Welcome back. I'm busy doing my homeschool planning for next year but I'll be here occasionally keeping you updated. You may find just what you came for and if you don't, then keep checking back!

We have a toddler in the mix of our homeschool for the fifth time now. I’m here to tell you that I have survived! And I will survive again. (I have to say this outloud for self-motivation.) I’m writing this to remind myself and any other moms going through this same season in life – teaching older siblings with a toddler in tow – to remember to enjoy this time.

The super-parent mentality has to hit the road! With young children in the house you have to get rid of the expectations and realize that you can not do it all! All those extra projects, huge organizing overhauls, leadership roles at church, and volunteering opportunities, they will be there next year. Toddlers require extra attention and they provide you with plenty of interruptions that leave you feeling like you haven’t finished everything that you wanted to. Enjoy the toddler years while you have them. Think of them as boot-camp with snuggle perks.

Here are some ways I cope with streamlining my life while we have a toddler in the home:

1. When you want to have a sacred teaching slot of 30 minutes, pop in that educational video or a clalssic Little Bear, Winnie the Pooh, or Blues Clues. One video is not going to corrupt your child, contrary to popular belief. The tv should not babysit your child by any means, but a short video a day can be a looked forward to part of your toddlers routine.
2. Nap time needs to be the time where you get most of your teaching done. Or, it can be time to pull out those messy projects that the little guy or gal would just demolish. Do NOT, under any circumstance leave the house during nap time. You will just put the rest of the family under fire with a tired toddler in the evening. Also, you will be loosing your valuable teaching time. Remember it’s a season! You can work errands, get-togethers etc.. around the naps.
3. Keep a special bin or basket of toys to occupy the toddler during “school time”. Plan on rotating this bin with another one you keep stashed away in the closet with other toys that you are giving a rest. When you pull this out it will feel like brand new toys again.
4. Let your toddler play with the math manipulatives, draw on the chalkboard (or wipey board), put alphabet letters on something metal and play with puzzles on the floor next to you while you teach. They like to be close to mom and you can take a few minutes to interact with them here and there. This season of interruptions is a short one, so don’t get frustrated. They are an important part of your family too.
5. Schedule time each day where everyone gets a “turn with the tot”. This will give you another time slot that you can devote to another child that needs your attention. Have an emerging reader read to him or her. Or, if you trust an older child then let them get out the playdoh. Duplos, peg boards, lacing games, stacking blocks, a sand box, water toys and special coloring books are other things that can come out during this time, that older kids may enjoy too.
   
6. Let the little guy, or gal, sit on your lap while you teach. Take the time to enjoy the snuggle. I have many scribbles on my books because of this and I look back on them and smile. You can always whisper nursery rhymes in their ear while you wait for the sibling to complete their work or you can steal a second away.
7. Toddlers learn so much from their siblings by watching them. And they learn a lot by listening to the words they are exposed to, often mimicking everything they hear. Talking to a toddler increases their vocabulary when they are ready to use it. I like to talk, about everything I am doing when a little tot is around. The verbal interaction helps them see that you are paying attention to them.

Having older children mixed in with little ones offers a challenge for homeschooling families, but it is a time to try your hand at a schedule so that you know you are spending time with everyone. Read here for a review about a recommended resource that I use to schedule our days. It’s also a great opportunity for older ones to rise up and take on more responsibilities that are priceless and cannot be learned in a traditional school setting.

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