4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Questions on Preschool, Homeschooling with a Newborn, and More

The 4 Moms of 35+ Kids are answering reader questions today, and here are a few of the questions you all have asked me.

I am debating whether to let my daughter attend preschool a couple days a week so she has an idea of what school and schoolwork mean before we homeschool. Just wondering if any of you have done this, and if it helped or hurt?

None of my kids has ever attended preschool and I believe they are perfectly well adjusted, and they each have an excellent idea of what our school is like.

I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with preschool. I just don’t find it necessary for us.

I, myself, have taught each of my children to go potty, count to 10, listen to stories, and take turns. Why would I want to pay someone else to do those things if I can do it myself and enjoy doing so?

I find no need for letting them get adjusted to an institutional school setting since I have no intention of copying that style. Our learning at home looks like children learning. In a home. It is unnecessary for them to become accustomed to a system which we have chosen to bypass for a system we prefer.

What does homeschooling and family life look like at the end of pregnancy and in the newborn days?

The 4 Moms have written before about life with newborns, and I do believe we all agreed that mostly we were tired and went into survival and recovery mode.

I try as much as I’m able to incorporate the new baby into whatever we were doing before she came along. We regularly attend church on Sundays and Wednesdays, so when I have a new baby, we cart her to church on Sundays and Wednesdays. I read aloud often during the day to my children, so when I have a new baby, I read aloud while nursing her.

Of course there will be an adjustment period, with disrupted schedules and lack of sleep. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Allow some time to recuperate and recover your energy. Then ease back into your schedule while incorporating the baby into your daily routine.

If you are unable to carry on homeschooling during the pregnancy or recovery time, use educational videos, busy boxes, or these 5 simple ways to occupy preschoolers whenever possible.

Life will soon return to normal. Well, at least your new normal.

Is there a good program to use to help a 2nd grader become a better reader?

I really like Reading Horizons for struggling readers. It uses a multi-sensory approach specifically designed for readers who need reteaching and extra review, particularly students with dyslexia. Even if you are not thinking your child  has a learning disability, this program is excellent for making slow readers better readers.

How do you deal with doctors or other ‘professionals’ that are condescending to homeschooling?

To put it nicely, I don’t take kindly to it. When I run upon someone who thinks they know better than I do what is best for my children, I try to remain calm, consider what they are saying, and do my research on the topic.

If I have already done research on the topic at hand, then I try to point out the data in a nice way. This has happened to me before when a doctor wagged his finger at me and told me I was doing a disservice to my daughter. He is no longer our doctor.

If I am passionate about something, like I am about homeschooling, or breastfeeding, I become an expert on the matter. That way, I don’t need to rely on what someone else tells me I should do. I have read and read and read many different sources of information and I feel confident in my decision.

It may be that the doctor or other professional can add to my knowledge, but the decision is still mine. I will not give the authority to make decisions on behalf of my children to someone else.

Be sure to check out what questions the rest of The 4 Moms are answering:

• Life in a Shoe
• Raising Olives
• The Common Room

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