Thank you.

I don't have mine yet! Just had a baby 10 days ago :) I second what was said above. Take care of you and your baby. The other kids will be okay.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm going through the recommendations in WTM, getting ready for second grade. Are we supposed to do Zaner-Bloser handwriting AND The Complete Writer (or other writing program)? I did ZB K and 1 during KG, but last year for First grade I just did The Complete Writer. I thought that was all that was needed, but now that I'm reading through again it looks like we're supposed to continue the handwriting along with the writing. :confused: Anybody else doing it "by the book" and can get me straightened out here? I gotta order the books!

I had intended to study Islam through our daily rituals (not make it a "subject" but part of our regular life) and also the Quran and hadith texts, but my son LOVES "I Love Islam"! I bought volume 1 and picked up some of the other volumes free as they were being discarded and he goes through those like they are water! He reads during breakfast, lunch and dinner and reads them in the car. I recommend those books, in addition to of course teaching duas by using them throughout your day, etc.

I'm trying to decide between Gateway to Arabic and Madinah Arabic Reader. I've used V. AbdurRahim's 3-book Madinah series and it was excellent, but I think better for older kids. You also have to have learned to read Arabic before starting. From what I see the Madinah Arabic Reader series is the same. Gateway to Arabic looks like it teaches the alphabet at the beginning. I'm also considering Rosetta Stone Arabic Homeschool edition. It's on sale with the Homeschool Buyer's Co-Op until this weekend. I know many people have problems with RS's methodology, but DS loved the demos he did and I think it would encourage him to practice what we're learning through the books. Even though it's expensive it's still cheaper than paying monthly for Alif Arabic and Studio Arabiya (which I've heard are great, by the way).

To get in on the discount: Sign up for a free membership at https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org The link for the page you want is https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/index.php?option=com_hsbc_epp_order&Itemid=1447&c=1 or find Math Mammoth under "Math" on the left hand side. If you want to use Math Mammoth as your main math curriculum, you'll want the Light Blue series. If you're using it to supplement, you could go with the Blue. mathmammoth.com will explain more about the four different versions. LET'S GET IT TO 50%!!!

Bump. I hope it goes lower too.

Thank you so much for your responses and discussion. I deeply appreciate each and every comment that you all have been sharing from your experiences. Thank you

I think we are finally convinced that our 5-yr. old son may be on the autism spectrum. We have not gone for a diagnosis or anything yet but I'm scared they will tell me I need to enroll him in FT public school for therapy. I've been committed to homeschooling since he was 18 months old. We just formally started this year and he is doing fine at home. Following the Well-Trained Mind recommendations, he has learned reading and writing. If he needs therapy, of course free is wonderful but obviously there are numerous drawbacks to the PS system and that's why we don't want our kids there. I also think the one-on-one method homeschooling provides keeps his attention much better than a public school would. Does a child with autism HAVE to be in PS? Are there families here who HS their child with autism? Please help, I'm a total newbie. :grouphug:

Thank you everybody :)

Background info: This is our first year officially homeschooling. DS is 5. We only do about an hour a day, just reading and writing (books we're using are in my sig). Back in September DS was gung-ho about doing our daily lessons, even reminding me and bringing out the books when we got too busy. Now for the past couple of weeks it has been so hard to get him to sit for the lessons. He drags his feet, complains he's tired, etc. When we do sit down he doesn't even want to finish a whole page of OPGTR or the ZB handwriting, when he used to zoom through 5-6 pages of ZB a day! All of a sudden it's boring to him, what did I do wrong? What can I do to recharge/motivate him?

Wow, this one: brought me to tears. (about rear-facing though, not expiration dates)

Assalamu alaikum UmMusa Great question. I myself just came this morning to do a search to find out about Saxon. Check out the Saxon Placement Exam. I also found this Sampler, which gives you samples of what's contained in each grade level K-3. Here's my own situation (I'd appreciate advice from any of you reading!): I'm (finally) about to order for the first time, DS is 5yrs, 4mo. and has never done a formal math program. I went through the placement exam and he almost has all the Saxon K stuff they asked about covered, and is almost 5 1/2 (which is when they recommend Saxon 1). So I don't wanna go buy something we are pretty much not gonna use. Does this mean: A) We should just do as WTM says and stick with an informal approach until Grade 1 and at that time use Saxon 1 or, B) Get Saxon K or, C) Get Saxon 1 :confused: Update: After going through the "Sampler" I linked to above, I think I'll go with Saxon K to make sure we have everything covered. There's a lot of good stuff there and the repetition will make sure we have it down.

:lurk5:

I just found PDFs online for download of the Lessons in Arabic Language series by Dr. V. AbderRaheem of the Islamic University of Madinah (the set I recommended earlier) They are here along with other texts (a more beginning book starting from learning the alphabet) and charts for learning Arabic. Please note when using the Madinah books that there are lessons written in English in the back pages which correspond to each Arabic lesson in the front.