Several units from The Good and the beautiful...really like it! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Another idea would be to look at either Layers of Learning or The Good and the Beautiful which has more of unit studies instead of one year in the same history area.

I have taught all three of my sons Latin (though I didn't know it at all when we started out 8 years ago) using Latin for Children followed by Latin Alive. I tried Latina Christiana but didn't like the cd recording's accent at that time (very southern). Our process was to watch the video on the first day of the week and do the chants together and discuss any grammar concepts. Then on T, W, Th we do the chant aloud (takes 5 mins) together, then the student does the memory work and an activity page (cross words and games of that type). On Thursday I usually do a larger piece of translation using the Libellus Historia (history reader), Friday is the chant and quiz. Classical Academic Press also has online free vocabulary games for each of their products if the student needs extra practice. I have been very happy with Latin for Children and will be in LFC Primer C with my youngest son this upcoming year. My oldest son took two years of Latin in highschool and made A's without much effort.

When my kids were a little younger I tried Wayfarers by Barefoot Meandering and loved it! Wayfarers is a mix of Charlotte Mason and Classical. I've tried alot of the different curricula out there and this was my favorite by far. You can combine any ages but it's understood that there are things that can't be combined..you can keep everyone on the same topics in history, science, bible, nutrition, poetry, music and art they break apart for their own math, english/grammar, personal reading, and language study. She has free samples to view on her website that show the full lists of book selections (I love that there are choices and options but nothing is required!). Full disclosure - I am selling Ancient History on the for sale board. :P

A Morning Basket time could be just the thing, for instance, a music/hymn study, nature/art/poetry, also geography. Reading Children Like Me or Material World along with other resources to study the people of wherever you are reading in your history or social studies. Monday - Poem of the week (you could have youngers color a simple picture to go with it), study a type of plant that grows in your area (could be pictures or a walk in the neighborhood) Tuesday - Aesop's fable (coloring for younger), listen to a pc of classical music (pick a composer and study several of his pieces) I used SQUILT for this and liked it. Wednesday - review the poem of the week, read from Geography (I also like the Ann Voskamp style -Child's Geography of the World -for short readings that I like to corelate to my history study), Material World or something the kids can relate to Thursday - review classical composer/composer study, listen to music Friday - Poetry review, drawing with children (maybe draw the plant you studied or something that ties in) You set up your morning basket with things like this plus any extras that you want in your family such as morning devotionals, read alouds from other school work, Charlotte Mason hymn studies, whatever you like! Then combine all the kids for read alouds, history (older children would be expected to produce more in narrations or w/e) and can even combine in science just expecting deeper understanding or produced work from older students.

I went through something similar with my Aspie son about two years ago when he was 16. Both dh and I talked to him about the warping of values and our concerns but also talked to him about normal sexual development. At that time we removed the computer from his bedroom (again). Just in the last week we moved the computer back to his room. He is 18 now and starting community college in the fall, the room where it previously was gets pretty warm during the summer in Florida. But he knows that if he lives in our house he still has to follow our rules regarding no pornography. So I'm giving him room but also will check in occasionally. I would agree with pp that my Aspie is emotionally and socially 2-3 years delayed while intellectually quite advanced so it's always a balancing act.

I've used this over the last few years, it helps my blonde and gray roots look less brassy. https://www.amazon.com/Clairol-Shimmer-Lights-Original-Shampoo/dp/B000TC0LFS/ref=sr_1_5_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1494677812&sr=1-5&keywords=purple%2Bshampoo%2Bfor%2Bblonde%2Bhair&th=1

My older boys (17 & 14) both have fine motor problems and have not learned cursive, my oldest has ASD and middle son has sensory issues. So handwriting is something I haven't really focused on with them, just doing the basics and making sure both can type. My youngest is 10, will be doing 5th grade work. He has some handedness issues (he writes with his left and isn't sure what to do with other things, mostly uses right - as do I) but has better fine motor control than his brothers. K-1st we homeschooled, he was delayed with his reading but I finally got him reading and doing a little writing. Then I taught at a small private school for two years where he had a nice teacher but she didn't focus on his handwriting or any particular program. We did 4th grade at home this past year and I've tried several different workbooks/programs to improve his writing without much success (HWOT and dimestore books). I'm interested in Getty Dubay Italics/Cursive (I'm using Easy Classical for history and I like their matching copybooks that were just released today!). I looked at the Getty Dubay website and was wondering if there are any recommendations for learning GD with an older student, do you need to start with Book A? or use the adult version (Write Now) with blackline practice pages? Other ideas?

My oldest son (Aspie 17) has been taking Vyvanse for the past 4 years. He initially started with too high of a dose (40mg) and had a bad reaction, after seeing a psychiatrist she reduced his dosage to 20mg and he stayed on that for about 3 years. He was recently moved up to 30mg because he was having more trouble with attention and focus. The vyvanse started working very quickly. Watch for depression, mania (too high of a dosage), also possible hives or rash..that would be a sure sign that you should stop the meds immediately. Hope it works for you!

I have another difficult MIL here, dh is her only child and furthermore he was raised by his father and step-mother, MIL only had him every other weekend. But she still thinks she knows it all, how to raise kids, what I should do ... She lived with us for 10 (?) months a while back and finally I had to tell my husband that she had to move and if he had a problem with it he could get an apartment with her and was welcome to see the kids whenever he wanted. Couldnottakeitanymore! We never threaten stuff like that but I didn't know what else to do at that point. She cried every time he brought up the not getting along and her needing to move (she planned to stay a month or two until she found a job, but she was too good for the only kinds of jobs she qualified for). Anyway, she left behind tons of boxes when she left and I had to be on the receiving end of her deciding whenever she would/could drive down to get them. I just made plans with the kids and smiled in passing as we left. I don't go out of my way to start fights but I simply choose not to be involved in her drama. I've tried talking to her and she truly doesn't understand what my problem is. Taking care of myself means that I have chosen to avoid her whenever I can. I encourage my husband to visit with her occasionally, take her out to dinner, buy holiday cards and even let her have the kids now and then (which we have to finance because she is living on the results of poor life choices), but that's what I can live with myself. Hang in there and good luck getting your boxes in the house without killing anyone!

Or chips if you need to keep it simple! :)

I would recommend that you look into Charlotte Mason - the idea is having the kids spend lots of time outside and listening to good books, poetry, learn songs and folk tales. The older children definitely do need some time spent doing math but it can be as simple as them helping you count fruit for your smoothies, helping with the shopping. Basic number knowledge, addition and subtraction. Play Uno and other board games, let the oldest two help with the scoring. Junior Monopoly - teach them to be the banker. :) Doing arts and crafts are a good way to develop hand strength and fine motor control. There are lots of (free) resources online, Ambleside Online gives reading lists, Simply Charlotte Mason sells pdf's and printed curricula. Mostly enjoy this time as best you can, expose them to lots of good words and literature and let them play and explore nature. :)

Gravitas Press - RS4K (for grammar or middle school), they have it by subject or grade level (called Building Blocks of Science). ElementalScience.com R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey - Pandia Press MrQ - eequalsmcq.com

I'm considering using the Building Blocks of Science this fall with my upcoming 5th grader. I've found it for sale at Rainbow Resources ($109.95 for text, lab book and teacher's manual) and at GravitasPress.com (134.00 with text lab book and teacher's manual plus lesson plans and quizzes). Has anyone used Building Blocks of Science that can speak to whether the lesson plans are useful? Thanks!

Hi guys, I'm trying to figure out what to do with my upcoming fifth grader for next year. His older brothers are covered, one in virtual school, the other in a two day a week prep school for 9th grade. So I won't be integrating multiple children this year. We are doing Year 2, Medieval in history, Read alouds that go with that and geography reading scheduled from Wayfarers. I was considering doing RS4K Focus on Middle School Astrology and Geology (Fall/Spring) but wondered if anyone had tried RS4K Building Blocks of Science that has 4 chapters per science topic (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astrology, Geology) and goes over the whole year. I guess it's part of the question of studying many different topics in younger grades vs immersion in one topic. This year we have done almost nothing but Botany/Biology and it's been tolerable but I don't think particularly memorable or interesting for my kids. Thoughts?