Quite succesful but quite tiring for me as well....

The last day of holidays DD asked if she HAD to go the school. So we proposed her a deal: she can stay home BUT she has to do some 'actividades' with me while DS has his nap. She agreed inmediately.
She has not asked once about school mates or the teacher.

I explained to her that she can stop now because it seems that she was not happy at that school and while we look for better solution for next year she can stay home - with the condition that she learns something each day.

I had to remind her a few times the deal and that I cannot play with her the whole day.

She has almost completely stopped playing the 'little 2-years old girly' and seems more relaxed.

I am tired though.... any advice on time management would be appreciated

Do you have any childcare help? That would be my first suggestion. I couldn't get through my week without some time to myself, and with two HIGHLY actve kids, I'd never get time alone without someone to watch them.

Is there anything she loves to do that she could lose herself in without needing your attention? Even something you don't normally allow (computer time?) might be okay in small doses if you can use it as a tool to help your day work for you. Perhaps as a reward for her doing something independently?

Projects that are hers alone are ideal. Artwork, puzzles, books, playing outside, anything she can do mostly alone, with just a little help or encouragement from you, are good. That way you have the energy to help her on the stuff for which she really needs you.

At her age, it's okay if she spends much of her day playing. Try to give her the tools and supplies she needs to make her play independent and imaginative or educational in some form. But it's perfectly okay if most of a 4yo's day is spent in play. (As long as you don't have to spend all day playing with her!)

So aside from tired--and I *so* hear you on that, sister!--how are you feeling about it?

Isa, I have a few ideas, but I can't remember, is she writing and reading independently?
What level is she doing in math?
Neato

Congratulations, Isa! What an exciting undertaking! She'll probably get to be more independent with time, doncha think? (I say that and it's my oldest who takes up most of my time!)

Keep us posted.

Congrats on surviving the first week. I'm sure it'll take some adjustment and trial and error. I hope the others can give you some useful advice.

Dazey

Finally ... both are sleeping .... at the same time ... shhhhhhh

Thanks a lot for your answers. I really need the support

Ok, now some answers on my side:

Kriston: No I do not have any childcare, babysitter, or even grandma (appart from visits of course) to help. I definitively have to look for some place where to put DS for two half days. The problem is that I am still thinking what would be the best for him. I am pretty certain that he is as gifted, but 'how much'? I think that I could find what fits him better if I wait to see his LOG. On the other hand I need the time NOW. I guess the best is to look for some mom who would take care of him. This is called 'gastouder' here.

About DD spending time alone: when she has had some intelletual challenge or 'feeding' she can play on her own, but not alone (in her room for example). So she may play in the dinning area for example while I do the dinner in the kitchen. The problem is that DS then wants to play with her and 'help' by throwing the puzzles or colors or destroying her beautiful set up with her little figures. Or even worse, he plays on his own ... the gardener, the explorer, the climber....

About the time spent in 'learning' - that is, doing academicish stuff, it is quite short, while DS has his nap. The rest of the time is playing time, with lots of 'whys' in between of course.

And appart from mega tired, I feel relieved that she does not have to go back to an environment where she was unlearning
Would you believe that now she refuses to draw anything claiming that she does not know how?

At least now she is back at being interested into watching documentary movies about animals and not Little Ponys and more Little Ponys...

Neato: no, she is not reading yet. She knows about half of the alphabet (in spaninsh), capital and lower-case, name and sound and can read a few words. I could say that I am trying to teach her to read, but a better description would be that I am helping her to teach herself to read.

About math, in counting and arithmetics she is starting to work at first grade more or less (appart from the fact that she tends to do the sums in her head). In other areas like abstract reasoning (grouping and differentiating) or pre-algebra (series of colors and shapes) she is doing workboks at home for 6-7 yrs old and she does them easily the first with a 'little bit' of effort the second. I have the feeling that she just need a little push to take off and start working at grade 2 or higher.


I really miss to have some text books in Spanish but I cannot find them here obviously.

Everyone: thanks a lot for the encouragment

Are you in an area with a university? Students often have some regularly scheduled time during weekdays when they can be available, the cost is often lower because they're willing to give up a little money in order to gain some flexibility with scheduluing, and if you get someone who is interested in a subject that your daughter loves, you can get some educational time out of the deal as well. It's also nice to have the help at your home. Then you could work with your daughter while the sitter watched your son, or you could just get out of the house and have some time to yourself if you need it.

I'd start there if possible.

Take care of yourself. Remember the advice from an airplane: put the oxygen mask on yourself before you try to help others. It's a great analogy for parenting, especially when homeschooling!

Yes, congrats, Isa. I'm sure this will get easier and easier, but it is a good bit of work!
I know several people who are adamantly against kids learning independently on a computer, but it works really well for my girls for limited amounts of time. Perhaps the kids could do maybe a quarter of their work via computer programs during the day, this might free you up a little.
Personally I think there are wonderful online programs and software for learning.
Another question, are the children learning in english? Forgive my memory, I know Dutch they are not fluent in but I couldn't remember about English. If so, I have some specific links I could give you that you may like.
Neato

Hi Neato,

Learning language is Spanish. DD understands quite a bit of English but does not speak it yet. We want to put her an English teacher and the suggestion of Kriston of using University students is a very good suggestion (thanks Kriston).

About the computer, I have been looking myself for something that teaches letters and easy words, but it has to be in Spanish,. Ah! And for Mac, not Windows.

We were thinking of getting a Wii and I am wondering if there were educative programs that DD could use... I think I am going to check....

Isa, would she like this? http://teacher.scholastic.com/clifford1/index.htm

I am going to give it a try, it may be good to learn English, although not for the letters - I want to teach her in Spanish first.

Here are some websites that my dd's school sent home for the kids (K-3rd) to use during the summer. There may be something appropriate for your dd's level, if you don't mind American Spanish. I hope I typed them in correctly.

Summer

www.literacycenter.net/lessonview_es.htm#
www.apples4theteacher.com/foreignlang.html#spanishgames
www.colby.edu/~bknelson/SLC/
www.rif.org/leer/index_flash.mspx?flash=true
www.learnalanguage.org/elemspan/
teacher.scholastic.com/clifford1/
www.sesameworkshop.org/talkreadwrite/index.php
www.germantownacademy.org/curtech/interactive/interactive.htm
www.edhelper.com/Spanish.htm?gclid=CPelmc7B4ECFSMZawodFWtleA
www.primeraescuela.com
www.storyplace.org
www.curiosikid.com/view/index.asp

Hi Summer,
great links - Thanks

I am starting with the first one since DD does not know yet the whole alphabet.

What I think I have to improve on my side is organizational skills and time management ....

Good night to everyone still on line!

Isa,

I have some good online stuff, but it's all in english! Sorry. When you are ready to have her do things in english, let me know. I have a great online program to learn reading in english, but it's not free. Although, it's not computer specific, so you could use it on Mac.

Neato

Isa -
I'm so glad your DD isn't pretending any more. Try looking for books by 'Ed Emberly' - they are 'how to draw' and not in any language. They show the steps of making various stick figures. I love them as a warm up to writing, and sequential thinking.

My guess is that once she gets the hang of them, she might spend hours on them, independently, without the need to read.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

You know what? DD is now playing ON HER OWN voluntarily and happily for 1 hour to 1 hour and a half!!!!
I do not have to push her for that, convince her or anything. She just anounce now that she wants to play on her own.

Now the next step is that she plays in her room alone while I am downstairs with DS - that way she could do some puzzels or stuff she is not allowed while DS is around.
(she still needs to see or hear people not too far from her).

She is as well asking again thousands of 'whys' for absolutely everything... Very tiring, yet I am really happy about that.




I now have to find my 'party line' as questions put it, in a country where homeschooling is illegal and even between 4 and 5 is simply not done.

Yay, Isa!!! It sounds like she's breaking those bad habits that the school taught her. I'm so glad!

That's so great to hear!
Oh, Isa! Can't you move over here?
Then you could homeschool in peace!

FWIW: DD5 will play a really long time by herself with Playmobile. She concocts wonderful and imaginative story lines and worlds and keeps herself very busy and happy.

It is official now!

We have sent the letter to the school informing them that DD will not be returning for the rest of the school year.

No reactions from the school yet.

Neato: Your DD sounds like mine

About resources:
Do you have some web site that teaches basic science for kids? I have some that explain experiments but I was looking for some basic knowledge, like classifications of animals and plants.

Isa,
Wonderful news!

As for the 'why' questions. I found that I could often get away with saying either:
"Nature" or
"Custom"
and that was often all he needed.

Enjoy your time now, and don't ruin it worrying about next year!
Grinity

Great Isa! Yes, enjoy your time.

All my resources are English unfortunately. Would you like them anyway and translate?

Oh yes, like that I can tell her since she is not reading anyway, I have tried to look things up in wikipedia but then I have to think how to put an easier explanation for her.

Okay, give me a little time and I will gather a list of links for you. I'll PM them to avoid repetetiveness. Most of the links have been posted here at one time or another.

Goody

Thanks !!!

Neato, I'd like the links as well. Would you PM them to me? Thanks.

Oh sure! Isa, just P.M.'ed you.

going to PM Squirt right now!

And I PM back