homeschooling a houseful

[theocentric]

We have 8 dc. I have homeschooled all of our school age kids up until this year when we enrolled three in the local public school. I HATE IT! I want to bring them home but have lost my confidence it seems. We have so many kids I'm like the woman in the shoe (except I'm not old and I don't spank them soundly and send them to bed). I know if I did bring them home we'd take an unschooling approach with the little guys and my older kids would continue to work independently for the most part.

Has anyone else gone back to homeschooling after a break or managed to homeschool a houseful?

Theo

[Morwenna]

Well, we "only" have 5. We homeschool/unschool, ages 2-13.

[momto l&a]

My best friend is the oldest of 11 children, they ranges in ages from 30-6. They where all homeschooled. I do know that the 3 oldest where a big help to their Mom in house work ect to that probably made it easier for the Mom to concentrate on schooling.

That in its self is an education for the children to help the Mom manage the household. The above mentioned kids are so capable, nothing flusters them!

All of that to say it can be done! But how I dont know. LOL Big help I am

[Velveteen]

You can do it!!!
If you can manage 8dc, you can do it. My confidence would need boosting if I had to go back to work too, its been a while since I held a job for money.
My good friend has 12 dc, they all homeschool. The older ones are a big help.
I only have 4, working on ttc#5, but I would really encourage you to go for it!

I was also thinking about a magazine for big families, called Joyful Noise I believe. Lots of tips for navigating life with a larger than average family, that might be useful too. I am sure you are very capable already though!

[hotmamacita]

theo---you have eight? whoa. how do you mother much less homeschool? what are their ages?

[barbara]

Go for it... you will never be sorry!

I have 7 and we have home educated them all for 16 years. I have a number of friends with large families that also homeschool them. It takes some organization (but lelieve me, I'm anything but an organized person!) and it takes letting go of pre-concieved ideas about schooling and education in general, but the rewards are boundless!

~b

[theocentric]

[i]My best friend is the oldest of 11 children, they ranges in ages from 30-6. They where all homeschooled. I do know that the 3 oldest where a big help to their Mom in house work ect to that probably made it easier for the Mom to concentrate on schooling.

My two oldest are amazing helpers. I need to teach my 8yo boys how to do some basic chores. That would make my life so much easier.

theo

[theocentric]

Originally posted by hotmamacita
theo---you have eight? whoa. how do you mother much less homeschool? what are their ages?

Mothering is the easy part, if there is an easy part, :LOL I think we're going to have to rethink how we homeschool if we end up brining them home again which at this point I believe we will be.

They are 14, 11, 8,8,6,4,2.5 and 14 months.


theo

[theocentric]

Thanks to all who replied. I feel renewed confidence! My dh and I were discussing this today and he's ready to bring them home too!

The thing that's really cool is that I have been praying that God would provide for them to be able take some enrichment classes and just this morning I got an order for 50 slings!. Maybe I should take that as a thumbs up from my Heavenly Father and Friend.

theo

[anythingelse]

wow, 50 slings 8 kids

I just want to say ---

[aidansutherland]

Homeschooling a houseful

I'm having my fourth this June. The others are 5, 2 1/2, and 16 mo. I plan to homeschool them (already started with Ruthie, in a mellow, laid back way). Can some of you mommies with huger families give some advice? I have trouble keeping up with the housework already! If some of you have schedules/daily rythms that you stick to, I would love to hear details! Can I really make this all happen?

Thanks, Aidan

PS- I'm looking for other homeschooling families in Durango, CO!
Anyone?

[barbara]

Since you asked, here are my suggestions for homeschooling large families....or any families for that matter! A reciepe for homeschooling sucess, if you will.

Teach your children how to do the things that need to be done around the house by having them help you and then giving them the responsibility for the job when they are ready for that.

Enjoy your work...children will not want to do dishes either if you act like it is an unplesant chore...after all, you will be doing these things all your life, you might as well enjoy them.

Make tidying up the house fun and quick...put on some music and see if you can all get the room tidy before the song is over.

Don't try to imitate school at home, but learn to love education and learning for it's own sake.

Don't expect your children to "do school work" while you are doing something else. Explore your own interests and your children will join in on your exploration or they will find their own interests to explore along side you.

Don't segregate your children into artificial age groupings but rather work together and let each child absorb what he or she can.

Treat each child (each person) as an intelligent, gifted and creative individual. Children will live up to our expectations, or live down to them.

Spend lots of time hugging and snuggeling and taking time to smell the roses, knead the bread dough, and tickle the baby...

[aidansutherland]

Barbara, thanks for your reply. I lean heavily toward unschooling, at least I have no desire to use a boxed curriculum. I also like aspects of Waldorf. I believe thoroughly in learning and growing- I can see it happening in my kids every day. I just lack confidence right now. I'm finding it very hard to be spontaneous, partly because I'm not centered, and partly because I've got so many little ones (I also have an 18 mo. old I take care of), it seems like if I ever diverge from the eating/pooping/napping schedule, disaster ensues. I wonder if I can do my oldest justice.

I like the things you said about the chores. I believe in teaching them to participate over time, but it's hard for me to stay focused on the process, and I get to acting like a drill sargent at toy pickup time. I need to keep it positive.

Can I ask you about your unschooling journey? What are the ages of your kids, and how long have you been schooling at home? I need stories right now- I want to hear from people who can say"it can be done, I know because I do it". Are there any people or books you can recommend that you've found inspirational?

Thanks, Aidan

[apmomto4]

I'm unschooling four children, and have been for almost 9 years. There's no such thing as a typical day around here!

My 12 year old loves to read and write and adores the computer. She gets up in the morning and makes breakfast (she loves to cook -- which is wonderful because I don't!! LOL!). Then she writes stories or reads until lunch, which she cooks, too! She also plays with her younger brother and sister until it's time for their naps. In the afternoons, she plays with her 9 year old brother. They have tons of imaginative games, or they'll play video or computer games. She's been taking piano lessons for four years so she practices her piano in the afternoons and she has a computer program for math (which she requested!), so she works through her pre-algebra until dinner. She doesn't watch TV, except for Stargate (because she's my science buff, too!)

My 9 year old has autism, so unschooling really works for him, as he's able to learn at his own pace without pressure. He doesn't like to read novels, but he'll read things like encyclopedias or nature books, or instruction manuals. In the mornings, he's usually playing computer or video games, or building with Legos. After lunch, he plays with his older sister or draws - he loves to draw! He's also our resident comedian, so he's making up material quite often and will do a monologue for anyone willing to listen! He's my TV fan, but only Sponge Bob and Looney Toons (looking for funny material, I think!)

My 4 year old loves to read and be read to. He also loves video games and spends most of his day doing that or playing with his older siblings. He also loves cars and trucks.

My youngest will be 2 in a few weeks and spends her days playing and nursing!

As for me, I spend my mornings straightening the house, playing the kids, and reading to my younger two children. In the afternoons, I read for pleasure myself, spend time on the computer, or do my own writing.

Unschooling is really about just doing what you like to do! It's very relaxing and rewarding. You'll think they aren't doing anything, aren't learning anything at all, and then they'll surprise you out of the blue! I've seen this mostly with my oldest, since she's really 'come into her own' over the last 2 years or so. So give it time!

[barbara]

aidansutherland, I'm sorry that I didn't intro myself, I forget that everyone hasn't heard my story and I dont' wont' to keep boring those who have.

We have been Home educating for about 16 years. We have 7 children and have "graduated" 3 from our "unschool." That leaves us with 4 still at home...16, 13,10 and 7. The days of nursing babies and toddlers in the middle fo the table while we are trying to do something are over, except when one of my grandchildren are here to throw some excitment into the mix.

Both of my sons went from being unschooled right to college and have done amazingly well in the academic enviroment. One is working on his mastersnow while also working and enjoying being a husband and daddy. The other is a Theater/music major and is looking at colleges to transfer to next year to continue his education.

My oldest dd married early and is the most amazing SAHM, expecting her second child next month. They plan to unschool their children also.

My 16yo dd works at a dressage horse stable as a groom and has had some amazing oppertunities that would not have been available to her if she were conventionally schooled.

We have delt with dyslexia, ADD and ADHD and have found that unschooling is the best solution longterm. I dont' like the word solution, because I don't consider these things to be problems to "fix" but chacteristics of my children that they need to understand, and find ways to work with, rather than againest!

My desires has always been to enjoy life with my kids and help them to love learning and be responsible, intelligent, intersting, caring individuals. So far that seems be what unschooling has delivered. We have had such an interesting and fun time on this journey and I can't wait to see where it will take us next.

Good luck on your journey!
~b

[aidansutherland]

Barbra and Kelly- Thanks for giving me the dirt on what your lives are like as unschoolers. I do personally know one family that unschools, but they only have two kids- I can remember how much less chaotic my life was when I only had two! I can hear the excitement in your posts, and it's helping me to remember my own thrill at being there with the spontaneous learning my children experience. You are showing me, too, that it's possible to feel relaxed and peaceful with a lot of kids in the house.

I think I have a lot of expectations that get in the way of my just enjoying what is. I tend to approach problems from a "thinking" standpoint, and as mothering has tried to teach me over and over, what I need here is to "feel" what to do. Part of it is that I have the in-laws with their doubts about my being able to give my kids an education. Even though my oldest is beginning to read and "get" math concepts through her own exploration, I still feel so worried that I'm going to miss some important part of the puzzle and deprive her somehow. I also worry about the fighting, which seems really intense sometimes, and about my son, 2 1/2, who has problems with hitting and pushing. I have this idea that my kids have to be well behaved, happy, and exceptional, I guess, because as I write even all of that seems more like normal kid behavior.

I feel like I'm really trying to do this in a vacuum. Have you had homeschool co-ops or other homeschooling friends over the years? I know every area is different as far as resources like that.

Thanks for sharing your stories. -Aidan

[barbara]

I still feel so worried that I'm going to miss some important part of the puzzle and deprive her somehow. I also worry about the fighting, which seems really intense sometimes, and about my son, 2 1/2, who has problems with hitting and pushing. I have this idea that my kids have to be well behaved, happy, and exceptional, I guess, because as I write even all of that seems more like normal kid behavior.

Aidan, I think we all struggle with these things. It's part of being a parent, but it does seem to be intensified when we are educating our children at home. Probably because we feel like we have to justify our decision and prove that it is working by having our children appear "better" than conventionally schooled kids.

Sometimes it takes years for others to see the merit in homeschooling ( and I doubt many will ever understand unschooling!) In the long run though, most people will notice a difference in your children. Keep your eye on the goal and enjoy the journey.

We have found that most homeschoolers don't provide much companionship to unschoolers becasue I think they are a bit suspicious of us. We have been in homeschool support groups over the years and have gleened good things from them, but now we find that most of what they offer can be found elsewhere, with less commitment, both financially and emotionally. Perhaps you have a better choice of support groups in your area.

Hang in there, and remember that the fighting happens in "schooled" siblings as well.