The Homeschooling Handbook_ From Preschool to High School - Mary Griffith [94]
Children almost always grow out of sibling problems. With toddlers and younger preschoolers around, older children can have trouble finding the time and space to work on complicated projects. Naptime and play dates can help, but sometimes the best solution is just to wait until the younger ones are old enough to handle things more easily.
Siblings who’ve just recently left school for homeschooling can be quite testy with each other. Spending more time with each other, though, usually means they get to know each other better. Sometimes, of course, this means that they get quite proficient at knowing which buttons to push to really annoy each other, but they also get better at settling their differences. Most homeschooling families report that their children get along with each other far better as homeschoolers than they ever did as schoolchildren and see that as a major benefit of homeschooling.
Overscheduling vs. “Mom, I’m Bored!”
Prevalent among homeschoolers is the constant problem of a workable balance between too many activities and too few. We hate to pass up on any opportunity for an interesting field trip or speaker, but there’s only so much time and energy to spread around.
I’d say being too busy is one of our biggest challenges, and this is so even though we are involved in fewer organized activities than many others. We’ve been consciously trying to slow down, but it seems if it’s not one thing, it’s another. Frankly, it seems to be a big problem for most people we know (schooled and homeschooled). I’d love to hear how other people strike a balance between doing too much and opting out of activities. One thing that’s helped me is to realize that it’s my own thinking that does me in, rather than anything external. That is, it’s my thought that I have to see a show or that it’s a good experience for the kids or that I have an obligation to do something, rather than the show, class, or project for itself.—Linda, Hawaii
Sometimes we overschedule; sometimes we have quiet weeks. but we always make it to park day and her dance lesson. Frankly, I don’t think my children saying they are bored is my problem. There are a million things they could do to occupy their time. I make a few suggestions, and Katherine has learned how to find things to do, and so has her brother.—Grace, California
I cannot personally deal with this one. I have not in eight years of homeschooling found the balance between too many scheduled outings and the coziness of home. Perhaps a planned community of homeschoolers?—Melissa, California
We are never bored. It isn’t allowed. We are much better at scheduling these days, but I will admit to overdoing it in the past.—Barbara, California
My mom taught me never to say “I’m bored” because such foolish statements got you cleaning the garage! When bored, find something to do. That’s what adults have to do, and that’s real life. Overscheduling? I can tend to this, but I don’t think that schooling or homeschooling makes it any different: I always have to be careful not to overschedule.—Pam, California
We have more of “Mom, I’m bored,” in which case I point to laundry or dishes that need to be done.—Peggy, Oklahoma
New homeschoolers, especially those with younger children, tend to think of “exposing” kids to this and that wonderful opportunity and are unwilling to miss anything that might be in any way worthwhile. In extreme cases, parents can sound as though they’re talking about rolls of film instead of about their children. That balance—between doing everything and collapsing from exhaustion—can be elusive. Some of us prefer only one or two activities a month; others are