Starting to Stress

[kubise]

Hi Everyone. As the new school year approaches, I'm starting to stress. We took a year off from HOD last year due to a mid-year move. We are picking back up this year, but now I'm feeling that I need to separate my children. I'll have 2 doing CTC, one with an extension pack. (So they will be 5th and 7th grades.) Then, I'll have my 3rd grader in Bigger. (I also have a Pre-K son who will not be using HOD.) I know this has been posted about before, but I can't seem to find the post. How do you handle two or more levels? We all did Preparing for our last HOD and I just altered it for my younger one. Please help. Thanks in advance, Liz

[Nealewill]

For me, I usually try and set up a formal but tentative schedule as best I can. I also try balance my time so that I can give time to each of my kids in the AM and each of them in them in PM. I also stagger start their days when possible. There are a ton of schedules listed in the share our schedule forum. I haven't put my schedule together yet for next year but I will be doing it soon. I don't think I can add it as an excel file but if you want me to email you my other two schedules, I would be happy to do so. Just give my your email address and I will email them over

[Mommamo]

I'm running 3 guides this year--1 kiddo in CTC with the extensions, 2 in Bigger (but the oldest is doing the extensions with me reading them out loud), and 1 in LHTH. The one in CTC is more or less independent. We've only been going now for 3 days, and haven't added in our "extras" yet (Spanish, Latin, and piano lessons--I'm their teacher so piano isn't outsourced ), but we're getting done so quickly every day, maybe 4 1/2 hours? 5 hours? I don't time it. What I'm doing is going over my oldest's CTC in the evening every night with the work for the next day, reading all the teacher things, discussing the semi-independent things, looking over the independent boxes (while we're getting used to it), and teaching anything I need to go ahead and teach (math, grammar, whatever). Then, whenever she is ready to go in the morning, she can just plow through what she needs to in CTC without having to wait on me. The only thing she needs me for is dictation, and eventually, when we add our other subjects, languages and piano. From there what I do is start Bigger as soon as we finish breakfast. I also plan for things the 4 yo can do while I'm working with my middle 2. I try to have planned different activities for her or places for her to be. She joins in on some activities with the middle 2, and I have maze books for when they're doing handwriting, little math workbooks for when they're doing math, etc. Then after they get done, I do LHTH with the youngest. That only takes us about 20-30 minutes a day, and I also include some other things with her like some sweet picture books, cuisenaire rod activities, some other alphabet books I have--we look at the letter for the week in each of them. None of that extra is necessary, I just enjoy it since she's my last. And I already had it all. Anyway, I don't know if this is helpful! I just thought seeing that it is working out really well for someone else just a few days into it might help you to feel less stressed out. I know that's not a fun feeling.

[kubise]

Thanks so much for your advice ladies. I think having the older two in CTC doing more independent work will help. Starting to feel better about things. Thanks again.

[lmercon]

I also have to run multiple guides due to the age difference of my kids. I've gotten used to it. It really is a game of bouncing back and forth, making sure one is on task with something and checking in with the other. While I am teaching one, the other is doing independent work. They also know they have chores and music practice that must be done, so if they finish their independent work before I'm finished with the other child, they have things they can do. I also have a toddler in the mix, so it can be crazy. You really will find your groove after a bit.