What have you done when you have a baby?

[yayadaisy]

Hi ladies, I am just wondering what you have done before when you have had a baby during the school year. I am due in about 5 weeks and am doing BLHFHG with two children and kind of doing a preschool thing with two other children and just have one that is just tagging along right now. Anyways I am just wondering what you have done with your kids when baby came. Did you take time off? How much? Did you go at half-speed for awhile? I am on unit 15 right now and want to get to unit 19 by the time baby comes. I plan to get to unit 24 before we take a summer break and then plan to just read the history and science parts thourghout the summer and continue with math and reading most days. So we will not tencially finish BLHFHG but will get most of the reading parts in. What are you thoughts and how did a baby work into your day? Will it be to hard the next fall if we start with Bigger then? Just trying to plan ahead here. We got a late start on it because the kids were in ps for awhile this year.

Sheila mom to five great kids, one angel and one on the way!

[my3sons]

Well, early congrats, soon you'll have another little one to love! When I had my last baby, we were doing Beyond and LHTH. I took 3 weeks off after I had the baby (baby was premature and in intensive care at first for 2 weeks, but I probably still would have taken off 2 weeks - not 3 - anyway). That gave me time to settle Emmett into his little life with us. After that, we went back to doing school full-time. I found it easier to be back in our normal routine with the kids because they knew what to expect. I was really ready for that because during the time off they continually were asking me (or my mom, since I stayed at the hospital a lot) what they could do next. It was nice for us to settle back into our "normal" life. I was not able to finish the last 2 weeks of Beyond in there entirety. I did finish all of the history and science readings during lunch time. We did that the first 2 weeks of our summer break. Then, we took the summer off. We all needed the time in the sun here in South Dakota! I don't know if this would be a good plan for you or not - but it ended up working well for us. I have prayed for you that your labor and delivery will go well, and that dbaby will be healthy and strong!

In Christ,
Julie

[Patience]

Sheila.. congrats! Your plan sounds good! I have not had a baby in a while, but I would just take the time off that you think you need. When you are ready, I'd probably do "half school" for a while, then work back up to your ideal. That's wonderful and I pray you have a wonderful birth, sweet baby and smooth transition for all.

[deltagal]

Your plan sounds great for when the baby comes. Reading is realatively easy to work in. I always am in favor of enjoying the baby! Those days will not last long and then you can pick up speed. when you hit patches of time when there's never enough time, just focus on the right side with your children, so you can keep them solid on their skills. And really draw on those older children to work with the younger children. I've found, personally, that year one with a baby is easier than year two. Enjoy!

[8arrows]

I just wanted to say that our new little one will be here in a little less than 6 weeks. Yeah! We are just starting week 23 in Beyond. In the past I have taken 1-2 weeks off when I had a new little one. Any more than that for us led to chaos. My children needed the structure. We should be able to finish up Beyond in mid-June. Each family is different. You will find your niche. If the kids get too squirmy--it's back to school for us.