Homeschooling with Multiple Ages #hsreviews

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know I have several kids.  I have nine kids to be exact.  And I homeschool, well except the baby who is our distraction.   So, what is the key to homeschooling with multiple ages?  Trust me when I say I’d love to have it myself!  It’s hard work!  Recently I was included in a review through the TOS Crew of an ebook from Preschoolers and Peace.  That just sounds almost oxymoronic at first glance.  I mean, do you really have peace when you’re homeschooling a preschooler?  The ebook Preschoolers and Peace: Homeschooling older kids with success while loving the little ones at your feet   is our review item and an awesome one at that.

Just the book title made me jump up and down and hope I got chosen for the review.  

There is a chapter at the end of the book about meal planning.  I loved that.  I know for me it is so true.  If you don’t make yourself a master plan, you’re scrambling around and feeding your family things that they don’t really need or that aren’t healthy.  Even if you don’t always follow it meal by meal, you have it and you know what you’re doing!  Life becomes much easier and less stressful at least where mealtime is concerned.

Interested in what the other chapters are about?  Take a peek here!

• What a Homeschooling Mom Needs
• Preparing Yourself to Homeschool Older Kids with Little Ones Underfoot
• Planning around Preschoolers
• How do I Keep Them Busy?
• What Does a 2 Year Old’s Day Look Like?
• How Do I Get Any Preschooling Done?
• How Not to Just Kill Time
• Circle Time: Or How We Pull the Little Ones In
• Preschool Boys
• When All Your Kiddos are Preschoolers
• Preschool Chores
• Planning for Preschool
• When Mama is Worn Out (or Pregnant)
• Meal Planning 101

This is such an awesome list of topics!  The chapters are short and easy to read.  You can read just one at a time and only take a few minutes out of your day.  They do not need to be read in order, but you can if you want to.  

Kendra Fletcher is a mother of 8 ages 20 down to 5 so she knows exactly what she’s talking about.  I know I struggle sometimes with homeschooling my kids.  I have 9 ages 9 and under.  My youngest is only 16 months.  She’s our little stink who likes to climb on desks and chairs and get totally in the way.  She makes us laugh but also keeps us from getting done what we need to.  My school is crazy!  I have two kiddos in 3rd grade, 2 in a combo of first and second, two in kindergarten, and two in preschool.  I loved her suggestions for ways to keep the kids busy and am going to be implementing some in our school while I was already doing some of the others.  I really enjoyed viewing the day of a 2 year old as well.

The last chapter I really want to say anything about here is the one on what to do when Mama is worn out or pregnant.  I have homeschooled through three pregnancies at this point and I can tell you it’s hard.  I also have days where I am utterly exhausted when I wake up due to adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues.  I love that this is tackled in the book.  I also say that every mama who homeschools should read this chapter.  You don’t have to be pregnant to be worn out and use some of the advice here.

 

Obviously, by now you know that this is an ebook.  It can be purchased for $2.99 and well for an age limit I’d say you should be a mom.  If you want to get specific it is written for moms who homeschool a range of ages.  Now, that being said, I think any mom can read this book and glean things from it that will apply to their life.  You don’t have to necessarily be a homeschooling mom to take advantage of the wisdom inside this book.  

And remember homeschooling with multiple ages can be tricky, but it’s not a reason to lose your sanity.  I think you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did.  

Interested in learning more?  Check out Preschoolers and Peace on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, and YouTube.  You can also head on over to the Main Crew Blog Post to see what other members thought when they read it as well.