Beyond, I need discipline.

[misty316]

Hi, I have been reading off and on here since the middle of last year when I found HOD. Just never took the time to registar and didn't have many questions. I have two dc girls ages 3 and 8. I love homeschooling and reading about it and seeing how others are doing things. I am always looking for new ideas to improve the areas that I need to work on. We are using Beyond, along with R&S for the math. I love HOD. I however need a lot of discipline. I can't seem to get all the blocks done in one day. I don't want to do one page per day cause I would be afraid we would never get done and the math and reading are all on one page and bible on the other page. I would not want to skip either the 3R's or bible however , I end up skipping something most everyday and playing catch up all the time. Suggestions Please.

[Dorla]

Misty316, Is the discipline you need for your complete day or only for homeschool?

Even though I only have one child (6yrs) I own a piano teaching studio where I need to be teaching at 3:30pm sharp every afternoon. I was feeling like I could never accomplish school, work and household stuff without having to always catch up. This season I am faithfully following my schedule and the difference is awesome.

I use the Motivated Moms daily schedule for the home and school always starts at 9:15 am. I get up at 5:30 am to have time for myself (Bible, exercise, shower) and family worship is at 7:30 am. So far it is working quite well.

Another thing that helped with Beyond is that with the help of all the organized moms on this board I organized our school binder and everything else that I needed for school. No time is wasted looking for supplies or substitutes. I am very pleased.

Now if someone could give me advice about fixing a 6yr old's attitude....
Dorla

[lmercon]

Sorry, I don't have time to list several things that helped me last year, but I will tell you the number one thing that either made my day go well or what made it fall apart - what time I dragged my sorry bottom out of bed! When I get up bright and early and have time before the kids are up, I'm relaxed, organized, motivated, and ready to get started on time. The other thing I did was do a quick swish and wipe in my bathroom every morning, make my bed, and bring a load of laundry down every morning. It felt so good to go back in my room later in the day and see it organized, clean, and tidy.
Hope that helps a little,
Laura

[gingel]

Dear Misty:

We are on day 10 of Beyond and Little Hands - doing all of the boxes with nothing added at this point - and home schooling took almost all day today! I was drained! I'm glad we had leftovers from last night or we would have been eating frozen pizza! Here are a couple of thoughts...glean out what applies to you

I need to do a search on dawdling, because that is a challenge with my dd!

I took a short walk tonight to clear my foggy head, and I realized that both our read aloud book AND the book she is reading to me for DITHOR are longer books than the ones we read for the first week (when our homeschool day was more in the recommended time allotment.) Therefore, we are needing to read many more pages in both books to be able to complete them during the biography's 20 days. Lesson learned! I'll make sure next time I choose books that we can do shorter segments of each day!

I've seen other posts where folks told about how long the different boxes took. May be you (and me, too!) could shoot for those #s as goals.

Sometimes if my daughter is dawdling, I set the timer for a reasonable time and have her try to finish an independent task by the time it goes off. That is motivational for her.

Hope something in there was helpful! Let 's hang in there together, friend!

~Gingel
First time user of Beyond and DITHOR with 7yo dd and
Little Hands with 4yo

[Samuel'sMommy]

I don't have any advice for you since I just have a little guy, but I will be praying for you to figure something out!

[inHistiming]

I don't know what is making it take so long for you...is it interruptions from your 3 yo, or other activities you need to get to? Whatever it is, here are a few things I would suggest that may help.

Have a set time to start school, and stick to it

Have activities already set up for your 3 yo to do while you're doing school with 8 yo

If 3 yo takes a nap, do some of the reading, or harder subjects during that time

Have snacks and drinks ready ahead of time so you don't have to hop up to prepare that during teaching or reading time

While 8 yo is doing independent work like copywork, math, L.A....read to or play with 3 yo; just spending some time will help with interruptions later

These are just a few things that have helped us; I hope maybe that will get your juices flowing to get creative in your house too. You may already do some or all of these things, but I figured a reminder wouldn't hurt. HTH

[water2wine]

I was just thinking what might be going on for you and trying to think of some solutions. I think that Gingel's observation about substituting books for the genres that might actually be too long to fit into the spot is a good one. I am wondering if you have any ideas of what is going on yourself that maybe you could pin point. Is it that you are just not getting to the tasks because of detractions? Is it maybe that she needs it broken down a little to take more breaks so that she can focus the entire time you are doing school. I am just thinking there is some thing that could be pinpointed that is in the way. Maybe even you are feeling like you need to break up the day in order to get it done. The way the program is written it should be finished in a very reasonable amount of time but sometimes life can get in the way. One thing I have found is it really helps to have some kind of routine for yourself and your daughter. Sometimes letting them know we have x amount of time to do this section and x amount of time to do the next works. Sometimes they need to know where you are headed and how long it will take. I might try letting her know the program should really take about 3 hours at most so here's how we are going to break it down so we can get things done and here is where our breaks will be that will add a little time, so we will start at x time and finish at x time. Sometimes if they know clearly what is happening and they realize that dawdling makes their day longer, they get into a routine easier. Also keeping track of them while they are working independent helps as well so that they do not get off track there with taking too long on one thing. If my kids are off track with math and LA I set a time and let them know this is the amount of time they have and we will move on after the timer rings, whatever is left is homework. You will only have to do that a few times to make that system work. And I explain to them that the reason is not to rush them but to have them come to me with questions right away so I can help and also so that I can have a life too. It helps that they know when your school hours are and how that you expect them to finish in that time period. It is kind of a boundaries issue. And it teaches them to have good habits. I am just mentioning that in case that is an issue for you. Other than that I am wondering if you have an ideas as to what the problems are so that moms can get you some advice that might help specifically. I know sometimes it is hard to know but just wondering if there is something you can pin point. It may just be getting into a routine.

Hang in there! You will find your groove. It is really worth it. And please keep asking for help. There are a lot of great moms here with great advice.

[Carrie]

misty316,

The ladies are doing a wonderful job of helping you! I'll just mention that you may want to think of doing the left side of "Beyond..." in one uninterrupted chunk (which usually takes 35-40 minutes). During that time you need your little one to be occupied so there are no interruptions. Then, you can do your right side of "Beyond..." in chunks, scattering a couple of those boxes first thing in the morning and a couple after recess or lunch as needed.

We schedule difficult subjects close to first thing in the morning to make sure they get done when my kiddos are fresh for the day. Then, we move into the left side of the plans chunk. Usually we head out to recess after that. Next, we come in and do another box or two or three from the right side. Then, its lunch. Some years I could read aloud at lunch for the storytime part. Other years, it was too loud or I was feeding the baby (then we did storytime some other time during the day).

We follow a tight schedule as far as the order we do things in each day, but not such a strict schedule as far as the exact time we do them. This way, the kids know what is coming next, regardless of whether we are exactly "on time" or not.

We do start at the same time every day, and I do most of my main teaching in the morning, leaving the after lunch things to be done at a more leisurely pace. Then, I'm not so frazzled. You'd be surprised how getting one chunk (like the left side) done in one sitting will free up the rest of your day!

I also found that scheduling my toddler to have time with me (to do LHTH) fairly early in the day, really helped that child feel loved and consequently the little one was more content to "go play" while I worked with the older ones.

For my little one's independent time, we use crib time with toys and books, playtime with an older sibiling, or play in room time (depending on the little one's age and temperment).

Beyond should take 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours a day at most and LHTH 30 min. or less.

Blessings,
Carrie

[misty316]

Thank you all so much for your help. I was so touched by the long post and the time you must have taken out of your day to help me. I like this forum already.
There are a number of things that are keeping me from finishing in one day. The first would have to be me.

lmercon said
Sorry, I don't have time to list several things that helped me last year, but I will tell you the number one thing that either made my day go well or what made it fall apart - what time I dragged my sorry bottom out of bed! When I get up bright and early and have time before the kids are up, I'm relaxed, organized, motivated, and ready to get started on time.

Well what time I drag my sorry bottom out of bed is the first problem. I am a night owl but I make up for it in the morning. I am trying to do better on this. Course I have been trying to do better for the past 2 years I think.
The other would be the phone but I have to answer it for our business. Then when its not a customer I get stuck talking cause I need to say sorry I have to go but I don't cause I am a talker. I have got to do better on this one. Life gets in the way everyday.

We have to take breaks and we do. Its not all me dd tries all sorts of tricks. Somedays she does great. I just feel we have all run out of energy by the time we get to math and LA. I have tried doing those first but like today we don't get all the reading done. Yes I have tried setting the timer and some times that works. I say 25 times a day seems like that " the sooner we get done the sooner you can go play. I don't think it helps. I have tried to explain it.
Carrie I was suprised to learn that you do the right side first. I thought they were in that order cause that was the way you thought they would be done best . So I figured you done them that way.
Another thing is that I just read The Joyful Homeschooler. It is about relaxed homeschooling so I have been torn between making dd sit down and do it verses. The relaxed way of learning. The author had lots of good points but I didn't feel like enough math and such was getting accomplished that way.
I have been really trying to stick to Beyond and stay on a schedule not set times just doing the same thing in the same order everyday.
I have a hard time sticking to a schedule. I will try again tommorow though. Please continue to pray with me and thanks.

[Vicki]

misty316,

I think I can relate to how you feel. We definitely had "one of those days" yesterday! And I'm not feeling great myself this week, so I think that kind of makes things worse for us all around.

I will say though, that we had the same problem of getting finished when we first started the program a few months back. We're not moving through as quickly as we should---vacations, family visits, etc.---but we're trying to pick up steam now to get finished. Once we became used to the way the program was set up, it became a routine for us. This was great because my little guy needs routine! It will be hard some days, and just know that myself and others will be right there with you when it is. Don't ever feel alone---remember to call out to our Father for help and patience. It does get better once the routine settles in. Let you child/children know your expectations, and that will give them a guideline to follow.


Something I saw suggested somewhere else was to make up an index card with each subject written on it. Put it in a index card box and keep it with you as you do your lessons. As you finish one subject, let your child remove that card and put it to the back of the box. That will give him/her a feeling of accomplishment. Add in a card for an extra recess too---that's Mommy sanity time for you!

I hope some of this helps you. We all have days when we struggle, but remember that this one-on-one time with your children does not go for naught. You will reap the blessings when you persevere---God wants that for us!