What does your support network look like?

[Anonymous]

I’m a SAHP with 4 kids, ages 2, 4, and 6 yr old twins. I’m homeschooling all of them. My husband is an essential worker and is out of the house 10 hours a day M-F. I don’t have any local family. No help with cleaning or childcare. We have a few recurring activities each week for the kids which gives me a tiny bit of social interaction with other parents. But overall I feel very lonely these days. If you’re homeschooling multiple small children, what supports do you have in place that make this feel sustainable long term?

[Anonymous]

I have full time cleaning help
I order food when it's hard to cook
I have family cone visit as often as possible
We have another family we cohort with

[Anonymous]

Pp. My kids are 2 4 6 8 and I'm expecting another one

[Anonymous]

Are you homeschooling the 2 year olds? if you are stop! 2 year olds don't need school.

I am homeschooling an 8yo, I have a friend with a 9yo and we are sort of doing it together. She has my kid for social studies once a week and I have her kid for art and health once a week. The rest we do ourselves with our own kids but do the same things. Like in Nov for Science we are learning about animals. My kid is researching giraffes and her kid is researching another animal. Then they will do a presentation and we are going to the zoo.

We have a group of friends who are doing MCPS DL and once a week we meet them at a playground for a lunch and playdate. Gives them all some social time to see each other and its only one day a week. the lunch break is 90 mins so the kids get to play for almost an hour, its really nice, plus the parents can chat too.

I outsource Spanish and Piano so I get an hour to myself twice a week. Not a whole lot of time, but I can get coffee or go to the grocery store by myself. That wouldnt work for you with 4 kids thoughn

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have full time cleaning help
I order food when it's hard to cook
I have family cone visit as often as possible
We have another family we cohort with

Is your spouse home? How often do you see the other family?

[Anonymous]

Suggestions for you:

Have the three eldest start helping with chores. Twins can turn their clothes right side out, twins and 4 can put their folded clothes in their drawers, all can match up their socks. 2 can put their dishes on the table (no food on them), 4 and twins can put dishes in the sink after, twins can take care of placemats and wipe down the table after dinner. Twins are old enough to run and get a towel to clean up their own spills.

Do school for the twins, set up 4 with a few activities on the same theme and allow the younger children to listen and join in when interested. So, I’d suggest a letter, a number, a color, and a shape per week, with definite plans for the twins and loose plans for 4. Utilize tools like magnetic white boards, dry erase markers and foam magnets to teach phonics, basic math and spelling. Take a look at fun with mama and other sites with theme packs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Suggestions for you:

Have the three eldest start helping with chores. Twins can turn their clothes right side out, twins and 4 can put their folded clothes in their drawers, all can match up their socks. 2 can put their dishes on the table (no food on them), 4 and twins can put dishes in the sink after, twins can take care of placemats and wipe down the table after dinner. Twins are old enough to run and get a towel to clean up their own spills.

Do school for the twins, set up 4 with a few activities on the same theme and allow the younger children to listen and join in when interested. So, I’d suggest a letter, a number, a color, and a shape per week, with definite plans for the twins and loose plans for 4. Utilize tools like magnetic white boards, dry erase markers and foam magnets to teach phonics, basic math and spelling. Take a look at fun with mama and other sites with theme packs.

Thank you. We already do all of these things. You forgot to answer the question - what does your support network look like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Suggestions for you:

Have the three eldest start helping with chores. Twins can turn their clothes right side out, twins and 4 can put their folded clothes in their drawers, all can match up their socks. 2 can put their dishes on the table (no food on them), 4 and twins can put dishes in the sink after, twins can take care of placemats and wipe down the table after dinner. Twins are old enough to run and get a towel to clean up their own spills.

Do school for the twins, set up 4 with a few activities on the same theme and allow the younger children to listen and join in when interested. So, I’d suggest a letter, a number, a color, and a shape per week, with definite plans for the twins and loose plans for 4. Utilize tools like magnetic white boards, dry erase markers and foam magnets to teach phonics, basic math and spelling. Take a look at fun with mama and other sites with theme packs.

Thank you. We already do all of these things. You forgot to answer the question - what does your support network look like?

For me?

Twin k and 4th. Grandparents have here for four days, but they’re a hindrance, not a help. The kids are the network, for now.

[Anonymous]

I am homeschooling my 9 and 7 yr old with my very busy just turned four year old at home. My husband works 10-11 hr days. We don’t have extra income for babysitter or house cleaner. During the week my support system is limited. My neighbor and I will usually co-op 1-2 mornings a week with my four year old and hers. I usually do about a total of one hr a week of direct letter/number instruction with the four year old. Otherwise she does open ended art/play or she will play with one sibling while I work with the other. On the weekend My husband and I will tag team house chores and he will usually give me a few hrs of uninterrupted time to get organized and or have time to myself. Occasionally we will have grandparent help on the weekends. I use Instacart and Amazon for just about all purchases and usually cook really simple meals. Some days run smoothly - others are complete chaos. This is not a long term plan for us so it works for now, knowing we will be able to utilize more support when more people are vaccinated, kids are back in school, etc.

[Anonymous]

I am homeschooling my 9th grader with online curriculum and DL with the younger one. DH is really my only support. When he is at work, I do it all. Often, I end up coasting on cleaning and making quick meals because the homeschooling is my priority. Kids do a sport which gets us out of the house.

[Anonymous]

OP - some of these posters are not really "homeschoolers"... they are temporarily doing school at home. Most homeschoolers do not have full-time cleaning help, etc. because they have sacrificed their second income to maintain this lifestyle (and usually have more kids). This is an abnormal time when most co-ops are not meeting in person (ours is, but it is for high school). Homeschooling small children does get rough because you literally never get a break from your kids. My response needs a bit more info from you...

1) are you homeschooling in MoCo? DC? VA? etc.
2) are you on a local homeschool listserv?
3) are you comfortable meeting other homeschoolers in person right now?
4) do you participate in a church or religious group?
5) do you have enough money to hire a mother's helper for even one afternoon per week?

Give us more info and we can help with specific suggestions... Stay strong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - some of these posters are not really "homeschoolers"... they are temporarily doing school at home. Most homeschoolers do not have full-time cleaning help, etc. because they have sacrificed their second income to maintain this lifestyle (and usually have more kids). This is an abnormal time when most co-ops are not meeting in person (ours is, but it is for high school). Homeschooling small children does get rough because you literally never get a break from your kids. My response needs a bit more info from you...

1) are you homeschooling in MoCo? DC? VA? etc.
2) are you on a local homeschool listserv?
3) are you comfortable meeting other homeschoolers in person right now?
4) do you participate in a church or religious group?
5) do you have enough money to hire a mother's helper for even one afternoon per week?

Give us more info and we can help with specific suggestions... Stay strong.

Agreed. Homeschooling long term with plenty of other homeschoolers is very different from doing it during covid.

[Anonymous]

Nothing. Life sucks now.