Really impressed with BrillKids and look forward to everyone’s input in the Forum.
First Question: If I have Reading, Math and Music software that’s six lessons a day, correct? What is the best way to manage that?
Thanks.
Welcome! We’re glad you’re here, too.
The Little Musician software actually only has one lesson per day, so it’s only five. But that doesn’t change the issue. I’ll admit, I only show Little Reader (LR) and Little Math (LM) once a day. I know twice would be better, but once does work. So that’s always an option. In my house, we have “Kidschool” a little after breakfast every morning, before we head out to do whatever is planned for the day. Each child gets about five minutes of reading and math time with Mom. (I have just spent the previous hour milking our goats and doing other chores while the kids have free play time, so they’re excited to get time with me.) For my one-year-old, those five minutes are LR and LM, and my older two usually watch over our shoulders. (My two-year-old does Starfall and online counting games, and my four-year-old reads a book with me and does math based on Crewton Ramone’s House of Math or Khan Academy reviews.) Then we all do Little Musician together.
I know that the programs were designed so that working parents could show one lesson in the morning before work and one in the evening after work. I know some members have had a lot of success doing it over meals, when the kids were in the high chair. That would be up to 10 minutes in the morning and 15 at night (or vice versa). Or right before or after meals works well; it just helps to tie it to something you do every day so you remember.
If you’ve read Glen Doman’s work, you might consider splitting up the lessons; he’s very strong on the idea of many short lessons. That doesn’t work with my older kids; they get annoyed by doing something many times for a very short period. But I have done short lessons with the babies when I use Elimination Communication, which means that I set my babies on a potty when I think they need to go rather than just letting them use their diaper and then changing them. Once they can sit up independently, it works well to show them some educational material while they’re on the potty. I usually used physical cards for this because I didn’t want to have my computer in the bathroom (and I won’t do it if I have to go get the materials), but all three programs are made up of many short segments, and you could watch one or two each time they sat on the potty. Or something else you do regularly in one place. Maybe one segment before and after each book you read or game you play or Duplo tower you construct.
I appreciate your thorough answer with very useful suggestions! Thank you very much!