Ok ladies, with all your advice, I reworked the schedule a bit. WDYT? Devotion Handwriting Math Outside if it is nice, the boys will alternate working with me and playing Reading Son 2 Reading Son 1 Phonics/Language Lesson Son 2 FLL 3 Son 1 Educational Show/Rock the baby/Nap Preschool Memoria Press Enrichment while the boys work on spelling & xtra math. They tend to want to participate in the preschool enrichment though so we will see. 😁 I will work on the extras by rotating through them weekly. History, Science, Geography, Latin, 1st Grade Enrcichment So, we will only work on 1 extra each day. History takes no effort on my part, but the week we are working on history, I would have no work to do, so yay! Composition is dh's subject, so I'm not sure how or when he will schedule it.

Thanks for weighing in! The reason we start with handwriting is I give them a quick instruction and I take this time to clean up after breakfast while the baby in the high chair and I wipe up her breakfast mess, change her diaper and that sort of thing. My 1st son is slow at handwriting and hates it, so I make sure we do it first with him or we end up skipping if we save it for later. It's just the dreaded chore for him. So, I like to knock that out quick. I do have the audio book for astronomy. I usually fold laundry or put away dishes/load the dishwasher while we listen. My oldest son definitely needs a break between work. My second son likes to get it all done quickly and then go play. I just am much happier outside and so are the little girls so that's why we go out. We have a fenced in yard with tons of things to keep them happy AND they aren't making a mess inside lol. It just feels happy to be reading and doing school outside. Also, if we work inside until nap, the baby might not have as much outside time as I like. I call her a baby, but she is over 1, so she will sit will her sister in the sand box and play forever or play on the baby slide or one of her siblings will push her in the baby swing. Thanks for helping me think this all through!

I feel like we have a lot of language arts too. I just wasn't really sure what to do about it. I will keep in mind we might put composition off another year. I'm not sure if he and Dad will enjoy, but we will see. As far as xtra math, we don't ALWAYS do it every day, but we do it often. So, yes, on busy days, we skip it.

Yeah, I'm prepared that it might not work out and that's ok too. He is pretty good at math so I'm not super worried about it. I just chose math for my distance class because even though I am good at math, I find it hard for me to teach for some reason. I don't always explain it well.

Thanks. I truly know deep down I got this. I just kind of panic with the thought of each new year. (I'm not good with change) My first year was omg I'm educating my baby and I have a baby to take care of, how will I get it all done?! What am I doing? The next year panic was, this is first grade, this is getting real AND I have a toddler and I'm pregnant! This year was I am teaching TWO kids and have a baby and a crazy preschooler. Next year it is third grade is just a whole new level and first grade, it's getting real for 2 of my kids now. It just seems like there is more work each year, but each year I manage somehow. I just kind of panic before/when I start out each new year.

Good thinking. He really does enjoy history and science. I never thought of NOT doing the test because you just click launch next lesson and if it is test day, you do the test. I'm not sure if he would be on board for skipping. He is a stickler for finishing things like his momma :lol: He has no idea we skip math tests and things so it's not an issue, BUT he may not be up for it, but he could easily do the test on a regular history lesson day. They are short and easy. We could easily do history and science on the same day as the history involves no work from me.

lol yes, I know, that was very confusing!! I was trying to type this up with the baby climbing all over me too. I think I will be fine. I just always get nervous with the thought of each new school year. As for dh, we can't really hire a maid, but he is super understanding that dinner is often a frozen pizza and the house is always upside down. I wake up at 4 AM and do all the chores I can before the kids wake up. Nothing really happens throughout the day except dishes (in the dishwasher) and sometimes we pick up the toys at the end of the day and sometimes we don't. To clear things up I will have a 3rd grade son (He will be 7 turning 8 at the beginning of the school year, I always feel torn that he is too young for the grade he is in, but that's how we started and I guess there is no turning back now), 1st grade son, a 3 almost 4 year old daughter and a 1 1/2 year old daughter. This whole year is depending on the baby napping. :lol: All my kids try to kick naps at 2, but she seems to be a better sleeper than any of them, so I hope this continues. My 3 year old is actually great now, she can play by herself for ages. She used to be such a handful, but now she is the most independent kid I have. The baby has a great personality so far, I hope she doesn't turn "terrible" with 2. Either way, I will not do a babysitter or preschool, I enjoy the baby days too much. I'd probably send my boys to school first. That's why I like a 4 day schedule, so I can spend quality time with my baby girls.

I am about to wrap up my son's 2nd grade year. I feel k-2 has gone well. I have been a nervous wreck homeschooling my first with a lot of little ones underfoot. I feel like it has been a learning experience discovering what I like and what he likes and what I feel my little ones need as far as homeschooling goes, but we have been pretty consistent and have done pretty well. s. 🤨 I am just feeling a bit nervous thinking about 3rd grade. It feels it is going to be a bit more rigorous and I'm just nervous thinking about getting it all don and doing first grade with my second and having a 4 and 1 1/2 year old too. I am just wondering if what I have planned sounds about right? Too much? Too little? What adjustments if any should I make. I am also struggling to think about scheduling. This is what I have planned out so far. We will do mostly a 4 days schedule with a very light day on the 5th. We will start the day with a short daily devotion. Handwriting ZB Cursive (First Grader will be doing his handwriting too) BJU Math 3 which will be distance learning (I will be teaching ds 2 math at this time) Playtime Outside if it is nice Reading Time (outside if nice) ( I will do MP preschool enrichment with my DD3 (LOVE this BTW), DS 2 reads from his Abeka Reader, DS 3 reads with me (this year we will discuss MP literature guides orally) I will do a read aloud too. Lunch We watch something educational on tv while I rock the baby to sleep. DD 3 might get some screen time while the baby is asleep. While the baby is asleep I do abeka phonics & language lesson with ds 2. DS 1 will be working on Spelling Workout. Then I do FLL 3 with DS 1 while DS 2 does his seat work for abeka phonics, language & spelling I do Memoria Press Enrichment for 1st with DS 2 and DS 1 will likely join in. When the baby wakes up, DS 1 will do Veritas Press Self-Paced History New Testament & Ancient Greece & Rome The boys will do Xtra math for math facts practice. On the 5th day, ds 3 will do a spelling test, his history test before lunch and we do Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy during nap time. DH will be in charge of my 3rd grader's writing composition. I do not feel confident with my own writing composition and dh is an excellent writer. He will be doing MP's introduction to composition, so I am not sure how that is scheduled, but they will be working on that in the evening or on dh's days off. We have a few other things that we don't really consider a "have to" kind of thing. Both sons have been working on Song School Latin. We don't even have to think about that though. They beg to do it and it takes up zero time, so... We work on little passports for geography. I have EM geography daily practice that I may or may not do. When I look at this it feels like SO MUCH! I just can't figure out any other way though?? IDK, I like my mostly 4 day week. My questions. Does this look good? Too much? Am I missing something? Any tips on anything? I feel that if I get handwriting, math and reading done every day before nap and then phonics/language/spelling during nap, we will be ok and everything else will be ok for these years anyway. If you can think of anyway to rework my schedule to get all this done, please let me know. I know I don't have to do the MP enrichment, but I REALLY want to. They enjoy it SO much and you wouldn't believe the difference it has made in my 3 year old! I'm also worried this is going to be too much for my 3rd grader. He is super smart, but he seems to get worn out if I make him do too much school in one day. I often wonder if it would work out to do just a little bit of school every single day, but that feels nuts to do school every day, kwim? I am all ears for any tips, suggestions, advice, encouragement. I talk to dh and he is always just "whatever you think is best" my real life homeschool friends say just switch to all CLE or Lifepacs or BJU DVDS.

I am trying to make out our schedule or rhythm for next school year. I am trying to make it so we aren't doing every language arts subject every day. How often does everyone do handwriting each day? If it matters, my boys are 1st and 3rd grade and my 3rd grader will be doing cursive for the first time. Also, I do a year round 4 day per week schedule, so clearly 4 days tops, but I'm wondering if we might be ok just doing 2 days per week?

What do you have planned? I'm supposed to be making my shopping list right now, but I'm having one of those weeks the usual just isn't sounds good.

Can you suggest a sturdy book shelf that isn't too expensive. I'm tired of the garbage from Walmart. I have looked at the ikea bookshelves I hear so much about, but the closest ikea is 6 or more hours away and I just tried to buy one until I found out the cost of delivery would be $199.

I'm honestly not sure what made me take a look at it, but I did and LOVE the idea of the family learning cycle. I haven't taken a close look at the language arts that is added on and such. Just wondering what others thought about MFW. Do you add on the language arts they suggest or you own? I don't have any questions really, just if you use it, tell me more. Also, I never really considered what I would do with my younger ones, but I would just be concerned about them having to learn history not in chronological order. I mean, that's just what it like being the second or third, right? sigh.

No suggestions ,but I hear you! There are 6 of us living in a 1000 sq ft house. I am SO ready to move. The only thing I say NOT complain about is at least all of my kids are young right now, so no one cares except me.

Since the weather is warming up, I have something on my mind. Last year mosquitos were terrible at our house and we spend a ton of time outside. I cannot stand to use bug spray, dh put it on the kids last year and the overspray literally killed the grass. Yikes! I also cannot stand being covered with mosquito bites, scary. Is there a natural repellent you ladies make or buy that works? Anything safe for a 1 year old?

I got Apologia's Exploring Creation with Astronomy for science next year. He was really excited about it, so we already started this year, the end of his second grade year. He loves it so far, I love it so far. Here is my problem and wanted to see how other handled this. I have been told by many it works best for 3rd grade and up and I agree. So, that bugs me. I want to use Apologia, I want to do all the courses with him, but how do you fit in each course if you only use it from 3rd to 6th grade. Also, how do you make up for the fact that they leave out earth science? Where do you fit that in and with what curriculum. Is there anything else left out I'm not thinking about? I know up to 6th grade it is no big deal if we don't cover everything, but it does matter to me and ds. We like to do it all with everything. Not an issue with my second one, he just does what school I put in front of him, but my first ds, he sees there are such and such courses to cover and he wants to do them and so do I.

I decided to get song school latin for my sons to do together next year. I do not know latin. It says in the teachers manual you can choose between classical or ecclesiastical pronunciation. Which pronunciation you choose to teach your children and why?

If so, can I ask you a few questions? The best I can tell, it basically a more conservative boy scouts?? Right? How often does your group meet? What do they do on a regular basis? I see that the main focus is the father in this group, do mom's do anything? There is not one super close by, I wanted to see about starting one in my area (or having my dh do it anyway). It needs to be affiliated with a church? Is that right? If you have ever started one, was it a very difficult process? Any thing else I might need to know?

I am still working out what to do with my son for next year. I have never really considered AAS, but since he will be done with Abeka phonics for 2nd this year, I thought AAS might be a good option for spelling since it reinforces phonics rules. I was wondering though, since he learned phonics with Abeka, will AAS mesh well with this or will it be confusing in some way? I just didn't like the thought of a workbook for spelling, I'm trying to lighten up on workbooks this year. My second son is working on Abeka Phonics K. Would reading eggs be a fun supplement for him? I just don't want anything that might confuse them with the way they are learning phonics with abeka. Any thoughts on any of this is appreciated!

Background: planning for my son's 3rd grade year, he will be a young third grader. He will be 7 2 months of his third grade year. He has done fine working at this grade level, but we are feeling a bit of burn out this year. This was the plan I was aiming for for next year MP literature guides Something for grammar?? R & S spelling ZB cursive Writing - I am torn. I am looking at CAP W&R, MP & IEW. As I look at mp, the things they have for third grade say they are for grades 3-4, cap writing and rhetoric tables is for 3-4. I was thinking of putting off these plans until his fourth grade year and trying out ELTL as a bit of a gentler year. I feel he is so young I just am not sure either of us are ready. I don't know, as I plan, it just looks like a lot, it looks hard lol. I guess I am asking "permission" to slow down a bit for third grade. Do you think ELTL would be the gentle year I am looking for? Do you think the plans I have made will be fine to pick up in 4th?

So glad you asked! I'm not sure. I like the idea of it, but I can't get a good feel for what a days work would look like. I'm a bit intimidated by latin and if it takes up too much time I just can't. My 3rd grader is my oldest. I will have a 1st grader, a wild, crazy, demanding 3 almost 4 year old and a 1.5 year old next school year so...yeah I'm feeling crazy just teaching the basics to my boys, I'm not sure I can do latin even though I would love to.

Thanks. I was considering FLL. I Have not taught grammar formally yet. He knows what a noun, verb, adjective adverb is from doing mad libs stories, but that's it. From what I understand, I should be able to jump in at FLL 3, would you agree?

Can I ask what you are using for grammar? That's the other subject I just can't decide on.

I'm making the same decision. I have an upcoming 3rd grader with no writing background. I am really drawn to mp these days and I am really interested in introduction to composition especially since it ties into the lit guides we will be using, but I am more drawn to cap so, idk. I am not at drawn to iew, but still have it on my mind. Also, just feeling really nervous because he will be 7 for the first 2 full months of school, he is a very young 3rd grader. Sigh. I think I will do mp intro to composition for 3rd and then start CAP for 4th, BUT the mp dvd's sway me toward choosing mp though.

I have used abeka phonics 1 and 2 for my first son and am halfway through k5 with my 2nd son. I love it, it works for us. I modify it some to make it not so busy for us. I know not a lot of people love abeka, but we do. Anyway, I was just curious what other abeka fans do to make abeka work for them. Also, do you use the language along with the phonics. I just feel the letters and sounds, language and spelling all flow wo nicely for grade 1, but I'm just not sure I will have ds 2 to do language 1 workbook, maybe just the lessons as it was pretty basic ,stuff and quite repetitive the best I can remember . Thoughts? Do you do tests? If you don't do you skip the workbook that day too?

Great. This is what I was hoping. He won't be going to private school until 7th grade at the very earliest if at all.