Homeschooling Just One

Back when we decided to homeschool, we didn't know that we would end up with just one child.   Fast forward to today and here we are, our daughter is almost 9 1/2 and she is an only child. 

So what is it like homeschooling just one child?  Is it easy?  Do I encounter the same challenges as other families, small and large?  Grab a cup of coffee (I know I am), sit back, relax, and take a trip into the life of Homeschooling an Only Child.

I am going to break this article up into two categories: Benefits and Challenges.  I want to start with our Challenges because I think that it is important to point out that families with only one child have similar struggles as larger families.

The first challenge that I face is motivating our daughter to get school started and then completed.  She does not have siblings that she can work with and she cannot compete with brothers and sisters to get assignments done or even challenge others in games.  Each day is a new challenge and can become a struggle at times. 

Another challenge that we face is boredom.  I try to rotate subjects and make things as fun as they can be, but to be honest, I'm sometimes not really good at that.  We may be in the house for a couple days in a row, and even the breaks in between subjects can get boring. 

The next challenge we face is giving constant attention.  With no other children in the house, I am next in line.  ;o)  She is pretty good about playing on her own and keeping herself occupied from time to time, but when that wears off, she comes to me.

The last challenge is not one we really face at home, but something I have noticed more and more, especially this year.  Since we are a family with just one child, I've noticed that it has been increasingly harder to find other families who want to get together (with only us).  Where I may be looking for one playmate who is close to our daughter's age, they are looking for playmates who are close in age to several of their children.  I'd like to add though, that I can totally understand this, and I don't mind getting together with several families, it's just something I've noticed. 

So what can be good about just having one child?  Although we do get off track from time to time, I can get us back quickly and finish what we need to do each week.  It is not hard to meet the goals that I have made for the year.  We also have a lot of flexibility in our schedule and can attend most field trips and activities that come up each month.

I love that I can give all the one-on-one attention that is needed.  Our curriculum is pretty parent intensive.  I have to sit with her for almost every subject still, so it is a lot of work from me, but I enjoy spending that time with her. 

To conclude, I think all families, large and small, face unique but also similar challenges.  Some days are good and some are hard.  Some days I feel like the odd homeschooling family with just one child, but regardless, I know I enjoy homeschooling and wouldn't do anything differently.  :o)

It's HOT Out There!

The SchoolHouse Review Crew is talking about ways of beating the summer heat...and this is perfect timing because it is HOT out there!

Here are some ideas for your and your family:

1.  Start School.  I know for some it is hard to grasp, but we start school in the summer so we can take off in the fall and spring when it is cooler.  I would rather be outside when it's 80 instead of when it's 100+.

2.  Go to the Movies.  Our local movie theater runs movies for kids every  Thursday and the cost is only $2 for the movies, a drink, and a popcorn. What a deal...and in the air conditioning!!

3.  Try the Library.  Many libraries have summer reading and event programs.  These are great for kids of all ages and FREE!

4.  Water Day.  If you are like us, you don't have a pool, but why not set up a backyard water obstacle course.  Put out a couple sprinklers and just let the kids have fun for a couple hours.

5.  Crafts.  Pull out all those crafts that have been stuck in the back of the cabinet or drawer since last Christmas...you know you have them.  ;)

6.  Play Doh.  I don't know about you, but my child can play with this for hours.

7.  Cooking.  Have a baking day and make some homemade bread or muffins.  We are planning to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and Biscuits this week.

8.  Car Wash.  It may seem like a chore, but just let the kids have fun with it...maybe even set up the sprinklers around it.  Hmmm, I think I'll put this on our schedule this week!

What are you doing to beat the summer heat?

Favorite Science Resources

What is my favorite Science Resource?  

For the past two years we have been using Heart of Dakota, which schedules science lessons throughout the year.  The science readings are designed to correspond loosely with the history study, so everything flows nicely.

Instead of a science textbook however, Heart of Dakota schedules living books to either be independently read or read aloud by me.

We have really enjoyed reading through these books.  One of our favorite series of books is the One Small Square series.  Each book is on a different topic: Woods, Seashore, Backyard, Arctic Tundra, etc. 

We are currently reading A Pioneer Sampler, which is about the daily life of a pioneer family in 1840.  Topics include things like planting (we are growing a potato plant), corn (we made Johnny cakes), making butter, and weaving.  It has been fun reading about how life was like and then trying to create something ourselves.

Aside from the living books, we do have Apologia Astronomy, which Funny Bunny has worked in a little.  Heart of Dakota schedules it in a few years so I was saving it for then.  I really like how it is laid out and think we will both enjoy it.

We are also currently reviewing two different science resources, which you will learn about soon.  One is called Creek Edge Press and I'll be posting my review tomorrow.  The other is Christian Kids Explore Biology, which I'll be posting about in April.

Do you have favorite science resources?  If so, I'd love to hear about them!

Favorite Educational Apps

I received an iPad from hubby over a year ago as a gift, but quickly realized I would be the one person in the house to use it the least. 

Of course, Funny Bunny uses it the most, playing the many apps we have downloaded for her. 

So what are some of our favorites?

Stack the States
As cheap as I am, I did fork over the $0.99 to purchase this one.  Funny Bunny loves it and has learned all her states and where they are located by playing this fun game.

Stack the Countries
She is still using the trial version, but since she mastered the states, she enjoys playing this one.  I may buy her the full version as a surprise.  ;)

GoSkyWatch Planetarium
Fun to take outside at night, lay on the ground, hold it up, and have it point out what you are looking at

Tangram
Great puzzles

Flashnote Derby
I reviewed this one here.  Good practice for those learning their music notes.

Doodle Buddy and Whiteboard
Two of Funny Bunny's favorite drawing apps

Mathomatix
Cute geometry games for ages 4 and up

BrainPOP Featured Movie
They play a new educational movie each day.  We both love BrainPOP!!

I could seriously be here all day listing all the apps we enjoy and I can't wait to read the posts from the other blogs participating to get some more ideas!

Why We Homeschool

Homeschooling was not something we knew we were going to do when Funny Bunny was born.  The original plan was for me to stay home until she was old enough for school and then I would go back to work part-time.

Then, at 15 months old, she could say the whole alphabet, and before she turned 3, she could read three letter words.  I'm not saying this to boast in any way, as a matter of fact, as a new mom, and someone who was not around small children that often, I thought this was pretty normal.  I didn't have any children to compare her to.

But soon after Funny Bunny was 3, and I started researching preschool learning activities, we came to the conclusion that she would be bored in Kindergarten.  Now whether or not she would have really been bored could be argued, but at the time we were convinced.

By this time I had already joined a homeschool group.  Initially though, I still was not sure about homeschooling.  I mainly joined it for more structured activities, not just park days like the other playgroups we had been in.

I formed great relationships with some wonderful ladies in our homeschool group...some that I hope will last a lifetime.  In the next two years, I learned more about homeschooling from these women than I ever could have imagined.  They were all very encouraging and still are.  

In those next two years I also grew in my relationship with the Lord.  It was perfect timing really...His timing.  So, although we had originally made our decision based on FB's academic levels, I was reassured it was the right decision for us.

So here we are, many years later, and FB is 8 1/2 and in 3rd grade.  I don't have to answer to outside teachers and worry about whether or not she will get the "best one" each year.  I am the "best one" she could have and I know right where she should be in each subject.  That doesn't mean that I won't use outside teachers for certain things...we already do.  But I am in control and ultimately make the decisions. 

Everyone homeschools for different reasons, and this is our story.  If you are new to homeschool or still trying to decide if it is right for your family, you can read my post here.

Lesson Planning?

The Blog Cruise question this week is: What does lesson planning look like in your homeschool?

Would it be bad to say that I don't really plan out our lessons??  I do plan out the curriculum for the year though, and the curriculum I choose plans the lessons for me.  :) 


If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I use Heart of Dakota.  This year we are using Bigger Hearts for His Glory.  One of the many things I love about this curriculum is that everything is planned out for me.  All I have to do is open the book and read what comes next.  Each day is a two page spread. 

{Click to enlarge}

Since a few of the subjects we use are different from what Heart of Dakota recommends, I don't follow every box.  For those other subjects, I just place a tab where we left off in the book and start there next time. 

Below is an example of what I lay out each day.  This is the school work for today {and now I can see I forgot to add her Latin...oops}. 

As Funny Bunny completes a subject, I log it on her weekly planner sheet and set it aside.

So that is a quick peek into how our lessons are planned.  How do you plan your lessons?

 

Third Grade Homeschool Goals

It's time to set sail on The Blog Cruise once again with the TOS Homeschool Crew!  The question this week: What are your homeschool related goals for the year?

Back in July I posted our curriculum plans for third grade and now that it is October and we are several months into the school year, have my goals changed or do they need to be adjusted?

I'm happy to report that I think {for the most part} our goals have not changed and we are right on track with where I would like us to be.

We are still using Bigger Hearts for His Glory, from Heart of Dakota, which uses a biographical approach to American history from the 1500's-1970's.  I love Heart of Dakota and talk a lot about it because it works so well for our family.

Math was the big question mark this year.  We are using Righstart Level D and I was really nervous about it because the last half of Level C did not go to well.  So this year I decided to slow down and finish the the book in a year and a half. We complete about 2-3 lessons a week and in between I make my own review lessons to go along with what Funny Bunny has learned.  She feels much more confident now and we rarely have a meltdown!!  :)

We are plugging away in all the other subjects nicely.  If you would like to see a detailed list of them you can look here.

The only other thing that has changed in our schedule has been the groups we are involved in outside our home.  Funny Bunny has been involved in an American Girl Book Club, a Jr. Homemakers Club, and an Art Club.  It's been fun to be involved with these over the past several months.  FB has made some new friends and is learning some great skills. 

We are also a few weeks into Community Bible Study (CBS).  This year we are studying the book of Luke.  Since our lessons are practically identical, Funny Bunny and I are doing our lessons together.  We have been taking turns reading the assigned scripture and answering our questions.  Of course mine take a bit longer to answer, so I usually have to go back to it later. 

One last goal that I have for this year is to make sure we get outside more often and study nature.  I would like to try to follow along with The Handbook of Nature Study and the Outdoor Hour Challenges, so we will see how that goes. 

So that is it for us.  What are your goals this year?

 

My Thoughts on the TOS Crew

It was this time last year when I applied to be on the TOS Crew.  I seriously thought it was a long shot.  We only have one child and I had no public blog at the time (I did have a private one for just friends and family, but not one I would share with the world). 

Then, out of the blue, I received an email that I was to do a review.  This was my "test" and I was so nervous.  I created a blog and wrote my first review.  I must have re-read it a hundred times before publishing it.  Within 15 minutes I heard back that I had made it!!  Phew!!  Little did I know what the upcoming year would bring.

There were a few things that I was not prepared for.  The first was the time commitment.  I realized early on that there was no use in me writing reviews if I only had my family reading my blog (and yes, they do read it everyday).  :)  I actually had to get other people to read what I was writing and then "talk" to them...lol!  I'll be honest and say that it took me a while to get use to chatting with complete strangers (though hubby would have to disagree).  ;)  But slowly I gained followers and made friends.

And that brings me to another thing I was not prepared for...the good friends that I have made.  There have been so many people, both on and off The Crew, that I have met online.  It has been fun chatting with people and learning about their families and homeschooling activities.

The last surprise for me has been the great products I have reviewed.  I had no idea in the beginning how many products we would get to try out.  Although a few did not work for us, many have been a perfect fit for our family!  And I just love hearing feedback from readers on how my reviews have helped them in their purchasing decisions. 

I've reviewed a total of 28 products with 3 more to go.  Some of my favorites include:

Latin for Children A
PyraMath
Talking Fingers
Apologia: Who Is God
Yesterday's Classics
Circle C Books
Maestro Classics
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids
Dig It Games: Roman Town
Growing Healthy Homes

So to conclude, I have enjoyed my first year on The TOS Crew and look forward to the year ahead.  I hope it will be just as wonderful and I'm sure it will be full of surprises!

Thanks for taking this voyage with me!

 

My Favorite Subject

Have you ever watched the movie Billy Madison with Adam Sandler?  If not, it's about an immature guy who must repeat grades 1-12 all over again in order to inherit his father's money.  

Now I'll be honest with you, although I did well in school, I did not enjoy it much.  I did not like reading for pleasure and I can't say that I had a favorite subject.

Well now I get to be a little like Billy Madison in that I'm repeating grades 1-12.  I realize I'm now the teacher, but I am learning right along with our daughter. 

I now enjoy reading and love how the classical style of schooling has sparked my interests (and I hope it does the same for her).  I have to say that right now my favorite subject is History.  Growing up I never understood how everything in history went together.  You never stop and think that events that occurred in the Bible happened at the same time as Ancient Egypt, the Trojan War, and the founding of Rome. 

And I love that our daughter "gets it".  She enjoys listening to all the stories we read about events and people in history and right now it is her favorite subject too.

What if...

...I was no longer homeschooling my daughter?  What would my dream job be?  Hmmm, good question!  I think to answer that I should take you back a bit to see where I was headed before I became a mommy.

For the longest time when I was younger, I wanted to be a lawyer.  Maybe it was growing up watching too much Matlock, I'm not sure.  When I got older though, I realized how much school I would have to go through.  So I had to scratch that idea.

As I entered college I still had no clear cut dream profession.  My job skills up to that point had been pizza maker, car washer, and store clerk.  I also had a very short lived telemarketing job...scratch sales. 

I did however work for a very large toy store and after working there for a while, I began handling HR duties, like interviews.  I can still remember one of the applicants asking my age...lol!!  I am pretty sure I was in college by then but I have always looked much younger than I am. 

So, while in college and still unsure of my plan, I decided to go for the ol' Bachelor in Business Administration (double major in Management and Marketing).  I figured that would have plenty of job options.  ;)  Well, my first job after college was in Human Resources, conducting interviews, going to job fairs, and pretty much handling anything administrative.  After a couple years, I moved over to the client side, got my insurance license, and became an Account Manager in Employee Benefits.  Basically doing the same HR duties but now for the client...open enrollments, marketing their plans, etc. 

Five years after college I had our daughter and decided to stay home.  Fast forward almost 8 years, and here we are.

So, looking back at what I have done in past jobs and who I am today, I'm not sure what my dream job would be exactly, but I know it would have to be a job working with and helping people.  I enjoy talking with people (I loved those job fairs!!!) and I like to help others (one reason I love to blog). 

...and if I couldn't have that.  I'd have to settle for professional cruise ship sailing.  Not sure if that is a "job" but sounds good to me!  ;)

Schooling in Small Spaces

Since we school at home, even with only one child, things can start feeling cramped.  So our solution is an easy one...we move around, often! 

I know I've posted some of these pictures before, but I'm going to use them again.  :)  We have a school room, which is just an extra bedroom that we transformed.  It is not really where we do our school, but mostly where we house all our school stuff. 

Most of the time school work is completed at the kitchen table.  I lay out all school work first thing in the morning and we work side by side.  It keeps us both alert and close to the kitchen for snacks.  ;)

When it is time for me to read aloud or for her to read to herself, you will find us here, on the couch.  It's more comfortable and we can cozy up together. 

Another place that she likes to read is at her smaller table in the kitchen.  She eats, crafts, and reads here.  It's the perfect size and even I can fit too. 

Sometimes when we both want a change of pace, we will gather the books and head to my bed.  The change of scenery is nice and it is relaxing.  Many times we lay in my bed to work on Bible study.

I guess what I am trying to say is that we use most of the rooms in the house, depending on what subject and/or activity.  We also go outside and lay a blanket on the grass when the weather is nice. 

So if you are feeling stuck in that same small room, get out!  Move around and try different rooms around the house.  Who knows, you may find one that works better!

 

Chores vs. Homeschooling

When it's the household chores vs. homeschooling, I have to say that that chores usually end up losing most of the time.

I know we are a small family, but things can get pretty messy here too.  After all, we are schooling in the same place we eat, play, and live.


So what do we do to stay caught up each day? Here are some of my tips and a peek into our schedule.

1.  I get up early.  I get most of the cleaning done for the day before our daughter even gets up.  I can usually get our bedroom and bathroom clean and I walk through the house picking up toys, shoes, and straightening up the main rooms.

2.  During breakfast I try to clean the kitchen.  I usually don't sit down to eat so I use that time to empty the dishwasher, load it again, and clean the counters.  I find that if I start each day with a clean kitchen, I am happier.  :)

3.  I *should* start a load of laundry each day.  On the days I put a load in first thing, I find that the laundry doesn't get so backed up.

4.  I try to clean the kitchen up immediately after dinner.  I love to wake up to a kitchen that is already clean.  A clean kitchen = a happy me.  :)

5.  Sometime during the day my daughter and I will do what we call a "quick clean."  We go through each room as fast as we can and pick up and put away everything on the floor. 

Our daughter has chores too.  She has to make her bed each day, put her dishes in the sink when she's done eating, and she has to clean her room (which is easier said than done).

Oh, and hubby helps too...although we don't assign chores to him.  ;)

 

Teaching the Hard Stuff

Q:  Will you homeschool through 12th grade? 

A:  We are taking it one year at a time, but that is my plan.

Q:  What about teaching the hard stuff like Calculus and Latin?

A:  We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.  ;o)

To date, I have successfully taught through 2nd grade!  Is that clapping I hear in the background?  I can see that you all are impressed!  I know my multiplication facts, I can pick out a noun when I see one, and I can successfully name the planets in order.  Oh yeah, and my daughter can too.  ;o)

And I'll be honest, I am pretty sure I can manage all of elementary school on my own...probably. 

Here's the plan for the future though.  If we get to a subject that I do not think I am adequate to teach, we will look into other options.  I certainly don't teach piano, dance, soccer, and swim, and I wouldn't teach Trigonometry either.  Here are just a few options available to us:

* Co-ops
* Online Classes
* Video Based Instruction
* Dual Enrollment Classes
* Tutors

I honestly do not think we will have a problem for most subjects, but homeschooling involves a lot of research, and that's what I plan to do. 

 

Life Skills?

Wikipedia defines Life Skills as a set of human skills acquired via teaching or direct experience that are used to handle problems and questions commonly encountered in daily human life.

So what is a skill?  A skill is the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time, energy, or both.

So thankfully I am teaching human skills...although sometimes I wonder.  ;o)  When I think of the term Life Skills though, I think of things like cooking, cleaning, sewing, etc.  Hopefully I will pass on a little information in each of those areas, but there is more to Life Skills than that.

Can a child learn skills like oral, listening, problem-solving, creative thinking, self-esteem, leadership, career development, teamwork, negotiation, and money management at home?  Am I preparing my child for all of that??  My answer is YES and you are too, whether you know it or not. 

Oral - Working on speaking clearly, thinking before formulating a sentence, and practicing oral narration.

Listening - Don't speak when someone else is talking and listening to instructions (we have to work on this one).

Problem-Solving - Taking the time to think through a problem to come to a solution.

Creative Thinking - Lots of reading and imaginative play.

Self-Esteem - Plenty of praising from adults.

Leadership - Taking turns picking games and making up rules.

Career Development - Talking about the future and what it takes to work in certain fields.

Teamwork - Playing nicely with friends and avoiding conflict.

Negotiation - Evaluating options and working on getting the best one (she seems to be proficient in this already, at least in negotiating with us).

Money Management - Deciding how to split allowance between saving, spending, and donating.

As our daughter gets older, as with most children, she will encounter many different situations and hopefully we are preparing her for some of them!

 

Homeschool Conventions

I love homeschool convention time!  I love checking out all the vendors, getting all the brochures, looking at products, flipping through books, talking to vendors, and listening to the speakers.  It is so great to have all the homeschool companies in one place at the same time. 

So how do you prepare to attend a homeschool convention?  Here is what I do:

1.  Check the speaker schedule.  Several weeks before the convention I get the speaker schedule and decide who I want to hear.  Once I have narrowed that down, I know how much time I will have to walk around the vendor hall and when I have to leave to listen to the speaker.  Sometimes this is hard to decide because there may be many great speakers and sometimes their times overlap.  I think most conventions offer recordings of the speakers that you can purchase afterwards in case you miss out.

2.  Make a list of vendors.  Before you get there, scroll through the list of vendors and highlight those you really want to check out.  Sometimes it can be overwhelming once you get there and you may miss that booth you really wanted to see. 

3.  Scope it out first.  The convention closest to me is not tremendously big, so what I usually do is walk up and down the isles first to just check everything out.  I don't stop at any booths the first time around.  I'm just taking everything in. 

4.  Take your time.  When I've gone through once, then I start on one end and take my time.  Keep your eyes open, listen to questions other parents are asking, ask questions yourself, grab brochures and business cards, and check out samples. 

5.  Make notes.  If there is vendor that you liked, make a note of it so you can come back to review it again.  If you are in a large convention hall, also write down what isle you are in so you can find it later.

6.  Bring snacks.  If you have your children with you this is a must.  Even if you don't, sometimes the food options are not the best and there can be long lines, which just wastes precious time.  Pack snacks, and even your own lunch, to save time and money.

7.  Get there early.  If you can, get there as soon as they open to get the most for your money. 

8.  Set a budget.  This may be the most important thing.  In all honesty, I rarely purchase from the conventions.  I just love to go to flip through materials and check out curriculum I've never seen.  It's easy to go overboard though.  Set a budget before you get there so there is no temptation to buy more than you need!

9.  Have fun!  Leave the kids at home if you can and go with friends.  Make a day trip or weekend out of it.  Enjoy your time!

 

Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to Our Homeschool Reviews and get our articles right to your inbox!

©2010-2014 Our Homeschool Reviews. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/

Teaching the Distracted Child

I'll be honest in that I may not be the best person to give advice on this topic.  Our 7-year old daughter is, for the most part, a good listener and not too easily distracted. 

From time to time though, I will catch her day dreaming, playing with the pencil eraser, or singing, when she is supposed to be doing schoolwork.  So how do we get the easily distracted child to focus? 

Here are a few tips:

* Keep the lessons short.  Start with 5 minutes and then gradually move up to 10 or 15 minutes.  Set a timer so they can see how much time is left.

* Try to eliminate other noise.  You can't send all your other children to another room, but you can make sure all electronic devices are off and loud toys are removed.

* Lead by example.  Show them what you expect of them.  Is it possible they don't understand what you want?  Explain to them what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior.  Do you have another child who is a good listener?  Have that child set the example.

* Take a break.  Maybe they just need to run off some energy.  Let them go outside to play and run around for a while and then after they cool down, start again.

* Change the location.  Have they been completing their schoolwork in the same spot since the beginning of the year?  Change it up a bit and move to another room or another table.

* Give praise...and lots of it!  Sometimes we can be too quick to correct and reprimand, but not quick enough to give praise.  When you see them doing a good job, let them know it!

* Pray.  Is it possible that they are doing all they can do and it is you that needs some help?  Bring your concerns to the Lord and pray for patience and wisdom in these trying situations.

I hope these tips have been helpful!  Good luck!

 

A Child's Aspirations

This week we were asked what our children want to be when they grow up and what we, as parents, are doing to help them pursue their field of interest.

So I asked my daughter about her dream job and this is what she said.

"When I grow up I want to work at the zoo because I love animals. I want to be a Veterinarian. There are some other things I want to do too (but not as much as the Vet!). I want to work at a shelter for animals and maybe an orphanage. I also want to run a store with one of my friends and call it "The Everything Store."  And that is pretty much it."  :o)    

Well, thank goodness she narrowed that down...lol!  Since she is only 7 1/2, I pretty much give her encouragement for anything she says she wants to do.  I do remind her that certain jobs require more school than others and that she will have to go to college regardless. 

She really has a kind and compassionate heart and loves both animals and children, so I can see her working in either field.  I just want her to be happy with whatever she plans to do.

 

Help with Homeschooling?

This week's Blog Cruise topic is regarding homeschooling help from spouses, grandparents, or other family members. 

I originally wasn't going to write about this because in our household I am the only adult who homeschools our daughter so I figured there would not be much to talk about.  Then I thought about it for a while longer and realized there is more. 

Although my husband does not "homeschool" our daughter, he wholeheartedly approves and supports me homeschooling, and that takes a big weight off my shoulders.  Now he has helped from time to time when I've asked, and he is there to step in at anytime that I may need him, but for the most part, I handle it myself.  And just incase you are wondering, that is ok with me!  ;o)

As for the grandparents, they do not help with homeschooling either, but they bring something to the plate that I cannot.  Each grandparent has a special and unique relationship with our daughter that I would never want to duplicate or change.  So I don't mind that they are not helping with science or math, because they teach her things and lessons that I cannot. 

 

Homeschooling Just One

Back when we decided to homeschool, we didn't know that we would end up with just one child.   Fast forward to today and here we are, our daughter is 7 1/2 and she is an only child. 

So what is it like homeschooling just one child?  Is it easy?  Do I encounter the same challenges as other families, small and large?  Grab a cup of tea (I know I am), sit back, relax, and take a trip into the life of Homeschooling an Only Child.

I am going to break this article up into two categories: Benefits and Challenges.  I want to start with our Challenges because I think that it is important to point out that families with only one child have similar struggles as larger families.

The first challenge that I face is motivating our daughter to get school started and then completed.  She does not have siblings that she can work with and she cannot compete with brothers and sisters to get assignments done or even challenge others in games.  Each day is a new challenge and can become a struggle at times. 

Another challenge that we face is boredom.  I try to rotate subjects and make things as fun as they can be, but to be honest, I'm sometimes not really good at that.  We may be in the house for a couple days in a row, and even the breaks in between subjects can get boring. 

The next challenge we face is giving constant attention.  With no other children in the house, I am next in line.  ;o)  She is pretty good about playing on her own and keeping herself occupied from time to time, but when that wears off, she comes to me.

The last challenge is not one we really face at home, but something I have noticed more and more, especially this year.  Since we are a family with just one child, I've noticed that it has been increasingly harder to find other families who want to get together (with only us).  Where I may be looking for one playmate who is close to our daughter's age, they are looking for playmates who are close in age to several of their children.  I'd like to add though, that I can totally understand this, and I don't mind getting together with several families, it's just something I've noticed. 

So what can be good about just having one child?  Although we do get off track from time to time, I can get us back quickly and finish what we need to do each week.  It is not hard to meet the goals that I have made for the year.  We also have a lot of flexibility in our schedule and can attend most field trips and activities that come up each month.

I love that I can give all the one-on-one attention that is needed.  Our curriculum is pretty parent intensive.  I have to sit with her for almost every subject still, so it is a lot of work from me, but I enjoy spending that time with her. 

To conclude, I think all families, large and small, face unique but also similar challenges.  Some days are good and some are hard.  Some days I feel like the odd homeschooling family with just one child, but regardless, I know I enjoy homeschooling and wouldn't do anything differently.  :o)

Burn Out ~ How To Avoid It?

It's the middle of the school year, you've been working in the same books for four or five months, the kids are getting restless, you're already thinking about going to the next homeschool convention...your family is getting burnt out!! 

So how do you avoid burn out in the first place? I think the best advice is to switch things up!  Simple changes in your school day will help to energize your family, giving them the push they need to finish the school year off with a bang.  Here are a few tips.

1.  Location, Location, Location.  Where are you currently doing your schoolwork?  Is it still working for your family?  If not, change it!  Go to the library once a week and get school done there.  Switch from the schoolroom to the kitchen, or the kitchen to the dining room.  Kids love these small changes and it may make a bigger difference than you think.

2.  Change Your Material.  Is there a certain subject that your child is frustrated with?  Change it up a bit.  Instead of reading from your science text book, find a chapter book on the same subject and have them read that (or read it to them).  Find a fun math program online that you can substitute for their regular math work.  There are tons of FREE program out there, you just need to look for them. 

3.  Go Outside.  When was the last time you took your children outside for a nature study or even for just a walk or bike ride?  I know this time of year it is too cold in some places, but even a break to play in the snow is what they may need to get their day going.

4.  Get Out Those Crafts.  Has it been a while since your 3rd grader got out the crafts?  Crafts are fun for all ages and can be made to go along with what they are studying.  Collages are easy and kids love to cut pictures out of magazines.  Give them some legos and have them make the animals who live in that habitat you are studying. 

5.  Experiment Day.  Why not set a day aside every once in a while for experiments?  Science experiments, recipe experiments, playdoh experiments.  Expect a mess and don't worry about it.  Hands on learning is the best kind of learning.

6.  Time Off.  Maybe what your family needs is some time off.  Go on a day trip to a museum, to the park, or to the movies.  Taking time off school and spending the day doing something fun as a family may be just the thing you need to re-energize!

I hope some of my tips have helped.  I know when we have begun to burn out, I have tried each of these at different times, and they always seem to help!