Over on our Facebook page we opened up some Q & A’s. We are answering each of these questions in a recorded post, but I thought it would be worth writing up each of these questions in a blog post too! If you haven’t joined our Facebook page yet Click Here to join. We would love to have you come be apart of the conversation and community!
Several people brought up questions about homeschooling big kids when the littles are around. I hear this question a lot and I’m in the thick of it with both a 16 month old and a 3 year old! Here are a few thoughts and tips that I can offer.
1. The first thing I’m going to say might not be the most popular but I need you to check your own attitude. These littles will become the kids you are homeschooling in just a few short years. You don’t want their view of school to be tainted because they are always being ignored and told to be quiet during school hours.
2. Your big kids are learning some great life skills and lessons on patience as they have to handle the interruptions from littles. Dealing with the interruptions with grace and gentleness teachers your big kids so much. Never underestimate what they are learning just by watching you. Not everything we learn comes from a text book and homeschool life is real life learning all the time.
3. Include the littles. Let them sit on your lap while you teach. Print coloring pages that pertain to what the big kids are learning. Act like they are a part of things and let them learn right along with your big kids. They will swell with pride as they hold that pencil in their cute chubby hand and work hard “writing” just like the big kids are. We want to be parents who cause our children to rise and I believe in schooling this is a simple way to help them rise.
4. Have “special” toys or activities that are reserved for only school time. Make sure these toys and activities are quiet and self play toys where you don’t have to micromanage or get involved. Preferably these toys will also be things that your littles can do while sitting at the same table as everyone else.
5. Nap or quiet time is another great time you can get some uninterrupted schooling done with your bigs. Quiet time resets kids and makes the day go so much better. Use this time wisely.
6. Outdoor time. My littles can play outdoors for so long and will play happily while we do school work. Often we will bring a blanket outside and do our reading on the grass while the littles play in a water table, sand box, slide, sensory bins, and with a ball in the grass. Bonus – we all just love doing school outside
7. Start your morning with some undivided time with your littles before starting school with the bigs. Even if it’s just 30 minutes I’ve found when they get mom all to themselves for a bit in the morning then they are much happier to share throughout the day!
Feel free to share your favorite activities to keep your littles happy while doing school with your bigs. We’d love to see everyone’s ideas and don’t forget to join the conversation on Facebook.
Stay tuned for more Q & A’s in the coming weeks. Have a question you would like to ask, feel free to email me!
