March 21, 2007 5:32 AM
Homeschooling while pregnant
Many homeschooling moms worry that they don't do enough, that they have to work hard to keep up. I know. I started out that way too. But after 10 years of homeschooling what grew to seven kids (many of my 12 children are now grown up and the remaining six are currently in Virginia public schools), and experience with them going into public, Catholic, and Christian schools, I can tell you that several skipped grades, and most excelled at their studies (the exceptions being a couple who are more right-brained, creative-type people who really don't need physics and calculus).
At the time I was having a new baby every 18 months or so. We also tended to school four days a week with a field trip on the fifth. In grades 1-4, we were finished with school work by noon. We took a month off for December.
Was I confident in what I was doing? Sometimes I was. But sometimes I questioned myself.
Moms, you are probably harder on yourselves than you should be. With kids in public school I can tell you that there is just so much down time. My kids go to school for six hours and come home with homework and all I can think is "What in the world are they doing in school if they can't get this in during the day?"
Anyway, I received this in my Inbox this morning and wanted to share it. I subscribe to The Homeschool Minute and you can too if you like what the encouragement they have to offer.
HOME Where They BelongGena Suarez, co-Publisher, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
I knew of someone quite some time ago who took a whole year off from homeschooling when her children were young. She wasn't pregnant, but she was in the midst of a major home building project with her husband (that's like being pregnant - talk about stressful!). She was so worried that her children, particularly her oldest one, would fall behind. Now granted, her kids were really young; the oldest was maybe in the first grade, but still, to her this was very real. It was a source of very anxious feelings. Will he turn out ok? Will he ever catch up? All he's done this year is a lot of playing and maybe some educational DVDs and a few books. Am I a horrible mother?
But you know what? My friend was a really good parent (they still are). She and her husband had strict guidelines set up for their children even in the midst of chaos. Sure, maybe they didn't "do school" in a structured way as they wanted to. But they disallowed Nintendo, excessive television and the like. In other words, during these busy days when Mama wasn't always so accessible, there were things the children could NOT do, and that was anything "garbage." In her family, that meant the TV, cartoons and video games; these were for the most part off limits. Instead, the children needed to find wholesome fun. They were encouraged to read books, to watch educational videos, to play outside and discover, explore. They of course were always with her and her husband, and allowed to "help build the new house." Conversations galore were encouraged. Relationships tightened. And life went on.
The following year the mother was astonished to learn that her child wasn't even SLIGHTLY behind. Somehow, he was at grade level (or above) after their crazy year of "no schooling." But I told her she was mistaken. Yes she had homeschooled those children all year long. And the proof was in the pudding. Both children were more mature, had excellent focus, possessed far advanced skills than they had the year before across all areas of importance, and were right where they should be, grade-wise! Why was this? Well, ask yourself about the public school down the street. Remember when we were in school? Think of all the time wasted on lining up, trips to the water fountain, bathroom breaks, busy time cutting things up, gluing things in and coloring within the lines, etc., etc! Hours of wasted time! In homeschooling, every day is learning. Just keep the garbage out. Figure out what that is for your family. TV? Cartoons in excess? Too much gaming? Limit the junk and insist on worthy play times. Your kids will be brilliant. Keep them home where they belong. And pregnant mommies...relax. Use this year to read and play. Your kids are going to be just fine!
- Gena
Posted in Big families, Homeschooling | Permalink
Comments
Thank you for sharing this! I have worried about this since I've been quite exhausted for the first trimester of this pregnancy - and we're only doing preschool with my oldest! I am so thankful though that he won't be making the transition to kindergarten this fall just as we're adding a new baby to the family - he'll be home learning more about being a big brother:)
Posted by: Shannon Miller | March 21, 2007 9:53 AM
Barbara, this post gives me a few things to think about. I am a certified elementary teacher with a toddler and one on the way. Though, I am home now with my kid(s). I've long thought about homeschooling and about what life would be like at school for my kids. Somehow this post gives me more hope about the possibility of homeschooling. Thanks for the post today.
Posted by: Imajackson | March 21, 2007 12:02 PM
Great post! Since recently deciding to homeschool (K) my son in Sept, this reassures me that I CAN do this!!
:-)
Posted by: Linsey Davis | March 22, 2007 10:14 PM
