Although my Ds watches the videos, he learns best from reading the book and working through the examples. Ds couldn’t function without a book. If he ever has a non-book college course, I think he will likely still buy something to reference against.

Yes, this!!

Ds did not like the samples he saw of Thinkwell so I did not go any further with that. Although we look about each year, Ds has chosen generic chalkdust for pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, pre-calculus and for Calculus next year. (We did MUS for geometry because he does not have a geometry brain.)

I pieced together the generic chalkdust components for under $70, fwiw. I just did Calculus for $50. Use book finder to find the good deals—sometimes they are on amazon, but often they are not.

My Ds is using Chalkdust pre-calc this year. There is a bit of trig in it, fwiw. I also hit my personal limit in math this year. Ds is naturally mathy and between the videos and the full answer key has been able to self-teach. (Dh is quite gifted in math and capable of tutoring if necessary.)

Happy ITT Anniversary!

I assume that if you saw an eye doctor that you had both staining drops applied to check for a corneal abrasion and that you had a full eye exam with dilation to check your eye structures and optic nerve? A chalazion (clogged gland on the eyelid rim) shouldn’t hurt so badly. It would feel irritated and it can swell badly, but it shouldn’t hurt. A bacterial infection usually presents with eye goop and drainage. I am leaning towards geodob’s theory of a viral infection of some variety if you want my not-a-doctor $.02.

Junie--I'm sorry things progressed with your father. Praying for him, your mom as she adjusts, and for you all...

Youngest tested positive for Influenza A last night. Her heart rate was in the 160s, and urgent care contemplated sending us to the ER, but let us go home overnight. We alternated ibuprofen and tylenol and got some more Tamiflu and all of the magical things into her and it has come down and is bouncing between 100-120 bpm. Older dd had GI complaints through the night. Thankfully she is doing better today. The boys are fine. My dad is recovering from surgery nicely. My SIL is out of ICU. My elderly relative had her shoulder replaced (new ball and socket) and her arm pinned back together last week after a catastrophic fall. She is at a rehab care facility to get OT and PT and is rather unhappy about it, but I'm not in a position to care for her 24/7 for the next few months. I've been coping with Cadbury eggs and Netflix. I had bloodwork today that is probably going to end my love affair with Cadbury, but spring is nearly here so I think I'll survive. The sun is shining more and I'm walking daily so that helps.

I've been leaning more vegetarian. There are some meals that are easily for all. For other things, I prepare a non-meat option separately. As an example, I made two batches of fajitas last week--one with chicken for everyone else, and one with portobello mushrooms as a meat substitute for me.

*waving hello* Slache messaged me, and I could actually log-in! Between log-in issues and sick kids (norovirus and influenza for the last six weeks being passed around in various combinations between my children), and extended family health issues I haven't been here. I miss you all and hope to be able to pop in more again at some point. The Ides of March is in just a few days. Have we prepared for our anniversary party???

I believe the limits are per household, though this may vary as the benefits we had in TX are different than the benefits we have had in two other states. We actually had four events in our household in one membership year. Even if you don't ever need the tow/roadside services, know that your AAA card also gets you great hotel rates!

If I think about what math resources were helpful in guiding me along the elementary years: Ruth Beechick's math booklet Singapore Math's A Handbook for Mathematics teachers in primary schools Ronit Bird's dyscalculia materials Liping Ma's book: https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Elementary-Mathematics-Understanding-Fundamental/dp/0415873843 I'll give some thought about my journey through jr high and high school mathematics. I am NOT mathematically inclined at all but my dh and older ds very much are and so we had to find a common language to talk about math in order to help me in teaching it. (Right now, trig is killing my brain.)

This. It's very easy to jump into homeschooling and find programs with good content but not really understand what you're doing and why you're doing it. For the most part, if your kids are at least average, neurotypical learners you can skim by with just finding good content programs. True TEACHING, however, involves some sort of understanding of what skills need to be taught not just what knowledge needs to be conveyed.

It's really quite a shame that her stuff isn't more popular. I got started with Ruth Beechick and the longer I've homeschooled, the more I've come to appreciate what a gem her stuff is.