Let’s face it, all the parents that have had to take on Homeschooling have found themselves in the dilemma of trying to find out where to begin! When I began Homeschooling, I also found myself in a second predicament. I was expecting a Baby. So how did I manage Homeschooling, while pregnant and going through a Pandemic? Here are a few ways, hopefully it will help you, if you find yourself expecting and having to manage other children, as well.
Taking on the Challenge
When it comes to organizing, this is right up my alley. I am a type A personality that can get things done, so why was this such a daunting task? Well, not only was it during a Pandemic and a Lock Down, but it was also new territory for me. I stopped working, became a Stay-at-Home Mom, was pregnant and was now withdrawing my kids from Public Schools. I am an Early Childhood Educator, so I told myself that I had nothing to fear.
In my case, I helped educate Parents with their First Borns, so I had the Baby side of things figured out. It was just the juggling of three different ages and developmental stages that I was unsure of! How do you juggle Homeschooling with a Newborn? Are Mothers just not honest about the struggles? I researched online, but no one really gave details, they just said they Homeschooled with a Newborn. I am detail oriented, so I needed specifics. Here are my details.
Homeschooling Through the Pregnancy
Timing is everything. I got pregnant in January and had just pulled my kids out of school, that month in 2020. Use the flexibility of Homeschooling to your benefit. Whether you choose to Homeschool year round or not, this option works great! I Homeschooled my children, right up until I gave birth. So, we went through the summer and the beginning of a normal public school year.
The kids had no summer break, so I just rearranged the timing of it. After I gave birth, my kids had their “summer break.” This allowed for me to take a break from Homeschooling and also bond with my Newborn. It allowed for me to be able to also heal, physically. The first two months are the toughest, so by the time they had passed, I was ready to get into the school year again.
Managing Nap Time
In the early months, I needed to sleep, while Baby was sleeping. This was to give me the energy I needed for the rest of the day and healing. So, while the Baby and I were napping, I would have my kids work on curriculum that would not require my involvement, until after the nap. I would have them work on their handwriting and switch to reading.
If by then, I wasn’t awake or was tending to the Baby, I had my kids work on their computer learning programs. We do a mixture of Mathematics on worksheets, Math cubes with white boards and also use Math programs on their computers. This allowed for me to focus on the Baby and not have my kids asking me questions. It helped me from getting overwhelmed.
Planning Ahead
During this time, I had the kids also prepare their lunches the night before. We just kept this practice so that I wouldn’t have to be taking up more than 1.5 hours on preparing meals. I give the kids an hour for lunch. They eat and have free play time, until that hour is up. Planning ahead also meant other things. If you have little ones that aren’t able to do this, try getting friends/family or your Husband/Partner to help prepare lunch meals. My method of choice was either using a tray or a sealed container. The trays I purchased at Target and are just like the trays public schools use. I would have them cover it up with Seran Wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Use what works.
Invoking Chores for Help
I also had the kids begin to do chores that they never had to, while in public school. I had them begin to learn how to do their own laundry, wash/dry, fold it and put it away. I also had them do a few other chores around the house like vacuuming and restocking items throughout the house. I was lucky that my kids were able to take their own showers too and get ready for bedtime. It depends on the age of your other kids, but if they are at a spaced out age range, get them involved with new chores that they eventually have to learn and master.
Get Your Workout Mats Out!
While I had to help my kids with the subjects that required Mommy’s help, I would get my workout mat out and have my Baby do tummy time. I moved onto other exercises for my Baby, as she developed. This method allowed for me to be with my Baby and helping her development, while tending to my kids’ learning. Plus, it allowed for the kids to accept the arrival of a new Baby Sister and bond with her, too. It is great for social-emotional skills and also allowed for me to do some core exercises with Baby.
Prepare for Take-Off!
When it came to going to Doctor’s visits, I felt the need to have my kids at least work on something. We prepared their clip boards the night before an appointment. I had them do crossword puzzles, solve “what’s different with the picture” images, read or a subject of their choice, but they couldn’t just be messing around in the car. I wanted to keep their minds proactive, yet fun. I wouldn’t pick something they weren’t looking forward to or I wouldn’t be able to help them with, from behind the wheel.
This kept us on track. I know some Parents are not bothered by Appointment days and that is fine, do what works for you and your family dynamics. I just like the fact that after a while, my children have since then associated a “car ride to the Dentist or Doctor” with Fun! They used to dread it, but now they are showing independence and responsibility for choosing what method of fun and learning they’ll do at the same time.
Get Organized
Knowing that I would be having another Human to look after, made me realize that I needed to get organized. Organizing will look different for everyone, but here’s a look into how I did.
For Baby
I had Postpartum baskets in two of our home bathrooms.
I made sure that I had a Postpartum table available to me at all times, next to my bed. Check out my instagram post to see every item I used.
The nursery was set up and ready by week 37 of my pregnancy.
Set limits on visitations. I had my Baby during the Pandemic Lock Down, so visitations were not happening. It’s important to have friends and family respect your school times because it can distract and throw off your day. I have to have people call ahead to plan their visit. This allows for me to plan the coursework and my Baby’s nap schedule too.
For My Kids
I had my kids get their school supplies organized. We purchased canning jars of different sizes and they organized all their schooling items that could fit. This included markers, crayons, pencils/coloring pencils, erasers, scissors, glue sticks, craft items and any other nick-nacks they had.
We purchased and labeled school folders for each subject material, beforehand. I arranged the rest of the school items in a organizing 8 tub shelf that was easily accessible for either myself or the kids.
For Mom and Dad
For the first two months, Postpartum, we signed up for having our groceries delivered. We placed our order on a mobile app or online and it made all the difference being able to pick and choose a time to have our groceries delivered. It was just until our school schedule was flowing. There’s no right or wrong way to prepare for a new Baby into your family. We found that this worked for our own family dynamics. Hopefully, you can take on some of my tips. By the way…congratulations on your newest Baby!
