What would you do homeschoolers?

Question

I began homeschooling my 9 year old in Oct of this year. I used the curriculum from the school she was in. She will be done in 2 weeks about 2.5 months ahead of her classmates. I think I wanna start an early summer break with her at that time. I have her books already for next year and was thinking we could do little bits here and there over summer break to keep her mind sharp and ready for next year, but I strongly believe a child should have a summer break. Especially in Illinois where the summer is way too short anyway. Would you do this or school right on through summer risking a major burnout for your kid. If schooled right on through she'd be done with 5th by the time her friends started, which sounds good, but at the same time....who cares? In the big picture why would being ahead really matter, she will still be able to go to college if she wants, and will be less stressed I think if she gets good time for just being a kid. Agree....... dissagree?

Answer 1

Definitely give her a break; numerous education studies have shown the necessity of giving kids a way to avoid burnout.

However...

If you give a total break from now until September, it will probably be hard for her to adjust to doing work again, plus she will have forgotten a great deal.

A better way is to take a total break for at least a few weeks (a month is probably better) but then start doing some work with her again. And keep in mind, you don't have to do full days or do it every day. Say, a day or two a week, maybe half-days only, or you could even be sneaky about it...take her to museums, give her interesting books with an educational component (has she read the "Little House on the Prairie" books yet? I think she's the right age), slip math problems into everyday life (if it is 4pm now and it takes 20 minutes to get to the train station and daddy's train gets in at 5:30, how long can we stay in the toy store?) and do science experiments (you can watch episodes of the Mythbusters with her and get inspired by the experiments that don't involve blowing things up).

There is a happy medium between overscheduling her and saying that you aren't going to do anything educational with her for 5 months.

Answer 2

I think that she should have a summer break. There are some things that she can do while on break that can go towards her education. maybe she would like to read a book or two and have her tell you about them just like it was a verbal book report. Just because it is not at a desk does not mean she cannot stop learning. Home school is a way for you and your child to connect and do things that she enjoys and make it a learning experience for her.

Answer 3

We're in IL also.  We school year-round, but we take a long break from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, and anytime we need one due to illness.  In the summer we do "fun" curriculum work - music, science projects, history projects, etc.

My son and I do best if we don't have a long summer break.  His sister is in PS and in summer school, so while she's gone we do continue some math and spelling work, but we also do the fun stuff.  Also, DS has 6 weeks filled up with camps and 2 weeks with family vacations.

We find if we totally halt "structured learning", it's too hard to get back "in the groove" in fall.  We do a LOT of learning on our vacations - attending museums, National Park places, etc.

It's just going to be your call.  My son is on grade level with some courses, and others he's 5 years ahead.  I don't stress over it - he'll get what he needs when he needs it.  We don't compare grade levels to PS children.

Answer 4

She should definately have a break.

Coming from a 16 year old that had to do 2 solid years of high school without a break. I did a homeschool program called Penn Foster High School. It's a mail-in cirriculum.

It's a self paced program. Meaning that I could do it in 1 year or 5. I started it when I was 14 and I was forced by my parents to get done with it in 2 years. I finished excatly on my 16th b-day. I didn't have much of a break.

Breaks are very vital to the growth of any kid. I was over-worked and I didn't have much fun at all. Give your daughter all the break you think she deserves.

Answer 5

Children need time to be just that: children. she's nine years old, and should be permitted to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and experience the joy of being a kid while the weather is nice.

Time enough to be indoors when the temperature cools, and fall then winter return.

I have never been a fan of year-round schooling--whether public, private, or otherwise.

Hope I helped.

God bless you. †

Answer 6

She definitely needs time to be a kid. Im a 15 year old boy and I couldnt really imagine being homeschooled. Its really different because your away from the general population of children. I think you 9 yr old should have fun during the summer. As long as      

your child is on the same pace as the public school children then everythings okay.

Answer 7

You don't have to keep doing school to keep her mind sharp.

Watch documentaries and do some light stuff to prepare her for the year ahead so you can finish early.

But, a kid needs a break.

Answer 8

Let her be a kid.

Answer 9

I do agree -- I have a gifted 6 year old and I have just let her be as free and easy as anything because there is no rush to stop being a fairy in the garden!  Even so, she astounds us with her insight. I have not pushed -- she taught herself to read and to write (all 3 of my kids did this).

Let me add this:  If your child feels like studying, let her study! You could do a unit study that is easy to do outdoors!  We studied American Indians and there are lots of outdoor activity lessons like tracking, observation, bird identification -- no pencils and papers required!  You can wrap up the unit with a campfire pow-wow, cooking indian foods.

Answer 10

I would Take a Break. And if she feels like it, let her do a page or two. Like on rainy days when she can't play out side... Thats what I do...

Answer 11

It is up to her and how she would handle it, she does needs a break but if she wants to work a little here and there, then get the head start.

Answer 12

I know what you mean about short summers.  After a long winter my kids are ready for a break when spring gets here.  

We usually scale way back by mid-May.   That way they can enjoy the spring after spending so much time indoors.   By mid-June they are finished for the summer.   They head to summer camps and such.

However, I find that by August they are bored so we start with math again.   I find that's the subject that they forget the fastest.    

We homeschool for the freedom it gives us so nothing is written in stone.   If we want breaks during the year we take them.   In summer their friends of off school and they play together 12 hours a day just about.   That's what summer is all about.  *grin*

Answer 13

I'd move on ahead but give her a normal summer break.

Answer 14

Don't be as structured in the summer.  Maybe do a couple lessons that are really short to keep her mind sharp.  Do more what is called unschooling for the summer & see how that goes for you.  Use all the adventures you have to learn about the world  & summer.

Answer 15

agree

Answer 16

Give her a summer break!!!! She has obviously been working hard enough. A break can also be an educational experience, u can take her to the museum and art galleries ect. This will be a good bonding time and keep your childs mind 'sharp.' Don't forget she is a kid, if u push her to hard during primary years and highschool she will be over studying and not wanna go on to college ect. Also don't race her ahead of her peers because it is important she can still form relationships and hav friends even though she is not at school. My cuz was home schooled and is now afraid to go out in public because she never socialised as a kid (she is sociophobic.)

Answer 17

We prefer to take sporadic short breaks from structured work throughout the year to prevent burn-out, rather than one long summer break where it makes it difficult to get back on track and kids forget things.

But breaks are definitely necessary.

Of course, there are also lots of active, hands-on activities that are educational as well, maybe you can pursue some of this fun stuff if the summer break seems a little too long-- nature hikes with a field guide, or taking up candy making a couple of times a week in the kitchen, or going to a lot of plays or planting a small herbal container garden or building bird houses. Things like that fill in the gaps, keeping one sharp without burning one out.

Answer 18

Hi I am an eleven year old girl and my younger sister is a year ahead. She doesn't have very many friends her age but all the friends she does have her age are always a grade behind her so when her and her friends are at gatherings of some sort and our divided by grade they are not together and thus well I will just say it can be hard.

   Also summer can be educational. Let her explore things, search for a nice hobby, take her on FUN field trips.

  Summer can also be boring and just a time to forget everything you learn so I think if you do do school in the summer it should be a very small amount.



My advice is do a small amount of school once in a while not each day and only about an hour at a time. Take her on field trips and let her participate in clubs, summer camps, and other group educational activities.

Answer 19

Feel it out. Trust your intuition. If she's ready for a break, give her a break. If she gets a little bored, have a few classes. A good summer break in my area is full of swimming, camps, trips to the lake, etc. Sometimes we pause to read a book, but not at the expense of great summer activities. Keep up the good work. You are doing great!

Answer 20

You're only a kid once. If the break isn't going to be that long, she should definitely enjoy it to the fullest. It takes a while for brains to turn to mush ;) --and if she's enjoying stimulating activities like outdoor stuff, a hobby club, or something like that, it'll take even longer.