It goes something more like this:
The big girls get home from school and need a break. They have a snack, watch a little TV, or play outside. About the time they are ready to start homework I have to make dinner. What a joke! And from that time on, I am on 100% til the last one goes to sleep sometime after 9pm. (Yes, my kids stay up that late. I am blessed with children who don't need a lot of sleep.)
So when is there time for homework? I tried sitting them down at the kitchen table while I get things ready. But it's already hard enough to get dinner ready with the little girls around. Add into the mix supervising homework. And they are too young to do it by themselves. It's a lot of spelling and they need a lot of help.
Last night I had a brief moment to help Mackenzie but then Kaitlyn ended up having to do hers in the upstairs bathroom while I bathed the little girls. It was chaos. Luckily Mike came home during that time and I was able to send Kaitlyn to him to finish it up.
I have just not figured this out how best to work it in. I truly believe they need a break when they get home from school but it may not work out. And on days when they have dance or gymnastics we pretty much forget it. Luckily it is a weekly assignment so we are doubling up on our free days.
But one major advantage - at least they are the same age doing the same homework! We really can do it together and after last night I will definitely go back to them doing it at the same time.
Having the kids in only 2 phases is really great (so long as those phases aren't things like newborn and infant feeding, new toddler mobility, potty training, etc). So far I've been able to keep them in the same activities (though I'm pretty sure my days are numbered there). That's a lot less hectic scheduling.
And mentally it is really nice. Yes I have 4 different kids with different personalities, but my head only has to think about 2 developmental phases at a time. 2 kids starting homework and losing teeth, and 2 kids adjusting to big beds and potties and throwing powder all over my living room. As opposed to 1 hitting puberty, 1 learning times tables, 1 losing teeth and 1 in diapers. You get my drift.
It's nice.
Now if I could just figure out how to fit in homework. Too bad they can't just do it themselves.
Here is my homework advice -- Try to do it at a location other than your house. So on days where we have soccer, we leave a little bit early, bring our pencils and homework and when we get to the soccer field we work on it for 5-10 minutes before soccer practice. (this means that the kids are exceptionally motivated to do it and do it quickly because they want to go to soccer) if they haven't finished by the time soccer starts then we finish after, but before we go home). The advantage is that most homework is pretty quick to do if your child is motivated to do it (and some simple homework when they are not motivated can take an hour with lots of tears and yelling involved) -- so we do homework at dance studios, libraries, soccer fields, before birthday parties, you name it -- anywhere but home as often as possible. I hardly notice the 5-10 minutes or so before or after their events, but if I wait to bring it home it becomes a challenge like Mt. Everest. Hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteOMG, you just described our household in the afternoon!! It is comforting, though, to know I can always come here to your blog and know you're going through exactly the same thing, since both of our sets are the same age.
ReplyDeleteI haven't quite figured out a good routine for us either. Cole and Bella receive a weekly homework packet on Monday, which is due the following Monday, but then they each get math homework every night which is due the next day. If they're motivated to finish it, it can take as little as 10 minutes sometimes. But with all the chaos in our house, I have to nag them endlessly to focus.
The last couple of days I've been having them come home, eating a quick snack and then doing their homework right away with the promise of a playdate with friends or going to the park. I pretty much have to light a fire under their butts to get them to get it done.
We do homework right when they come home. They eat snacks while they do it. All four of the little kids eat snacks and watch movies or play outside. The homework kids get reward points for staying focused, doing it by themselves or helping the younger ones do their homework. Then they get to do whatever they want until dinner they love the freedom. Homework stinks no matter how you look at it!
ReplyDeleteUgh! I am feeling your homework pain! If you can believe it, Will already has homework four days a week in Kindergarten! It is usually pretty short and simple, but trying to sit and do homework with him while tending to four two year olds is making me crazy. The quads' nap is over by the time he gets home from school, so we're all together for the afternoon.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, though. Even with five kids, I'm only in two stages. A kindergartener, a toddler and a newborn? I would definitely be drinking.