What's Your Homeschool Schedule with 9 Kiddos?

The most-asked question our larger-than-average family gets is this: "How do you handle all those kids AND homeschool?" Well, to be completely honest, we probably get the "How many kids do you plan on having anyway?" one even more often, but you'll have to ask God for the answer to that one. :) I, however, will attempt to explain how we do all that we do with 9 kids (one, a young adult), all while keeping the peace and order in our humble abode! So, here we go!

Mark and I have 9 blessings on earth so far (and 7 in Heaven), ages: 19, 12, 10, 9, 7, 6, 4, 2 and 8 months. Below is our usual schedule, but with a baby and a toddler and life in general this can all change at a moments notice. Overall, I like having a schedule so that the kids know what to expect and when, but I do NOT let it rule me. It's just a guide. It helps tremendously that we school year-round! It allows for extended holiday breaks and breaks throughout the year when I feel "burnout" coming. :) I am also a firm believer that just because a schedule works well for one family it might not work well for another, so keep that in mind when trying to create one of your own!

Our Schedule

7:00 - wake-up, make bed, tidy up rooms, put away night clothes and eat
7:45 - kitchen chores completed and teeth brushed
8:00 - Devotions/Scripture Memory and then the Preschool! The older kids teach younger ones preschool (it is really neat to have the older ones learn to teach their siblings...it develops their abilities in so many ways!)
8:15 - Seatwork (kids sit at kitchen table and do math/English/spelling/geography/typing - different requirements on different days). Annalise (19) blogs, Facebooks, workd on her ministry, keeps an eye on kids or bakes.
10:00 - Eva (8 months) naps.
12:00 - Everyone has finished school USUALLY. Eva is awake.
12:00 or 12:30 - Lunch
After lunch - outside play time/educational games/reading/educational DVD's or YouTube unit studies (this varies according to my whim...ha)
3:00 - Eva naps
4:00 - Kids are inside. Afternoon chores (usually it's a pretty light workload). Reading time.
5:00 - Get ready for Daddy's homecoming (vacuum, set table, ready dinner, etc.) and wake Eva 6:00 - Dinner
Kitchen Cleanup by kids while Mark and I discuss our days (this is GREAT therapy for Mommy) or read to Judah
7:30 - Family Worship

When do you feel as though you've actually ACCOMPLISHED all that you need to accomplish?

I would say that I feel as though I have accomplished everything I needed to accomplish if I have homeschooled the kids, done at least 1 load of laundry, done some everyday chores (dusting, vacuuming, counter tops, general upkeep, etc.), prepared a good meal, had the kids learn life skills of some kind, and I have basically "worked at home" all day. It varies so greatly what I do each day that I would say that if I felt as though I have been a worker at home, according to Titus 2. I am to be loving my husband, loving my children and being busy at home. If I've done that to the best of my ability, then I've accomplished a lot. However, it can get monotonous and it can feel as though I haven't accomplished much, BUT drudgery is part of motherhood and that's all part of God's perfect plan. See this post! The Proverbs 31 is an ideal woman, accomplishing A LOT. I don't believe that any woman could accomplish all that she did every day, and we need to keep that in mind or we'll drive ourselves crazy! BUT Proverbs 31 is a GREAT outline to use overall!

Any organizing tips or secrets?

1. Never leave a room empty-handed. Always return something to its proper place.
2. 30 second rule....If it takes less than 30 seconds to put away, do it immediately!
3. Have pick up time before Daddy gets home and before lunch time!
4. Teach kids to do chores and to pick up as they go (30 second rule with them, as well)

Any tips on how to get the kids to clean up after themselves?

As I've mentioned time and time again, we are big on "chore training". My kids all have chores. We use this age appropriate chore list as a guide. Our kids have chores as soon as they can crawl and they will pass them on to a younger sibling when the younger sibling is ready. The younger sibling will become the "apprentice" and the older becomes the "master or teacher". The younger will watch the older do the chore between 2 and 5 times before they attempt it themselves. Then they move onto doing the chore themselves, with the older one watching and instructing PROPERLY (no bossing allowed...Mommy's listening in). After about 2-5 times of the younger doing the chore under the older's supervision and instruction, the younger will do that chore on their own. From that point on, Mommy checks up on them randomly to see if it was completed properly. If it was not, then Mommy instructs the younger on how to correct it. Of course, age is always factored in.....I don't expect my two year old to wipe the table the way I would. BUT, they should be doing it to the best of their ability. How old should a child be when they begin having chores? Our kids start chores as soon as they can crawl, and although it's tedious to Mommy in the beginning, I've found that it pays off BIG TIME in the long run!!! What does God think about chores?

Shouldn't kids just be kids?

Unfortunately, today's society has taught us that life should be easy, kids should be kids, take the easy way out in life, but in all reality I can't find where it says any of that in Scripture. In fact, Scripture says that LEADERS and SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE will work hard! Shouldn't we be training up the future leaders of tomorrow's familys and world?

Using the below Scriptures when teaching children about chores and hard work will mold their spirits now and train them for their futures! This is why we believe that children should regularly contribute to household maintenance.

*Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed. Proverbs 12:24
*He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11
*All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23
*Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:22-24

What are the consequences for not completing chores?

IF chores are not completed with a good attitude and without being asked/reminded, they will either have reading/play time deducted or be given extra chores. This system has worked really well and, honestly, we rarely have an issue with attitudes or chore completion. They know that Daddy and I mean business. They also are used to having chores, because they start doing chores as soon as they can walk. In fact, the older ones are so used to doing their chores and do them with a proper attitude that the younger ones CAN'T WAIT to go into an "apprenticeship" under the older ones to learn the chores! Now, yes, chores get repetitious, but they do get done with correct attitudes and without being told (the majority of the time, anyway - no one's perfect).

I hope this was of some help and an encouragement to you! May you all be WORKERS AT HOME and follow God and His Word in all you do!

Blanket Training

School time in a homeschool can be tough when you have little ones at everyone’s feet wanting to be in everyone’s school work. When you finally feel you have an older child ready to begin seatwork or a project, little Johnny or Suzie comes over to scribble on his or her older sibling. Though this is cute, and can be good training in developing a favorable attitude toward learning in the younger child, it can frustrate mom and the older child. It can cause the rest of the day to be stress-filled and unsuccessful in terms of the older child retaining information and learning concepts. What’s the solution? There are a few different suggestions, but the one I’m focusing on today is blanket training....READ THE REST HERE!

What's Your Homeschool Schedule with 9 Children? How do you do it?

The most-asked question our larger-than-average family gets is this: "How do you handle all those kids AND homeschool?" Well, to be completely honest, we probably get the "How many kids do you plan on having anyway?" one even more often, but you'll have to ask God for the answer to that one. :) I, however, will attempt to explain how we do all that we do with 9 kids, all while keeping the peace and order in our humble abode! So, here we go! Mark and I have 8 blessings on earth so far (and 7 in Heaven), ages: 18, 11, 10, 9, 6, 5, 3, 2 and a newborn.

Below is our usual schedule, but with a newborn and a preschooler and life in general, this can all change at a moments notice. Overall, I like having a schedule so that the kids know what to expect and when, but I do NOT let it rule me. It's just a guide. It helps tremendously that we school year-round! It allows for extended holiday breaks and breaks throughout the year when I feel "burnout" coming. :) I am also a firm believer that just because a schedule works well for one family it might not work well for another, so keep that in mind when trying to create one of your own!

Our Schedule

7:00 - wake-up, get dressed, make bed, tidy up rooms, put away night clothes and eat

7:45 or 8:00 - kitchen chores (95% done by children) and teeth brushed

8:15 - Preschool! The older kids teach younger ones preschool (it is really neat to have the older ones learn to teach their siblings...it develops their abilities in so many ways!)

8:15 - Schoolwork (math/English/spelling history/science/geography/typing - different requirements on different days). Annalise (graduated) blogs, Facebooks, keeps an eye on kids or bakes. To see our curricula that we use, click on Our Homeschool Tools (above).

12:00 - Everyone has finished school USUALLY.

12:00 or 12:30 - Lunch

After lunch - outside play time/educational games/reading/educational DVD's or YouTube unit studies (this varies according to my whim...ha)

2:30 - Judah naps until 3:30 or 4:00

4:00 - Kids are inside or start afternoon chores (feeding chickens, sweeping, weeding, sweeping/tidying garage, vacuuming stairs, cleaning bathrooms, etc.). Reading time begins when chores are completed.

5:00 - Get ready for Daddy's homecoming (vacuum, set table, ready dinner, etc.)

6:00 - Dinner kitchen cleanup by kids while Mark and I discuss our days (this is GREAT therapy for Mommy)

7:30 - Family Worship (Click Here to Read More)

8:00 - Bedtime for everyone, except Annalise. She will go downstairs to the boys' area/playroom and take a shower and read, blog, etc. until she goes upstairs to go to sleep.

When do you feel as though you've actually ACCOMPLISHED all that you need to accomplish?

I would say that I feel as though I have accomplished everything I needed to accomplish if I have homeschooled the kids, done at least 1 load of laundry, done some everyday chores (dusting, vacuuming, counter tops, general upkeep, etc.), prepared a good meal, had the kids learn life skills of some kind, and I have basically "worked at home" all day. It varies so greatly what I do each day that I would say that if I felt as though I have been a worker at home, according to Titus 2. I am to be loving my husband, loving my children and being busy at home. If I've done that to the best of my ability, then I've accomplished a lot. However, it can get monotonous and it can feel as though I haven't accomplished much, BUT drudgery is part of motherhood and that's all part of God's perfect plan. See this post! The Proverbs 31 is an ideal woman, accomplishing A LOT. I don't believe that any woman could accomplish all that she did every day, and we need to keep that in mind or we'll drive ourselves crazy! BUT Proverbs 31 is a GREAT outline to use overall!

Any organizing tips or secrets?

1. Never leave a room empty-handed. Always return something to its proper place.

2. 30 second rule....If it takes less than 30 seconds to put away, do it immediately!

3. Have pick up time before Daddy gets home and before lunch time!

4. Teach kids to do chores and to pick up as they go (30 second rule with them, as well)

Any tips on how to get the kids to clean up after themselves?

As I've mentioned time and time again, we are big on "chore training". My kids all have chores. We use this age appropriate chore list as a guide. Our kids have chores as soon as they can crawl and they will pass them on to a younger sibling when the younger sibling is ready. The younger sibling will become the "apprentice" and the older becomes the "master or teacher". The younger will watch the older do the chore between 2 and 5 times before they attempt it themselves. Then they move onto doing the chore themselves, with the older one watching and instructing PROPERLY (no bossing allowed...Mommy's listening in). After about 2-5 times of the younger doing the chore under the older's supervision and instruction, the younger will do that chore on their own. From that point on, Mommy checks up on them randomly to see if it was completed properly. If it was not, then Mommy instructs the younger on how to correct it. Of course, age is always factored in.....I don't expect my two year old to wipe the table the way I would. BUT, they should be doing it to the best of their ability.

How old should a child be when they begin having chores?

Our kids start chores as soon as they can crawl, and although it's tedious to Mommy in the beginning, I've found that it pays off BIG TIME in the long run!!! What does God think about chores?

Shouldn't kids just be kids?

Unfortunately, today's society has taught us that life should be easy, kids should be kids, take the easy way out in life, but in all reality I can't find where it says any of that in Scripture. In fact, Scripture says that LEADERS and SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE will work hard! Shouldn't we be training up the future leaders of tomorrow's familys and world? Using the below Scriptures when teaching children about chores and hard work will mold their spirits now and train them for their futures! This is why we believe that children should regularly contribute to household maintenance.

*Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed. Proverbs 12:24

*He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11

*All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23

*Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:22-24

What are the consequences for not completing chores?

We have just recently (within the last year) paying for extra chores (not cleaning rooms or such as that....those are "normal chores" and do not receive payment. Nor do they receive payment for extra chores if their "normal chores" are left undone.). Right now "Extra Chores" are required to be done as follows:

Annalise (18) - Meal prep/cooking, Kitchen upkeep, cleaning and keeping organized the guest and children bathrooms (toilet, floors, door handles), mopping with Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn (11) - Some meal prep/cooking, vacuuming the stairs twice a week, cleaning and keeping organized the guest and children's bathrooms (sinks, counters, mirrors), mopping with Annalise.

Ethan (10) - Tidying/organizing/sweeping garage (a little each day), collecting and taking out trash weekly or as needed, feeding and cleaning up after chickens.

Trey (9) - Sweeps all areas outside (a section each day...covered patio, front porch, walk to door, walk to storage shed, driveway), blow basketball "patio/court"off on weekends, feeds the dog and washes dog bowls once a week.

Jake (6) - Brushes dog weekly, puts towels on our dining room chairs prior to meals (to prevent stains on the fabric from the smaller children), helps Ethan with garage cleaning and upkeep, Swiffers under sofas when I vacuum.

Julia (5) - Folds two towels that go on our dining room chairs prior to meals after meals, cleans the fronts of appliances (dishwasher, fridge, microwave, oven).

Ellie (3) - Folds two towels that go on our dining room chairs prior to meals after meals.

Judah (2) - Collects cloth napkins after meals and puts them in or in front of the washer and puts away the dining room chair towels after meals.

More chores will be added soon or reorganized, as the children become proficient in the chores they've been given. These might not seem like a lot of chores, but this would not include regular chores (setting tables, clearing tables, cleaning rooms, making beds, vacuuming and dusting their bedrooms, doing their laundry, helping with "buddies" and doing seasonal/odd chores as requested by me).

This system has worked really well and, honestly, we rarely have an issue with attitudes or chore completion. They know that Daddy and I mean business. They also are used to having chores, because they start doing chores as soon as they can walk. In fact, the older ones are so used to doing their chores and do them with a proper attitude that the younger ones CAN'T WAIT to go into an "apprenticeship" under the older ones to learn the chores! Now, yes, chores get repetitious, but they do get done with correct attitudes and without being told (the majority of the time, anyway - no one's perfect).

I hope this was of some help and an encouragement to you! May you all be WORKERS AT HOME and follow God and His Word in all you do!

Year-Round Homeschool Schedule with a Large Family

I post something similar to this every school year, since each year is different in one way or another. Hope it helps someone! :)

Here is a sample of our schedule for school and otherwise. For more information about the curricula we use, check out the links under "Our Homeschool Tools".

Below is our USUAL homeschool weekly schedule. I thought that it might give some moms a better picture on how our homeschooling works. Now, we are VERY flexible, but this is our guideline for our school day/week/month. Each school day is usually completed by noon, which leaves plenty of time for fun, games and chores!

One of the main reasons that we school year-round so that the kids don't go through the "summer absent mindedness" that other kids go through. There's also no need for review (you can usually skip through the review sections at the beginning of each year of seatwork if you school year round since review is not needed). Kids who school year-round also usually get ahead in their school work and can usually graduate early because of this. Moms also have less chance of the infamous "homeschool mom burn out" because of the MANY breaks during the year. We take off when babies are born, kids adopted, etc. We take our yearly break from Thanksgiving through New Years, so as to enjoy that time of year with baking, family activities and such!

While the kids do their seatwork, I am readily available to help or instruct, while I am overseeing them at the table in a "round robin" fashion. However, they don't need help as often, once they can read the directions and know how to do the problems. When everyone is occupied with their assignments I use that time to catch up on e-mail/internet after Julia (5) has completed her Kindergarten seatwork and while Ellie is doing preschool seatwork. Ellie is able to do her preschool seatwork mostly on her own, with me giving general instructions. I like to teach them when they are very young that they are ABLE to learn on their own, with some instruction. This does not mean I am unavailable or unwilling to help at all, but this is done in preparation of having her learn on her own, which she will do her entire life!

We are fortunate to have my computer right next to the table where we do seatwork. This allows me to do my writing, e-mail, and record grades while I am sitting right next to everyone who is doing their seatwork. In fact, I sit on the same kitchen table bench as two other younger ones who are more apt to need my help. As you can tell, I am very encouraging of independent learning, and this is a good way to begin!

I also love to have the older children learn to TEACH! This is a valuable skill that most children and adults have never learned. For instance, in our home, the oldest two teach preschool (under my watchful eye) to the younger ones. This consists of counting to 100, saying the months of the year and days of the week, learning their address and phone number, learning their birthdays, reviewing phonics sounds, learning the books of the Bible, singing songs, saying Bible memory verses, etc. This has proven to be extremely beneficial to both the older and younger children. The younger children learn to have and show a unique form of respect to their older siblings, and the older ones learn that valuable skill of passing on knowledge to a younger child in an exciting, age-appropriate manner! As always, I am within earshot while this is all being done.

As for housework, I usually have laundry started right after I am ready for the day. The girls and I prepare a crock pot dinner first thing in the morning or lay out what needs to be out for dinner if no crock pot is used. If we do not have a crock pot dinner, we still make sure that the meal is planned so that we can go through the rest of the day more smoothly, without having to worry about "what's for dinner"!

Now, sometimes we'll have field trips or outside lessons. Because we homeschool and school year-round, we can work our schedule in and around these activities. This year, all the children (ages 5 and up) have 4H one Thursday a month for 2 hours. The boys have robotics on one Thursday a month for 2 hours. And Kaitlyn has choir and music theory every Tuesday for 2 hours. This is so nice because we are home most the week, yet the kids have so much "homework" and study projects for 4H that it fills the rest of our days, as we wish (we can do as little or much research on veterinary science, for instance, as we want).

We also school 4 days a week, doubling up one day per week so that we can take off Friday for our family ministry/community outreach day. More about that HERE. Look through the "older" posts, as well, to see all we have done.

History, geography and science are always combined and we use the school bus stop approach, where the younger children aren't required to learn or retain as much as the older ones (they step off the bus when they are ready to get off). This year we are still studying Mystery of History. We take one afternoon for a few hours to listen to three of the audio CD lessons, and then we make a timeline of those lessons. Depending upon what was covered, we will watch a DVD or You Tube video (screened first by Mommy) that relates to what we are studying. All this covers history for one full week in just one afternoon! Science (Christian Libery Nature Readers, Science Jim [LOVE HIM!], Real Science 4 Kids) and geography (Top Secret Adventures, computer or board games) is done the same way, but on another afternoon.

Reading is done by each child 3 times per week from their school readers. Each afternoon (or during free time), they will also pick up a book of choice, as they all LOVE reading. However, three days per week reading a few chapters each day from their school readers, read to Annalise (18) is what is required academically.

In addition, we do "carschooling" (review of school-related things while traveling in the car) on the way to extracurricular activities.

• Here's some info on carschooling, if you're interested.
• Yahoo Group on Carschooling

Well, that's about it! Each family is different, but it is nice to see what others do to make their homeschooling easier and more efficient!

Homeschooling Multiple Ages in a Large Family

A popular question I get asked often has to do with HOW I homeschool various ages with so many children! Okay....so, here we go! Here is a sample of how our homeschool operates. Remember, each homeschool is different, and trying to implement OUR schedule for YOUR family will most likely NOT work. Tweak it over time...you'll get the hang of it! For information on the curricula we use, look under "Homeschool Tools".

Below is our USUAL daily homeschooling schedule. The first thing to understand is that we are VERY flexible, but this is generally what we do and times are approximate. We have chosen to school year-round so that the kids don't go through the "summer absent mindedness" that other kids go through. There's also no need for review (you can usually skip through the review sections at the beginning of each year of seatwork if you school year round since review is not needed). Kids who school year-round also usually get ahead in their school work and can usually graduate early because of this. Moms also have less chance of the infamous "homeschool mom burn out" because of the MANY breaks during the year. We take off when babies are born, kids adopted, etc. Around Christmas we take nearly a month off, a few weeks off around Thanksgiving (although I count all the cooking and baking as home economics, math, science, etc.), etc. So, we really enjoy what a year round schedule offers. It really allows for year-round flexibility.

We wake at 7 am. The children do their chores and get dressed for the day. At 7:30 we eat breakfast.

Seatwork begins at 8:00/8:30. While the kids do their seatwork, I am readily available to help or instruct, while I am overseeing them at the kitchen table in a "round robin" fashion. However, they don't need help as often once they can read the directions and know how to do the problems, so I use this time to work with the younger ones or to catch up on e-mail/internet if Ellie (2 1/2) and Judah (1 1/2) are coloring or playing contentedly. I am very encouraging of independent learning, and letting them be independent while you're still within reach is a great way to begin!

Another thing I have really loved seeing is when the older children learn to TEACH the younger ones! This is a valuable skill that most adults have never learned. For instance, in our home, the oldest two teach pre-school (under my watchful eye) to the younger ones. This consists of saying the pledge, counting to 100, saying the months of the year and days of the week, learning their address and phone number, phonics sounds, singing songs, saying Bible memory verses, etc. It only lasts about 15 minutes...just long enough for both age groups to learn what's needed (the teaching and the receiving instruction). This has proven to be extremely beneficial to both the older and younger children. The younger children learn to have and show a unique form of respect to their older siblings, and the older ones learn that valuable skill of passing on knowledge to a younger child in an exciting, age-appropriate manner!

As for housework, I usually have laundry started right after I am ready for the day and stay on top of it while teaching. The girls (and I...though they REALLY have taken over my kitchen in this area) prepare a crock pot dinner first thing in the morning or lay out what needs to be out for dinner if no crock pot is used. This takes the stress off at the end of the day when I realize that dinner's in an hour and do not know what to prepare!

Lunchtime is at noon, and most everyone has completed their seatwork by this time. They will either listen to their Mystery of History CD's during lunch or on Friday afternoons. We do 3 lessons and the timeline for those lessons each week.

Free time and outside play is after lunch (for those who have completed seatwork) until 4:00. Outdoor chores, such as sweeping, weeding, etc. is also done during this time. If it's a rainy or extra cold/hot day, we will watch educational DVD's from Netflix or play games.

Science consists of reading living science books until they turn 12 years old, at which time they read their Apologia text at home and do their lab work with nJoy Science (nice for Mommy's sanity and her kitchen's cleanliness!). Reading and computer time (regular reading time and science) is from 4:00 - 5:00 and that includes science 3 times weekly and our geography (online games and Top Secret Adventures).

At 5:00 we get ready for Daddy to come home (showers, clean up house, set table, ready dinner, light candles, prepare after dinner coffee, etc.). If there is any free time, I might allow computer time, as they're right in and next to the kitchen. Dinner is at 6:00.

Family worship is at 7:30 usually. Daddy leads us in Bible and devotional reading, singing and Bible memory. Bedtime is at 8:00. Older children (mainly Annalise, 18) who stays up later than that goes down to the lower level (the finished basement...full bath, boys' rooms, play room, etc.) until she decides to head to bed. This gives Mommy and Daddy ALONE TIME, which is great!

Extracurricular Activities and Field Trips

This year we have not had our usual Homeschool Hut activities (they only offer dance classes now), so our schedule has a little more to it. We move school work around for field trips and extracurricular activities or lessons...another great benefit of homeschooling!

So far, we have planned on doing robotics (3 oldest boys only), 4H (all kids), CHEA Choir (Kaitlyn only), community outreach and MANY field trips....Old Salem, newspaper, corn maze, Lucille MIller Observatory (4th largest telescope in NC) and more! Though this sounds like a lot with a family of our size, it is really quite manageable!

Entertaining Babies and Small Children

We keep Rubbermaid bins full of toys that they do not usually play with. These bins can ONLY be used during school. They usually play rather quietly (our other kids, being part of a large family, really aren't bothered by the controlled commotion). Another favorite activity is "playing school". They grab a pencil or crayon and scribble away happily, yelling, "Mommy, look! Look!" now and again!

Nap time for Judah (1 1/2) is from 10:30-12 & again at 3:30 - 5:00, and that allows a lot to be accomplished during that time. Since Annalise is no longer homeschooled (she graduated in May), she loves to help out with the littles during school, as well, which is a blessing.

I think that's just about it! Let me know if I missed anything and I will go back and edit!

Large Family Homeschooling Support

Do you ever feel a bit unusual because the size of your family so greatly outnumbers other homeschooling families you know? Do you wish for more support in homeschooling many, but have no one to brainstorm with on homeschooling solutions and ideas? Read the rest HERE...

HomePreschool - The Metzger Method :)

We've always used the type of curriculum that you can buy at Wal-Mart or Office Max, "Everything for Early Learning", "Ultimate Skill Builder" or something along those lines. They run from $4-$10. We also use ABeka phonics flashcards ($2-$3 used) for learning letter sounds.

"Preschool time" is also a part of our day 4 days per week. We used to all do preschool together (counting, skip counting, address, telephone numbers, alphabet, pledge, days of the week, months of the year, seasons, a song or two, birthdays, etc.), but the last few years I've handed that off to my 9 & 10 year olds (they each started "teaching" when they were 7/8). I believe that it is important that kids learn to teach and instruct, as part of their education, so this is a must for all our "older" kiddos. Preschool time only takes 10 minutes to complete and it has worked VERY well for the "teachers" and the students.

We also include the preschoolers in "Bible time", science and history (Mystery of History), since they really enjoy learning and being a part of what the older kids are doing. We go over the books of the Bible and memory verses every day (maybe 10 minutes total), and we all have devotions and Bible time with Daddy after dinner each night. Overall, the book that we purchase takes them 15-20 minutes to complete (we only do it 4 times per week), preschool time takes 10-15 and Bible time takes 10 minutes. So, a grand total of 45 minutes with only 20-30 minutes that involves me. It's so relaxed, but what they learn amazes me!

Enjoy your time with your preschooler(s)! They learn more from life than they do from "book learning." This time will pass oh so quickly and before you know it they really will be “required” to do book work. Relax and take it easy when homeschooling your preschooler! This is the time to instill a love for learning!

Lisa Metzger

Preschool Woes - How to Occupy Small Ones While Schooling

Preschoolers can occasionally (well, more like frequently) get "in the way" when you're trying to teach an older sibling. Here are a few of my favorite ideas for distracting them.......

I always have boxes of educational toys, games, books, etc. in shoe box-sized Rubbermaid containers. I switch out the toys/books/games every so often to make the box seem new. The preschooler can ONLY play with these items when I'm doing "school" with the older children. I also utilize educational DVD's since the TV is near the school room. Another idea is to buy one of the $4 preschool workbooks from Wal-Mart for him/her to use to do their own school work. We did this too and it worked well. I just play "round robin" at the kitchen table with all the kids during that seat work time.

There was a GREAT article about "The Pleasures of Preschoolers" in a back issue of The Old Schoolhouse magazine. The author talked about buying a few bags of dried beans and give him measuring cups, spoons, etc. to play with. This seems a lot less messy (if contained to one area on a sheet) than play dough. She also suggested a book that she wrote called "Making the Most of the Preschool Years" by Valerie Bendt. It was $20 and had 176 pages.

Another family in the magazine commented on their day. They have four kids - the two youngest are preschoolers. They start their day with "doing preschool" altogether. This is an idea that we have used in the past. It teaches the older children HOW to teach and to enjoy their younger siblings! This family counts, rhymes, stretches, does exercises, sits in circles and sings and reviews the alphabet. Apparently, this really isn't very time consuming. They, too, use a "school box" (like I mentioned above) and they start projects on their own. Their box contains: simple phonics activities, beads for sorting, puzzles, papers for cutting out shapes. They are organized into small sealable plastic bags. I would suggest some other things too: pipe cleaners (they can spend hours on making shapes with these), blocks, Leap Frog games, play clocks, stackable cubes/cups, etc. A lot of this can be found at Wal-Mart for just a few dollars or less.

Lisa Metzger

What Every Preschooler's Mom Needs To Know

Preschool Curriculum is Big Business. What better way to make money than to tap into every mom's fear that their child will be academically challenged if they aren't being a-b-c'd and 1-2-3'd every moment of their life, with the latest and greatest preschool curriculums out there?
Not to say that these curriculums aren't good. There are many good things about them. But here at TEACH we are just firm believers that you don't need to spend a lot of money on programs with all ... [read more]

How Do I Entertain My Toddler During School Time?

I was at the park and got into a friendly chat with another mom who was there. We started talking about kids (naturally) and she asked me "Where did your daughter go to preschool?"

"Chez Us," I replied.

As she stood there looking confused, I gave her the explanation she needed "I homeschool my kids and we did preschool at home."Another time, a friend was expressing concern about the upcoming ... [read more]

Preschool and Primary Learning Activities - Fun!

While I could not recommend a few parts of the website (Halloween, for example) most of it is great!! The story-starters are just wonderful.

If you send in a story and it is selected for inclusion on the site (monthly winner), they send a free "Published Author" T-shirt to your child.

Click HERE To Go to the Site!

Entertaining Preschoolers and Toddlers During School Time

The preschoolers and a designated older sibling start the day by "doing preschool" together. I really like this idea because it teaches the older children HOW to teach and to enjoy their younger siblings! The older child leads the younger ones in the pledge, counting, reviewing the alphabet, going over phonics flashcards, reciting the days of the week, months of the year, and seasons. They also recite a Bible verse that they are working on memorizing. They end with singing songs! Following this time, I get out shoe box-sized Rubbermaid containers full of educational toys, games, books, etc. The preschooler can only play with these items when I'm teaching the older children. These boxes might contain: simple phonics activities, beads for sorting, puzzles, papers for cutting out shapes, pipe cleaners (they can spend hours on making shapes with these), blocks, Leap Frog games, play clocks and stackable cubes/cups. A lot of these items can be found at Wal-Mart or the dollar store for just a few dollars. I switch out the boxes every so often to make each box seem new. At times I utilize approved educational DVD's since the TV is near the kitchen where most of homeschooling takes place. When the toddler is old enough and shows interest in doing school work like his/her siblings, I buy a $4 preschool workbook from Wal-Mart for him/her to use to do their own school work. Having everyone (or nearly everyone) at the kitchen table makes it easy to play "round robin" with all the kids during their seat work time.

Lisa Metzger

Institutionalized Preschool is Just Not Working

New study reports high incidents of behavioral problems among children who attended high quality preschool.

Recent analysis of an ongoing study suggests that children who received high quality child care before entering kindergarten had higher incidents of "problem behaviors".

The study, funded by the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, (NICHD) in analyzing the quality of day care received by children from birth to 54 months found that pre-kindergarten children who spent more time in child care centers showed a greater frequency of "teacher reported" problem behaviors later on. In fact, the more time children spent in center-based care in early childhood, the more likely their sixth grade teachers were to report such problem behaviors as "gets in many fights," "disobedient at school," and "argues a lot."

The NICHD's press release on the study stated:

The researchers also found that, as in the earlier grades, children with more experience in child care centers continued to show, through sixth grade, a greater frequency of what the researchers termed teacher-reported externalizing problem behavior. These behaviors were listed on The Child Behavior Checklist Teacher Report Form, which consisted of 100 problem behaviors.

Using this report form, teachers were asked to rate the child on items such as: child demands a lot of attention; argues a lot; bragging and boasting; cruelty, bullying or meanness to others; destroys things belonging to others; disobedient at school; gets into many fights; lying or cheating; screams a lot.

Children who had been in center care in early childhood were more likely to score higher on teacher reports of aggression and disobedience. This was true regardless of the quality of the center-based care they received.

In commenting on this report, Denise Kanter of Considering Homeschooling Ministry stated, "Our goal is to help Christian parents discover the blessings of keeping their young children at home, and then following up with a Christian worldview home education."

Considering Homeschooling Ministry™ is distributing a new video presentation titled Raising Children on a Godly Foundation, which follows the lives of homeschooling families. For more information on this new video release visit their website at www.consideringhomeschooling.org, or visit your local Homeschool Headquarters located inside Christian bookstores.

Preschool Activity Bags

Just found these and thought that they were neat for those of you who are trying to homeschool with preschoolers! We use everyday math manipulatives and such when we have preschoolers, but these look neat too.


Lisa