Time management help - re homework!

[BookwormBetty]

Hi there, hoping someone/anyone can offer advice!

I've got 3 beautiful boys eldest started reception in sept, second just turned 3 so not at nursery til jan and baby is 7mths old. Basically I'm struggling to find any time with my eldest to do homework, namely reading and writing. He really doesn't want to do it, when he comes home he just wants to play with his brother which is understandable as they are only 16mths apart and are quite close. I'm trying to get youngest 2 in bed a bit earlier so we can do some before bed but it's not ideal as he is tired I am stressed and baby has probs getting wind up so is taking forever to settle. Also, he has the worst concentration in the world when we eventually do try. If he hasn't got his hand down his pants he's fiddling with his clothes or feet! Argh! Any advice welcome please! Thanks x

Oh forgot to say its just me during the wk as hubby works away from home...

Ahhh, I have this trouble also. 4dds. Dd1 in y1 and dd2 in reception. Dd3 2yrs and dd4 9months. When dd1was in reception, we used to do it early in the morning as she woke up earlier than the rest like me. It's a little trickier now with dd4 up early also, and dd1 has an enormous amount of homework. She's a nov baby and a little more able, so I can let her do sections of her homework eg numeracy, literacy; in the mornings. But really we try and snatch time, wherever. I check up on her, she asks questions when she needs, but she can do it while the other dds are fighting drawing at the table. Dd2 is harder. She is a July baby, needs more help with reading and is a little more reluctant. Dh try's to take her aside on occasion to read her reading book away from other dds, otherwise I am trying to do it when I have occupied the others.

I will watch this thread with interest!

Hello bookwormBetty

I am a childminder of seven and I have four kids of my own. Time is taken up with lots to do.

I know when they are young its not always easy, especially when as mums we can get very tired. I have three boys. My youngest sometimes does not want to do homework. Whilst I am cm ding I let him have time to play. Weekend is probably much better as he is not so tired.

Once your son comes home from school he is tired. You also have to remember that he has to follow a time table during the day. When he is home he wants to chill. It may be an idea to do a little reading one day and spread it out over a period of days. You may have to let the younger one play together and take him aside for a short period of time. Why not get some reward sticker to encourage him along the way.

You also have to ensure you get lots of sleep especially having three children. From my experience boys can be very physical.

Have you got a friend or family memebers who could help you out during the week?

I share the reading sometimes with my youngest son.

When my children were this age, they were encoursged to read to their younger siblings. Of course I was helping them, but it made them feel grown up and sometimes also engaged the younger ones in listening.

As the age gap is so small between your oldest two, could you 'set some homework' for the 3 year old to do and then sit them both down at the same time to do their work? Just something like sorting all the blue bricks out of a pile of coloured bricks, or colouring a picture. Whatever he is capable of. This may also head off the 3 year old being reluctant to do homework, when the time comes.

Let them all have time to unwind once the oldest gets home from school and maybe do it at whatever time is calmest in your house. For me it was straight after tea, whilst they were still sitting at the table. They had a little bit of desert after their meal and the rest after their work was done.

Whatever you decide to do I highly recommend a routine that you stick to. It does get easier over time, as they get used to it.

Does your youngest have a third nap in the day? I used to do morning, large after lunch nap, then 30 mins at 4/4.30 when they were this age ( until around 1 year)

Could you pop baby down for 20/30 min nap, then do the reading together with elder two (3year old can listen in to 4 year old reading), then maybe he can look at the book himself for 5/10 mins whilst 4 year old does the writing next to him with you. That way the 3 year old will feel included also.

In a few months time when baby gives up that later nap then they will already be in a routine of doing that and baby can play alone for a while or sit on your lap and listen in also

I'm working ft and struggle with this too. Get in at 5.45 and relieve nanny. Get them all in bath and baby in bed by 7pm. Sit ds2 and 3 in telly and ds1 reads with me - he's tired and not ideal but that's the only option. Ds2 often wants to do 'homework' which is book reading after Ds1 so once were thru this they're in bed by 8. I'm worried for ds2 starting school as his concentration shocking so proper homework at 7.30 will be hard. Don't do anything at weekend. Feel guilty about homework. Teacher had a go other week saying she understood I worked but 7pm was too late for homework and nanny needed to do it after school - whilst also looking after 4 kids one of which is a barnacle baby and cooking the tea! I honestly don't think there's much of a solution to this one.

Could you nanny cook after lunch during babys nap? Then after school pick up she could concentrate on homework and just reheat what she cooked.

( also a nanny of 4, all under 3 so no school but still late afternoons are hectic so I cook/ and batch cook whilst they all nap)

I have 4 under 7 and the eldest 2 are at school and get homework. Toddler is almost 3 and baby 10 months. DH not home until 6.30 (half the time) so just as they are going up for bath stage. I have found it best to do DD1's homework in the big of calm just after dinner. Baby is happy to crawl about floor or in playpen, toddler and DD2 play or watch tv. DD1 happy to do it with the promise of scooby doo after before bed!

Trying to fit in DD2's just after we pick up DD1 from school. DD2 finishes an hour earlier so she has had a bit of a rest. It is a juggling act but we get there. Dinner has to be planned and prepared by lunchtime or it is really chaos!

We have a similar situation - DS1 is 4.9 and in reception, DD is 3.2 and DS2 1.3. I have started doing it at bathtime - youngest two in the bath, and DS1 and I do reading / maths stuff sitting on the loo seat / bathroom step. He then gets a bit longer at the end of the bath whilst I get the youngest out and dressed. Our main problem is that DD is dying to learn to read and frequently calls out the correct answer (when we are ever-so-slowly blending) before DS1........

It is an issue - but some of it might be down to the fact that your eldest is still very small!!

Ditch the homework in favour of family inclusive literacy activities. So less worksheet and more phonics silliness around the dinner table (acting out jolly phonics, alliteration).

Read lots & lots for pleasure. Sit them all around you & prompt your DS to supply the word when he can.

Fridge magnets; cutting out letters out of magazines.

I find with a big family you need to 'double up' the educational benefits to fit it all in - so much more efficient if your eldest 2 are both being supported (less to do next year)