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So today was reallllllllllly challenging. I have twin boys that are 13 months old and woke up VERY early from their nap. They ended up being on the floor the whole time we were doing school I tried to engage them in some playtime with books and toys but they would want nothing of it. We ended up finishing everything but I was so frustrated and began to worry about how I was going to handle all this. I am realizing that pretty soon they will no longer take naps in the morning, THEN WHAT??????? I need some encouragement and advice about what you all do with your very young children?

Would it be possible to gate them into you're living room with their toys while you do school with the girls at the table (are you in the kitchen or the dinning room???? If you're in the dinning room this would/should work as you will still be able to see them)? Or have them in their high chairs eating a snack and then give them a book?

I'm just thinking something that will start giving them a schedule or ritual? So that they will soon associate "school time" with their own activity.

Just thinking outloud here....I'm sure the other ladies will have lots of great suggestions.

Wish I had some words of wisdom for you, but just wanted to let you know that I'm in the same boat! My 14 month old is a very active little guy who only naps about 1 1/2 hours a day, so most of our schooling happens with him awake. He climbs anything that he can possibly climb on and basically makes a mess of anything he can get his hands into! We do try to do school outside when possible because he loves to play in the sandbox and on the swingset, so that keeps him quite occupied. Also, I have a 3, 5, and 8 yr. old and I have them each scheduled for a short (15 minute) block of time when they take the 1 yr old. into their room or downstairs and play with him. They love this, and it usually works well for him. However, sometimes he only wants me and the kids get disappointed that he won't stay with them for their special playtime. Giving him snacks in the high chair works for short periods of time, and nursing definitely comes in handy to keep him quiet and contented during storytime! Honestly though, I just keep giving him different toys and safe objects that interest him and the homeschool room is basically a disaster by lunchtime (when we pick it all up so that he can trash it again in the afternoon!) I figure as long as the bulk of it is picked up by the time my husband gets home, whatever it takes to keep the little guy happy is worth it! I just remember that next year it will be totally different. Each year is a new adventure with different ages and stages of kids!
Kristin

mine are bigger now LOL but with our two boys they are 17 months apart.... I had activity boxes. They only came out at school time. Your boys are still young for this.

I LOVE what the ladies said above. Hang on .... it is so true this time even in the spring will be so different. We did a lot of reading while nursing .... awww and I miss it!

my youngest is 5... I am an older mom ... 47.

You can DO it!
That is my encouraging word for you today!

Some ideas for you to take or leave:
I would think about working toward a thirty minute playpen time with them... if you only have one playpen- one can go in the crib with toys for this time.
I would school in a child-safe room where they can roam and get into stuff and not get hurt.
I would think of high chair/booster seat activities that they enjoy.
One my little ones have always loved was cheerios and a truck. Even my daughter loved this. When they get older we move to mini marshmallows and a truck.

When all else fails... feed them a snack I am only partially kidding... but if it is not a problem for you, I wouldn't hesitate to have a little finger food snack for them to eat...

Keep special, very fun/favorite toys only for school time...
It is hectic. It can be challenging. It helps to realize that and flow with it as best you can with the Lord's great help and grace
hopefully some other moms will have some ideas.

In Him,
Rebecca

I really want to encourage you that you can do it!! I have twin boys too (now 7) but when they were younger and I was hsing the older 2 it was a real challange!! One thing that helped was to split my time between the 2 who were doing school and have one of them play with the twins while I worked with the other one. Here's just an idea, could you combine your older ones for the history,science and language arts part of HOD during the afternoon when the boys are napping and work one on one with your others for math and phonics/ reading in the morning? I'm not sure how many other dc you have so if you only have one other I guess that wouldn't work. If that is the case maybe you could do as much as possible while they are napping in the afternoon and finish anything else when your dh gets home and you can have one on one then. I'll be praying for you, it is difficult when you have to give up those naps! Hang in there it gets easier as they get older.
Blessings,
Amy

What great ideas here! (Rebecca - I'm definitely trying the truck with cheerios idea!) We do pretty much all of the ideas mentioned here, and we need them all to get through the day with my very busy, very loud (but still cute) 18 month old son. I so understand your panic about losing one of the naps. That is what I was thinking this summer. I used the summer to train our toddler to do playpen time, one Barney video in a gated off baby-safe room (he does still enjoy sitting in his saucer for the video), special tubs of toys, 20 minutes of play time with each of my sons, etc. It took awhile to train him to do this, but it was SOOOOOO worth sticking with it. Every day I am so thankful he can do these things because it makes it possible for me to homeschool my older sons. Just remember that you are training them to do these things, and it will take time. Some days will go better than others - my dbaby woke up an hour early yesterday too, and I had a huge migraine by the time his bedtime finally rolled around. We were actually done with school then, but making supper was sure a trying time! If you want, I could email you my schedule, if you think it might be helpful - just let me know if you'd like that. You'll make it through this - We'll make it through this - just keep on using every day to teach some happy independence for these little ones!

In Christ,
Julie

I have never quite been where you are. I have two sets that are 3 months apart and then they are six months apart from each other through the miracle of adoption. I have then homeschooled two in preschool and two in kindergarten with one baby. I agree with others that say the fence, gate pack and play are your friend. Do you have a room that could be gated off and is safe for them that you could turn into a play room? It would need to be one where you can do school right next to them. If you could make a set up like that you might find that works very well as a sort of permanent solution. I did not real all the replies so sorry if that is a repeat.

I just want to encourage you that you can do this. Just get creative. God has it for you so therefore He will equip you! Be strong in your call and look for God to show you what will work best for you. Make sure to pray specifically for solutions. I think you will see that He is faithful. I know it is tough but they do grow up eventually.

You are all such a blessing!!!!! Thank you for your encouragment and advice. It reminded me of what we used to say when we were training them to sleep through the night "Training is never easy but worth it in the end!" I will probably have a few rough days of training them to understand what school time means but if I stick to it they will learn. There is a blessing in this too. . . I get to see two chubbied smiles at me from over that baby gate!!!! How loving Christ is!!!!