Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

This is where new posts begin. All questions or discussions about any of Heart of Dakota's curriculums start here. If you wish to share a one-time post about your family's experience with our curriculum, you may post under the specific curriculum title (found beneath this "Main Board" heading).
joyfulheart
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:11 am
Location: Frisco, TX

Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by joyfulheart » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:48 am

First, let me say that in the months doing HOD Bigger and Beyond, every day has been fun, and normally we just buzz right through with little to no problems.

Yesterday was the most difficult day homeschooling ever. I dont know if there was something in the water, or if my kids temporarily lost their sanity, but it took us FIVE HOURS to get through HALF of a day's curriculum! Nobody would focus, nobody would stop making annoying sound effects, No matter how fun I tried to make things, how much I calmly reminded them to stop and do their work, it just wasn't gonna happen. There were tears, whining, complaining, daydreaming.... I think my kids turned into monsters yesterday. I would tell them to do ONE page of the cursive, and 30 minutes later, there's not a mark on the page! ARGHHHHHH!!!! (we need a emoticon of a mom pulling her hair out!)

After 5 hours, I finally said ENOUGH, and threw them in the back yard to go run through the sprinklers (and stop bouncing off my walls!)

Today, I havent even started homeschooling yet, even though it's almost 1 pm. I'm afraid of going through that again today, and I just don't think I have the patience today. :(
I even turned on cartoons because I needed the (mental) break.

How do I get back in that groove that worked?

Does this happen to other mom's or am I just a horrible homeschool mom?

LeAnna
Posts: 412
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 2:59 pm

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by LeAnna » Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:15 pm

No worries, Joyfulheart!!! It doesn't just happen to you! :D We had one of those days yesterday, actually two days in a row! I was pulling my hair out as well! The kids were playing dumb, and weren't answering any questions; phonics was going backwards; and there was choas in between! I was mentally exhausted! When my husband came home, bless his heart, I told him I was done with homeschooling!!! :roll: I can't do this!
Thankfully, he was understanding, and said, "Tomorrow will be better." :D And, today was a lot better!! I think we all need a little encouragment from one homeschool mom to another. It makes things so much better! One thing I do, is if the kids are goofing around and not taking school seriously.... which they can given they aren't doing it that long.... is that I start taking away privilages. I have on a couple of occassions read a Reddy Fox chapter to them 2 or 3 times over. They soon realize that we better pay attention the first time, or school will take longer. :D
We tend to take 4 days a week for school, with the 5th day optional, or at least phonics/language. That makes the week shorter and gives me a break on Friday to clean the house and get ready for the weekend.
Hang in there, Joyfulheart!!! I could use that message too! :lol:

LeAnna
Love my husband of 18 years this year;
Love my 3 teenagers--13, 15, and 16. They keep me young, but hanging on for dear life! :lol:
Used HOD in the earliest years with all three of them!

Jen in Va
Posts: 167
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:12 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by Jen in Va » Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:48 pm

Happens to everyone! I even experienced it as a classroom teacher. Anytime you get a room--or house--full of kids, this is going to happen at least every once in a while. Keeps us humble :wink:
Jen
Hsing mom of 3:
DS (20) college, home educated k-12
DD (17) 12th grade (2009-10), home educated
DS (6) Beyond (2009-10, have already started--loving it, btw!)

JennyBenny
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 7:43 pm

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by JennyBenny » Wed Jul 30, 2008 3:34 pm

Oh, yes, I've been there, done that. I think you made a wise decision in just chilling out for a while. Sometimes we all need a break. You can pick back up with school tomorrow. That's the beauty of homeschooling. :)

ETA: No, you're not a horrible homeschool mom. Please don't think that. You'll get back in your groove.
~Jennifer
Married to awesome dh since 1997
Mom to 3 wonderful children- ages 16, 7, & 5
DITHOR-beginning in Aug. 2008

joyfulheart
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:11 am
Location: Frisco, TX

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by joyfulheart » Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:07 pm

Oh, thank you.

I was just stressed and didn't realize it but was sick at the time too! LOL I do that, go to the doctor and the nurse will say, "did you know you have a 102 fever?" No, I usually don't realize it. I just ignore it. I'm wierd.

Anyway, today was great, they're attitude is gone, they had fun, they learned.

Thank you for the support. I think we all need that once in a while!

JennyBenny
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 7:43 pm

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by JennyBenny » Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:54 pm

Sorry to hear that you're sick. :( I hope you'll be well soon. Also, I'm glad to hear that school is going better for you guys. Take care of yourself & don't do too much. 102 is a pretty high fever for an adult!
~Jennifer
Married to awesome dh since 1997
Mom to 3 wonderful children- ages 16, 7, & 5
DITHOR-beginning in Aug. 2008

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8125
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by Carrie » Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:13 pm

Yes, there are always days like this! Even when I was a public school teacher, we'd begin to wonder if there was something in the water that was making the kiddos bounce off the walls (or daydream away all day)! :wink:

Those are the days we take a very l-o-n-g recess! :wink:

We'll pray you'll feel better soon!

Blessings,
Carrie

Valerie
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:20 pm

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by Valerie » Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:45 am

Oh yes mama said there would be days like this!! :lol: With five little kiddos running around our house we have had many a day when I thought "NO MORE"!! But I learned that if they are not into school that day, well maybe we'll just go on a fieldtrip. That always got them excieted and the next day would be better!! And I'm not talking anything big, just maybe a trip to the park or a nature walk!! Keep your chin up and never give up, someone once told me "The worst day in homeschool, is better than the best day in public school"!! :wink:

Valerie mom of 5
ds13
ds12
dd10
ds7
ds7

netpea

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by netpea » Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:13 pm

joyfulheart wrote:First, let me say that in the months doing HOD Bigger and Beyond, every day has been fun, and normally we just buzz right through with little to no problems.

Yesterday was the most difficult day homeschooling ever. I dont know if there was something in the water, or if my kids temporarily lost their sanity, but it took us FIVE HOURS to get through HALF of a day's curriculum! Nobody would focus, nobody would stop making annoying sound effects, No matter how fun I tried to make things, how much I calmly reminded them to stop and do their work, it just wasn't gonna happen. There were tears, whining, complaining, daydreaming.... I think my kids turned into monsters yesterday. I would tell them to do ONE page of the cursive, and 30 minutes later, there's not a mark on the page! ARGHHHHHH!!!! (we need a emoticon of a mom pulling her hair out!)

After 5 hours, I finally said ENOUGH, and threw them in the back yard to go run through the sprinklers (and stop bouncing off my walls!)

Today, I havent even started homeschooling yet, even though it's almost 1 pm. I'm afraid of going through that again today, and I just don't think I have the patience today. :(
I even turned on cartoons because I needed the (mental) break.

How do I get back in that groove that worked?

Does this happen to other mom's or am I just a horrible homeschool mom?
This describes our first day back with the exception that it was only my 8yo (who started Bigger). The 5yo loved her work in Little Hearts and begged for more.
:?

MamaMary
Posts: 970
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 7:52 am
Contact:

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by MamaMary » Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:11 pm

I have no idea what you guys are talking about ( :lol: ) That NEVER happens to us! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Mary, Mama to 4 amazing sons and wife to one incredible husband! Come check us out on the blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaMary/

netpea

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by netpea » Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:10 pm

MamaMary wrote:I have no idea what you guys are talking about ( :lol: ) That NEVER happens to us! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Can I send my kiddos to your house for school then?
:lol: :lol:

netpea

Our first week for the year.

Post by netpea » Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:47 pm

Well, all in all, the week was a semi-success. My daughter loved her first week of LHFHG and is begging for more. She had so much fun, it was wonderful.

On the other hand, my 8yo son moped and he doped, and he wiggled and he squirmed, and he cried and threw fits. It's not the program, it's my son. My hubby had a long talk with me Wednesday night and we mapped out a new strategy, which we implemented today. At my hubby's request, I will be in the school room for a set amount of time, if son doesn't do his work during that time, he has to stay in there alone with the door shut until it's complete. My son will protest ANY written work. Even if its copying one bible verse. The strange part is, if you can get him to drop the attitude, he actually enjoys the work, but it takes hours and hours to get the attitude changed. He is ready for Bigger but he doesn't want to have to do the work...

If he gives me attitude or trouble, or disrupts his sister's learning, he goes to his room.

This way, we have a set schedule for school time and if he won't do it, then I step out and still have time to get my own chores done.

What do you think ladies, are we way out in left field here or does this sound reasonable?

crlacey
Posts: 630
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:13 pm
Location: NC

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by crlacey » Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:53 am

It sounds reasonable that if he doesn't get his work done in a reasonable time frame, that he shouldn't hold up yours and DD's day. I bet he'll soon learn that if he does his work as requested, than he can move on and do the things he wants to do quicker too.
Crystal
DD 20 married college graduate
DS 17 college student
DD 11 CTC

Finished: LHTH, LHFHG, BLHFHG, BHFHG, PHFHG, CTC, Res to Ref, Rev to Rev, MTMM, parts of WG and WH

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by my3sons » Sat Aug 09, 2008 9:49 am

Lee Ann -

Any plan that you and your dh can be united about doing together to help your ds is a good one! :D "United we stand" is a motto in our house, especially when it comes to attitudes that stem from the heart. I think that it's a HUGE motivator for boys especially to make the connection that when "x" amount of work is finished, they get to play. And also if "x" amount of work is not finished by the time play time was to begin, they are working away their playtime. We put a couple of 'work to finish "x" then get a play break' in last year, one in the morning, one at noon, and one in mid-afternoon, and it worked wonders for our ds's concept of time. It didn't take many times 'missing playbreaks due to dawdling during work time' for them to figure out getting to work was a better choice. You and your dh sound unified and on top of it, which means you're already well on your way to changing your son's heart! :D :D :D

In Christ,
Julie :D
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

Kathleen
Posts: 1980
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:23 pm
Location: NE Kansas

Re: Please tell me this happens to ya'll too

Post by Kathleen » Sat Aug 09, 2008 5:47 pm

Hey, LeAnn,

I just wanted to encourage you as a mother of a 8 yo that you are definitely not alone in your struggles! :D My son and I started Bigger this week too, and we both loved it, but along our 4 days we also had some major dawddling issues! My ds is very positive about everything we're doing, but he occasionally needs some kind of fire lit under him! :shock: Our worst incident came on Wed when I left him at the kitchen table to copy 4 sentences from the R&S lesson, and do his 3 vocabulary cards for history. Now...since the vocab assignment was new we had gone through it together and I wrote on a small white board the word, definition, and sentence so that all he had to do was copy it. So off I went with the little 2 upstairs to do LHTH and we had a blast! We were so into our "color hunting" that day that I was gone 45 minutes and figured Grant had run out of things to do. Nope. In fact, he had only copied 1 sentence from his R&S...! :x (This is where I almost flipped my lid...) He came up with varying excuses as to why there was so little on his paper...but the main problem he typically has is an overactive imagination. He's a daydreamer. (Not the laying in a field/quiet and peaceful kind though...he has exciting action stories and inventions bouncing around in there!) At lunch when we were talking about this with dad I laid out my theory as to why the work wasn't done that day. He just couldn't resist knowing what I was doing with Allison and Garret and kept going to the stairs to evesdrop. Yep, that was it.

I'm not sure exactly what my plan of action will be yet. Last year with the varying curriculum we were using, I'd just do all my teaching in one lump - math, phonics, geography, spelling, etc. Then I wrote out what he needed to finish in a planner and he had to check it off when he finished. THere were a lot of days where he took way too long to finish. He knew he was missing out on time to play, too. Anyway, I think HOD will work better if he gets to finish history when there's writing involved before we move on to science, etc. It's something that dh and I are praying about and will have to decide on. The biggest struggle for me is not getting frustrated when it happens as I'm pretty sure that doesn't help. :roll:

Hang in there! I'm sure God will lead you to the best way to work on charcter things with you kids. I love getting tips from other parents that help, too. I just wanted you to know that even other parents and kids that are loving what they're doing aren't necessarily having "trial-free" days. THat's are case with us. Grant says he loves his school - but we've definitely still got some challenges to work through.

:D Kathleen

(I hope this made sense...I've been distracted as I've been typing. :roll: )
Homeschooling mom to 6:
Grant - 19 Kansas State University
Allison - 15 World Geography
Garret - 13 Res2Ref
Asa - 8 Bigger
Quinn - 7 Bigger

Halle - 4 LHTH

Post Reply