Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Calling all homeschoolers...give me your pep talk.

I'm in the midst of writing DS9s individual home education plan (IHIP). It has to be broken down into quarters and detailed for every subject. It's not as bad as it sounds as doing this really helped me to envision the year. I'm then creative when reporting on the quarterly reports what we actually got done.

This year I'm adding my DS6. I also have a 2.5yr old.

At the moment, I'm jealous of people w/ ND kids who send them off to school w/out a care in the world. Who have kids who come home and rave about all they learned that day (yes, my friend's son comes home like this everyday and refuses to miss a day of school).

I guess I'm feeling a huge weight on my shoulders w/ the impending start of the school year. I'm making a list of things for my 2yr old to do while I"m working w/ her brothers and have scheduled one-on-one time w/ her and each brother while I work with the other. I'm sure it'll all work out but for today, it seems overwhelming.

So I need your best pep talk lol or just a cyberhug.

Dazey

Here's your cyberhug!!!! I hear ya on the jealously bit. What would that be like to have your kid come home with new knowledge and desire to go to school?????

Dazey-
I'll be interested in hearing what you come up with for your 2 year old. I began HSing my 4.5 year old at the beginning of the month. Honestly, I am LOVING it!! (Never thought I would say that!!) My biggest concern right now is what to do with my nearly 20 month old. He's actually a really easy kid most of the time so he's prone to getting ignored. I, of course, want him to be having fun and be stimulated too. It is a juggling act (as you know with three) and I'd hate to drop a ball.

Nevertheless, huge cyberhugs!!
Good luck!!

It will work out, Dazey. If you have trouble, you can always adjust, right? Just remember that perfectionism and homeschooling don't go together. Do the best you can and let the rest go.

I hear you about the feeling of the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you'll do great! I'm sure of it. You're a good mom, and your kids are all lucky to have you!

Here is a hug for you. It will be all just fine. You will all adjust and figure it out.

I am having cold feet myself moving from hs one child to hs two. Well, actually I am in denial. As far as I am concern the beginning of the school year is still far, far away Please don't tell me otherwise

Dear Dazey, you'll be fine! Having more than one kid in the mix is indeed the hard part, I find, but it is also the great part, in a lot of ways. The lads bounce ideas off each other, help each other with their work, and so on--the only things they really do separately (although I don't have to report to anybody, so that maybe changes things some) are math and language arts, and it's fun to combine for big art projects, history read-alouds, big messy science experiments, family "concerts," and stuff like that. (Yikes, this isn't really coming out in English, is it?? I'm too tired to go back and fix the prose, though...)

Can you maybe get some little sticker books or special pens or something that you only get out at "school time", so that your little one feels like she's "doing school", too? I found that finding some special thing for Chico to do really helped a lot--and the nice thing is that it really does (I promise!) get easier over time.

Cue Ethel Merman: "You'll be swell, you'll be great, you can have the whole world on a plate, starting here, starting now, everything's coming up roses.........." (I love Ethel Merman!)

peace
minnie

From a mom who definately juggles... you can do it, you will do it, and you will get your groove, so to speak. Give yourself time to adjust, both the material and yourself. Hugs and more hugs for being a great mom!

I am right where you are LMom - going from HS 1 to HS2. I'm still happily in denial. My 2nd child would be in kindergarten (and she just turned 5 this summer). How bad can I screw up? We are actually leaving on vacation to go the Black Hills on labor day when everyone else is packing their backpacks to rebel.

I will say HS 1, while dealing with the preschooler (although she was attending a very part to PS, which almost felt like more work to get her there hurry up and turn around and get her again), was definitely easier and more fun than I thought. You'll do great!

Yes, last year was my 1st year HSing DS9 (then 8). It was a tough year b/c of bad public school appearance (K-2). Lots of walls to bring down, lots of poor attitude and lots of interruptions from DD2.5(then 1.5). Thankfully, she's a lot more independent now.

Hi, where was your ds6 (then 5) last year?