A couple of questions about Tutors and television.

[Amandoh]

My DS3 will be three in March. We've decided that we're going to keep him out of mainstream schooling (For the early years at least) and home ed instead.

My two older boys (Now 12 and 15) both studied with a tutor once a week for a couple of months but it became a bit of a battle as neither liked the extra homework they had to do on top of the homework they were already getting from school so we stopped the sessions.

I wonder though if one or a couple of sessions a week with a tutor might be a good way of giving DS3 a "dip" into structured learning with a qualified teacher so that senior school won't be such a huge shock to him. Do other home edders do this?

My other question is about the television. Do you have set times when it's on? Having two older siblings in the house means that DS3 has easy access to the tv and he often wants to watch the same crap cartoons programmes that DS2 watches. DS3 is now in the habit of turning on the tv as soon as he comes downstairs in the morning. He doesn't really sit and watch it though but gets upset if I turn it off. I know that I won't get his full attention with a television on in the background and will have to limit the amount of time it's on. I'm just wondering what the tv rules are in other home ed households?

[mumtoo3]

i personally would not have a tutor for him, but it is up to you my son is 3 at the end of the month and we are heing him, we are doing devotions for 5 min a day, 10 min of number work, 10 min of letter work, art when he wants, nature study once a week, and he can join in with his sister whos nearly six when ever he likes

we have tele time and they start the day with 30 minute free tv time and if they play up they have a minute taken off, it works really well and it encourages them to work together to keep there minutes during there breaks they can have tv on, my choice of programme, but whilst work is done there is no tv, they have imaginative toys out even our 13 month old baby is getting the hang of it now she plays aliens!

hth mt3 x

[Amandoh]

Thanks for replying Mumtoo3.

I think that when DS3 and I start our home ed program (Whatever that may be. I'm off to the library on Monday for more info) then I shall turn the tv off or take him into another room. I think I'll have to be careful not too make too much of a fuss about it though as generally he wants what he knows he can't have.

[Kayteee]

We've tried a few tutors, which we've "shared" with some other H.E families.
I wouldn't plan too much now though, just concentrate on having fun with your child. If, over the years, your ds3 shows a particular enthusiasm for something maybe you could look into getting a tutor then (if it's something you can't help him with)?
Tbh, though, my 2 prefer getting stuck in to things themselves. They're 8 and 12 now and we've been HomeEdding for over 3 years. It just seems to unfold as you go along really. "Teach Your Own" by John Holt is a good book to start with if you want to get a copy.
I don't restrict the T.V too much either. My youngest taught himself to read by playing on World of Warcraft! Sounds crazy, I know, but if they really want to learn something, and you're aware of what that is, you can deal with how to give him that input at the relevant time.
All the best with it. Try to hook up with other HomeEdders if you can too.

[julienoshoes]

Have home educated three children through their teenage years.
The only tutors we have used have been ones the children have asked for-singing/music/guitar teachers.
But then we haven't done any formal work either. Haven't restricted screen time at all.

Still the autonomous, child interest led education we have facilitated, seems to have done us okay. Seems to have got us to the stage where young people have got good A level results/successfully completed first OU course aged 15-about to move onto next one.

[Amandoh]

Kaytee and Julienoshoes ~ Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I'm encouraged to read that not restricting the time the television is on doesn't create a square eyed monster! Our front sitting room doesn't have a tv in so I'll probably take DS3 in there when I want his full attention. I know that turning it off just makes him want to watch it more despite him not really watching it in the first place.

I think the tutor share is a great idea! Especially as he nears senior school age. We'll probably need to use a music tutor quite early on though so that's something I'm going to look into quite soon.

We only decided a few days ago that we wanted to home ed and we're not yet sure whether we'll take the autonomous or more structured route so I'm off to the library this week for some information and will look out for "Teach Your Own".

Kaytee ~ I've seen your thread on the Croydon local board and I'd love to come along if a meet up is organised as I'm just down the road in Caterham.

[musicposy]

We've never used tutors except for dance, ice skating and singing, all of which are things my girls have begged me to do. I'd resent the money if it was English and Maths, tbh.

Screen time, when I first home edded a year and a half ago I said "no TV in school hours". Over time, we relaxed, and now I don't restrict them at all.

What I tend to find is that the TV watching goes in phases which run a natural course as long as I don't get het up over it. For a while, they'll be really into something, then it'll die a natural death and the TV won't go on for weeks. At the moment, DD2 has discovered Spongebob Squarepants and is obsessed with it - she will watch for 6 hours a day without stopping. But I'm betting you that a month down the line, she will have watched it so much she will be bored with it, and sewing or baking or working out the IQ of the cat (yes, really!) will be the obsesssion of the moment.

It was one of Julie's posts that initially pointed me in the direction of letting them watch with no restrictions, and I didn't really believe it at first. But it's true, they will eventually find a balance in their lives - just like adults do. I imagine if someone told me when I could and couldn't watch TV, I'd be watching it as often as I was allowed (and also when I wasn't if I could get away with it). As it is, given completely freee choice, I watch very little. There's no reason to suppose children are different.

[Amandoh]

And what was the cats IQ?

But seriously, thank you for taking the time to reply. I feel much happier now that a few of you have said the same thing about not restricting the television. I was worrying that the tv would become a battleground.

I'm not sure what we'll do about tuturing for English and maths. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see how we get on. Obviously, if I'm struggling to teach him to read then a couple of sessions with a tutor wouldn't do any harm. He's just two though (Three in March) so I have a year or so breathing space.

He can recite the alphabet and can tell you the names of most of the letters when randomly asked so we shall start learning the letter sounds very soon then attempt some reading cards. He does seem to enjoy learning and responds well to praise so I'm hoping that learning to read will come quite easily.

Thanks again to you all for your replies.

[musicposy]

Our cat is apparently pretty thick (according to "How Cunning is your Cat", anyhow). Which is disappointing because I always thought he was quite talented cat and now he has been labelled as at the bottom end of the cat spectrum. He just stalked off with every test DD2 tried and showed a complete lack of interest, giving him a score of nil for most things .

Proof that formal testing isn't for everyone?

I told you I was serious

Your son sounds like he's doing really well, btw. I'd relax (easy to say, I know). Any tutor you engage over any of the next few years would need to make it a lot of fun - you don't want him put off while he's so young.