I would like my son to study the civil war and continue working through the civil rights movement this year to tie it in with whats been going on with our world lately. I have found Build your library level 6 to be very appealing and looks easy to use but I wonder if I would like more book choices I could get with Tapestry. I believe I would start on Y3U3 in tapestry. Any thoughts. My son will be in middle school.

Mbelle, did you notice my user name? Funny! What did you love about Eastern Hemisphere specifically?

Well it has been a few years since I have posted but all is good. I am a nurse now and 3 of my 5 have graduated. Actually #3 is graduating tomorrow from PS. My 4th daughter is in high school in PS and my son has also been in PS. Next year I am homeschooling him because he missed 21 days of school this year due to flare-ups with his Crohn's disease. So, I am going to have him do 7th grade at home. I am an RN Case Manager and I visit patients in their homes so I my schedule is very flexible. I'll be able to monitor his progress every day. So I would like some opinions. I have decided to use either Sonlight Eastern Hemisphere https://www.sonlight.com/FC5 or HOD Revival to Revolution https://www.heartofdakota.com/revival-to-revolution-packages.php. I would love opinions on these two programs in particular and also your opinion on the book choices in each. It is good to be back ladies!

She has completed most of her school work so I was planning on having her do this and Science along with some literature to finish out.

I'd like to get my daughter graduated next year but she still needs to complete Algebra II and Geometry. My plan is to have her start this summer and do 2-3 lessons per day till she is done. Has anyone done something like this? I'd love to hear what you did and how it went.

My daughter is an average reader and she hasn't read a ton of good books unfortunately. Since she has been in school the last two years, it seems reading is not something that is done or assigned. The last curriculum she did was Heart of Dakota but that was 3 years ago. I am bringing her home next year so I want some fun and classic titles.

I want to assign a few really excellent literature books for my daughter next year aside from her History literature. What are your top picks for middle school girls? Thanks!

Another update: 2/25/17 So I tried for an IEP but ultimately it was decided that my son didn't have any learning disabilities. The staff all met with me and I shared every concern I had. It was decided that they would give him "time" accommodations so that he could really think through his work and get it done. He was very slow but little by little I have seen him blossom. He is completely at grade level now and I couldn't be more pleased or proud of my little guy. The teachers really have been very good to him at this school and I am so thankful for all the advice. My son works very hard and it shows. Daily he comes home to tell me things he is learning (and excited) about. Recently it was all about matter, atoms and electrons. He was also super excited about hyperbole's, similes, and metaphors. He actually got a 34/35 of that English test. I couldn't have even passed that! I am so thankful to all of you for helping me through this last year. My plan is to have him go to public school one more year and then, when I am done with nursing school, I may revisit homeschooling him or other options. I do miss homeschooling so much. In fact, I may bring home my 7th grader next year. She is at that private christian school and while the environment is good, I am not impressed with their academics. They are also very expensive. So we will see if I can make it work.

So you get access to the classes with a monthly fee?

My Father's World... But I prefer HOD. I haven't homeschooled in a while so I don't know if there is anything new.

As you may know, I am in nursing school and I won't be done until May 2018. For several reasons, I may bring one of my kids back home from school. She is in her second year of private school and will be doing 8th grade next year. She may return to school for high school but I haven't decided yet. So since I am so busy, I really won't have time to teach her. She will need a fairly independent curriculum. I was thinking Teaching Textbooks for math. I would like her to have a good science program, read some excellent books and I don't know what else. I would love some independent, (not super expensive) programs. Also, some ideas for extracurricular activities as she has been in school and is a pretty social kid. I would be willing to spend $800 max for everything. Any thoughts?

Since I am in nursing school, I was thinking about teaching homeschooled kids out of my home in subjects like science or history. I used to teach art but it wasn't as in demand as I had hoped and the art supplies and the time it took to prepare project ideas made it not work as well as I had hoped. I have the classroom space in my home so that isn't a problem. If you do this, could you give me an idea of how you do it and how much you charge? I'd really like to put something like this together. Also, would it be too late to do it for Jan-May do you think? NEED ADVICE!!

I love you guys! Seriously!!! Thank you for your thoughts. They help more than you know. It has validated what I knew to be true even though he made me doubt myself. I'll give you an update in the near future as I work through this.

I just remembered my school actually provides free counseling services. I didn't even think of it till just now. I have actually longed for someone to talk to. I am going to make an appointment.

Thank you. I didn't come here for this when I asked my question and honestly I was shocked when everyone started saying I was in a bad relationship. I feel like God keeps telling me that I need to leave through situations like this. I am so tired and I feel a lot better. Thank you again for helping me. I will see what I can find locally to help me through this.

I don't really have anyone but adult daughters. I try not to talk to them too much because I don't want to burden them. I am so ashamed of how I allowed this relationship to develop. Honestly, I just loved him and saw a future for us for so long. I wanted to marry him, but I really don't anymore. Not how things are now anyhow. The house is mine, so he will be the one to go. That is what stinks because it will take him time to find a place for himself and his son, and all the while I will have to be near him. When I am near him, I want him. But I know honestly that this relationship is toxic. I know this. I am not really opening up here, but I am opening up more than I have anywhere else. I am just too ashamed to talk to any friends. I should never have asked him to move in. I don't believe it is even right to do that as a Christian. I made my own trouble here. I know that. I should have followed God's plan for me but instead, I did this. The only counseling I know of around here is at my old church, and I couldn't go talk to them. I couldn't go tell them what is going on because I'd be too embarrassed.

The truth is, I know in my heart I need to break up with him but I can't seem to do it. There are more issues honestly. It is hard to say that. When we have discussions, I often find myself questioning if I am crazy and I really am the one with the problem. I don't know why I can't just walk away from him. I keep trying, and I keep changing my mind. I think I am scared I will regret it deeply. I don't know if I can handle the pain of ending our relationship.

I have actually asked him to do this before and he refused.

It is just hard. I am with him because I want to be, but part of me wants to end it. We have been together for two years and there is a lot I love about him. As is the case with a lot of divorced people, they get along but not always with the kids. He has issues with my kids and I have issues with two of his kids. (He also has 5). He lives with me and I let his 16 year old son move in 2 months ago so he could live in my school district. I love his son. He is kind, respectful and just a great kid. He is doing great here also. His GPA since moving in went from 2.0 to a 4.0 and even though he has played football for a couple years, he scored his first touchdown while living here and several more since then. His other son is another story. He is 11 and super disrespectful. All he does is play on his Nintendo DS all day and sometimes all night. He thinks he is a genius and disobeys his dad and me all the time. (Although he gets away with less with me.) Thank goodness he doesn't live here although he does come over everyother weekend and every Wed. What makes it very difficult is my fiance will have issues with my kids and will chew them out, but his own son exhibits behavior a lot worse and he barely says anything ever. He literally harps on my kids all the time. I know I should end it, but outside of that I am pretty happy with him. That is why it is hard. His other kid that I have issue with is actually 19 years old. She is a trainwreck and I feel like it adds a lot of stress to our relationship. She calls him all the time and he bends over backwards to help her even though she won't help herself. Its frustrating. I try to stay out of it. I have even tried to help the situation. But he knows I don't agree with her life choices and he has issues with me for that. I guess part of me also feels like my life will be even harder if he isn't in it. Since I am in nursing school, I am not currently working and he does help me pay my bills. BUT if I have to, I will get a job and work. I currently survive on child support and an ebay business. And finally, I was married for 17 years. When we got divorced, I stayed single, not even looking to date for 3 years. I have always focused on my kids. Then I met my fiance and we started dating, eventually moving in together. (Not something I would ever do again. I don't know what I was thinking.) It was fine for awhile but things changed and my life got more complicated with nursing school. There is a lot more but, reality is I would miss him so much if he and I broke up. I know he doesn't want that either. He is just a difficult person sometimes.

I wish it was as simple as that. Truly I do.

No, I am not worried about him breaking up with me. I am worried that if the stress of the situation doesn't quit, I am going to break up with him. I feel like I have let my kids slip with all I have going on (nursing school) and they do leave messes everywhere. Also, we had a long talk and he said he is going to stop saying things to them. I am going to work on improving their habits in the meantime.

I agree, but the reality is, my kids are slobs and I want them to change their ways also. I just don't get as bothered by it as he does.

Yes, but it has caused A LOT of issues and I cannot take it anymore. We are on the verge of breaking up over it.

My biggest problem is time to monitor them. I am in school full time and study a lot of the time outside of that. My fiance has a real issue with it and it is causing problems as he is a neat freak. I need to do something drastic.

Tell me how you changed them. It is a very serious issue in my house. My kids (ages 10 boy ,13 girl, 16 girl) are great kids. Sweet and loving... BUT they are slobs. They have chores that they reluctantly do, BUT that is all they do. If they make food, they leave their crumbs, dishes, whatever right where they fall. If there is something laying in the middle of the floor, they will step over it rather than pick it up. They clean their rooms weekly, but in between they let whatever falls stay where it lands. I need a plan. This has to stop. I need a surefire way to change this behavior. I am willing to do whatever it takes. I need to help them change their attitudes and change their slobbish ways. I am looking for tried and true help here. Any advice?