Distractions

I think that the hardest part of homeschooling is the distractions:

• babies needing to be fed, changed, and played with (I don't mind this distraction!)
• toddlers needing to be kept out of trouble
  
• housework to be done (the house gets much messier when you are actually sitting in it all day long!)
• phone calls and emails that need to be answered
• doctor's appointments
• errands that need to be run during the day
• and all of the unexpected little things that happen every day :)

I am trying to deal with this by setting the time aside for school and letting everything else take the back burner. It's hard though to sit in the house and ignore the phone or leave the dirty dishes on the counter.

My biggest distraction from school during the day is keeping Nick busy. I think that it is just going to be a challenge during the current school year. By next fall, he should be old enough to keep himself busy and out of trouble (I hope!) I hate to call him a distraction though. He is my darling little son and I love him dearly. He just doesn't seem to want to hang out with us much while we're doing schoolwork. I just wish he could keep himself occupied for at least a half hour at a time without getting into something that he isn't supposed to be in :) He is definitely a curious little boy!

I am used to the distractions and I try to work around them.

Kate on the other hand is struggling with this. She has a very hard time focusing when there is any other noise or activity going on.

Someone is always talking or moving in our house and it really frustrates her.

She needs to be near me so that I can help her with her work as needed, but the baby is usually with me (unless she's sleeping) and Nick has to be nearby so that I can watch him. Ellie and Lexie need help occasionally also, so while I am explaining something to them, she can't work on what she is doing. I don't know how to solve this problem. Any suggestions??