This is my 16th year of full-time homeschooling.

We have said, "Oh, we like our "FAKE" school just fine."

I get migraines from flourescent lights, specifically the long 3+ft long type of bulbs. Another thing that you may not notice is that they emit a buzzing sound. It is louder when they are first on, but still, they are not silent. If you go into a quiet room and turn one on you'll hear it, especially the long ones. And if they are flickering, as many do in stores because they don't change them quickly enough. I can get immediately dizzy and nauseous. I'm sorry your son is having such a severe reaction! Does bright sunlight bother him, too? If so, it may be a type of migraine.

Well, we are having "dress like a pirate" day. But I don't hear anyone talking like a pirate. I will have to get everybody on the ball, I mean, "on the plank."

We are listening to our first Jim Weiss, SOTW 1. I will say that we thought his voice very strange at first. This surprised me since I had heard so much about him. He is starting to grow on us, but we still laugh aloud when he does a woman's voice. It sounds like something my son would do to mock his sisters! So, no, not a big fan ... yet. What am I missing?

My oldest daughter is just like this! She did not ever have a close friend after her one friend moved away at age 10. I spent a year doing a small Sunday School class with her at age 14 and she took off with that and has run our Children's Church for many years. She also directs our church's VBS in the summer. My daughter was not thrilled about the whole "growing up" thing. She did take a gap year after high school to work on her writing and the stories that overflow from her. She has a very part-time job at the Hallmark in town. She does her college work by correspondence from Whitefield College (which is tons of writing, too much writing for most students) and is a junior majoring in Bible. Her part-time job covers her college expenses (about $3,000/yr). Just this last year she started doing the curriculum "One Year Adventure Novel" and she has joined their forum. She has found many like-minded homeschool kids there and is involved in writing her own story and critiquing the stories of others. She really enjoys the fellowship there. She is older than most, but doesn't care as long as she is learning. All of this, I will add, came through prayer and more prayer, often with tears. I don't know if you are a religious family or not, but you can help your daughter see that she is looking too far ahead. You don't know what you will be doing in 2 years either! It all will unfold as she walks it out. I think kids this age can learn so much about themselves through service of some kind to others. There are lots of opportunities out there and they are often happy to allow Moms and kids to work alongside each other.

I have one daughter who has been this way for years. Night owl syndrome! I have it too. That is why I am on the computer at 11:28PM! Our minds are just most active at night. Could your daughter be a night owl? I have always kept a bedtime for my daughter, but she often will read for 30-45 minutes before turning the lights out. Perhaps your daughter could try reading in bed until 9? Oh, and it is very important that we don't sleep in or nap for more than 1/2 hour. I will stay awake till 2 or sometimes 3 with a change in routine or even just a small amount of caffeine after noon.

You can also see an eye doctor for this although with my insurance my office visit costs $40 for the eye doctor and only $25 for the PCP.

Thanks for the reminder! My daughter is planning to dress up, too.

I was very surprised to be soooo affected by Michael Jackson's death. It just was all sooo sad to me. His little daughter speaking at the funeral was incredibly sad.

I used to listen to Rush and Dr. Laura. I have taken the radio out of the kitchen. It really is just noise that interrupts relationships.

Wow, I am so surprised that every post so far uses multiple maths! We have used MUS starting with Alpha and my girls are now in Zeta in 7th grade. I am fine with MUS and they do great with math. It is plenty for us, one lesson per week. Their friends take over an hour each day for math and they think they are lucky! They do pages a-d (skip e usually) and the test. I plan to use MUS all the way through 12th and nothing else. My older two used many curriculums over the years (Saxon, Horizons, ABeka, Key to, Singapore, Jacobs, etc.) and MUS covers it all. Mr. Demme continues building up to things in a brilliant way that makes math so much easier for the kids. I am happy to have one thing I can stick with. I asked him once at a conference why everyone says MUS is too easy, too simple and he just shakes his head. "It's not supposed to be hard!"

When my girls first started (at 7 and 9) the teacher gave them one song each week where they had to say the note names as they were playing them. Also, they had a notespeller book and theory books that were the same set as their lesson books. She also had some kind of game (Bea's keys?) that she did with them every few lessons. She made sure they learned those notes! Yes, get a new teacher!

Yes, Apologia's tests require that you have memorized the meanings of the terms in the chapter. In biology there are sometimes over 30 vocabulary terms! We always made flash cards for the chapter.

Maybe if it had been hours, but days? Toss!

The Lord may be keeping you in this situation because you ARE studying and looking for answers. Be ready to use what He is teaching you when the time comes. He WILL lead you. I really rest on the truth of Proverbs 3:5 so often, especially the part about not leaning on your own understanding (which would make you want to get out NOW). It literally says He will make your path straight. I really want to be on the straight path and not the twisty, winding one. I have found the Desiring God website and the ministry of John Piper to be really helpful to me when I have questions about teaching and doctrine. He is more reformed, but there is a lot at the site and it is easy to search. Just jumped out and entered "trinity" into the search. http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2006/1442_What_is_the_doctrine_of_the_Trinity/

The Focus on the Family tapes are highly dramatized with actors and music. The unabridged readings of the books may have the readers using voices, but that is about it. It is still someone reading a book. I think there is a place for both. We have enjoyed ALL the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre. They are excellent productions. But, yes, read the books!

It seems hard to get many posts. I can't bring myself to do the "popcorn thing" or "all ears."

Yes, you are so blessed to have it all going so well. Most people I know go crazy for a few months adjusting to a puppy!

We are listening to Story of the World 1 right now. Oh, it is so much easier than reading it aloud! My youngest likes Jonathan Park. That is a bit much for me! We also usually have at least one of the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre Productions playing each day. Lately I have been hearing At Home in Mitford coming from the living room.

Here is a web site that has Christian reviews of fantasy and sci fi. http://www.refracted-light.net/

Yes, we do a lot of the R&S orally, too. I did use Abeka Grade 6 years ago but don't remember much about it. I have used R&S 3, 6 and 10. I have been doing a year of Shurley grammar every other year to hit the subject from a different angle.

You should be able to knit with no problems, at least a scarf or something easy. I have to take out my knitting a lot because I don't pay attention. That makes crocheting easier for me as knitting mistakes are hard to fix! But if you want to make sweaters and clothing items, knitting is what you need.

Rod & Staff is a good English program, but it does throw a ton of terminology at you very quickly. I have used several levels with my kids and they have never worked on their own. We read the lessons through together and do some of the exercises in the student book together. Then I have them do the worksheet for the lesson (if there is one) on their own. If your child in 3 is doing OK, perhaps you could combine the other two in one level. Then, if you needed to read through the lesson with them, that would save you time.

Add Ambleside Online (amblesideonline.org) to your list. I have heard many people like it and it is free!