Homeschooling Preschoolers March06 - Page 7

[natashaccat]

Originally Posted by True Blue

Yay on getting your van back!
I waiver daily about "curriculums" for next year...do I start something like Shiller Math and FIAR? There is so much out there that says NOT to, but then there is DS who does seem to enjoy some structured stuff....

I loosly follow a FIAR mostly because it gives me ideas for when my dd gets into a rut where she can't seem to figure out what to do with herself.
It's kind of a fall-back for when dd can't seem to find anything more interesting to do than jump all over my furniture, KWIM.

[bwylde]

Originally Posted by True Blue

Yay on getting your van back!

Funny you mention a cabinet Carla, I was thinking of picking up a cheapy at Target today! I want a more organized place for "school" supplies as well. We already have an art cart in the kitchen where they can get coloring supplies, paints, stamps, etc when they want (though I recently moved the markers due to body painting recently LOL...they had to be superheroes complete with body markings!). Hey, our DS's are only 3 days apart, and our DD's only 2 months apart.
I waiver daily about "curriculums" for next year...do I start something like Shiller Math and FIAR? There is so much out there that says NOT to, but then there is DS who does seem to enjoy some structured stuff....

How cool our kids are so close in age. I like the cabinet because I can put the kids things at their level and it's so much easier to put stuff away. We had a cart but we just threw everything in and it was a big mess.

I go round a lot about curriculums too. I'm hoping to get some things in the mail this week to help me decide .

[True Blue]

Oh I know the nice thing is I can stop whenever I want to. I just started worrying about all the talk about introducing academics too early, etc. But then again, DS does seem to like it, he's only learning to read because he asked me to. For weeks and weeks...I was thinking something like FIAR might be nice for the reasons you mentined natashacat...for sanity's sake when we have nothing to do LOL.

Got a cabinet for "school" stuff yesterday at Target on sale for only $20!

Does anyone ever feel bad for not sending their older one to a little bit of preschool or something so your younger one can get more of the one-on-one attention the older one got?

[LeftField]

There's nothing like dh going out of town to give me a hs kick in the butt. In the interest of keeping the kids distracted while he's gone, we've lined up a few things. We made some volcanos out of baking clay. I mixed 4 c flour, 1 c salt and 1 1/2 c water and kneaded it for 5 minutes (ouch, very thick stuff). We fashioned our volcanos and then baked for an hour on 325 F. Last night, we painted them with tempura paints. This morning, I have promised an eruption, courtesy of baking soda and vinegar. My 2yr old put so much paint on the inside of his volcano that I'm concerned it will interfere with the eruption process.

I also have undyed silk that I have cut, but need to hem. Once I hem it, we'll dye it with Koolaid packets.

Finally, on a simple note, we poured 1/4 c of water in a clear measuring glass a few nights ago and we check it every night to see if we notice "missing" water. My oldest really likes the idea of gasses and has been asking some related questions. So, we've checking for evaporation. He wanted to then turn the gas back into liquid, but I don't have the equipment for that (isn't that basically distillation with the tubes and stuff?; flashbacks from 9th grade science).

[LeftField]

Originally Posted by True Blue

Does anyone ever feel bad for not sending their older one to a little bit of preschool or something so your younger one can get more of the one-on-one attention the older one got?

No, but that's b/c I think my younger one gets more attention than my oldest due to the demanding nature of his age (and personality). I wish I had more one-on-one time with my oldest. He's so mellow and easy, so he doesn't make his wants known as much as my little one does. I've been trying to schedule some date nights with him. I'm jealous that my dh gets so much solo time with him, because they do projects and errands on weekends when my little one is napping. Of course, dh is jealous of the solo time I get with the little one.

So, I feel like I have the opposite problem to you, but I have that guilt. The guilt is awful, isn't it?

[True Blue]

That's funny leftfield....my oldest is my demanding needy one and my youngest is pretty content to occupy herself. The guilt sucks. Then sometimes I still feel like the older one isn't getting all the attention he really needs, one-on-one, from me. I'm trying to remember to schedule dates with him. I know what you mean about time with DH. DH takes DS fishing and does all kinds of fun things while he gives me time to clean the house, etc. Part of me though would really really like to have hours on end alone with my little one, I feel like there is so much we are missing out on sometimes.

[umsami]

I love this thread... mainly a lurker.... but it inspires me so.

My DS is 2 1/2 and amazes me everyday with what he has absorbed simply by being. He loves to count things... sing his version of the alphabet... try out various science experiences (loves gravity...LOL).

I've been thinking about sending him to preschool next year for a few days, mainly so I can have more time with his younger brother who is 6 months old and super easy-going. But now, I'm starting to think about trying to get a few moms together to start a preschool cooperative. Nothing too formal... maybe a few hours two or three times/week. I thought if other Moms perhaps had a younger child at home, we could sort of branch off with one Mom with the older kids and one with the young'uns.

Anybody participate in a co-op/group?? What do you think?

[nini2033a]

We have been trying this, with some members of the local moms club, but we are finding it a bit difficult because the kids are at such different developmental levels even though they are all within less than 6 months of each other.Although they are all 3 years old, they have vastly different skills and attention spans. But we haven't given up. We have been trying to do educational games that work with varying levels.

[Mary-Beth]

I don't have any experience with co-op's yet...
We've had play groups when the kids were younger but when the kids got to be around 2-3 years old the playgroups faded away because most the kids enrolled in preschool. I know of a co-op starting but its about 45 min. or more from my house so I don't know how well that will work for me...I'm looking into it more.

I actually have a different question or concern...my almost 4 year old is having a rough time...so much crying, yelling, etc. I'm feeling worn out! I cannot seem to get to the bottom of what is causing this...She wakes up irritated and grumpy. This morning she cried because I didn't cut her pancake before putting ghee (butter) on it. She had an absolute fit. She never told me she wanted it done that way. Then she finally eats and I say, "want to go play outside?" She says "yes!" So I said, "okay, lets go get dressed and go outside." She refused to get dressed, refused to go potty...I'm trying to get her to explain and talk to me in a way I can understand..."What do you want honey? I'm confused." She also talks very rude to me..."get over here right now. Pick me up." I NEVER talk to her in this way. Neither does my dh. I cannot fgure out where all this is coming from. I've been playing with her, giving her lots of 1:1 time...helping her see she has control and setting gentle limits when necessary. She is sweet and cooperative and happy outside the house with and without me. Any ideas??? How am I going to homeschool her?
Right now I'm wishing I could enroll her in pre-k 2 days a week or something so I have a break. I'm not sure I'm going to best for her anymore. I've seen the teacher at the children's library and our music class teacher...they have fresh perspectives and patience that a tired mama doesn't have. Maybe I shouldn't homeschool!! Yikes. Am I the only one who has this issue? I've been lurking on the homeschool board for a while and I never see any threads on how to manifest cooperation in homeschool kids....Any ideas?

[Mickiswing]

Mary-Beth, I think you've just written my journal.

We're having the same issues here and I'm beginning to rethink homeschooling. My four year old and almost three year old are just being so irritable and rude and absolutely refuse to try to get along with me and with each other. But, they have no problems behaving for other people. I know this is some kind of backhanded compliment, as supposedly it means they feel so comfortable with us that they're able to let down their guard, but geez. It certainly doesn't feel that way.

We can't even go to playgroups lately, because if I'm there they scream and fight and we end up having to leave very quickly. I don't think it's that I'm too strict or too permissive, and I certainly don't inforce cruel consequences, though there always are consequences to negative behavior.

I don't know what to do either. We're planning on homeschooling, but how do you homeschool when the children don't respect you and the whole tone in your home is negative, no matter how hard you try? And if they behave better for other adults, maybe homeschooling isn't the best option? I'm stumped.

Good luck to us and everyone else that has complications like this! And if anyone has some insight and advice, I would most certainly welcome it!

[amis2girls]

Originally Posted by Mickiswing

Good luck to us and everyone else that has complications like this! And if anyone has some insight and advice, I would most certainly welcome it!

:

[OTMomma]

MaryBeth- I think I would take time to look at your dd's diet and cosider allergies or food reactions or blood sugar issues. I know my dd often wakes up very hateful- due to low blood sugar, after breakfast her mood improves. However, I know her mood will be even better if she eats protien at breakfast, or at all/any meals for that matter. I also am careful about sugar and food additives- it turns out Life cereal has a food additive that makes my child a holy terror (took me 3 weeks to figure out what the problem was). And as far as it only being you- if there is an issue making your child feel badly- she feels safe to be rude and mean to you. I know my kid knows she can say anything to me and I'll still love her, so she treats me differently than anyone else. I hope this helps.

[Mary-Beth]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one dealing with this particular challenge!
Thanks for the ideas OTMama.

We have suspected her blood sugar to be off...she has to eat or she gets really irritable(to put it mildly). We eat virtually all organic. She is on a no-sugar diet...she eats fruits. I mean no refined sugar and even cane sugar. Plus, we recently put her on a gluten free/casein free diet...our holistic Dr. found a wheat and dairy allergy in her. This stuff has been going on for months and months and is just getting more intense though. The diet hasn't made any real difference yet...it's only been a few weeks...so hopefully it will. I just don't understand how she can "turn it off" and "on" again like a flip of a switch. I'm glad she knows I'll love her no matter what...remebering that does help! My dd acts fine out of the house-- even when I'm there. It's only when we get home or in the car. She does it with dh too.
I know sending her to school probably wouldn't change this issue...but I need a break so I can be refreshed to respond more effectively, you know. It's hard to do the things I'd like to do with her when she is like this...

Any other ideas and similiar experiences are welcome. It really helps to know others are struggling with this too though becasue I was starting to think it's just something wrong with me and my parenting skills.

[courtenay_e]

Yeah, me too. I think that perhaps it's the age. When dd talks to me like that, I ask her how she feels if I speak to her like that? That often makes her stop and think. If it doesn't, I ask for an apology, and tell her that, as I speak to her with respect, I expect to be treated the same way. To this she answers, "Yes, Mom, you're right! I'm sorry." and comes over and throws her skinny arms around my neck for a nuzzle. I hope that part never ends!

[nini2033a]

My little guy is going thru the same thing kind of. Although his seems to be related to a change in schedule and excitement level, (nana visits, overstim from friends, and direct correlation of how much sleep he has had in the past 24 hours, whether he woke up early, went to bed late, napped too short or not at all,-he's trying to give up his naps)
He can be a holy terror one minute and stomp down the hall and then sweet as honey the next.

[PumpkinSeeds]

It's the age. Almost 4 and well into the 4's was very hard for us and I was starting to think "what have I got myself into?" But I am here to say that almost 5 is much much better. Be patient.

edited to add this link

[bwylde]

Lol, another going through the same thing. I asked DH if our son had somehow transformed into a teenager : . He has this little "hmph!!" he adds to almost every sentance that just about drives me nuts! He bawls literally out of the blue and he says he doesn't know why. I can't wait for this to pass!

[True Blue]

Does anyone use any workbooks? I was kind of anti them for now but I printed up a few sheets online (that were really a bit too advanced for DS) and he thought it was fun to do "homework" LOL. Have any suggestions? I know Singapore has some, and I just found Kumon, any others?

[nini2033a]

We dont really do workbooks, but we bought some of those dry erase workbooks to practice marker control, a real problem for A who hates anything with pencils/crayons/whatever,,, we redo the pages sometimes for fun. We have an old math workbook form somewhere, we do simple addition and subtraction using edibles as manipulatives (a few problems a few days a week), somedays its cheerios or goldfish crackers, somedays its M&M math, if he gets it correct, he gets to eat the answer. We also have a hidden pictures book that he is supposed to find say 15 fish and color them then count how many are left over uncolored, so we instead of coloring them, put m&m's on 15 fish and count how many are uncovered, etc, then we can use that page again. (We use mini M&M's for this). **This is usually his only source of sugar/candy everything else is organic and healthy.**

[True Blue]

nini -- no need to apologize for candy!!!

I'm not really into the whole workbook thing per se, but I figure if it's something he'd like to play in here and there, why not? We have a dry erase book from DK for writing letters that he loves too.