I went for both of my girls (currently aged 6 and 2). Some of the friends I made there with dd6 are still in my life. And our local leaders are WONDERFUL!!! I think that you would meet many new friends in such a group. I also think that you have a wealth of knowledge to share with other moms (extended nursing, sn, allergies). They may or may not choose the same path as you, but sharing your experiences gives them options. They may say, "That was so helpful," or they may say, "I would NEVER do that!" but it does give them choices.

As homeschoolers, we can be isolated from what others are doing technologically. We're so busy teaching reading, writing, arithmetic, while mummifying chickens, we may be unaware what our children's peers are doing technologically. If the school system fails our children to be technologically ready for college and life, that is one thing. If we as parents who choose to homeschool fail our children (due to lack of guidance), that is another. Does anyone have a "Pathway to Computer Competency" that they have used or plan to use? I'm really out of my depth for some of this. When I was in high school, they were teaching us Fortran and Basic. Please quit snickering at my age and my (lack of recent) experience. :laugh: My goal is that my daughters will not need to learn technology required for a class WHILE being in class. I have BTDT before. NOT fun. Some things I would like my daughters to learn (in no specific order): --surfing the web, --typing --Word --Powerpoint --Cutting and Pasting --Facebook --Web site design (on Blogger or comparable site) --Basic programming --Powerpoint --Excel --adding components to a CPU (extra memory, new video card) --exposure to any other programs that are used in college classes (of a specific major: for example, scientists use "EndNote."). --Blender? --alternative operating systems Thank you sincerely for any replies!

http://www.secular-homeschooling.com/ I don't know if Deborah is planning any more issues. There may be back issues for purchase.

A second vote for Scratch.

I voted Unit Study. I am the mom who overschedules my child to a ridiculous level in the summer: Yes. I'm THAT mom. Swim Lessons, Nature Camp, Gymnastics, Tennis, Dance class, Engineering Workshop, Library Programs, picnics, and visiting the pool and park. Many activities are closed on Fridays, so I am planning that we will do Snap Circuits this summer. I also have a collection of Usborne Science/History Readers. We didn't read them all for Kindergarten, so we should read them this summer and do the Usborne Quicklinks. Once summer activities are over, we will re-start homeschooling...even just a few subjects. Dd6 and I don't do well when we don't have a plan for the day.

Two weeks of Nature Camp (not sequential) -- half days. One week of Gymnastics Camp -- half days One day of Engineering Camp -- half day

Disclaimer: This is not my pathway. It was recommended by another WTM poster, and I copied it for reference. We may start SSL this summer or fall. I post this to give you another perspective, but take it with a grain of salt that I cannot personally endorse it (with no direct experience). 2nd grade - Song School Latin 3rd grade - Minimus Latin 4th grade - Minimus Secundus (holding pattern) 5th grade - Latin for Children A 6th grade - Latin for Children B 7th grade - Latin for Children C 8th grade - Latin Alive 1 9th grade - Latin Alive 2 10th grade - Latin Alive 3 (or maybe right into Wheelock) 11th grade - Wheelock 12th grade - Wheelock (or maybe translation of Vergil if we skip LA3)

Calming Tea, Disclaimer: I believe in Evolution. I am so happy to hear that you want your kids to hear both sides of the story! I cannot help you with Creationism beyond the current sources listed, but I strongly recommend that you share the following Nova Series with your kids. They were each produced within the past ten years. Whenever individuals want to debate Evolution with me, they always ask incredibly good questions! They are good thinkers, and these are really good questions to ask! It is impressive to see laymen (non-scientists, non-Evolutionists) asking identical questions about Evolution to what scientists ask. The Creationist Community should be proud that their people are able to articulate such high-level questions. However, that is where the inquiry ends. Some of these questions are parroted from a hundred years ago, and each question was resolved (in the opinion of Evolutionists) by an experiment or series of experiments. IME, these experiments are unknown to Creationists. Some of these experiments are from decades ago, so we know the answers (again, in the opinion of the Evolutionists). These two series walk through the experiments on the subjects given. In this way, your children will be ahead of both the Creationist AND the Evolutionists. They will know the questions on the Creationist side, and the experiments on the Evolutionist side, so they can move on and ask some good Creationist questions that have NOT been answered so far; perhaps some from this decade rather than from a century ago. Origins (also on Netflix, or may be able to watch online through pbs) Becoming Human (also on Netflix Instantwatch, or may be able to watch online through pbs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also, it's a little dated, but Richard Dawkins' series of Christmas Lectures from 1991 also reviews some of the research: Growing Up in the Universe (possibly on Youtube). ---------------------------------------------------------- I hope this post doesn't create controversy. I sincerely get REALLY, REALLY EXCITED to hear Creationists asking such good questions. It makes me hope that they will create their own experiment to answer their questions!

We have these in the house: In a Pickle and Mad as a Wet Hen If the library does not have any of the books listed, maybe the librarian can direct you to a resource your library DOES have.

We are NOT morning people either. We use tv as a tool. We limit its time and content. 1) I wake dd6 by snuggling in bed with her and reading ONE story or chapter in the book we have been reading. 2) Then dd6 sits on the toilet. She can watch ONE 30-minute PBS Kids show if I am waking dd2. In the past, I have told her that she can watch tv once she has finished getting ready for the day. We have a TIVO, and it is a godsend! Option 2: 1) I nurse the baby in bed. She just rolls over and goes back to sleep. 2) I wake dd6 as listed above. Then she is expected to sit on the toilet, dress, an comb her hair as independently as she can. 3) Poor little dd2 is awoken, wrapped in a blanket if she is uncooperative, and tossed in the stroller for a 20 minute walk around the neighborhood. We do stop at a play area for FIVE MINUTES on THE WAY BACK, because we have a lot to do. 4) The girls may or may not watch 30 minutes of ONE PBS Kids tv show while I prep breakfast and throw in laundry. Note: Dd6 gets 30 minutes of free tv each day. It must be PBS Kids (or other educational dvds). If she wants more tv time, she must earn it through schoolwork. If she wants non-educational tv, she must hoard the tv time she earns for "when daddy comes home." If she can't manage her time....well, she can try again tomorrow. A TIVO is a must. You do not need cable or satellite to own a DVR; just Google search for TIVO and see the deals available. TIVO makes it easy to limit kids' tv because it automatically turns off when the show is over.

We will start first grade in August (beginning? middle? end?). We will start with anything we don't finish this spring. Math - Finish Saxon 2 (20 lessons to go!), start Saxon 3. Phonics - Finish Saxon 1 (35 lessons to go!), start Saxon 2. Writing - Finish IEW PAL Writing (part of Section 2, all of Section 3); begin TWSS possibly. 10 Terrific Weeks: Dinosaurs - This is a unit study from Usborne. Dd6 is LOVING their Adventures at Sea series, so we will do dinosaurs this fall; possibly Human Body to tie in with Life Science in the spring. History - History Odyssey Ancients 1 Science - Science Odyssey Life 1 Usborne readers - the ones from K that we have not finished. We use them with Usborne quicklinks for brief unit studies. Vocabulary - Finish Wordly Wise K, begin Wordly Wise 1. Languages - Song School Latin 1; Usborne Spanish maybe; Chinese through local Chinese School.T Typing - Dance Mat software or Mavis Beacon. Just to play with it a bit. Cursive - a couple of introductory books from Amazon Explode the Code/Beyond the Code - Continue the Series Piano - Continue with My First Piano Adventures. Finish Book B; begin Book C. Gym - Swim and Gym afterschool program; Gymnastics or Tae Kwan Do

THIS IS A THREAD HIJACK: Would either of these help your kids learn the periodic table? 1) Mnemonics for Chemistry. Scroll down to the Periodic Table. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chemistry_mnemonics 2) List of Elements to learn abbreviations. http://sciencespot.net/Media/elementtips.pdf I have one other help, but I can't find it on my computer at this time. I will try again later when I don't have to get the kids up!

Our library is in the process of rebuilding. As in: we are now located in a strip mall, with the administration two doors down (in same strip mall). The bookmobile is parked out by the UPS office on the edge of town. The last time our building remodeled/expanded was 1985. We are a community of 50K, but half of that is college students. (We are a university town). A few years ago, our library was audited, and for our circulation, it should have had twice the floorspace. At that point, for every item purchased by the library, one item had to be literally discarded. As a PP mentioned, if the book was not earning its keep, it needed to be discarded. 1) If libraries are going to discard Classics, are they making ILL accessible and affordable? One can request ILL online for our library, and the library immediately takes it under advisement whether to purchase a copy. 2) Electronic resources can stretch library shelves. If a library can purchase 10 copies of paper book X, and 10 copies of electronic version of book X, classics are less likely to be displaced while the flavor of the month is in circulation. However it takes $$$ and know-how to create that infrastructure.

Dd6 is making a diorama of a coral reef. She wants some fish to swim in it. http://www.amnh.org/ology/features/stufftodo_marine/coral_main.php ------------------------- For something less "projecty," we have been reading many Usborne books, and using their Quicklinks for enrichment.

pretzel sticks Mmmmmm.....must make hummus!!!

Today I feel that way. Tomorrow will be better. :grouphug:

Homeschooling is your job. Few moms are expected to go back to their outside-the-homes jobs before a few weeks have passed. Some of this depends upon: Disclaimer: You do not need to answer these questions in this public forum. It is none of our business. 1) How well will YOU recover from delivery? I never recovered well, but I'm sure there are moms out there who did. 2) Do you sling your babies? I couldn't figure this out, but some slings are better than others. Many moms sling their babies to keep them content. 3) Do you have help for several weeks? Extra people (Grandma, church friends) can be a help or a hindrance if you are trying to homeschool after the baby comes. 4) Do you nurse or cosleep? What is your nighttime strategy for baby? If you nurse on demand, baby may keep you up all night. I know some families that sleep-train their babies from day one. They send dad with a bottle at 2am. In our house we nurse on demand AND cosleep, so I was always tired tired tired for the first several months. I hope that I am coming across as non-judgmental upon this one. Every family needs to make the choices that are right for us. ------------------------------------------------ The best advice I got from other homeschooling moms while I was pregnant was to just PLAN to fall behind. Babies take a lot of time. Recovery from pregnancy takes time. Holy moly! You are growing a whole separate and unique person! That's a lot of work! The best science in the world can't do that yet! The good news is that several of your kids are older; they could be weaned to work more independently on at least a few of their things (not that you haven't done this already). It is a good skill to figure things out on your own; and it is a good skill to know when and how to ask for assistance. I also like PP idea to pay the older kids to check the work of the youngers.

At age 20, my cholesterol was 220. The Physicians' Assistant that forced me to take the cholesterol test chastised me for such a high number, then said not a single word of what I could do to lower it. She said nothing about fruits, vegetables, limiting meats, and exercise. I was a healthy weight at that time. Now I am 42. A few years ago, I had my cholesterol checked during a routine physical. I about fell off of the doctor's table when he told me how low it was. (Wayyyyyyyyy below 200. Maybe 160?) Oh, and I am 100 pounds overweight now. In the meantime, I had started taking fish oil capsules because it is recommended by my favorite health guru. Now I know why. -------------------------------------------------- Loverboy was tagged a year ago with high cholesterol. His doctor prescribed the fish oil capsules. He had no change in his high cholesterol levels. So now, he is on high-cholesterol medicine from big pharma. The lesson: results for fish oil capsules may vary.

Our kids are not yet at cell phone stage, but I have saved a copy of these rules for when we get to that point: (It's the Christmas mom who got her son a cell phone with 18 rules). http://www.northwestohio.com/news/story.aspx?id=843575#.UXMdLErEVc8

What a great idea! We are using Add-a-Century Timeline. It can be hung on a wall or put in a really nice binder. I'll PM you, SquirrellyMama. ETA: Because of the binder, this timeline has been recommended as a good choice for taking to college.

I read this book two decades ago. It was a really good read, but it was 721 pages. The title is Rhinegold. http://www.amazon.com/Rhinegold-Stephen-Grundy/dp/0553095455 As I understand it, it was linked to the old Norse myths. I have no idea if it has a storyline similar to The Ring. The sequel is Attilla's Gold. I haven't read that one.

Math: Flashcards and math games. We would make up our own math games. Learning to read: Bob books and just writing the letters. "Write 3 letter Rs. They go like this: R." Learn to read games. Reading: Award winners Elementary: Caldecott and Zolotov Middle School: Newberry High School: Classics (anything with a Cliff's Notes) Writing/Grammar: Journaling and making up stories. History/Science: Usborne Books. Our library has a ton, and their quicklinks really round out a subject, whether it be ballet, frogs, or Shakespeare. Art: Usborne drawing books and art history books. Geography: Dd6 also writes the name of the state flower and bird on the appropriate page. Spelling: Vocabulary lists from science or history (once they learned the basic rules for spelling) Field trips, many nature collections, miscellaneous experiments, and badges earned by scout-like clubs. PBS: Nova, Nature, American Experience, and, of course, Wild Kratts.

:bigear:

We are in K. I am planning to keep at least 2 years worth of workbooks/papers/etc. If my children ever go to public school, and there is ever a question of what level they are at, two years of work should confirm what they are capable of doing.

On a perfect day, I rise before the children (dd6 and dd2). I do something for dishes: either wash dishes or empty the dish drainer from the night before. I do something for laundry: move it along! I take the time to calmly weigh out a healthy breakfast of fresh fruit and eat it. If I don't rise before the kids (up late with baby or insomnia), then nothing gets done. Our whole day gets out of whack! In the middle of the day, we break for a good meal. I aim for one hour to prepare the meal, eat the meal, clean up from the meal, wash the dishes, and move the laundry along. Dinner is usually something that is fast and easy to make, or leftovers that can be heated up in the microwave. I prefer to wash dishes immediately after supper, but sometimes I am too tired, or dd2 asks to nurse. We clean the living room when we have to. I sweep the kitchen/dining room when it is so bad I can't stand it. We talk about having an evening family clean-up time of 15 minutes, but we haven't figured that out yet. It will be easier when dd2 is a little older. I am lucky because Loverboy is so helpful and supportive about the homeschooling, housekeeping, and meals. Most nights he is prepping supper. He helps with the girls in the bath at nights. He vacuums. He also does most of the grocery shopping. Yesterday and today, he fed/entertained both girls for long periods of time while I clean out storage bins in the garage. (Lots of things are going to charity!!!!)