Who else is coming to the OCEAN conference:) Carrie

She might also like to learn outlining IEW style. It makes it easier to take your notes, process them, and develop your own work, instead of "copying". You don't write down whole sentences...you write down 3 or so words..per line on your outline. There's more to it...but that's a little bitty start:-) Carrie

I don't have a curriculum for you, but if it were me doing this, I'd practice with flash cards.....every day few days...increasing the "families".... I'd also sing the skip counting for those families.... For reading, I'd start at the beginning.... I'd have them go through the different sounds...and teach some rules about when the vowels say their names...Put together the 3 and 4 letter phonograms... Of course, this depends on how many hours you have...and what level they are at... Carrie:-)

My son likes playing in the rocks around his play yard set, with his Tonka trucks....finding "special" rocks in there is fun to him. He likes playing with his Leap pad and playing on the computer. He loves to ride his bike...(yes, supervised) and going to Science Museums. Going to McDonalds and playing in the center...or going to the park. He likes to build, although I hear you when you say your's doesn't....how about playmobile type play. If he likes imaginative play with silks and such...do you have things to use to turn into "knights" and "pirates" and such? My son's oldest sisters had him in silks all the time when he was a bit younger....(even now, occasionally) But, with his sword (watch out) and other play things....he can turn into anything. He loves stuffed animals and will play with them forever...including, bears....spiderman....tigers....anything...really. Oh, there are those really cool tubes that you can send marbles down. A lot of the cataloges that are Waldorfy have them...or maybe Timberdoodle, too. I think Discovery Toys has a plastic one. Those always looked like fun... My son likes lots of Grammy time, with her reading books and playing games with him. He really is getting old enough to read chapter books like Little Pilgrim's Progress and other books like that. Enjoy! Carrie

Yes, I'd do it again in a heartbeat!! It wasn't fun, but it wasn't beyond horrible. I wouldn't get the vaccine for more than just the normal reason. I have an ethical reason, too. (at least one!) I used a witches brew on my children during their time of having chx pox. Neem oil, jojoba oil, lavendar eo, lemon grass, olive oil...and others. Some I used together, some separately. I know now, that that's why my son didn't scar...(except a couple that aren't really visible. I did end up having him take a virus medication towards the end, because it was going secondary. Even so, it really was fine. If I had a Pediatric physician...that was more supportive...he would have given me the virus meds earlier...and it would have cleared up even sooner. Oatmeal baths didn't work...and actually made my kids itch more. Go for it! Carrie:-)

I gave up and ordered 3 things of 7th generation pull-ups. My son is almost 6. I say, just chug/sip a glass of wine. Does she feel ok?? You can try the allergy thing, but remember that relationships are worth more than accidents. You can teach her to ..."ok, accidents happen...here's how it works...pull off your pull-up..stick in the trash...put your dirty clothes in this bucket.....put on clean ones... If she's feeling bad about it, she will have a harder time... She won't get her real driver's license with pull-ups!! Carrie... PS, my son went through having accidents about 2 years after being "trained"...like 5 or 6 times.... I thought I'd go crazy....but I just said "no more" to whatever had held his attention..... (ok...is was the Wii) he got over it.... Good Luck! Carrie

You just need to get her a bluetooth ear piece...then she'll look normal:-) Carrie

We had them in apartments in Oklahoma. I use to go into the bathroom every night....after dark...and kill 10-15 baby ones. Just squish squish squish...... We kept all of our plates and stuff in an extra fridge....(which we kept near the kitchen...and kept it running. My mom finally got everyone in the entire complex to have their apt. sprayed....(like mmm... 16 families...on the same day...) They sprayed outside, then all the insides.... You probably know the drill, don't carry anything from the grocery store into your house. No brown bags of anything.... hopefully no cardboard anything..... And, yup...try all the natural you can stand.....(We sprinkled the Dio...whatever crushed shell stuff....I think you can use the stuff that's safe for humans/animals) And, we had bay leafs all over the place! Carrie

There's a little handwriting "book" called "Cursive First". It tells all the positives...with me being able to think of no negatives. You usually go back to the first way you were taught. Printing use to be taught for labeling maps. France went to printing first....such bad results that they went back to cursive. The "Cursive First" has a very easy cursive to teach, with pages to copy. (Although for us, the cursive was too small.) I'd recommend it! Carrie:-)

I'd say to remind him that he's "pure" and that until he knows her in person, that should be first. See if he's open to having a fun week with you. Plan dinners, talk with her lots, visit wherever.... Remind him that he should see how they would fit in your family. See how she treats him, how she treats his siblings..... Remind him that she's older...and quite possibly carries baggage. Invite her to be part of your life..... Carrie:-)

Just be happy that she can graduate. Here, they don't honor unaccredited credits. ( You can't be homeschooled part time and graduate) Carrie:-)

It's funny. I went to public school...(well, before I was homeschooled) and I think it's funny. Comic strips are meant to have a point! That's why men have been killed for having funny comic strips...or poems.... They SPEAK:-) Who would argue that children do better in places away from their homes...from almost the moment they're home? (Well, there are people who would argue that...) Even if I put my children back in school, the point is still made. Education at it's finest....is at home. (of course, if the student is truly being educated) And of course, if I feel that my children should be educated somewhere else, off they go. (and that might happen!)

I'd let the principal know either way....(good response or not) Because this would really put your child below where they should be. AND, because of her eagerness to finish the book (and I'm assuming she was making decent to good grades...) doesn't look like a student problem. Carrie:)

Hey There, I pm'med you, but here's my take one what you said. It may very well be their first year having info meetings? Last year, when I started...I just was thinking "Ok y'all...come with me on a ride and let's see how great it'll be!" I knew that I wanted to do it, but I never had seen it in real life. I really didn't know how to explain what it was going to look like! I didn't know how to explain what would be retained....OR, how to explain what you'd do at home! Also, if they are trying hire tutors, they are probably just nervous about how many families they'll have... For us, it's well worth the $$$ we spend. It keeps us going each week. We LOVE it! My son is still singing the songs...3 months after we stopped. His favorite is skip counting math and also singing about Pearl Harbor! We really have a NICE group. The kids are really nice to each other. It's amazing. I just can't say enough about our group. BUT, even I feel nervous about how many we'll have. There's a ton to do...supplies to purchase, tutors to get ready (and have enough of them) and the like... With all that said, it's not for everyone....BUT, I just love meeting each week...and if we didn't do this...we'd do something else:-) Carrie:-)

Did they start with another book, first? Can you ask the teacher how that worked? I'd want to gently talk with the teacher and the principal.... (for the good of future students) Carrie

And while things could be scary, how sad, because as a child, I LOVED sleepovers. My older (step) daughters have had many sleepovers, but my 10 year old...well...we just have homeschooled....very conservative friends for her....Even getting a playdate...is "taking away from family time" and so even they are hard... Carrie

I think that if she were in town with you, that'd be fine. But far out...in the country...no. I have a just turned 14 year old, she's very responsible...and she takes care of her little brother (now almost 6) and I still try to make it so she only has him 1/2 day or less. (She can share taking care of him with my 17 year old.) When she was younger, I did let her take care of him for a while at a time... But, a one year old is just too young for a 14 year old for that many hours...that many days...too many things can happen....when boredom for all sets in. Carrie:-)

Isn't this a hard time of year, to think of another? I can't say that my daughter is easy...She's not! But, I would have the same, and perhaps worse, if she were in school. She would have to get up early, get to school, be good there, turn in her school work, still do her chores here. I am checking into a Classical Charter school, that sounds fabulous, but I'm not sure that I'll be able to get her in. One thing that is a relief is that she would be someone else's during the day. Whew...but I still be enforcing all other rules....including all the homeworl. Ugh. And, part of her problem is not really having siblings to play with...(I mean fight with:-) So, it's just her.... I find that one of the only things that motivates her to finish her work...is having something after that she wants to do...go to the library...etc. This is a bit scary as she needs to be delving deeper and longer into subjects next year. I feel for ya!!! Carrie....

There are a ton of threads about CC on here. Go to the advanced search option and put in Classical Conversations and "poof" you'll get more than you can read. I'm up for you pmming me if you'd like more direct questions answered. I have a rising 6th grader and rising 1st grader...and I am in Oregon:-) Carrie

Just a thought. Robinson's curriculum tells you that you should do basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division before anything else math related....(so...no math books until you get this down) and then you jump into book 54. You could work on math flashcards after the games. When I was being homeschooled, starting in the 6th, my mom was dismayed that I didn't know my math facts. She started with a few multiplication cards and we did those over and over... The goal was that I could say them as fast as she could throw them down. You can start with math flash cards that have the answer on them. There's really no way she can't say what the flashcard says...If it's 2X2=4.....and then after you really practice all the 2's...you do it without the answer...and move to 5's or whatever... Set a prize at the end. :-) Also, I have to tell you...that my 10 year old HATES to write all of the problem out...but it's part of math and how your brain works.....and she would have you think that she's going to DIE if she has to write them out.... Carrie:-)

I also think that it's kinda like when I nannied. I loved the kids and yet I had walked in on them when they were partially formed. It was easy for me to be strict, because I wanted obedient children that I could take out. I had them for 10 hrs a day...and then they were with their parents...(boy was that scary...talk about no obedience....parents would walk in...kids start screaming and demanding cookies:-)!!) Anyway, so...teachers get these already partially formed students, that know basic social rules...and the teacher gets a fresh start (as do the students) Teacher demands respect...Student gives it.....(hopefully). Anyway, there are teachers who can demand respect in a classroom....and get it...and still have crazy little children at home....:-) Carrie

Hey Impish...how old is your child?? This is CRAZY and I would never be ok with it....I think you should talk with the coach, share <again> what the child said...and expect some talking with the parents. Coaches rule:-) This child needs a good beating... (oops...I mean talking to) and I'm sure that either... the parents talk like that...(no hope except better control at games) or little kid thought they'd get away with saying something that one of the big kids said..... I mean...we'd be whipping our child into the van...to go do some apologizing...and while "whipping" just means ....getting them in there...they would only wish that it was just a spanking!!! They would be apologizing..... doing yard work to buy some chocolate...and finding out that when you're mean....spending your hard earned money on some good gifts...(chocolate??) is a good sign of repentance. I really am sorry...can't believe that he said such mean things.... Ok, maybe I'd be more calm....but I would hate to see my child say such ugly hurtful things and would take it VERY seriously! Carrie

Oh Bill, what a great idea!! We're not allowed to have a Rooster, but how I'd love to have maybe fertilized eggs...-v- not..... Alas, we have kinda nasty neighbors, so it won't happen. They're too much into smokin' out and sleepin' in to be nice....(isn't that stuff suppose to make you NICER??? Someone forgot to tell them!!) I had joked about having a rooster "decrowed"...didn't think about the black-out thing.... (Now, don't shoot me...I was just kidding!) Carrie:-)

:lurk5::auto::001_huh: No one else??:confused: Fun to try my smilies, anyway:D

My step daughters, at school, at least once a year (maybe 2x?) did a goal letter for themselves. They listed the subjects that they were happy about and the subjects that they needed to improve. I think they kept these to reflect on later... Carrie:-)