Homeschooled Children Vie for Parent's Attention

I've been homeschooling my boys in third and sixth grade together at the dining-room table. The problem is that they are constantly fighting for my attention. Any suggestions? - First Year Homeschooler
Answer: Homeschooling different ages at the same time is a common situation for home-educating families. And just like in other family situations when a parent's attention is on one child, the other one often tends to interfere and share in the attention. Here are some recommendations to try from Tamra Orr, a homeschooling mother of four and author of several books on homeschooling:
1. Work with them at different times. The average child only needs 1 to 2 hours, depending on age, of one-on-one time with a parent. Schedule something else for one child during the time you work with another.
2. Have the older one teach material to the younger one to get them both involved.
3. Consider teaching the same material to both children at the same time. Use appropriate materials for each age level.
4. Use the time you are working with one child to let the other do something that he especially enjoys.
5. Teach them at completely different times. Some children do better in the morning, afternoon or evening, so cater your lessons around their styles.
6. Wait until their dad gets home, and let him work with one child while you work with the other.