We have a two hour quiet time and it is sanity for me, calming for them, and currently related to survival as I am pregnant and exhausted. :) The 7 and 5 yo have audio books - I start them with audio as soon as they drop naps. We have an audible subscription and I made sure they each have a (usually used and cheap) iPod and speaker in whatever room they are in. These are sanity investments and have been worth every penny! We start with simple stories and music and gradually move up. The 1yo still naps. I transitioned them each to quiet time as they dropped naps - they had various toys and art supplies to use. They've never had to stay in bed, just quietly in their rooms, and it's been VERY clear that they do not come out unless wounded. Mommy needs quiet time too. :) Since it's been consistent and applies to everyone, I haven't had much push back. They actually like it - I find that in a homeschooling day, it's a positive for everyone to focus for a good while on something they choose without others interruping. We were at an extended family cottage last week and we still did quiet time. My 5yo (an extrovert) told me later that she didn't want quiet time at first but every day she really liked "some time by myself". :)

I'm no piano teacher, so take this with a grain of salt... but I took piano lessons for years, as did all of my siblings, and never once was my mother asked to sit in on lessons and then micromanage our practicing afterwards. She kept aware of our progress, discussed issues with the teacher, and she made sure we practiced daily, but the how and the what were between us and the teacher, with the understanding that if we weren't doing a good job, Mom would hear about it. Two of my siblings now play a high level of piano, the rest of us are adequate (we didn't all play as long and have equal gifting). This kind of approach would have squelched piano for me. In fact, we had one teacher for two years who nearly did ruin it for me... she was excellent and we did progress, but her technical nit-picking nearly drove us to hate playing. Moving to another teacher (who was, in fact, also very strong technically, but also kinder and saw the big picture) did wonders for our piano progress. That teacher tended to find out a family or student's goals and then work with those goals and preferences to accomplish the learning. I guess what I am saying is that I'd be really careful about continuing with a teacher who makes the focus so technical that the joy begins to fade. You should not have to be arguing with your daughter about her shoulder position, IMO. Just my two cents. :) ETA - The above poster makes a good point that an experienced teacher might use a variety of books and methods to teach. We rarely progressed page after page in order through a program. A good teacher should be able adapt programs for various students, so that part of the question wouldn't throw me off, if your key concern is not working systematically through a program.

I'm very much the "works best in tidy environment" type as well. Am also pregnant with my 4th and will continue to HS my oldest 2 in the fall... so I'm trying to streamline all household management as much as possible! I tidy as I go and have done my best to teach my 7yo and 5yo to do the same. They typically are asked to tidy the playroom, etc, before a meal or before we go somewhere. They are good at it. One of them can tidy a small mess while they wait for me to help another with schoolwork, as well. I feel this is a reasonable part of family life for every person. I've pared down toys and given everything I can a bin of its own so it's easy to tidy. They each have a 'treasure bin' in their room, as well as shelves for their items, so they know things have to go there if important to them. This also protects their things from the toddler, which prevents angst. They each have daily and weekly jobs, so they do all the dusting, some sweeping and vaccuming, wipe sinks, and fold and put away their own clothes (I run laundry one day a week and then sort it into separate baskets for them). This is immensely helpful. Their chores typically take them 20 mins and they do them after quiet time and before supper at some point. The rest, I do after school is done. I do a final tidy in the evening before bed so that we start the day fresh, or I get sidetracked with cleaning in the morning and delay everything else. That being said, I'm more tidy than 'clean' and I have to push myself to keep up with toilets, etc. Most of my tidying ideas and rhythms come from my childhood, so that probably helps me to implement them... it just feels normal.

Growing With Grammar for Gr. 2. I wanted simple and quick because I'm not set on heavy grammar instruction until they are stronger readers. Also, I like that GWG does sentence diagramming.

I get dressed daily because I don't feel like the day has started until I do. And I feel rotten and grimy if I haven't showered each morning. I actually wish I didn't feel this so much, because I'd like to be able to skip a shower here or there. But... being dressed is always jeans. I do not wear any other kind of pants. At home days are shower, air dry hair (not my preference, but a time issue), jeans and flowy tee or hoodie/sweater. Minimal or no makeup. Going out days are shower, blow dry hair, make up (I lean on minimal basics), jeans and blousy top. Even if I'm teaching at our weekly women's group, it's dark wash jeans at most and I feel put together. No shoes indoors, ever. We are Canadian. :) I had a couple of pajama mornings this summer and my neighbor happened to come to the door both times. NOT my preference!

Also expecting #4 in March... rather earlier than I thought we'd be expecting, but oh well! I have a Gr.2, a Gr.1, and a 1yo. Main survival strategy: the early grades truly do not need much official schooling. And a 3yo just needs love and discipline, read alouds and play. This year, my Gr.1 is doing phonics/reading and some basic math (no official curriculum). She'll listen in on SOTW with the Gr. 2, who also has her own LA and math work, and they aren't doing too much else. Audio books rule the roost. :) Good luck!

My 7yo daughter isn't great at spelling either, but I figure it's a function of age, like pp mentioned. I haven't been planning to do official spelling with her until a few years from now. In the meantime, she reads a lot and does copywork and I figure that frequently seeing the words in correct form will do a lot down the road. We discuss spelling in a casual way when she wants to write something and I tend to point out that, 'oh look, the igh makes this sound', etc.

I have a young first grader this year, because of her December birthday. Last year my oldest was a first grader, but was really a year older because of a January birthday. I notice a huge difference because of that extra year and I'm adjusting my first grade expectations accordingly. This year's first grader: - Is pretty steady and set with our routine. She does daily and weekly jobs (makes bed, tidies room, sets dinner table, dusts the house, clean garbage from the van, folds and puts away her laundry). During last year, the other first grader also learned to wipe bathroom sinks and mirrors, vaccum, and sweep. - This one is eager to read and writes most letters. Is constantly asking us to spell things for her. Last year, my older first took off with reading and constantly had her nose in a book, but she did have the benefit of an extra year to process that info. I started them on phonics at the same age, but different grades because of the gap. Trying to remember what else you asked... - This one still naps occasionally, though not most of the time. We have a daily quiet time and they usually listen to audio books. The other first grader never, ever napped. - Her focus is pretty good. She was able to do basic phonics workbooks last year and stuck with them well. She is more of a mover than an academic right now, though. :) She will focus on Playmobil setups for long stretches at a time. - Would listen to read alouds for HOURS. Always wants more interaction. The other one was more independent. - Major behavior things are pretty settled, but sulking and attitudes and squabbles are ongoing. Generally, things proceed smoothly.

Which plant book was that?!

Late to the party, but we are sorted out! LA - Journal (with prompts), ETC 5-6, Growing with Grammar, lots of independent reading (she needs no pushing), poetry memory work daily. Bible - daily reading and memory work. Writing - HWT cursive Math - Math Mammoth 2, daily Calculadders, Life of Fred for fun. History/Geography - SOTW 2 with extra books and map work, some projects. Science - 1st semester animal studies a la the WTM recommendations. 2nd semester habitat studies and plants, combined with gardening. Art - Projects from the Usborne Art Treasury (they love these!), plus sewing and handwork crafts. Music - piano lessons, music appreciation with Meet the Great Composers. French - daily Passe Partout (essentially French Sesame Street). A lot of these things take under 10 minutes - several of them are the "next thing" from last year. Looking forward to it!

Math Mammoth - was thrilled to find it. I'd ordered Singapore and when I got it realized that even though it looks like a fantastic program, it does not fit my teaching style at all. Sold it at a loss and still came out ahead with MM, so that's a plus! I'm actually quite excited to teach Math Mammoth - it makes a lot of sense to me and since I created my daughter's 1st grade math program myself, I have a pretty good feeling about her style... I think it will fit her well too.

Just want to encourage - my parents lived for years below the poverty line. One time my mom was at the mall and there was a "poverty education" booth - the volunteer was shocked to discover that my parents made well below the 'low' that the booth listed. My parents homeschooled five kids and we all graduated, moved on to post-secondary, and are doing well in our careers of choice. I know that being single and doing this is a whole other ball game, but just wanted to add to the voices saying that finances don't make the homeschool. Things I remember from my frugal education that I keep in mind as I homeschool now: - Simple curricula can work very well - most of what we did was basic, but we learned it thoroughly. - Kids learn so much from free time, and financial limitations make them be creative. There was so much creativity in our home, often due to necessity, and it has really shaped me. - Garage sales, thrift stores, and freecycle are wonderful ways to stretch dollars. We still garage sale every spring Saturday. It fills so many of our needs and is also environmentally responsible. Our daughters see garage saling as a great event and save their money all winter to get items at 'good prices'. :) - It's free to give your daughter an education based on discussion and inquiry. Get free e-books as others have mentioned, read them together, and ask questions that teach her to think. If she learns that, she will do well. All the best to you! I hope you find a lot of encouragement here.

Agreed to disagree. Though I think 'micromanaging' is a strong word for the larger scale family schedule decision being discussed. If the public school system decided to school through the summer and there were parents who objected because they felt that a summer break is healthy and good for kids, those parents wouldn't be accused of micromanaging. This topic can have more to do with a parenting philosophy (long free summers are healthy for kids, for example) than with micromanagement of the homeschool day. :)

I have periods that fill 9-11 diva cups for each of three days (and then continue lighter for a few days more) and I am listening intently to what everyone has to say. :) This is not helpful, except to say, 'I'm with ya sister.'

No Ellie, actually, I meant "anyone who is involved in supporting the family", as I wrote. If the roles were switched and I was working full time while my husband homeschooled, I would want to know that my parental opinion mattered in decisions like schedule and anything else regarding our children's education, etc. The OP is talking about how many school days in the year and when they are, correct? This is not an unreasonable thing for any parent to have an opinion about. I was homeschooled and yet I see many good reasons for wanting a 'regular' break. We now school mostly in connection with the public calendar, though we finish earlier. This makes it easier for us to maintain connections with the kids' PS friends, gives everyone (including me) a total break, and allows us to sign up for more summer activities. I appreciate that there are also good reasons for other school schedules. I have found that it is not good policy for either parent to just go ahead with something about which the other parent has concerns.

In my opinion, anyone who is involved in supporting the family and has a vested interest in planning family holidays, vacations, free time, etc, should get a say in the schedule. :)

I read the book. Mostly laughed. And I am a very committed uncluttered. I did get a few good ideas. The folding thing sounds great. But my kids (at least the 7 + 5 yr olds) fold and put away their own clothing. And take out their clothing to get dressed. And I am NOT starting to do that for them just for perfect folding. I don't know - I prefer as little clutter as possible. But she nearly deifies things and that doesn't sit quite right with me.

I have a young 1st, a 2nd, and a toddler. We've been doing morning time for about three years. I begin as soon as I'm done eating breakfast (which is generally much sooner than the kids!). I get going while they eat. We: - read a bible chapter, then discuss or not depending on the day. - one of them prays (they like to), referencing a little photo album I put together of people/countries/missionaries/concepts/etc to pray for. - we do memory work (hopefully by this time they are done eating). We are always working through a Bible chapter, then there is poetry and sometimes other tidbits. This can be short (work on one new phrase) or long (review long sections of past work) depending on the day. - 'thankfuls' - each of us lists something we are thankful for and we add it to a notebook list. - read alouds. Current favourites are biographies from the Christian Heroes: Then and Now series. These are amazing for acquainting them with examples of godly men and women AND for the discussions they open up about history and geography, depending on the events of the book. - journals. They each draw a picture then dictate to me, or write their own entry. I often give them prompts unless they know something they want to write about. This generally takes about an hour. I found that if I didn't start when we were all around the table, I had a hard time getting everyone together again and I kept doing 'just one more thing' first. The toddler stays in high chair at least through Bible and prayer, then either continues to eat/play with his food or gets down and goes to play independently. I like that it's teaching him to be quiet and respectful for a period of time. There is always more I'm tempted to add, but then I end up avoiding it because it gets too long.

That is AMAZING.

"Please take this as I mean it - very gently. You have a second grader and you're on your sixth math curriculum (or supplement). If it were me, I'd pick a math - one you like the scope, presentation, etc and one you can teach. Then, implement it. Every day. No skipping, no days off. Do it. Daily. The more doing math becomes the norm, the more kids give up the fight. For mine, there were consequences for whining or asking to get out of work. Others treat it differently. We still have the rule, "If you ask if it's a full day, I promise you it will be". Now my kids are older they have a lot of input in curriculum, but at 8...nope. Sorry." This. I was homeschooled K-12 and am now homeschooling my own. My education was very much about the joy of learning and that's my goal with my kids. But I am thankful that there were things that my Mom decided were a fit for our HS and that she just required. I never liked math and science as much as literature (I'm a language person through and through). That influenced curriculum choices and directions in later grades. But I'm thankful for the solid base of skill I acquired through learning to be disciplined about math even though I didn't love it. In my experience, a math attitude issue can actually turn out to be a character issue that needs to be addressed (I am not talking about LDs, etc). Just a thought. If he's good at what you're doing and it fits well for you to teach it, then maybe the attitude is the thing to work on?

Also... we like Bob books (especially the higher level) because they are finite in length. If it's a good day, you can go through several. If it's a tough day, you can stop after one and they still have a sense of accomplishment.

There are few things that try my patience like listening to a kid sound out words they ALREADY KNOW. I felt like a horrible person about it until I was reading Mary Ostyn's homeschooling book and she mentioned having to have something mindless to do while working with early readers so that she wouldn't flip her lid. Since then, I've followed that advice and it really helps. Somewhat unrelated to the dyslexia issue, but that helps with one part of the problem? A link to that book is below. Http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Homeschooling-Real-World-Families-Ostyn-ebook/dp/B00T6058Y8/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8e

I'm in this position as well, except I'd say that my 7yo's manuscript is pretty good. But I'd thought she could use more practice before cursive. She's so eager for cursive, though, I said she could head into HWT level 3 in the fall. She is so excited. I think... maximize their enthusiasm while it's burning!