My ds seems to always be frusterated. For some reason he wants school to be done in 2 hours and if ps has a snow day or something else he wants the day off. For examply this week they won't be able to school on Thursday because they are signed up for a play. Then Friday they go to their LEAH group. So, if I ask them to make a up a day is that asking to much? Public school is cancelled tomorrow because of a big storm. I told them they still needed to school. Am I pushing too hard??
Absolutely not!!!! We don't take snow days here. Most times, we don't do sick days either (unless they're REALLY sick). So... I remind my kids - since we have to count days - for every day we take of NOW, means a day we have to make up LATER. i.e. Summer. i.e. when everyone is out enjoying the weather and swimming, and staying up late, they'll be doing school all day. For us, that usually helps. BUT....I know what you mean. (((HUGS)))
We don't take snow days either. Sometimes I'll let them go out for recess in the snow, but they always do work before and then again afterwards. I don't give them the weird half days because of teacher inservice and when the school is off for a holiday we usually learn about what that holiday is instead of just playing. Sometimes they get frustrated with me, but when they have the grandparents come to visit and we can take a week off because we are so far ahead they are happy they did the work earlier.
What is LEAH? If it can be counted as educational in any way I would use it towards school. Could you use some of the time from the play they are seeing (social studies?) and let that count towards school time as well? Maybe then just fill in with some basics and call it a day. I count field trip days that last at least 2 hours as a school day, myself. But I tend to think that every single day doesn't have to be math, writing, science experiment, etc, etc. A "fun" day counts, too, in my opinion. But, if you are not comfortable with that, then no, I don't think you're asking to much to do a make up day. My son has been a holy terror this week - he's gotten tv time, game time and computer time taken away, has had to write "I will behave during school" 30 times, and then still got a spanking on top of all that! He has been saying lately that he hates school, so I'm on the prowl for some fun educational material to use for a short while... hoping that will help. Some days... ETA: We did take one snow day this year just because we rarely get snow, so it's a special treat. If we lived where we got snow multiple times a year, though, then no we wouldn't. I also don't go by the PS system's schedule. We have our own and take off when we feel the need/desire.
Uh no your DS is taking advantage of the homeschooling. Take the time to point out to him how many hours a PS child is in PS and then point out if he is done in two or three hours that he has many hours off. So to trying to fanagle his way out of school in home when it is snowing is silly. Furthermore you likely do take other days off for other reasons that the PS kids don't and therefore their is no reason to get what they have. He is homeschooled and that is a gift like no other that he shouldn't take advantage of. I am constantly telling my two when they are complaining over their two or three hours that they do have more freedom to pick and choose. I am a firm teacher who is leniant in a lot of things so I really don't like getting flack for giving what in my mind is a small amount of schoolwork. If I see they are wearing out I will stop and give them a break or some fun activity like a puzzle. I also let them use whiteboards for work. Sometimes a break from worksheets or the standard rountine is all that is needed to break up monotony in the school day. But yeah no snow days
No, I don't think so. All the local schools had a snow day, but we had school today. I reminded him that when the beautiful spring weather gets here, we'll take a day off to take a hike or go to the park while the other kids are sitting inside at school. Or maybe we'll plan a few fun field trips.
My 2 seem to think the same thing. They are struggling today, too. The neighbor kids keep walking in front of the windows distracting my kids. I closed the blinds and told mine that we are hsing no matter what. We take every Friday off and that is their "snow" day. That is the day that we schedule dr. appointments, field trips and any other things we may have, but we work on the other day. I never had snow days when I was a kid. Of course, that was a longgggggg time ago.
LEAH is the state Christian homeschool groups in NY. Most areas have at least 1 local chapter. I tell dd that she does not get snow days she gets sun days. She still gets time to play outside during a snowstorm but after her work is done. This way she is able to take another day off when the weather is nice to do something fun. I also do not ask her to "make up" work I tell her this is the work we are going to do this week. It is all in the planning, then she has no idea if we are ahead or behind. On weeks we have co-op (starting this Friday again) I double up some of the subjects on different days. I start Math earlier in the summer this way I do not worry about not getting to Math on co-op days since we are there from 8:15-2:30. With sd we did not do co-op all day so she would have to do some subjects like Math before we went to co-op. I know the fustration in the scheduling at times. I have had (and will have in a couple of weeks again) times when there is alot going on. I count plays as part of my school week. I try and schedule just some light work on days we go to them. It is hard when you have multiple things going on but remember you make the schedule. It will take a little time for them to get used to this new way of looking at schools and holidays. Dd still sometimes wishes she has off when ps does but she now reminds herself of all the times we take off when ps is in session and then she feels better.
Thank you everyone. Sometimes I wonder if I am just to tuff on them. I feel like I have been flopping around from on curriculium to another just trying to get our grove. We may have flopped a lot be we have never lost stride. After my ds had his melt down and said he couldn't do anymore he feel asleep for 2 hours. When he got up he did his reading and asked if he could pick up with History tomorrow. So, I do feel better. Maybe, just maybe he was tired.
Sometimes we take snow days, but mostly not. If it is a nice snow day; like it snowed a ton last night and freaked everyone out about driving but the day is sunny and nice and the snow is perfect for playing...we will take a snow day. But if it is like today; being cold and windy, snow on the ground in the morning but now just wet and icky. nope. it is a school day. I too try to remind them that because we count days; a snow day now has to be 'made up' later. We also don't do sick days, although I will let them 'slide' if they aren't feeling well. If at least one of them does a decent school day i count it and figure the other one is just "absent" lol. I also count big field trips as school days, even if they are only barely related to school. the hs group gets discount days at the ski resort, so yesterday was a ski day and that I count. (of course, I went to a high school that you got out of school on Wednesdays if you were in the top 3 in your high school on the saturday races.) So the boys go about 4 or 5 times a year and i count it as a school day. When my son is in a play and the days they 'miss' school for the play, rehersal or performance; I count that as a school day. But his brother usually is actually doing school those days. Some of the work he has to "make up" , what they do together; but the subjects that they are not together on I don't worry about.
I think that mine take advantage of homeschool as well. They just don't get how good they've got it!!!
My DS has no clue how great he has it!! I almost wish he could go to school for just a few days... maybe then he'd appreciate it.
Peacangrove, My kids totally appreciate being hsed. They have been in the ps and hated every single minute of it. I guess I am the one who just needs to toughen up and set limits. I just hate to do that.
Stephanie, I have recommended this several times to different people through the years: simulate public school for a couple of days. Get him up early, hurry to eat breakfast and get dressed, even go out and get in the car and drive around the block (NOT IN THE SNOW). Get home, start school by the clock (public school starts here just before 8 am!), make him stand "in line" until the "bell", then make him sit in one particular place "his desk", preferably a straight chair. Set a timer or ring a bell for a specific schoolish time period - like 45-55 min. Be sure that reading/language arts takes whatever your local schools require for those subjects (here I think it's like 2.5 or 3 hours). Give him his first class. If he finishes early, sorry, the class period is not up yet. Give "busy work" to fill the time. Wait until the next bell. Make him raise his hand to go to the bathroom, even make him wait a few minutes or tell him to wait until the bell. Make him call you "Mrs. Lastname" instead of Mom. Next class period, another 45 minutes. Make him raise his hand to sharpen his pencil or ask you a question. Make him wait to be called on before talking to you. At lunch, fix a meal resembling a school lunch. Make him "stand in line" to go to the "cafeteria." Give him 20 minutes to eat it. Sorry, not allowed to talk in the cafeteria. If he doesn't finish the work he's assigned, make him do it for homework after school. Five minute recess, just enough time to go to the bathroom, sort of. Make him "go to the office for a tardy slip", then stand in the corner or write lines for being tardy. At the end of the day, he'll have to "stand in line" again and wait for the dismissal bell so he can go to the car. Drive around the block or something. School day over, unless there's homework.
Being the parent is so difficult sometimes, isn't it!?! You'll make it though. Maybe you can write out a daily plan and your yearly schedule. Then when they are begging for a snow day (or other day off) you can show them the actual day that you'd normally have off that they'll have to do school to make up for it. Maybe having something concrete to see their days will help them not ask? I don't even know if that made sense... I'm tired. LOL
Well, "snow day" to us means heading north to try to find snow I don't think you're being too strict. We school year round so we can enjoy our winters outside more. We get a lot of our school days in during the icky hot summer even though they have ps friends who are off. We take plenty of days to get together but if there's nothing going on then we're working. We also get stuff done on small holidays. That way we can take off for days that fit our schedule better-like when grandparents visit.
Mine do the same thing. Public school was cancelled today (because of 1 inch of snow on the ground:roll but we still had school. My kids weren't happy but they had to do it. I remind them often that we are not on the public school schedule and if they want that they can have one of our "public school days at home" days. That usually fixes it, but not always.
