Homeschooling with Toddlers and Babies Around

This morning my kids were being so cute.  They go their jobs and rooms done really fast and decided to do “preschool” for my 2 year old before we started our real school day. They taught him his numbers, letters, shapes, and colors.  They had recess with him and taught him to jump rope and they played in the sandbox.  This lasted about 30 mins, but it was so cute and he got a lot of attention, and I got a lot done in that time.  It made little Jack Jack feel so special for that time.   A lot of my friends wonder how I Homeschooling with Toddlers and Babies Around.  Let me tell you, at times it is not easy and in my tiny little house it can be hard when he is napping I have to tell the big kids to be so quiet. 

Homeschooling with Toddlers and Babies Around

One thing I wanted to do with my 2 year old and baby {when it comes} is make sure that they get a good amount of my attention and that they feel loved and that I am not pushing them aside with toys or shows so I can get school done.  I haven’t had to do any TV {during school} for over a year now for him because he likes to be involved and when he doesn’t he loves to go in his room and play with his toys.

Now we all know that our first child is the one who got the most attention.  I held her the most, sang songs to her more, read more stories to her and just plain did more with her.  She did a group preschool co-op and was in dance, singing, and sports.  Now that I have more kids not only is my time more limited to do more extra curricular activities with my kids, but I also have WAY more to do.  I felt guilty when I had my second and couldn’t do as much with him as I had for her.  I didn’t have to do school yet with him, so I still held him a lot, read him stories, but I still didn’t have that one on one time with him that I had with her.  When number 3 came at first I felt guilty that I didn’t hold him as much, or that I hurried to put him down for a nap instead of taking my time singing and rocking him.  Then I realized I can’t feel guilty for this.  My kids feel loved.  You can’t have each child have the same experience.  I held my first child so much when she was a baby that she wanted me to hold her all day long.  She struggled napping and wanted to be in my arms.  I was grateful to learn that that wasn’t the best thing.  I then raised two boys that when I knew they were tired I put them in their bed and they to this day are the best sleepers.  Babies and toddlers need good naps so I utilize that time with my older kids and we get a lot done during nap time. 

But, we can have them feel involved when they are awake, and make them a part of our day.   You can do that a lot of ways.  Jack Jack loves to sit at the table and color and sing songs with us and talk about “Neephiii” when we are reading the Scriptures.  He already know the Pledge of Allegiance and a few patriotic songs, he know a couple poems and likes to be involved during that.  When I am working one on one with a child then I have my other child play with him.  I also plan on wearing a carrier so the baby can be next to me when it is awake.  I have a lot of fun activities that are great Montessori tasks for toddlers and even more fun when their siblings help them.  I will post those in another post!

A couple times a day when the bigger kids are good on their own, I like to go and just sit on the floor with him and play how he plays.  He loves that time with me and I with him.  We Vroom cars, and pretend with little animal creatures or sometimes we just read a story. 

I know when the baby comes we might have to take a few more breaks for me to feed, change and put the baby to sleep, but we will adapt when the time comes.  Hopefully this baby is just an angel and will be my most perfect happy child ever and will eat every 3 hours and sleep in-between… Hey after three that haven’t been I can dream right?

So there ya go, there is a little bit on how to involve your toddlers and babies in your school days!!  And hey you will be surprised on what they pick up.  They are smarter than you think!