Medication has done wonders for DS. He has ADHD and SPD. We're waiting for OT to have availablity for us, until then we also do the following. I have him to his chores in the morning before school and try to add a bit of heavy work (sweeping, raking, washing the floor, taking out the trash from around the house) anything that uses up energy and works his muscles and gives him the sensory input he personally needs. Then we sit and do school, I let him choose the order we do it in as long as everything gets done. Like the PP said, no breaks, any breaks and it's harder to get him back. I will let him break if he's super hyper and won't settle, I have him go play basketball or ride his bike for 20 minutes - again sensory input and an outlet for energy. I'm thinking about getting him an exercise ball to sit on while he works. I've heard this works well. This is what is working for us most of time this year. Last year we were lucky to get in math and grammar, this year we are doing everything in 2-3 hours. I know your against medication, but it really helped DS.

I'm also into photography, I just started my business in June (http://carajouglardphotography.com - if anyone wants to check it out). I have a D90 and a 35mm 1.8 lens. My next lens is going to be the 85 mm. I had a 50 1.8 with my Sony camera before I got my D90 and I think I like my 35 better, but the 50 1.8 is a nice lens on any camera and it's fairly cheap. I love photography, I'm so happy that I got to turn my passion into a career / business that still allows me to homeschool my children.

Around here it's tape and batteries, and they will be found in DS's room. I don't know what he does with them. I need to go in and deep clean his room but I'm scared of what I may find.

Thanks everyone! I was trying to do science, history and geography everyday and it was too much so that's why I asked. With field trips I want to take, OT and park day, there just isn't enough time in the week. I wanted to add in a formal art but between history and geography and some craft stuff he'll want to do with his sister, we will get enough art type stuff in. I think starting in January we are going to do as follows with our subjects Math, Spelling, Literature, and Vocabulary - everyday Grammar - MWF Writing - Tues / Thurs Science - Monday / Thurs History - Tues / Friday Geography - Wed Handwriting - one of the reason we are in OT - I'm waiting for his OT before we proceed I'm also going to add some tot school for DD in 2-3 days a week, not sure where yet. LOL Thanks everyone for the input.

How many days / hours a week do you do science, history, art and geography and what grade / age are your kids?

Probably the wrong place to ask.. but I'm going to anyway. I just read that they were approved for the 2011 - 2012 school year here. And I can't say that free curriculum and all doesn't intrigue me, if anything for the fact that they will go through high school in our state and it would earn DS a high school diploma. We're loosely classical but mainly eclectic homeschoolers. So I'm not sure their curriculum would even fit in with what we are doing or the fact that DS is advanced in math. So I'm just looking for those that have used it. The pros / cons. How easy / hard it would be to supplement. What happens if DS works faster than expected? Will they go up a grade level mid year?

I agree too. I would only hand it back though if there was a peanut warning on the package. But I would also explain that we have a peanut allergy and do not allow peanut products in our house. It's either give it back or throw it away. But it wouldn't be coming home with me.

Actually ADHD children can hyper-focus on things, so that's not entirely true. For us it was a combination of things. I first noticed it when he was in 1st grade, his classwork was coming home incomplete. I brought it up to the teacher, she brushed it off and said he was just a busy body and into everyone's business. When we brought him home, to homeschool. I started noticing it more and more. He hyper-focuses, he is beyond hyper, he can not stay on task, he jumps from activity to activity and subject to subject, he's constantly in motion, he just never stops. It's quite exhausting and goes beyond that of an active 8 year old boy. We finally had him evaluated in April and got a diagnoses. I have seen such an improvement with medication. Last school year we were lucky if we got math and grammar done in a 4 hour time span. Today we got math, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, reading and geography done in 90 minutes. That's how much the difference is for us right now. We also just had our OT evaluation for fine motor delays and sensory issues. My hope is that medication for the ADHD along with therapy for the sensory issues, we can get DS on the right track behaviorally.

No I wouldn't be ok with it, especially since you said it was close to your fence. I'm deathly allergic to bees and can't say I'm a fan of them. DS has a serious fear of them and won't go into the yard if one even looks like it's flying around. I would say no, because it would prevent us from enjoying our yard.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm going to look into them. I checked out TWTM at the library today to ready the science section for the Grammar stage again and the Logic stage.

We're doing REAL Science Odyessy Life Science right now and while I like it, DS is completely bored and it's way below his level. Does anyone have any recommendations for me to check out

Daisy, I feel your pain! I am having to cancel two field trips for our group because I can't get anyone to commit to going. One required a 75% attendance rate and a $70 deposit. The other I'm embarrassed to show up with just my kids when I told them at least 10-20 people. I have no clue how to get people to commit to field trips, it's what they tell us they want , but then they don't want to go when we plan things. I'm almost completely over it and may stop planning field trips.

I haven't read all the replies, but I would cut the war. We are spending 2.6 billion a week on a war that we shouldn't be in, that is a lot of money for a country in economic crisis such as ours. That money could do a lot of good at home.

I think we have the same child, caffeine did nothing for DS. Focalin helped some, Vyvanse has worked wonders. The effect on his school work is also amazing. We went from spending 3-4 hours on math alone to getting everything done in 3 hours tops.

This is DS. I'm glad we decided to go the medication route, I can totally tell a difference in his behavior on and off medication.

This story hit way too close to home for me today. DS was bullied in 1st grade due to his peanut allergy. A little girl that sat by him in class, brought peanuts or PB daily and would taunt DS with it. He totally changed, school was torture, and made comments such as " I'm afraid they are going to kill me". I also found out later that the teacher made comments to some or in front of some of the children that DS's allergy wasn't real. Children were also bringing in peanuts / pb and sharing it at snack time. The classroom was supposed to be nut free, and wasn't. The school was supposed to be nut free and wasn't. I fought all year for accommodations (nut free cafeteria, nut free table for lunch, nut free classroom) and in the end just pulled DS because I couldn't' find anymore. Ds NEVER wants to step foot in a school ever again because of this.

Any of the Junie B Jones books

I like the milk one what about "carbs are bad for you"

You have to be currently enrolled in college to get it. I have an edu email but I'm not currently enrolled, darn.

We used a homopathic treatment that worked for our dog http://www.ehow.com/way_5373145_homeopathic-mange-remedies.html I also took the borox / peroxide mixture and mixed with with Vasline and Balmex and spread it all over her. It worked with in a few weeks.

We use the workbook, because DS has fine motor issues and it's easier for him to use the workbook than it is to write out all the problems on his own.

Your welcome! I learned a long time ago with DS that there is no stopping the mixture of water and dirt / sand. If the two are anywhere in the area together, they will be mixed. Apparently DD loves it also. They had a blast and amazingly their swim suits and them came clean LOL. I saw salvage as much sand as you can, buy another bag (it's like $3 at Walmart for a bag), and wash the webkinz.

Add me to the know big deal category, then again this is what happens at my house when dirt and water mix http://www.facebook.com/CaraJouglardPhotography?v=photos&ref=sgm#!/photo.php?pid=318436&id=129717253713077

I want to add some US Geography into our curriculum this year but not sure where to start or how to go about doing it. Anyone have any recommendations.

Thanks everyone, I talked to mom and she agreed that if they can't share then they can't bring it with them. The 8 year old doesn't really know how to play, she's starting to get better as the summer goes on, but she's all about her computer and video games. Mom said she's starting to notice that the two girls (step sisters) are getting very cliquish when they are together and she's not liking it and is trying to stop it. So this is part of that. I think tomorrow we may cut all electronics down to one hour a day and try other things to do, which I've tried before but the girls always go back to the video games.