep the floor or even help vacuum. You can start to teach them how to fold cloths too at this age. They won’t do a great job and you’ll probably have to clean up behind them, but its well worth it to set these standards in place now. As for activities to do with your kids, don’t worry about being creative, you’ve got the internet and remember with an activity to always KISS “Keep it simple stupid.” Involve them in whatever your doing by breaking it down into small tasks that they can do like fetching, handing, holding, tasting, & etc. You’ll know what’s too advanced for each of your kids but the younger ones will probably learn earlier by watching your 4 year old. Don’t get overwhelming and think you have to have an elaborate activity planned for every minute with your kids, puzzles, coloring, cutting, singing, reading, and pasting are so easy for you and then you can plan something special like baking cupcakes or cookies once a week. Like you said; once you get to the home schooling it will be a different story, but these are things you can do now for your children. Good luck and best wishes.

I admire what you are wanting to do for your family. I would get online if i were you and google, homeschooling and see what comes up. You ought to be able to find lots to do with any age on the internet. Don't listen to those that tell you homeschooling is not good. I am planning on homeschooling as well because i don't want my kids around what is in todays schools. You stick to your guns girl!!!

D. Mattern-Muck
Mom's helping mom's work from home!
http://www.formyrugrats.com

I suggest you subscribe to a couple parenting magazines that have good ideas of activities to do with your kids, and maybe a crafting magazine as well. go to the craft section of Wal-mart or whatever and just look for craft projects that already come with everything you need. If you really want your kids to get creative, stock up on all kinds of supplies (paper, crayons, safety scissors, glue sticks, glitter, paint, felt, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, etc.) and just let them loose and see what they create! sitting with them while they create gives opportunities for teaching colors, shapes, counting, opposites (soft/rough, little/big, etc.)
other than crafts, read to your kids as often as they will listen, do lots of puzzles, if you don't have them already get lots of "imaginative" toys (dress-up clothes, blocks, cars, dolls, kitchen set, etc....my kids LOVE the Little People sets, we bought almost all of them used, so it wasn't expensive, they have the farm, castle, house, etc. and love playing with them!) each playing experience is an opportunity for learning. mega blocks can be sorted by color or made into patterns, EVERY kind of play teaches sharing and taking turns, just let them explore and lead the way for learning
sing lots of songs with your kids, especially ones with actions (wheels on the bus, itsy bitsy spider, london bridges, etc.) if you need ideas, go buy a CD of kids' songs that has a booklet with the lyrics and hand motions written down.
start simple with chores and make it fun! my kids love to help with laundry...they help me put clothes in the washer, switch them to the dryer, put the in the basket, then i give them small towels to fold or socks to match, then they put away their own clothes. they like to help with dishes too, i let them unload the silverware, plastic containers, sippy cups, anything that isn't breakable and is easily accessible to them! (silverware is especially good b/c it helps them learn to sort objects) you can give them a wet washcloth to "clean" the bathtub while you clean the sink and toilet. you can give them a swiffer duster to dust furniture. give them a wet rag to wipe down the table. buy them a child-size broom and dust pan (you will be surprised how well they can actually help!)
baking and cooking with your kids can also be fun and educational. my kids always love trying new veges while i'm cutting them up for dinner. older kids will be able to help you count things (one, two cups of flour!). and they are much more willing to try new foods if they helped make it!
i hope i've given you some helpful ideas!