little ones
[email protected]
This request goes out to all of you..I am planning
on unschooling my son (3yo) and would just like
to have a starting point..i guess..everyone out
there seems to have children of school age..and i
would just like to know about the toddler stage..
this is all sooo new anyway..as everyone expects
me to be interviewing preschools now...so...any
words of wisdom from the seasoned masses would be
greatly appreciated..basically we play all day, run
errands, do swim and gym, trying out our first
moms and tots group this week...i'd just like to
hear about the early years from someone..
thank you...
eileen
The toddler stage is definately one of my favorite stages! My biggest piece of advise would be to just stop and enjoy. Don't feel that you have to have alot of activities scheduled. Usually children that age like to take it slow and explore. Like when they go on walks and have to stop every two steps to examine something interesting on the ground...stop with him and look too. When he asks "why" (a toddlers favorite question) and you don't know research the answer together. It will do him good to see that adults don't know everything and also where to look for answers. He will open up your world and make you wonder again, if you allow it. :)
~Heather
on unschooling my son (3yo) and would just like
to have a starting point..i guess..everyone out
there seems to have children of school age..and i
would just like to know about the toddler stage..
this is all sooo new anyway..as everyone expects
me to be interviewing preschools now...so...any
words of wisdom from the seasoned masses would be
greatly appreciated..basically we play all day, run
errands, do swim and gym, trying out our first
moms and tots group this week...i'd just like to
hear about the early years from someone..
thank you...
eileen
The toddler stage is definately one of my favorite stages! My biggest piece of advise would be to just stop and enjoy. Don't feel that you have to have alot of activities scheduled. Usually children that age like to take it slow and explore. Like when they go on walks and have to stop every two steps to examine something interesting on the ground...stop with him and look too. When he asks "why" (a toddlers favorite question) and you don't know research the answer together. It will do him good to see that adults don't know everything and also where to look for answers. He will open up your world and make you wonder again, if you allow it. :)
~Heather
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A. Yates
Hi Eileen,
My kids are also little. 7, 5 and 3. We are unschoolers, and we really mostly play. I have tried structured things occasionally, but realized unless it was something they really wanted to do and had begged to do, I should just save my time.
I am learning that I just need to follow them. If I don't, we all suffer. It isn't easy though.
It is a fun time of life though, so just play alot!
Ann
My kids are also little. 7, 5 and 3. We are unschoolers, and we really mostly play. I have tried structured things occasionally, but realized unless it was something they really wanted to do and had begged to do, I should just save my time.
I am learning that I just need to follow them. If I don't, we all suffer. It isn't easy though.
It is a fun time of life though, so just play alot!
Ann
> From: heatherhada@...
>
> This request goes out to all of you..I am planning
> on unschooling my son (3yo) and would just like
> to have a starting point..i guess..everyone out
> there seems to have children of school age..and i
> would just like to know about the toddler stage..
> this is all sooo new anyway..as everyone expects
> me to be interviewing preschools now...so...any
> words of wisdom from the seasoned masses would be
> greatly appreciated..basically we play all day, run
> errands, do swim and gym, trying out our first
> moms and tots group this week...i'd just like to
> hear about the early years from someone..
> thank you...
> eileen
[email protected]
I agree with everyone so far, just allow lots of time for play, free and
unstructured play especially. At three I didn't "do" anything in the way
of structure or specific educational value. We mostly still just play (95%)
unstructured and my children are 6 1/2, 5 and 2. My dd is teaching
herself to read and write. It's amazing how much stuff just comes so
naturally to children.
Kathy
unstructured play especially. At three I didn't "do" anything in the way
of structure or specific educational value. We mostly still just play (95%)
unstructured and my children are 6 1/2, 5 and 2. My dd is teaching
herself to read and write. It's amazing how much stuff just comes so
naturally to children.
Kathy
[email protected]
In a message dated 01/10/2000 7:49:07 AM !!!First Boot!!!, Natrlmama@...
writes:
<< dn't "do" anything in the way
of structure or specific educational value. We mostly still just play (95%)
unstructured and my children are 6 1/2, 5 and 2. My dd is teaching
herself to read and write. It's amazing how much stuff just comes so
naturally to children.
Kathy
minutes of counting/adding is a lot -- when you are in the backyard and
having fun playing Monopoly and it sort of "comes up." If you don't have to
spend 10 minutes lining up to go to the backyard and then back into the house
and wait for 20 other kids to get settled down and listen to lots of
material that does not apply to you, then 10 minutes is enough (maybe too
much -- I do get carried away sometimes).
I think sometimes people forget how convenient it is to hs/unschool. You do
things as they arise -- that means it fits your schedule, by definition.
My son wanted to confirm his understanding of adding negative numbers this
morning. So he asked me about it. I was starting a load of laundry and
having a cup of coffee and getting my daughter's cereal, but . . . he didn't
have to wait until it was "math time" -- he just asked, gave his examples, we
talked, the whole conversation took, maybe, one minute. But it could have
been dragged out to a half hour or longer in an institutional setting. So to
get this one grain of information, my son would have had to spend a whole lot
more of his valuable time waiting.
Anyway . . .
Nance
writes:
<< dn't "do" anything in the way
of structure or specific educational value. We mostly still just play (95%)
unstructured and my children are 6 1/2, 5 and 2. My dd is teaching
herself to read and write. It's amazing how much stuff just comes so
naturally to children.
Kathy
>>It's also amazing how little time anything "structured" actually takes. 10
minutes of counting/adding is a lot -- when you are in the backyard and
having fun playing Monopoly and it sort of "comes up." If you don't have to
spend 10 minutes lining up to go to the backyard and then back into the house
and wait for 20 other kids to get settled down and listen to lots of
material that does not apply to you, then 10 minutes is enough (maybe too
much -- I do get carried away sometimes).
I think sometimes people forget how convenient it is to hs/unschool. You do
things as they arise -- that means it fits your schedule, by definition.
My son wanted to confirm his understanding of adding negative numbers this
morning. So he asked me about it. I was starting a load of laundry and
having a cup of coffee and getting my daughter's cereal, but . . . he didn't
have to wait until it was "math time" -- he just asked, gave his examples, we
talked, the whole conversation took, maybe, one minute. But it could have
been dragged out to a half hour or longer in an institutional setting. So to
get this one grain of information, my son would have had to spend a whole lot
more of his valuable time waiting.
Anyway . . .
Nance
Linda Dobson
May I throw in that the original inquirer may get additional ideas from
Homeschooling: The Early Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully
Homeschooling the 3 - 8 Year Old, Linda Dobson, Prima Publishing, 1999. The
book consists of many wonderful suggestions from hsing parents who "have been
there, done that," and offers a wide spectrum of approaches to - hopefully! -
show folks that in hsing, there is not "one right way," but rather lots of ways
to help the education fit the child and the family's lifestyle.
Best,
Linda
Natrlmama@... wrote:
Homeschooling: The Early Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully
Homeschooling the 3 - 8 Year Old, Linda Dobson, Prima Publishing, 1999. The
book consists of many wonderful suggestions from hsing parents who "have been
there, done that," and offers a wide spectrum of approaches to - hopefully! -
show folks that in hsing, there is not "one right way," but rather lots of ways
to help the education fit the child and the family's lifestyle.
Best,
Linda
Natrlmama@... wrote:
> From: Natrlmama@...
>
> I agree with everyone so far, just allow lots of time for play, free and
> unstructured play especially. At three I didn't "do" anything in the way
> of structure or specific educational value. We mostly still just play (95%)
> unstructured and my children are 6 1/2, 5 and 2. My dd is teaching
> herself to read and write. It's amazing how much stuff just comes so
> naturally to children.
>
> Kathy
>
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Lynda
It really works and our youngest who is now 7 is a real good example. She
taught herself to spell and then read (yes, in that order) by watching
Wheel of Fortune of all things. And, she did this when she was about 4.
We only found this out because eldest at home kidlet was working on some
project or other and asked me how to spell "encyclopedia." She chimes in
with e-n-cy-c-lo-pedia. I thought, o.k., Disney and Jiminy Cricket. Then
a little later he hollers down from his room wanting us to spell something
else and she knew that one too and it was NOT something she could have
learned from singing her tapes. Soooo, when we picked our jaws up off the
floor, we asked and she said she saw it on the Wheel.
Which is a long way to saying that they learn buckets more than we realise
simply by playing.
Lynda
----------
taught herself to spell and then read (yes, in that order) by watching
Wheel of Fortune of all things. And, she did this when she was about 4.
We only found this out because eldest at home kidlet was working on some
project or other and asked me how to spell "encyclopedia." She chimes in
with e-n-cy-c-lo-pedia. I thought, o.k., Disney and Jiminy Cricket. Then
a little later he hollers down from his room wanting us to spell something
else and she knew that one too and it was NOT something she could have
learned from singing her tapes. Soooo, when we picked our jaws up off the
floor, we asked and she said she saw it on the Wheel.
Which is a long way to saying that they learn buckets more than we realise
simply by playing.
Lynda
----------
> From: Natrlmama@...(95%)
>
> I agree with everyone so far, just allow lots of time for play, free and
> unstructured play especially. At three I didn't "do" anything in the way
> of structure or specific educational value. We mostly still just play
> unstructured and my children are 6 1/2, 5 and 2. My dd is teaching
> herself to read and write. It's amazing how much stuff just comes so
> naturally to children.
>
> Kathy