How early?

[Mama Rana]

Hi, my name is Mama Rana and I'm a public school teacher :

:LOL Well, technically I'm on child-rearing leave for at least another year. DH keeps talking about "when DS goes to school", etc, but honestly after teaching preschool and kindergarten in a public school setting (the same system DS would attend), I just don't know if it's the right thing to do.

DS is 17 months old. I'm intrigued by the idea of unschooling (though I know my school teacher mind would want to throw some more structured lessons in there too). My library system has the book "Learning all the time" that someone(?) recommended. I'll get that as soon as they work out a little catalog problem : But when does one start? How does one start?

I feel like our days are so bleh, unstructured, unproductive, not-as-stimulating as they should be. We are potty-learning a la Elimination Communication, and so being naked--something I can't do in public most places--is very important to our day. I'm not really a huge fan of being on a schedule--it's hard for me to get out the door in a timely fashion :LOL--so classes and such are a question mark.

Any advice/support/etc would be greatly appreciated!

MR :

[**guest**]

it is a bit of an indirect answer, but i find that blogging puts things in perspective for me. i often feel that our days are bleh. i am not big on organisation either. but when at the end of the day i think about what i could write in my blog little bits and pieces emerge, and i think OH YEAH, it was not so bad. we did this and that, and talked about this and that, and dd said something really neat, and i learned something new. and all of a sudden there is a focus to my day and it gives me a boost. a bit retrospective, though :LOL

[Linda on the move]

Rather than thinking about "starting" homeschooling, think about interesting age appropriate things to do. There is a sticky in the toddler folder with ideas.

[wynkenblynken&nod]

Well it really depends on your

style of hs'ing. Actually, you already are unschooling. He can walk and he's probably changed his cries to let you know which ones are "owie", "I'm hungry/thirsty/need something physical", "But I WANT THAT" and the general "I need you mommy"....if not using words to express himself. He's probably soaking in tons without all that "education" in the way :LOL

There are some styles of hs'ing that don't start until they turn 7....because prolonging the natural flow of things might help a child more than a structured and uncomfortable environment.

My biggest hurdle, I'll be honest, is fighting the desire to put dc'ren on display to "justify" hsing them and my parenting in the first place. *sigh* It is hard with people who aren't fully on board with you but if you trust in yourself and most of all, your children....you will be happy you did.

Oh, I gotta get some sleep, I'm on and on!

With love,

Liv

[shaywyn]

Hello Mama Rana, my name is Shaywyn

IMO, your days don't need to be filled with anything but loving mama/baby stuff right now. I would not ever describe that as bleh! Bonding, loving, being there when your baby yells "Mama!". Or, better yet, murmurs "mama", is more than enough right now.

However, this is definitely the time to do your research. Since you are already intrigued and attracted to the idea of unschooling, reading about it will only make you more so You will also relax a bit, I would bet

I say drop some of that "unstructured, unproductive, not-as-stimulating as they should be." stuff and start enjoying your life together just as it is! It almost sounds as if your working life is assigning expectations to your private life. Those words remind me of being at work, iykwim?

Anyway, I am so excited for you. I wish you the best in your journey and whatever your destination turns out to be, I can see from your care and words that your child is a lucky one!

[OTMomma]

Hi Mama Rana! I know what you mean about feeling like you aren't doing enough with your dc. My dd is 3 and I've started looking into homeschooling. Somehow, just educating myself seems to make me feel better. I've also had to work to shift my opinion of what is important for my child to learn. I try to look at it as- she needed to learn what would happen when we took a moment for her to throw a huge rock in a puddle- it makes a huge splash- that's science right?

At 17 months there are so many things you can do with your dc. You could get a video and do signing- go to library story time, trips to the park. Work on learning to catch a ball, kick a ball, stack blocks, draw a line. If it makes you feel better you can impose more structure on your own day. I've started imposing a time in the moring where I sit and play with dd and a story time after lunch- its not too formal but it makes me feel better.

I've also just started keeping a log of some of what we've done each day. It helps too.

And i want to add- you might want to consider if you need a hobby for yourself. It could be YOU need something else to do, not your toddler (I've had this problem) and anything you get excited about, your toddler is going to want to see, do and learn about.

Peace,
Laura

[Mama Rana]

thanks all

unfortunately ds has taken to crawling into my lap--while i read mdc--and asking for the tv on. it's not so much that i feel the need to "teach" him stuff, but i do feel that we spend to much time literally doing nothing--not playing, or reading, or talking, or even nursing. so this is what i've come up with, with the thought to try to do something in each category every day, but to follow ds's lead:

Art—crayons, chalk, playdough

Music—harmonica, drums, dancing

PE—soccer,

Reading—stories,

Math—one-to-one matching, classifying, sorting

Science—bugs, plants, animals, water play, sand play, mud play, goop (cornstarch & water), nature walk treasure hunt, real foods vs. picture books

Social studies—community helpers

Health—hand-washing, nose-blowing, “batwing”




Sesame Street:
9:00—22
10:30—26
3:00--19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

this is a work in progress, still lots to fill in, but i feel better having some guidelines.

i like the idea of keeping a learning journal. what kinds of things do you write down?

laura, i do think i need a hobby. actually i have several but can;t seem to find the time to do them. i also should spend more time doing household stuff.