Homeschooling

I am answering Julies question on her blog about how people homeschool their toddlers preschoolers.....

With Kylie, I always was talking to her and all through stores, we would name the color and shape and sing the alphabet song and count and name fruits and vegetables and all sorts of things.

I kinda got out of the practice of it when we were buying out house and now she hardly remembers any of it and she is almost 4... She can still name most colors and shapes but her ABC's and counting are out the window. And she doesnt want to learn them back, she just wants to read. So I am going to try a different approach of trying to teach her to read first and then maybe she will learn her ABC's in order... who knows.

Alaina, is doing okay. She doesnt get worked with as much as Kylie did and so she doesnt know as much. She is also a little more immature than Kylie was too. I am working on her AbC's and counting. She loves to sing the song. and her colors. she knows green most of the time and sometimes red. She can tell you that Elmo is red.

I used Sesame Street alot with Kylie and am fixing to start using it with Alaina. SesameStreet.com (I think) I also used alot of board books with Kylie... I used refrigerator magnets (which are lost does anyone know where to get more. Wal Mart does not carry them anymore.) I used food. (manipulatives) Blocks as we stacked them. The shape sorter that you can get at Wal Mart or Target (its better) I also used everday things like getting dressed, fixing their hair (ponytail holders are circles.) Brushing teeth, square, how many times do you brush one side and then the other. Kylie also helped me cook alot, Alaina is going to start next week.

I really dont know what else to do with them. They love the projects on Creation Kids. We dont really stay on track because we arent organized enough. I need to start though.

Something else we do is Color sheets. We print out the letter color sheets off of the internet, there are several websites that have these. They color them and we put them up through out the house. Then whenever we are around them, I will ask them what letter that is. Sometimes I will give Alaina a specific color and she colors with it. And she can sometimes tell me what color it is the next time.

I would like to get an ABC chart and a number chart put up on my wall. If I get more organized then maybe I can. I have read about a chart that you put up that has the numbers 1-100 on it and everyday, the child writes the next number and counts from 1 to that number and by the end, the child can count from 1-100. Would like to try this too. We will see....

And yes Julie, I get lots of Criticism on homeschooling, especially from teachers (not you Chris or Tammy) but I dont let it bother me. I know that if I can spend more than three minutes a day with my child, then I am doing better than the school system. Usually, if I dont feel like arguing, I just tell them that I would rather homeschool and thats that.

I am not putting down the teachers out there. I went to college to be a teacher. I know what you are taught to do and I know what is best for my children. I am glad that there are teachers out there like my sister in law and my two good friends from Church. (you know who you are) I believe that for the kids that their parents dont have any choice, that these wonderful people were put in the system for a reason. (Gods Plan for them). Maybe there is one life out there that they will change and it is all worth it then. I just honestly believe that Gods plan for me is to stay home and teach my children Gods way. There is so much crap in the world today that someone has got to be there to filter it out. And plus, the schools around here just arent what I would want to send my kids too,.....(except Aunt Chris's 3yr old class...I am sure it will be great :) cause they have a great teacher.....GOOD LUCK CHRIS) (22 3yrolds) :) Say a prayer for her will you....

Anyway, If I think of anything else on homeschooling toddlers I will post it. I need to organize my life first though. But that is another post. I might do that as soon as I get my son out of the movies.....lol....yes he started scooting about a month and a half ago and I forgot to post it. He also goes almost anywhere in his walker except on carpet...... He is getting so big....

Pictures soon.......Time to intervene before the movies get demolished..

love and prayers