lack of dicipline on my part

[caitlinsmom]

I feel like a total failure. This year has been horrible for hs. I have been babysitting kids since last June and wow what an impact that has had. My dd is a smart kid who loves to learn but it seems like if anyone else is around she wants nothing to do with it. If she does then it is for about 2 second intervals. Instead of pushing the issue I just let it go. The result? Math that has only been used for a total of 50ish lessons, she doesnt know how to read anymore than she did in September, writing that needs lots of work, ect. She is only in K so these would be issues anyway to an extent, that I am not worried about. I dont want perfection.

I know this has very little to do with her and more to do with me. I lack the dicipline to implament a good solid routine. I dont know how at this point. I have tried many things and nothing seems to work out. I want her to excel, heck she wants to excel, but nothing seems to get us to a point of actually acheiving anything.

So the point to this long ramble? How in the world do I dicipline myself to actually get school work done? How much can I resonably expect to accomplish in one year? How do I determine what to teach in order to keep things interesting but to cover a topic enough?

Kim

[chiguirre]

If you think having boxes to check off would help, but a prepackaged curriculum. Even making your own checklist with the materials you currently use might help you get things done. It's all a matter of setting priorities and sticking to them. My house may be a wreck, but school gets done. Since you babysit, that may have to be number 1 on the list, but hsing should be number 2. In K you only need about an hour a day including read-aloud time. IMHO, 15 minutes of math, 15 minutes of phonics/dc reading and 5 minutes of handwriting will get you to a good level for first grade. Add in read-alouds for science and social studies (geography and history topics) and you'll be fine. If you can do a bit on weekends (just 15 or 20 minutes) a day can really help meet your goals at this age.

Good luck!