It's funny... most of my planning this year has been trying to make sure that our days stay shorter! I find things get longer just because of logistics when handling a baby, etc. My hope is always to be done school by noon. I was almost always done school by noon/early afternoon when I was homeschooled, even in higher grades. So I wouldn't say time is a good indicator. Do your kids tend to use their free time to engage in activities that are creative/challenging/interesting/etc? Such as building with Lego for hours, playing imaginative dress up, reading, playing outside, or something like that? Because if they are finding ways to engage themselves, that time is quite precious and so valuable at this point in their development. It's not about the time - but if you want good ideas for deeper engagement, there are many posts and sites for history that suggest literature and art projects and activities to go with what you are studying, which can be engaging!

I recall reading those articles about what you can learn about people from their handwriting (back when most people had handwriting...!). A chunk of it had to do with slant. I know they used to teach standardized handwriting in schools and yet everyone developed their own style. So I'd agree that vertical vs. slanted is a matter of personal style and preference. That being said, I decided I didn't like my printing style in university and completely changed it. It ain't over 'till it's over. :)

I've only used K and up and I've only ever used the workbook. I wait until they are interested in letters and wanting to learn to write. By Gr. 1 they've had good printing and my Gr.2 is eager to start cursive. I love the progression of the writing through the workbooks alone, so I'd say that the rest is optional and dependent on your own approach and preferences.

Yes, my doctor referred us to an allergist who did testing. I'd also recommend doing your own research, because I've found that different doctors have different approaches to dealing with allergies.

A third on this one. This may not be your situation, but we have a lot of food and environmental allergies. Overall health in our family depends a lot on how well we are managing the allergies. There's a 'threshold' of what each body can handle, if you will, and allergies raise your body's stress level higher so that little things can push it over the threshold. That said, when our allergies are managed, our kids are very healthy. My friend, whose children have few, if any, allergies (caveat: that they know of), has a sick family almost all of every winter. Who knows. Also, I can link most of our stomach viruses either to museum outings or to family members/friends who are careless about exposing others to their own illnesses.

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/558120-homeschooling-atnear-the-poverty-line/?fromsearch=1 This was a recent thread on this topic. I was homeschooled by parents who spent several years below the poverty line and it was a rich, fulfilling, effective education. I wish you the best in pursuing that for your kids! And I hope you are able to find support and encouragement from homeschoolers around you.

I'm late to this, but I've had a lot of success with journalling with my girls (5+7)... sometimes it's learning journal style, often not. Every morning after our group time, they do a journal page. They can draw and then dictate, or write, or whatever. I often give prompts, unless they have their own idea. Sometimes the prompt will be about something they learned or did. Someone, about daily activities, sometimes about a person in their lives. As they do new projects or study new things, I try to include a prompt about it. It's worked out well and provides a daily picture of their lives in their own words. I love the results so much.

What I WOULD NOT GIVE to have a drive-up window at my library! Mother-of-toddler's dream come true!!!

This is such a fantastic idea! We do a lot of Bible reading and discussion now, but definitely filing the rest away for later years... the month focus sounds great! :)

I think you can be intentional about almost anything. :-P I'm a planner. I recently wrote and taught a course (twice) for our women's Bible study group entitled 'Living Intentionally'. So I'm all about a thoughtful life and homeschool and making the most of what we're given. But in the past few years, I've been consciously trying to be intentional about embracing learning and parenting opportunities which "occur or are discovered by chance in a happy and beneficial way"! I think it has a lot to do with having a a clear view of your intentional goals and purpose and being able to recognize when a spontaneous, possibly self-directed opportunity fits into those overall goals. To quote Tsh Oxenrider, it's "living holistically with your life's purpose". I don't think intentionality and spontaneity are mutually exclusive, just as rigor and being relaxed don't seem to be mutually exclusive!

That is brilliant!

Ours is "Bible Time" right after breakfast and all the memory work and journals and read alouds follow without an official name. :)

What are the differences from 1st edition to 3rd? ETA: sorry if too off topic. Just curious what might make the first better in some scenarios.

In my mind, there are always going to be gaps in history education because there is so much of it (what am I saying... there will be gaps in any subject :) ). But as a PP said, depending on the students' ages in a given rotation, one might remember more of one period than the other. If you're going to hit the rotation again in higher grades, oh well. I will have two 'batches' of kids - two years apart, then 4 1/2 years, then 2 years apart. I'm blending the first two (who are only one school year apart in all our local calculations) in science and history for the foreseeable future, at least elementary, expecting age-appropriate output from each one. I hope to do the same with the next 'batch'. One way I'm trying to address the retention with SOTW is by using the audiobook, since they really love listening to it. We did Vol.1 last year with activity guide when I had K and 1. This year we'll do Vol.2. We are listening to Vol.1 in the car this summer, to be sure things are fresh. They love it. And since I bought the audio books before we were officially using them for school, they've actually heard 1-3 already. They like going deeper with the Activity Book for a volume in the school year. I hope to continue keeping SOTW in the audio rotation for a good while, even after we move on to other things. It helps that our whole family enjoys listening.

I use the library for most of our books, but I have a really great library setup. It's an excellent system with easy to manage online searching, holds, and alerts. I can set a hold way in advance and then pause it if it's coming too early, while still keeping my place. (Have to be on top of things, though.) We also have a week to pick up holds and I live two minutes from the library. That said, I went through SOTW 2 and searched all the recommended books at the library and the success rate was about 50% max. Depends on the subject. For me, that's enough this year and the library has a lot of good options, so I work with the variety. I can see needing to purchase more specifics as kids get into later grades.

I do a ton of kitchen work while my kids school at the table. I'm available but not hovering. If I'm specifically teaching something, I stop and focus on that, then resume other work as they do independent stuff. As a PP said, at times it saves their very lives. :) I read something a mom wrote about needing a simple task to do while teaching kids to read, which kept her from blowing her lid. I now knit during 100 Easy Lessons. :)

Our doctor's family homeschools! It makes such a difference - he gets it. He is such a valuable resource for me. I'm so thankful... in your situation, I'd be looking for a new one too. Not to mention that a family doctor is apparently one of the best resources if you are accused of something parenting related/have a Children's Aid custody issue and for that you need your doctor on your side. I hope you find a good one soon!

We practice sometimes and'overdramatize' the manners, just to make a point. Ex: when I was ticked off about lack of table manners we had a dinner where everyone was excessively polite. It actually made an impact. And they had fun. :) We might be due for another one... I also have them 'try again' a lot, even providing them with the correct phrases to say. It's nice to be able to do that with closer relationships, like relatives, if available. I can't get over the 'constantness' of all the reminders, though! I guess the hope is that it sinks in over time. :-P

I haven't used math curriculum until this year, just taught concepts now and then. My 2nd grader tested into MM 2, so I'm interested to see how that goes.

Swallows and Amazons was a huge hit. Anne of Green Gables. Both are 10+ hours long. Secret Garden, 8.5 hrs. The Saturdays series, each about 5.5 hrs. The original American Girls (Addy, Molly, Samantha, Felicity, Josefina), about 5.5-6.5 hrs. Little Women. Eight Cousins, 8.5 hrs. And the Your Story Hour collections, 5ish hrs each. Beatrix Potter's collection is cute, but shorter. Tales of the Greek Heroes, 5.5 hrs (a hit during SOTW Vol.1). And Magic Treehouse Collections go over well, though I don't love the literary quality. Can't argue that they don't learn stuff, though.

We have the audio books and the activity guide. I slice the binding off and ha e the first half spiral bound, then make copies of the second half. I like having it all easily at my fingertips. I've been considering adding the hardcopy book as well, just for reference, etc. I probably will when I see a good sale. My girls love the audio and would listen to it constantly on loop, given the chance.

I tend to think of myself as a mix between classical and relaxed (which is how I think I was homeschooled), but then I find that everyone seems to have a different view of what that looks like. I intend to finish the curriculum I plan for the year. I'm also not overly concerned about packing in a lot. And if we are having a horrendous day, we don't always finish the workbook. But... they do have to do their work, generally. So who knows. I had high-minded visions of what rigorous students looked like and then I read Susan Wise Bauer's Day in the Life posts. Life was all over the place for her, just like it is in my house. I don't know how you can survive and educate in the midst of all that life without being relaxed on some level. So I suppose what I'm saying is... what do people even mean when they say they are relaxed or rigorous? No one seems to have the same definition.

That's also helpful advice to keep in mind! Thanks.

Our kids have a 'Grandma/pa Day' every Thursday from noon to 9pm. It's awesome. I get a free afternoon, we as a couple get a date night, and they get time with grandparents. It might be harder to coordinate when time with them would work if we didn't have a set time. Other visits happen as well, but the set thing is good for everyone. It probably wouldn't work in every family or situation, but I do highly recommend it!

My 5yo loves Ed Emberley!