Home Educating with Little Ones. . . . 10 year Anniversary!

I wrote this post back in 2015.  I can not believe how slow and how fast life has gone.  My youngest is now 13 and the 6 year-old mentioned in this post is in high school and thriving!   My newest encouragement is . . time does pass, and your kids do get older.  You can do this!  

I have homeschooled for the last 10 years and always have had a little one running around while I was trying to work with older kids.   When we started home educating I would read anything I could about how you home educate with little ones.  I actively sought magazines (remember this was awhile ago); and later looked at articles and blog posts on the subject.  I am not sure if I am all that good at it, but I have learned a few things that have been helpful along the way. Today I thought I would share what has been helpful organizationally, time-wise, and how I manage my days.  My thought is that maybe one of these ideas will help you.

Some things we have done:

I try to have a separate schedule for the little one in my master schedule.   I try to plan where they need to be in the house and what they should be doing while others are working.

I have invested in at least one computer curriculum for most of the school age kids.  If the school age child is working on the computer I can read, play a game, or just love on a little one.  

I try to have intentional video/streaming time for the little ones.  For me that means setting up a math lesson with an older child and telling them we will have 30 minutes to do a lesson and stay focused before the little one needs us again.  I also make a personal commitment to not be online or on the phone during this time.  I am amazed at what I can do in 30 minutes.

I try to train the little children to have some playpen time which later leads to playing by themselves in the family room.  I put the little one in the playpen/family room first thing in the morning.  That will usually give me 30-60 minutes until they start moving the playpen around the family room.  It also keeps them away from 3-5 year old's who tend to get in their face.

When setting up a schedule I will assign other children to entertain, read,  or play with a little one.  Up until 8th grade or so most students have time in their schedule for 20-30 minutes of play time with a little one.  I love how it teaches the older one to be patient, play directly with someone less competent then they are, gives them a meaningful break from work.  It usually helps both ways.

I set up a "school time" at the table with the little one with coloring books, small toys, or paper and crayons. They want to be like the big kids and do school.   I had to laugh when one of my children told me it was time for "math Jesus."  Apparently his bible coloring book qualified for this subject.

When my parents or others have asked what they can do to help, I invite them over to sit with a little one for a time and read books, play a game, or just hold and love on them.  It is good to ask for help.

I try to take breaks to just hold my little one, rock them, or read to them.  When I first started I was so worried about doing "the right thing" for the older kids doing school work I tended to not love on the little ones enough during the day.  If I can hold and rock someone for 5-15 minutes they are often fine after that and go back to playing.

What I have learned:

I have learned that no matter how great your schedule, how focused you are, or how great your plans  may be, sometimes how well things go depends on the temperament of the child.  Some kids are better at entertaining themselves, others need more training, and for some it is really hard and drastic measures must be taken.  My 6th child had to have each person in the family assigned to her for a 30 minute time slot to be with her.  We just to refer to that as "doing your time."

When I go into my day with a plan we are all better off.  If I can think of my little one as part of the learning schedule it helps all of us.  If I set aside a video, plan a story, know their snack, or set aside time for them we all have a better day.

It is never too late to start again.  I also try to give myself grace.  Home Educating is a hard job and adding a little one or two to the mix is not easy.  But I try to see it as a challenge that can be overcome, and not to take the bad days too personally.  Tomorrow is a fresh day with no mistakes as Anne Shirley says.

Lastly, the little one will grow up, and things will get better.  My 6th child is now learning to read.  I honestly was not sure if she would make it through her 2s, 3s, 4s, or 5s.  (currently I am not sure if I will make it through her 6s.)  But each time she has and she continues to get better.  I figure she will use her negotiations skills one day to become a CEO.  I try to nurture her skills, hold her more, and remember that before I know it she will be in high school. (Please note that this is on a good day.  The other days I whine to my husband.)

I hope these help.  Please add any ideas you have in the comments.  I am still reading those online articles on how to home educate with little ones.  I would love to hear your tips!

Thanks for going back in time with me!  Hoping you are hanging in there.  Remember I am also happy to meet with you to brainstorm some ways to help you with your homeschool days!  

When Should I Start Planning for High School? by Becky Boerner, consultant.

 
Home educators often ask me, ‘When should I start planning for high school.” My answer is usually around 7th, or 8th grade. Honestly, the end of 6th grade is not too early.

Why do you ask so early? Because, it is great to start early and think through what you want your student to accomplish. It is nice to use 7th and 8th grade to earn high school credit for learning a language, PE, or explore a fine art.

But, no matter when you start here are a few tips for planning for high school.

 1. Try to make a multiyear plan that includes 7th and 8th grade. Look at what your co-op is offering or other online classes. Find out if certain classes are only offered certain years. Making a multi-year plan will benefit your student, and prevent future stress.

2. Start with the end in mind. If your dream is to attend a certain college find out what their requirements are to attend. What does your student need to accomplish before they get to their senior year?

3. Start researching curriculum. Check out high school curriculum at conventions, ask your home school friends what they like, and borrow curriculum from others to get a good look. It is nice if you have some time to process this.

4. Think about what activities your student would like to do in high school. Do they want to volunteer, get a paid job, and what would they like to explore? What do you need to add to their resume?

5. Do you feel your student would be a good candidate for dual enrollment with college credit? Start exploring the requirements now. Do they need a recommendation or a test score? Do you think they will they be able to direct their own learning and work with a college professor? Pre-planning goes a long way.

Having a high schooler is exciting. It is wonderful to watch your student become who they were created to be. 

Helping them plan, guiding, and mentoring them is a privledge. As home educators we want to be prepared to help them the best we are able.  These are just a few ideas to think through.

 I wish you well on your journey!

Becky

PS If you would like to discuss high school curriculum, high school planning, or anything to do with home education please click here to make an appointment. I would love to help you! I love problem solving.

~Homeschool Mom to 7
~Mom to high school graduates and college graduates
~Mom to employed homeschool graduates.
~Mom to a MIT graduate
~Mom to students who have won over $100,000 in scholarships
~Certified Teacher
~M.Ed. in Reading Education


and pretty fun to talk to!

Would You Like Some Help on Your Homeschool Journey? by Becky Boerner, Home Education Consultant

 Navigating with a Trusted Homeschool Guide.

 I was talking to my very good friend a few weeks ago.  She shared with me when she was interested in homeschooling her pre-school son, she attended a homeschool group at church.  The homeschool group asked her why she was there with such a young child.  They told her to go home and just play with him.  She was so discouraged.  I imagine the group thought they were helpful, but my friend did not feel equipped or encouraged by their remarks.  She was asking for direction and guidance into the unknown world of home education. She wanted a road map to follow so she could forge her own path.  She instead became discouraged.  

Deciding to home educate your children is a fantastic choice.  It is a wonderful journey filled with adventure, challenges, and choosing a path that will benefit your family.  

But sometimes it is nice to have an experienced guide on your journey to help you navigate new territory.  

This is my twentieth-year homeschooling, and my background is in education.  I love helping families get started homeschooling.  There are things you can do to make the start a little bit easier.  I would love to talk to you about getting started, where to look for curriculum, what to avoid, and generally encouraging you on one of the best decisions you will make for your family. 

If you would like to meet with a trusted guide, please consider contacting me to schedule a coaching/consult session.  I LOVE to talk about homeschooling, schedules, curriculum, getting started, and how to make your day flow better.  I hope to talk to you soon. 

It is my passion to help others on the journey!

Click here to schedule.  

Becky  

~Homeschool Mom to 7
~Mom to high school graduates and college graduates
~Mom to employed homeschool graduates.

~Mom to students who have won over $100,000 in scholarships
~Certified Teacher
~M.Ed. in Reading Education

and pretty fun to talk to!  

Repost: Homeschooling on a Budget: The Library Part Two

Last week I talked about the library and many of the wonderful resources there.  But I did not get a chance to share about the wonderful relationship I have cultivated with our librarian, and she has helped us to home educate.

My wonderful Children's Librarian is Amy.  Amy is so nice and helpful.  Like most librarians, she helps us find books, she helps me search shelves for books I say have been returned and are still on my card, and is always excited to see my children.  I also find her an excellent resource on all things library.  She helps me use databases from the library, tells me of resources in the library, and is generally interested in my kids' learning.  She has shown me a library resource to help students prepare for the PSAT, ACT, SAT, and AP tests.  Things that would have taken me much longer to find on my own if I even found them.

But the best thing is the awesome homeschool programs she now plans.  Our library has many programs and they were usually scheduled around school kids schedules.  One day I asked Amy if she would be willing to schedule library programs during the day for homeschoolers.  She was like "during the day?"   I said yes I think they would come. . . if you program they will come!  She decided to give it a try and it worked.  The best part was she asked me what kind of presentations I would like and she goes about finding them.  She has had a coin collector come and talk about history, a park ranger with animals from the park, science programs, recycling programs, chemistry programs, the Japanese society, and one on internet safety.  She is open to anything.  So many wonderful free opportunities for my students.  I suggest things and she does the leg work.  I advertise to our local group and most people are excited to come.  What is there not to like about a free library program?  I am glad I reached out to her and asked.

How has your librarian helped you?  What unusual resources have you discovered at you library?
I believe every home educator should make the librarian their best friend.

~Becky

Repost: Homeschooling on a Budget: The Library! Part One

Repost. . one I love. 

Homeschooling on a budget is a topic I'm going to be exploring for the next year. One of my favorite places to visit is the library.  I sometimes go just to be with the books.  Really.  I know my librarians by name, and they know me.  What I did not realize until I started homeschooling was how the library truly is one of the most money saving places for home educators. I wanted to share some things I have learned from the library.

I think if there is one area where home educators can say they really spend money is books.  Let's be honest, most of us could be in a 12 step group for book addicts. . . Hello my name is Becky Boerner and I love to buy books. . . .  Getting books from the library can be a huge money saver.  Here are some ways I use the library.

1.  Most libraries offer an educator card for home educators.  What does this mean?  Where I live in Hamilton County it means that my lovely librarians renew my books for me, there are no fines, and I can lose 3-4 books each year and not be charged for them! This saves me so much time and money each year.  (Of course my children do not loose the wonderful physics books or history books they check out. They always loose something quality like "Pinaklicious Bad Hair Day". . . but I digress.)

2.  As a resident of Ohio you can get a library card at any library in the state of Ohio if you show residency.  You can visit any library in the state and check out books!

3. The single best thing about Ohio libraries in my opinion is SearchOhio. With SearchOhio you can search for a book at any library in the state of Ohio.  If your library is a SearchOhio member you can order it and pick it up at your library.  This service is free at my library.  I am guessing it is at yours as well.  I have ordered so many books this way, and they even come within a week.  (I am beginning to wonder if I have an affinity for the people of Akron as many of the books I want are there)

4. The other amazing thing about the library is that you can request a book, and they will often buy it.  I have requested over 81 digital titles in the last few years and they have purchased 79. What a huge savings for our family!  My understanding is they are able to buy books year round, so request away! 

I would love to hear any library tips that you have.  Please add them to the comments.

And. . . see you at the library!

Quick Start Homeschooling Guide.

Some people start planning to home educate their children from birth.  They attend curriculum fairs and conventions way in advance when their children are little. They have files with curriculum catalogs alphabetized and bookshelves set aside and marked.   If this is you then this post may not be very helpful for you. 

I have many families who write me and need to start home educating fast.   Usually their circumstances have not led to them having time to plan way in advance.   This is the Becky Boerner Quick Start Guide to home education.  It is a way to start home educating within a few days of deciding to home educate and/or something to do while you search for the perfect curriculum.  It is a bare bones approach that will see you through for a season, or longer if you continue to add to it.   

I am going to divide this Quick Start Up by subject and age.  Please feel free to post comments or ask questions.  I will update this post throughout the year and it will be a living document.

READING

You have two kinds of K-8 readers.  Those who are learning to read, and those who are reading to learn.  

K and up Learning to Read. 

With students who are learning to read I suggest 10-15 minutes of phonics reading instruction per day.  You are better off to do 10 minutes everyday than 30 one day, and then skip 5 days and then do more.  Small amounts of time done consistently will win the race.

I like Alpha Phonics.  It is easy to follow and I have had good success with it. You can use BOB books as beginning readers for your student. In this post I discuss more phonics options.  I highly recommend reading my phonics post.




K and up.  You need a library card.  Ask your librarian if you can  acquire a teacher card.  A teacher card usually allows you to check out a great deal more books, and sometimes there are no fines.  If you are looking for good books to read out-loud or have your child read Sarah Clarkson has a book called The Read-Aloud Handbook: Seventh Edition She lists books and gives summaries so you are able to choose what you would like to read. The Read-Aloud Handbook: Seventh Edition by Jim Trelease is another book that lists books to read. 




Math 

K-6  You need to teach basic math. Addition, Subtraction,Multiplication, Division, Shapes, Fractions, Measurement, Geometry.    A quick and easy program is MCP Mathematics.  Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade, and Sixth Grade.  They are basic books that will get you started.



.
7-12- Mastering Essentials in Math .  This is a good basic book to catch you up on math.


Another place to go for math help is Kahn Academy .  They have a wonderful feature which includes a summary page you can print to keep track of what your child accomplishes each year.

Writing/Language Arts

The most important thing you can do to improve your students writing  is to have your student  journal every day.  In their journal they can write about what they did today, what they learned, their favorite . . . , their future plans, pets, friends, etc.  Any grade can do this.  Get a simple notebook like this.

  If you have little kids than  get one like


 They can draw pictures and write on the same page.

If you want to do a spelling/vocabulary program, Modern Curriculum Press or MCP is  reasonably priced one.   Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6,


Social Studies 

World History K-8

Studying History is a serious business in the home education community.  People have many opinions on what should be included, what time line to use, and which viewpoint to consider.    I have my own personal beliefs, but I am respectful of all opinions and beliefs.  So please decide for yourself  what is best for your family.   Please remember this is the "I need a curriculum fast guide."  If you need to think and study about this before making a choice please do.  But, if you need a basic history text fast read on.  

The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer is a series for younger children.  It is student  friendly and also has worksheet and activities available.  It is dividend up chronologically into four books that are each designed to last for one year.  You read them aloud or your child can read them. Each book is usually under $15.





Also you can go to your library and check out many many great books on history, geography, cooking around the world, and government.  Take field trips around your city and the state.  Watch PBS documentaries, and other historical shows.  So many ways to study social studies.    

For High School Susan Wise Bauer has also written books for adults.  My dad really enjoyed reading her history books. There are three books divided up chronologically.  




Science

There are many fabulous books on science.  You can check them out from your library.  If you want to do experiments the book, The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book: Boil Ice, Float Water, Measure Gravity-Challenge the World Around You!  is a great place to start. 

You can also watch documentaries, PBS, and I love the site Hooked on Science and write about it here.  You can garden, raise animals, go to the zoo, museum and take nature walks.

Many love to do nature journaling.  I bought my daughter the book Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You.   She has enjoyed the book and recommends it.  


I wrote a post on Conceptual Academy which has courses for high schoolers on Physical Science.
Some general helpful resources:



Reviews and discussed curriculum choices.  Everyone should own this book.

This is your basic how to give your child a classical education. 

  This books tells you what an experienced home educator wished she had done, or was glad she had done.


This is highly rated, and looks like a great read.

My Amazon Storefront.


www.amazon.com/shop/boernerb  
This post contains affiliate links.