heartofdakota.com

Hi! My twins & I are starting Preparing next week (very excited). I also have a baby girl due to arrive in November & also have a 3 yo. Since none of my children began sleeping through the night prior to 3 mos old, my original plan was to take 3 mos off from schoolwork. However, I really think the kids could do some independent work & light schoolwork with my involvement. Otherwise, they will get bored! We are just now taking 3 weeks off since Jan, & one is begging for schoolwork while I have to drag the other from video games! I am looking at the HOD guide wondering if there are some areas I could hold off on until the baby comes. For example, could we do the independent history & science studies during this time or maybe move the Bible study of psalms to this 3 month period. It's hard to tell ahead of time what areas could be separated nicely, if any. Any advice is much appreciated! Thx!

I have taken off anywhere from 2weeks to 6 weeks off after a pregnancy, depending on method of delivery, NICU stays, etc. Even during those times, we usually work some basics in, like phonics and math. Preparing is my favorite guide, I wouldn't separate the history, science or bible out because they all work so well together. If you need to get started, do the basics like reading and math, since those are truly independent from the guide, and then start th guide full force whenever you are ready.

Personally, I find homeschooling with a newborn very easy, after the initial two weeks of no sleep. and I try to get lots of schooling done when we are in that phase. Now as for schooling with a toddler? OY!!!

Motherjoy wrote:Personally, I find homeschooling with a newborn very easy, after the initial two weeks of no sleep. and I try to get lots of schooling done when we are in that phase. Now as for schooling with a toddler? OY!!!

This is SO true.

Hi, I'm also due in November I agree with the previous posts. I find it easier to do school with smaller babies than when they start to become mobile. We're in kind of the same situation. I have a 5 and 7 yo boys and a daughter who is 2. Doing school right now is challenging My kids also take forever to sleep through the night!!! Honestly, my plan is just to play it by ear... trying to be consistent now and restart school as soon as I feel I'm able....
Keep in touch... maybe we can give each other some ideas!!!!

I third what others have said. Doing school with a tiny baby is easier than with a toddler. You can read to the kids while you nurse the baby (or maybe even bottles if you do those instead, have one of your kids give the bottle while you read). My little babies live/sleep in a Moby Wrap. I can do everything I need to do with baby in one of those, no worries about their sleep schedule, they are so snuggled they just fall asleep whenever they want. That means changing diapers is the only thing you really can't be accomplishing school during. Take a few weeks off to adjust, maybe get them some good books from the library to read or something, watch some good educational videos. Then maybe (after Christmas) start back up 1/2 speed and see how it goes. That will give you a lighter load, less work on your plate, but still some progress and less boredom.

Mine don't sleep through the night early at all. Afternoon rest time for littles and me is mandatory. I also don't schedule babies, but even with a schedule for my biggers we make it work out.

Hope this helps!

I'm due at the beginning of November, too, and although we're not using HOD yet (planning for 2014) we're starting a week earlier than PS here (so last week of Aug) so that we can finish the first 12 weeks (of our current 36 week curriculum) before baby arrives. After that I've figured out that we can have all of Nov/Dec off and starting at the beginning of January still finish by the middle of June (we're in Canada so PS goes till at least the third week of June), if we don't work ahead at all (do 5 day weeks, using a 4 day/week schedule).

That said, I, too, know the kids will need some structure in those two months so after the first few weeks we'll start with math and copy work, followed by read alouds as we're ready. I'll also fit in some Christmas/Advent stuff during December as we have desire/energy.

Anything we get done from the core curriculum before Christmas is a bonus and will just make things easier for after Christmas but is not necessary for finishing our year!

Hope that helps timing-wise, anyway, even though it doesn't help specifically with the HOD selections!

Blessings,

I am also due at the beginning of November, some very helpful ladies suggested this schedule. With a natural birth, the schedule would be 2 weeks off to adjust as well as due to lack of sleep. Then 2 weeks of half days followed by a return to a full schedule. I went through my boxes and made a list of boxes that can be completed while baby is awake as well as a list of what will need to be done while the baby is sleeping. An ex: Reading and Spelling can be done while the baby is awake, however Math and Science will most definitely be completed during naptime. I wish you the best.

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I will be having a c-section & will have to take pain medication (it does a number on me). That, along with no sleep for 3 months (I do nurse) really makes me a zombie! I am planning for the worst but will be overjoyed to have the energy of some of you super moms! We'll see! Thx again!