| Copyright 2006 Julie Shepherd Knapp |
| Copyright 2006 Julie Shepherd Knapp. All rights reserved. |
| about the book |
| The Homeschool Diner's Guide to Homeschooling Special Situations We're Having a Baby -- Can We Still Homeschool Our Older Child? by Julie Shepherd Knapp, copyright 2006 If you have a baby, or one on the way, you need to be realistic about your short-term homeschool goals. During the first several (mostly sleepless) months with a new baby, mom will have little time or energy left over for direct homeschooling. This is a time to "stock up" on educational activities that children can do on their own, or with just a little guidance from mom or dad, such as workbooks, board and card games, low-key art projects, and building sets. Another option is to check out educational videos from the public library, such as those in the Schlessinger Series (dozens of titles on various K - 12 topics), the Magic School Bus, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and Standard Deviants. You can also pre-record or TiVo good selections from PBS, Animal Planet, the Discovery Channel, and other educational stations, so that you will not have to count on the TV schedule. New baby time is also a great time for family reading. Mom can read quietly to younger children while nursing or holding baby. Older children can read to younger children, too, to give mom a break. Bedtime stories can include educational readings, as well as childhood favorites. Books on tape are a nice way to share family time, as well. If getting to the library becomes too difficult, have Dad, or a friend, do the weekly library trip for you (many libraries have an online system for reserving books and videos - they can be waiting for pick-up in a day or two.). Older children can be set up with easy but interesting self-directed projects, such as comparing original literature with movie versions of classics like Ann of Green Gables, Oliver Twist, Willy Wonka, Frankenstein, or works of Shakespeare. You can do studies of various types of music using CD's from the library. This is also a good time to try out free online lesson plans and tutorials, or distance learning programs, if the budget will allow. When baby falls into a more reliable routine, there will be more time and energy for tackling regular lessons. Also remember that "baby" makes a pretty good "curriculum" too! There are many life skills to be learned in caring for an infant, and homeschooled children have the wonderful opportunity to be involved -- to learn from, and to bond with their new sibling. Other Resources: Baby *IS* the Lesson by Diane Hopkins -- a tender look at homeschool priorities in a family with young children, has a Christian focus Babies Need Books by Elizabeth Montgomery Ready, Set, Read! How to Read to a Young Child by Dorothy P. Dougherty -- tips on reading to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers Games To Play With Baby -- free online ideas from Fischer Price Baby Games: The Joyful Guide to Child's Play from Birth to Three Years -- a book by Elaine martin Musical Songs and Games -- free from the BBC online for babies and toddlers Homeschooling a Houseful -- for those with large families trying to homeschool many different age groups at the same time. Twenty-ish AP Moms -- a support group for young mothers practicing attachment parenting., and other forms of instinctive and gentle parenting, natural living, homeschooling, etc Related Issues Listening to Nursing Children by Patty Wipfler -- crying is one of baby's way of communicating... this article talks about learning to listen The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff -- "...in order to achieve optimal physical, mental and emotional development, human beings — especially babies — require the kind of experience to which our species adapted during the long process of our evolution..." Teaching Baby to Eat Healthy Foods by Bonnie Sherman Is Your Baby on Track? from WebMD -- discusses developmental milestones for babies and young children Learning to Communicate Signing Time -- teach babies and toddlers to use sign language, promotes bonding, may ease tantrums, free online video demo Since babies grow up (too quickly) -- check out the Homeschooling with Toddlers section, too ;-) |
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