are any of you teaching your kid on the side

[Anonymous]

I am. I was just wondering how many others like us are trying to supplement the school education system. If any of you find that you don't need to please tell me. Or if it's the norm these days please let me know. Growing up my parents never spent much time helping me, but I find myself constantly looking for extra work for my kid. DC is at the top of his class, but somehow that's never enough for me because I don't think it's challenging enough. Am I too helicoptery?

[Anonymous]

The way you framed this - yes. "never enough for me" and "I don't think it's challenging enough" is making your child's education all about you.

If your child was saying he's not being challenged at school that's a different thing. If you have a child asking for more that the school is providing and you're buying him a chemistry set or something, that is not helicoptery.

[Anonymous]

No, never.

My son is dyslexic though and does extra work with a therapist that helps kids that are dyslexic.

If my child asked for more work I would give it to him and only under those circumstances.

I have a friend who has to tell his son to stop reading and go out to play.

[Anonymous]

I believe that kids are natural learners and much of what they know at graduation is learned outside the classroom (considering how much of that classroom stuff is forgotten).

What I DON'T think most DCUM kids need is more teaching that resembles their classroom work.

Here's a list I picked up recently:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/young-children/children-health/bucket-list-for-kids-50-things-to-do-before-theyre-12/article2409207/page2/

[Anonymous]

DC used to attend a K-8 school and we were supplementing all the time. Now at K-12 and we don't have to do a thing. Even music and sports practice is covered there. Makes life so much easier when you don't have to take on that other role or schlep your kid to lessons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe that kids are natural learners and much of what they know at graduation is learned outside the classroom (considering how much of that classroom stuff is forgotten).

What I DON'T think most DCUM kids need is more teaching that resembles their classroom work.

Here's a list I picked up recently:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/young-children/children-health/bucket-list-for-kids-50-things-to-do-before-theyre-12/article2409207/page2/

Wow - happy to report I've actually done a lot of those with my kids already. Except for playing conkers. Had to look that one up. (And I'm guessing #15 is a typo and should be sledding, since I've never heard of sledging but according to google it's not an activity I would want to encourage.)

[Anonymous]

LOL ... plenty of those items are actually done at Burgundy's West Virginia campus!! It's a really good list but I think in today's world, maybe shoot to do them by age 10 instead of age 12.

[Anonymous]

I do think elementary children learn as much if not more during the after school hours. In DC there is so much to do. This summer has been full of enrichment activities but not academics except reading for pleasure and the practical application of math skills in daily life. The history and science has been totally hands on adventures during our trips and at the local museums, art galleries and of course Mount Vernon. Those yearly passes are worth much more than the price.

[Anonymous]

Not so much teaching as just getting out and exploring the city. PP said it-DC has too many great opportunities to not take advantage. It's a really special place to live with all the history, museums and kids stuff that we try to take advantage of for fun and learning!

[Anonymous]

There are much better uses of your child's time.

[Anonymous]

My kids went to summer camp, come home at 3 and then just hang out and play games. Now I feel guilty that I wasn't drivIng them all over going to museums and things. I'm a bad planner. Oh well. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids went to summer camp, come home at 3 and then just hang out and play games. Now I feel guilty that I wasn't drivIng them all over going to museums and things. I'm a bad planner. Oh well. Ugh.

Seriously, are you kidding? Coming home and playing games is how children learn creativity, problem solving, how to entertain themselves, abstract thinking. Plus they probably had fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids went to summer camp, come home at 3 and then just hang out and play games. Now I feel guilty that I wasn't drivIng them all over going to museums and things. I'm a bad planner. Oh well. Ugh.

There's nothing wrong with that. We did that half the summer too, everyone did. Sometimes it's fun to do nothing in the summer just because you can.

[Anonymous]

My child is dyslexic but the school says he is too intelligent for extra help in school. So, yes, I teach him spelling on the side. If I did not, every other word in anything he wrote would be misspelt (and I only needed to use the spell check 3 times to write this short post).

[Anonymous]

We have done almost everything on that list and then some. I would add

Build a bird house.

Cook anything. Cupcakes, breakfast whatever.

The list seems to be lacking in creative projects so I would include, sculpt, paint, or write something.

Put on a skit or play.

Invent a game.