We had a great fellowship meeting last night! It was so good to see friends after a summer off.
One of the questions that came up is, "When you are working with one child, how do you deal with your other children needing your attention at that same time?"
One mom shared an idea of setting time blocks allotted to each child. For example, 9-11 is when she might work with her youngest, with the older children working independently until it is their time with mom.
We do something similar in our house. I set 30 minute increments in which I am scheduled to do a specific subject with a specific child. This year, from 9-9:30, I am scheduled to do math with my youngest; then from 9:30-10, Chemistry with my junior, etc.
In the three weeks since we have started school, we have probably done Chemistry at 9:30 possibly three times. However, this is not a problem at all. If my Chemist needs me at a time when I am not working with his sister, I am glad to help him. However, if my Chemist comes to me while I am working with her, I simply point to the schedule and say, "This is my time to work with your sister on her writing. When I am done with that, I will be glad to help you."
No fights. No having to make a spur of the moment decision about whom to help first. The schedule is there. We set it together at the beginning of the year, so there is nothing to get upset about. (Not that that doesn't ever happen, but that is a story for another blog.)
