| 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 What About Babies and Toddlers? by Julie Shepherd Knapp, copyright 2006, 2007 Not many parents formally homeschool their babies and toddlers -- these little ones are much too busy learning about themselves and their world to be interested in workbooks or curriculum! Babies and toddlers learn by seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, tasting, and doing -- thru natural exploration and discovery. Think of all the things a two year old has learned! He's learned all about the people in his family. He's taught his body to sit, crawl, walk, run, and climb. He's learned to understand words and can even say some of his favorites. He's learning about emotions, and feelings, and rules... and so many other things! So, what do parents mean when they say, "I guess we've been homeschooling since she was born"? They are talking about all the ways that parents help their little ones learn about the world -- everything from pointing out new animals, colors, and flowers, to gently guiding them in learning how to use a spoon. Parents are always on the look-out for toys or games that baby might enjoy. Parents help their babies learn how to communicate by talking and singing. They take babies along on outings to meet new people and see new sights -- helping children see that there are many wondrous things in the world! It is possible to teach a baby or toddler to read, recognize quantities, to memorize presidents, types of airplanes, or other bits of "encyclopedic" information... and if you search, you will find companies that will sell you books and curriculum to do just that! But I can't help but wonder if that would take time away from her very important real job of learning about her world and how she fits into it. Babies are wired to take in and process information... and there are plenty of real-life things for babies and toddlers to learn about. Do keep in mind, though, that there are some highly intelligent children who learn much earlier and quicker than typical children. If you have one of these bright early-bloomers who truly wants to memorize all the different types of construction equipment or state capitals, or is insisting that you help them learn to read... it wouldn't make much sense to hold them back or deny them what they want to know. If you find that your baby or toddler is talking much sooner than expected, working on puzzles and mazes meant for much older children, or teaching themselves to read -- take a look at the Diner's Is Your Child Gifted? section to find out more about how to homeschool your accelerated learner. Of course, even if you aren't spending time formally teaching your baby or toddler, they will still have a huge impact on your homeschool daily life! Having children under three in the household can be a challenge for parents who are trying to homeschool their older children. Having both a baby and a toddler in the same home calls for some serious planning, as well as some creative problem solving... and hopefully a little help from another adult or older child. But it certainly can be done (and is done by many :-))) Advice and Resources We're going to have a Baby -- How can we homeschool? How can we homeschool with a toddler in the house? Learning to Communicate Online Support Homeschooling Toddlers -- a Yahoo! group for parents homeschooling their toddlers and/or homeschooling around their 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 |
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| "Children learn to smile from their parents." ~~ Shinichi Suzuki |