OhElizabeth....

[Rhondabee]

I tried to cyber-stalk to find your original post, so I could respond to it. I see you've been just as busy on this board as the old - I just don't get to read your posts as often. :(

Anyway, you had posted to someone else (who happened to have kids about my kids' ages) about requiring 3 pages of written work a day. I don't know why, I guess the objectivity of "3 pages", but your suggestion has *really* helped me be more consistent this week. And, our whole week was just much less stressful (on me!).

So, for example, instead of assigning *all* the R&S problems, hearing them sigh, thinking of all the people who do it all orally, feeling guilty for being such a slave-driver (they are *boys* after all), saying, "OH, just do the odds," seeing the piddly amount they've written so sloppily, and then wanting to say, "No, just do it all (you lazy bums)!" but knowing I can't, so I sneak off to my closet to my hidden stash of mini-Snickers - whew!! - instead of all *that*, I just said, "Do it!" and they did. Without complaint. And even with a shocking, "OH, I don't mind, mom!" (What?!?!)

I've still got to move dictation to a more prominent (less easy to skip over) spot in the day. But I was just *so* encouraged this week, and wanted to say Thanks!

[OhElizabeth]

Well I'm glad you're feeling inspired! Like you say, knowing you have a reasonable goal and that you're NOT being over-demanding should make you more confident. It means you can flex and decrease another assignment when something else gets big. It means everybody knows your expectations are fair and that they should just line up and do it. And that's so cool that your dc are following your lead and accepting it too!

You're not going to be perfect and hit it all the time, at least I don't. But when you know you have a goal and that it's REASONABLE and that you are being sensitive while still appropriate, you can be confident making assignments. I think kids like a bit of a challenge, as long as they know it's reasonable and that you're not going to keep piling more and more on.

As for when to do dictation? Well, no dictation, no eat... LA and math are the non-negotiables before lunch around here. If you're having a hard time getting to it, maybe you have too much LA things going at once? Could you combine some things and kill two birds with one stone? I figure if I'm consistently not getting things done, I was probably trying to do too many things. Not that any of us, as curriculum junkies, would do that. ;)

[Rhondabee]

Well I'm glad you're feeling inspired! Like you say, knowing you have a reasonable goal and that you're NOT being over-demanding should make you more confident. It means you can flex and decrease another assignment when something else gets big. It means everybody knows your expectations are fair and that they should just line up and do it.

I do think that is the hardest part of homeschooling (for me) is knowing what is reasonable.

As for finding time, I figure we will have to stop letting my 2yo sleep-in while we do Read-Alouds in the morning (sniff, sniff!). :o Well, we'll still let her sleep in....

[OhElizabeth]

Oh man, if a 2 yo will sleep, I'd let 'em sleep, hehe! Are you wanting her to listen in? When my dd was that age, she listened to a lot of books on tape, real books like Charlotte's Web, the Chronicles of Narnia, Little House, etc. If you don't have time to read to her like you want to, you could set her up with a station and let her listen while she plays or colors. My dd got very into it and had a stuffed pig, etc. WTM is a big advocate of books on tape, and I do think it played a big part in my dd's verbal development as well as preparing her to read. If they have a big vocabulary, they recognize the words as they start to sound them out. I say the more books on tape they listen to the better! It's definitely something I aim to repeat with this next one. :)

[Teresa Hope]

So could you summarize your original post? I'm intrigued. You recommended 3 pages a day of written work -- total in all subjects, is that it? What ages is this appropriate for, do you think? I'm intrigued...would like to know what you were suggesting.
Thanks!

Teresa

[OhElizabeth]

PS. Rhonda, I know this isn't everyone's style, but I actually ASK my dd for feedback on how we're doing and let her make suggestions. I do it just every now and then, when we've been going consistently at something for a while. Kids are very blunt and honest at times and can give very helpful feedback. She doesn't always know exactly how things need to be changed, but she can at least verbalize her feelings (the math has been feeling a bit much lately, whatever). I try to help her to express in a positive, non-confrontational or demanding way, just expressing her feelings. Sometimes it takes me reflecting back and fleshing it out for her.

dd: Math is a mess these days.
me: You've been feeling overwhelmed by math lately. Is it the amount or the topic? Do I need to present it a different way?

I don't know if every dc would want to talk like that, but for us it works and has been helpful. When you pick a reasonable amount and require it consistently, I doubt you're going to go overboard. Opening the floor for discussion allows room for that tweaking so that you can adjust IF the consistent amount isn't quite right. Sometimes it's not so much the amount as the balance (wanting more of this, less of that in working toward the total). Don't do that if it's going to destabilize you, but it's one way to get feedback. You can also get feedback from a trusted friend, spouse, or just watch how they respond. Do they seem worn out afterward? But like you, I need that consistent, daily goal. It's just easier for me to think that way.

[OhElizabeth]

Teresa, I don't remember fully the original post either, but here's the short version. When my dd was in 2nd, I started realizing spelling wasn't clicking or becoming confident for her because she wasn't WRITING enough. I started increasing the amount, and no-brainer person that I am, the easiest way was to pick a daily target goal. So if we did a 1/2 page of writing for spelling and 1/2 page of copywork (just as an example), then that left the rest of the total to be gotten other ways (narration, imitation of a fable, free write, thank you's to relatives, whatever). It was just a no-brainer way to set a reasonable, flexible daily goal. In 2nd grade my goal was 2 pages daily and in 3rd it became 3. I can't say what a good goal is for your family or any particular age of dc. It just happens to be a way I can keep track of how much writing we're doing and whether we're doing "enough" on a consistent basis. For instance, if she writes a page for spelling, a page for lit guide questions, and a page for a history worksheet, that's our 3 pages for the day. If she writes 2 pages for a really long WT assignment, then I know to let up and only require 1 page of writing the rest of the day. It's just a way to keep balanced.