It always throws me to hear SWB's accent! How she says 'poem'! *swoon*Yes, I read you all with a normal accent, you all speak city-aussie in my head. 😜

I'm not sure what to think, I don't identify as a pool noodle, although it's nearly summer :lol:

:rofl: Chalk. I'm chalk lol.

I wad just inspired to put a picture for all you visual folks. I don't really look like that fyi ;)

Me either. I know some very fundy, home churching, former ATI following, dresses only, huge family living off grid, mennonite inspired families. Those girls are getting educated. A good education is one way these families 'stick it to the world.' Honestly it's the airy fairy non-schoolers masquerading as unschoolers I see that worry me more... they generally either get it together and provide an amazing environment/opportunity or put the kids in school.

Essay voyage has a lot of new stuff and it's my favourite of the MCT books so far.

My kids' violin teacher is also a high school maths teacher (a good one) so I sometimes talk shop with her about maths standards. Dd, grade 6, noticed a year 8 test at her home one day and just started doodling the answers... the correct answers. I'm confident we're not behind. I do see a lot of people not wanting to teach maths and just using MUS. Which is not to my standard but definitely at least the same standard as most schools, at least to 8th grade.

I have met 2 homeschooling families that... raised my eyebrows. I have met hundreds of homeschooling families in the last decade. So 1-2%? The two families, both had come out of being under-served in the school system. One was dealing with deep trauma, was already on social services radar, and quite frankly, I think mother was right to focus on healing for the kids. I gave them some resources and encouragement and a listening ear. Those kids aren't getting an optimal education right now, but they know that their mother will fight like a wild animal for love of them - that's better than what many get. The second family... were told some hard truths, given some accountability, and seem to have lifted their game a bit. There were extra health/LD factors there that the schools had been unable to work with. There has been other times when my initial impression wasn't positive, but time has allowed me to see a fuller picture and gain respect for their individual approach.

Oh, right, the actual thread question... I know my philosophy, describing it is another matter entirely. It has less to do with particular books/methods and more to do with our understanding of the meaning of life/family/childhood/education and how that informs our priorities. Clear as mud?

Thanks for the link! I read the title and laughed out loud. Perfect. I needed a laugh. Excited to read the rest over another coffee... Eta - one paragraph in. Frankfurt school, I'm REALLY interested to see where this goes, knowing the Conservative thoughts on THAT!

I said other, I would personally be more likely to use another strategy to get them in the pool. I can totally see how it would go though. I have a kid who would be thrilled with a push and it would create a lighter atmosphere. I wouldn't blink at another family doing it. If you're abusive, you likely don't play abusive in public like that.

Honestly, it sounds like the man's mother is the problem. You said that she took the girl on a family holiday and that the girl was spending a lot of time with her. THAT is the relationship I would nix first.

Haha great minds, that's also why I opened the thread. We generally sleep with all the bedroom doors and house windows open. I like fresh air, it's one of my favourite things about the country - I feel like I can breathe. If it's cold we keep a few windows open and a log on the fire.

Yes! I would add some mentor lines like "what kind of man/husband does she deserve? Luckily you have at least 3 years to work on becoming the kind of husband she'll want/God wants you to be."

This. Except it's incy wincy. Always. And forever.

It would be pretty difficult from the other side of the world! ☺ I know there are horror stories. But, at least here, they aren't all a bad option - most aren't even close to a bad option.

True. But I do think that part of the negative stereotype is not generally reality anymore.My mil's job is basically quality assessment of nursing homes state wide and she reckons she'll enjoy life in one!

Listen to SOTW in the car on the way to appointments, they can do oral narrations after each chapter. Cut science. They are doing a class already. At those grades it's fine. They can free read science books if you like. I would try to streamline LA. Does ELTL have spelling through dictation? Can you cut copywork from ELTL and replace it with cursive? I would just do ssl orally. The workbook is pretty busy worky. Maybe on a whiteboard together. Prioritise. A list of must-dos and a list of when-we-cans. You are very busy, your out of the house schedule is more than I could handle. You are not doing it wrong, you just don't have time for everything. :)

My mother in law works in a role that takes her into many many nursing homes. She wants to go to one! Her advice will be invaluable. I suspect that my dh and his two siblings will all rotate helping as they are able, as their parents did. Family all pitches in. They are only in their 50s though (dh and I are in our 30s) so we hopefully have a long while. My parents are more complicated and in their 70s. My father is interstate, I am the only one of his 5 children who speaks to him. I won't relocate. He is welcome to live with us, or near us in a assisted care facility and I will certainly help. A lot will depend on the health and capability of his wife. Our relationship isn't very close so it's going to be awkward. My mother and I have been estranged for 5 years, and my sister lives a few minutes away from her. I will support my sister but at this stage I'm not getting directly involved. I won't let my mother end up ill-cared for, but I have my hard won boundaries. Both of my maternal grandparents were independent in their homes with only a little outside help until the end (ie no intensive day to day care) I think my mum assumes it will be the same for her - I think there's a higher chance otherwise due to some lifestyle issues. She also has a lot of siblings who will help too. Eta- before our estrangement we had said that my mother could live with us, she wanted to go travelling and a granny flat here would be a home base. Dh says that we would consider a granny cell block waaaaaaaay on the other side of the property! Honestly I'm dreading this stage with my parents. It's such a mess. It's going to cause great strain beyond the emotional side. I have thought about it and spoken with dh a lot...

Yep. I bring my notebook to the table. We do about 1/2 of our stuff all together. The rest is interesting living books and practicing skills (math & LA & languages) mostly. We have also made not being busy a priority - we are home generally 5/7 days a week. And practical skills, it is equally important to us to have time for gardening/cooking/chopping wood/cleaning/folding laundry... And play. Especially outside. They have plenty of time to spin around in the sunshine. And they see us reading and learning too. Dh just put up a Rousseau quote in our kitchen and discussed it with the kids - stuff like that. *before you think we're some fabulous home school family, my kids also watch too much tv, play video games and are painfully annoying regularly lol. Gotta love em!

Miquon or MEP.

Okay, I think that some of the conflict comes because old schoolers had to wrestle and work hard to own their own decision and make it work. They had to be self confident. That is a mind set and culture that is very different to the mindset that sees the home school world as just another offering to choose from and consume - which devalues the real work and personal sacrifice that old schoolers gave to build this world. It seems disrespectful and old schoolers worry that the world they built will crumble because newbies don't realise that the personal owning of the decision and the hard work is what builds personal confidence and the robust community. I'm probably rambling...

Well we school jan-dec here in Australia so it's probably less relevant. But, the cut off was April and dd is a July bday, she was ready and started homeschool k at 4.5. She was reading by age 5. However around grades 4/5 we had some upheaval and a new baby and we kind of used the extra year. We don't have to report grades so we did a year of grade 4.5/5ish. Now she's finishing up 6th as a 12.5 year old and I'm happy with that.

I also did a math circle after reading the book. It was great, we read a story with tangrams and did some other activities that escape me, something with building blocks... We aimed for an early elementary age but I set up math activity stations for older siblings. I have been wanting to get a more regular one going but haven't managed it yet. Next year. I loved the zvonkin book too!

I don't know at all. I still have a long way to go and I can easily see burning out and wanting to be done. I don't know what the world, or my own world, will be like then, but I would really like to stay in education somehow. I have ideas, but we'll see if they are still doable when I retire.