Homeschooling with babies need not be cause for upset. Take a look how we have managed adding our little ones into homeschooling lifestyles.


Homeschooling with babies need not be cause for upset. Take a look how we have managed adding our little ones into homeschooling lifestyles.

When a homeschool welcomes a new baby into it we all go through a period of adjustment. Mom is tired from night feeds, the toddler is a little uncertain of the new arrival or the opposite like our third child who practically swamped our infant with love and needed constant supervision.

Older children still have academic, social and sporting goals. The wisest thing to do is to pre-empt the birth by getting to a desired point in your program so that you can take a 4 – 6 week break from Maths and Phonics.

I do caution moms who are homeschooling with babies to not expect too much from their first months. This is a time for all to settle into new roles and find out a rhythm that works for your family. Our children are only young and free for a small period of their lives and we need to allow them this time to see with their own eyes and discover with their own hands.

The greatest sadness is not to savor each moment of their babyhood in wishing the time away until they are walking or talking or sitting or grown. I have made it my goal never to regret the season I am in with my children. So when I saw friends who no longer had babies in their homeschools doing things and achieving much more than I in terms of unit studies, crafts and projects, I said to myself, "Our time will come, but for now I will enjoy the season I am in."

Use your time effectively

Link feeding times for baby with reading to the older ones from fables, history or chapter books, allows for much of the listening work to be covered. Many moms allow the younger ones to play with Lego or other construction toys whilst reading.

Mine prefer all to snuggle in next to me on our big couch.

Another time to double up on is when older children need to read aloud to you. This can be done this whilst preparing a meal, cleaning out a cupboard, or changing a nappy.

When babies are small they can be occupied in the schoolroom when not needing to be in your arms. Set up a camp cot with a mobile and baby gym.

I also set up an additional changing area so that I could continue to listen or talk to the children whilst changing baby's nappy. Little ones enjoy lying in the midst of voices and movement

Other ideas for homeschooling with babies

1. First fill baby up with love and cuddles and read a board book.
2. Stagger teaching the older children so the first finished get to play with baby while you am busy with the others.
3. Finger Snacks for those on solids – carefully watched by you.
4. A morning nap
5. Be sure to visit my new baby and toddler site to see my list of activities that you can do with your baby.

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