Hi -- this is my first post, though I've enjoyed reading these boards for quite a while.
My husband and I have four children, aged infant through 6. The older two show every indication of being gifted, and I'm guessing the younger two will turn out to be as well. After several fairly disastrous attempts at preschool, I've been homeschooling them all for the last month or so. They're enjoying it, and seem to be learning a lot, but I am just TOAST.
It's funny; I've been attracted to homeschooling ever since I first heard of it back in 5th grade, but I always pictured school-aged children sitting at a table, working through a traditional structured curriculum, maybe even something boxed (ha ha ha). Then in the afternoons, the whole family would go on lovely outings to nature preserves and science museums. In this dream world, nobody would need a three hour nap, or have some icky communicable toddler illness that gets passed around for weeks, or eat the botany specimens. Nobody would blow through half a year's worth of math (which was two years above age level) in three days. Nobody would be facing the prospect of doing fourth grade language arts with kindergarten penmanship. Nobody would get out of bed at 9:00 PM and beg me over and over to do more Hooked on Phonics. (I guess it really does live up to its name, LOL.)
We're getting a full time mother's helper for the summer, which will give me some much needed down time. I'm not sure if she'll be able to help with the homeschooling, though. We tried it a little when she was here last summer, and it didn't work out, because even the most straightforward workbook seemed to need a lot of on-the-fly modifications (oral vs. written, skip the easy questions, etc.). She's an intelligent college student who'd be glad to help, but how can I explain what to do when I can barely figure it out myself?! And even if I could, it will probably have changed by the next day anyway.
Maybe I need to set some limits... say, an hour of school per child per day. Of course, then I'd have to find some other way to channel all that mental energy. Otherwise, DS would be off disassembling the lawn sprinkler system, and DD would be going bug-eyed reading chapter books for hours on end. Argh.
Despite the crabby tone, I am really enjoying having them with me all day. They are really sweet together (usually) and very funny. There have been some priceless moments, and I'm sure there will be lots more to come. I just need a few more of me to go around.
Anyone who's been in this situation, is there now, or just has some ideas... I would love to hear from you!
