AHASRADA
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Posts posted by AHASRADA
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I agree with so many that respect for each partner's role is the key to whether or not homeschooling strengthens or harms a marriage. If one partner thinks the other is a "parasite" for not working, or does not value or even agree with homeschooling, that would be stressful. If mom intended to work and suddenly finds herself at home all day, her self-esteem/fulfillment could take a hit (especially if accompanied by the above).
I constantly have to remind dh that whether or not I resent everything I do around the house, or errands for him, etc. primarily depends on his attitude. If I get an occasional "Thanks", or if requests are preceeded by "If you have time...", it is truly a pleasure to do what I do for my family. If I feel my contribution is being ignored or belittled, that is a major stressor.
Thankfully, no one in my family or my circle has ever had the assumption that moms should work. Many do once their kids are in school, but usually part-time as a self-fullfillment thing, and to have some pocket money and maybe contribute a bit to the finances, but this is never expected (None of us are rich; some are barely making it, but it is a question of family values). Most of our friends and family members are extremely respectful (translated humbled and in awe) of our homeschooling, and dh is very proud that I don't have to work. I can see conflicting social-circle dynamics coming into play as stressors as well.
I guess this is another reason to ensure couples are "on the same page", have the same expectations and values for their future family life, before starting the family (to the extent possible).
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I'm no expert, but I think these clothing items might be getting contaminated from oil on other items in the same load. If the soap does remove the oil from the clothes, where does it go? Into the water, where it might well re-deposit itself onto the nearest piece of clothing as the water is being drained.
This doesn't happen to me often (I don't think we have grease on our clothes too often anyway), but it has from time to time. This was always my assumption.
I would say, try washing "dirty" clothes separately from nicer items, and see if that takes care of it.
HTH,
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My dd10 was given the chicken pox vaccine when she was little (2 years old, maybe younger?) I wasn't asked if I wanted her to have the vaccine, and didn't know she had received it until they handed me the little informational pamphlets about all the shots she had received, and that was included. Oh well.
I had never heard about a booster until this post. She did receive her "final round of shots" when she was 4, so maybe this was included. I'll have to dig up her records.
If anyone is knowledgable about this, could you tell me when the booster is supposed to be given, and how many times? Is it possible that when she received hers in the early 2000s there was no booster?
I didn't feel a chickenpox shot was necessary when she was little, but I had a full-blown case when I was 12, and don't want her going through that. I guess I'll have to look into it, but in the meantime, I'd appreciate your wisdom :).
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I guess for me it's kind of like the "5 second rule" for eating food that has fallen on the floor :). Probably not too sanitary, but oh well, I doubt it ever made anyone sick. I've also been known to leave food out a bit longer than advisable, and perhaps eating leftovers a little older than ideal. Hasn't hurt any of us. I am encouraged by the studies that have shown that our modern "over-clean" and "sanitized" environment can be detrimental, that all kids need a little dirt and germs (that's my theory, and I'm stickin' to it ;).)
Theoretically, if I had enough laundry to warrant more specific load divisions, or a particularly small washer, ie: need to do 2 loads of whites anyway, then I would probably divide along those lines: towels alone, undies alone. Since this is not the case, I don't give it a second thought, and throw them all in. We have darks, mediums and whites, and sometimes a pink/red load if there are enough to separate.
Incidentally, I wash on warm, rinse on cold, and use a dryer. I expect the extreme heat of the dryer kills anything the water and soap missed. Oh yes, and I never use bleach (don't want the stuff in my house), but I put white vinegar in every load, which I once read kills germs equally as well as bleach, without the danger to non-whites and to accidental ingestion or skin irritation.
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I only wear cotton knit sports bras, and I get them at WalMart for $8 a pair. They last quite a while (at least 6 months) and are much more comfortable than the traditional styles. If you are a C/D cup or less, this is a nice option.
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I have tried both the Mio, which is a watch-only type, and a Nike Imara with chest strap. There is no comparison.
This was several years ago, so I don't remember exactly what I disliked about the Mio, but I returned it soon after purchase. I don't think it was that accurate, and might not have provided a continuous reading (maybe having to push buttons to take a reading, but don't recall).
I love, love, love my Imara. It gives a continuous heart-rate count, and you can set a range that you want your heart rate to stay within, so it will flash LO and HIGH when you are out of your range (usually based on age and weight). It also keeps track of the amount of time you spent in you range, as well as above and below.
HTH,
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Both my mom and we have electric hair clippers. My mom has used them on my dad for years, and my husband uses them on himself from time to time. There are different length attachments, so you can start out cutting it long, having more to work with if there are mistakes to fix.
Of course, ds is 13 and therefore very particular and protective of his hair. He wouldn't let any of us within 10 feet of his hair, so I do still have to shell out for his professional haircut, but only every 2 months or so :001_smile:.
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I hadn't really considered the Algebra Survival Guide and workbook, since I wasn't sure if it was actually a serious text, or just another mass-produced "review" book.
I recently noticed, however, that it is carried by Rainbow Resource, and that the description and review say, "This book kindly takes you by the hand and incrementally, step-by-step and question by question, teaches you the whys and hows of algebra." This is exactly what my ds needs!
So, what do you think? Is this a viable Algebra I text, or is there something else that would serve the purpose better?
Thanks!
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Funny how kids can be so different. My ds always starts his birthday request list a month or two in advance. If it involves anything electronic, he is surfing the net comparing options and chatting me up about why this model is better than another, hint, hint ;).
Think if he has given you any unnoticed hints, or maybe told other family members.
Otherwise, think about things he is interested in. I have gotten a lot of great educational toys from Rainbow Resource. In fact, I got a lot of birthday gifts from their holiday catalog.
A game for any system he already has, yo-yos are great, any kind of gross squishy stuff, a pet frog/lizard/etc.?
HTH,
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My ds has been using LoF Algebra for his main math curriculum this year. He loved the first 2 books in the series!
There are so many wonderful aspects to LoF, of which I am sure you are aware. Whether or not LoF will work as a stand-alone program really depends on your dc (and your own command of the subject).
My ds loves math, but he needs very clear, precise, broken down step-by-step explanations. He does not draw conclusions or easily apply what he knows to a new situation. Therefore, it needs to be demonstrated to him explicitly how the formula or approach he has just learned applies to each different type of word problem. LoF presumes the student will make those deductions on their own. Since I am not math savvy myself, I also often cannot see how the answer was obtained, simply using the explanations from the text.
In our case, therefore, I think the higher-level LoF books would work better to stretch and extend the basics already learned in a more incremental and explicit program, either over the summer or simultaneously.
HTH,
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R&S is a wonderful mastery-based program, but with review problems at the end of each lesson. This is really a best-of-both-worlds option for a student who prefers a mastery approach. Yes, there is plenty of review, and the lesson # that the review question is taken from is listed next to the question, so the student can easily flip back to that lesson if they don't remember how to do the problem.
The pages are clean and simple, with charming line drawings, similar to those in other R&S products or the Pathways readers (love them too!)
You can purchase the accompanying quizzes, tests and timed tests, which are very helpful.
If you think your dd would like to try a mastery-based program, but wants to keep some aspect of the continuous review of Saxon, I would recommend giving R&S a try.
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a practical, easy-to-find, inexpensive space saver is a loft bed. My poor dd10 has an extremely small room...so small that we could only fit a single bed and a bookshelf (her clothes went in drawers under the bed). She is very neat, but had given up trying to keep all her stuff organized in such a small space, and desperately wanted a desk.
I ended up buying her a used (double) loft bed. There would never have been room for a double standard bed, being tight against the doorway, but since it is up near the ceiling, it's fine. Now she has room on her bed for all her stuffed friends, blankets, and herself!
Without the bed taking up any floor or wall space (like a murphy), she now has two dressers, two bookshelves, two cabinets and a desk! It is the cutest and most functional room in the house, and she is sooo much happier. BTW, I bought everything used on craigslist and similar sites.
Just thought I'd pass along this easy to implement and cost-effective space-saving option you can do in the house you're already in!
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I used Singapore 1B through 4A with the HiG. the HiG was somewhat helpful, but did not provide as much guidance nor as thorough explanations as I would have liked. By the time we started 4B, we were both getting lost. Neither of us could follow the meager instructions and apply them to all the problems. We ended up giving up on Singapore.
For some of us, programs that are not written for homeschool or independent study, do not provide enough guidance. There always feels like something's missing, like there is an important component out there that eludes us, and we don't get the full benefit of the program. This is how I felt about Singapore.
Just my $0.02.
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I was going to vote "no", but then I realized that I will drink soda if it's all there is to drink at a party, say, so there's my "other." :D Kind of "only under duress."
I never buy it to have in the house, nor would it ever occur to me to order any with a meal
:iagree: That's my "other" also.
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I would say it depends. Absolutely, you should be paid for your time. If you were comfortable and she was not, she is a good friend whom you wish to help out and this is something you truly desired to volunteer for, maybe. But if you are both in a tight financial situation, you need to be compensated. I do after school tutoring, and it is very rewarding. However, it does take time away from my own kids, makes our schedule tighter, and our day a little more stressful (everybody, race around and clean up, a student is coming!) There is no way I would make those sacrifices if I weren't being compensated.
As for the consumables, you need to work that out with her. True, you don't want to make the cost prohibitive, but you need to have the necessary tools to work with. Try to keep the materials costs as low as possible, and see where her comfort level is. I will usually make an investment of about $20 per kid per year in workbooks, etc., in addition to a handful of weekly copies, that I am not compensated for. If the consumables will cost more than that, maybe you could split it, or she could add a couple $$ to each week's pay until she has reimbursed you, etc.
Find out what his needs are and what she really wants. You would be surprised how much you can accomplish with the materials you already have around the house and a workbook or two from the bookstore. A full homeschool curriculum, like Saxon, etc., could well be too much for afterschooling. I would work with him a few times, using what you have and/or free worksheets printed from the internet, until you get a feel for what he needs. That will save you both a lot of $$ (and another dilemma for you if you decide to switch gears later, and have to ask her to pay for new consumables again).
HTH,
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;)
In our family we call this "Filipino time". for a family dinner, we allow them to be on Filipino time and we make food ahead that just needs to be heated up when they arrive.I think a lot of other cultures are like this, and we all have our version of "fill-in-the-cultural-label" time. It doesn't make it any easier to accept, and can be downright frustrating, but it is what it is. Yes, I am American, dh isn't, and we have totally different concepts of time :).
One funny example: When dd10 was born, I decided to have an open house shower. I sent out invitations to friends and family on both sides, saying the party was "from 3pm on". I pretty much assumed that my family and American friends would arrive at 3 or 4, and the others later in the evening. You guessed it, we ended up with two separate parties! All the Americans were long gone by the time our multi-cultural entourage showed up at 7pm. It worked out, since we planned for it, but too funny!
A more recent, and more annoying story: I planned a surprise 40th bday party for dh last month. It fell during his final exam week, so he was extremely busy and stressed out. I planned 3 weeks in advance for his two brothers to surprise him by visiting, one from an hour away, the other 2 hours. Everything was fine until a week before, when dh mentioned that BIL has to go to CA for business that week. What!!! So I talk to BIL, he says he will try his best to get there on time, but it depends on work. Fine. So, I check in with SIL mid-week, who tells me no, there is no way he will be back in time. So, we reschedule, from Friday night to Sat. AM. I clearly told both BILs that they should try to arrive around 9am, because dh will likely run off to school after breakfast to work on his final projects. Granted, I knew they wouldn't arrive at 9am, but I was hoping for 10 or 10:30 at the latest. I spent an incredibly stressful morning, trying to act nonchalant, but still watching out the window. Dh was busy on the computer and the phone, but he could bolt at any minute. Where are they! Would you believe, they finally showed up at NOON! I had bought 2 dozen donuts and bagels, assuming I would be serving a light breakfast before worrying about lunch. Instead, I had to head straight for the kitchen, to get started on lunch, while everyone else chatted. We had a nice afternoon, but half of the day had been lost, with me stressed to the point of nausea after so many weeks of secretiveness and planning, and these nuts couldn't even show me the courtesy of showing up on time! BTW, other SIL shows up with gifts for all the nieces and nephews, as well as dh, and I'm sure they were so late because she was shopping :blink:.
So, even after 18 years of experience with this family and the culture, it can still be hard to deal with their lateness, and not to feel it as a personal slap in the face, as if my plans and efforts don't matter. I do keep fighting the tide, trying as hard as I can to insist that they learn to be "polite and civilized" (like me ;)), by planning ahead and being on time, but I also try to provide a "time cushion", and rely on them as little as possible.
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Another plug for R&S math. We only used it for one year to solidify basic math concepts before ds moved into Algebra, but it was excellent. Simple, straight-forward, no bells and whistles, which was refreshing. It is a mastery approach, but with sufficient review. Ds also enjoyed the practical word problems (especially if you live on a farm, which we don't, but he would like to :)). I also loved that there were paper quizzes, test, as well as timed tests on a variety of topics, which you don't often find in the upper grades (7/8).
Of course, if TT is working, stick with it; I just had to add my $0.02 about R&S.
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Thanks for posting this. I had never heard of it before, and it looks quite good. I have two questions though:
1. Do the books correspond to a typical French I, French II and French III level? If not, what levels do you think they do cover?
2. Is it possible to purchase/order Galore Park books in North America, or do you have to pay shipping from the UK?
Thanks!
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Hmm, interesting. I wish the show had that effect on me. Actually, I love watching it, never miss an episode (dh thinks I'm nuts!) In my case, though, I think it is encouraging to see people who are truly clinical, so I can feel better about my "mess". Well, it's not thaaaat bad, so why worry about it! :lol::lol:
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Speaking from experience as a Saxon user as well as a curriculum researcher/flip-flopper... Saxon really does work great for some kids! We have used Saxon 2, 3, and now 5/4. We used RightStart for grade 1, and it just didn't work for us as a curriculum, although the games were useful.
I had never seriously considered using Saxon, because of the "bad rap". In my circles, Singapore was the next great thing (which worked fine for ds in levels 2 and 3, then WE adults started to get lost in the 2nd half of level 4, and dropped it).
My comment on Saxon is, if it is working, stick with it. The reason many parents don't like it (spiral, too much review, broken into tiny bits, etc.) is the reason it works for certain kids. My dd desperately needs constant repetition. A mastery approach for her would equal "remember it for the end of chapter test and promptly forget it". Saxon would have driven ds insane, since he works well with mastery. Yes, levels 1-3 can become quite tedious and time-consuming if you follow the manual to a T. I never had dd do the back of the worksheet (the "homework"), and we started alternating the warm-up activities (instead of doing them all everyday, we would do one or two each day, alternating). Once you allow yourself to customize and not do everything in the manual if your dc doesn't need to, it's not so bad. 5/4 has been a breeze! I go over the "very brief" lesson with her, and she does the problems, which I check. Done! We don't do the timed tests daily, only weekly.
Now, as the curriculum researcher/flip-flopper...BTDT with a perfectly good curriculum, working perfectly well for us, but feeling there is some little piece that is missing that might be better taught with a different curriculum. Usually, I find that this "new and better" curriculum has gaps of its own, and end up regretting the switch. If Saxon is missing a little something, fill it in yourself, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater! Personally, I usually pick up a used math book that has more color, more visuals, graphs, and more creative problem solving. We do Saxon four days a week, and pick out parts of the other book that are different than Saxon to do on the 5th day. Depending on what your ds needs, you could use some Key to... workbooks, Singapore word problems, even colorful workbooks from the local bookstore, etc. We have used Calvert math as a supplement, and it worked well (a used textbook, not the complete program!)
Addressing the math facts specifically, no, I do not believe another curriculum will teach you specific rules for the "oddball" facts. Saxon is the only program I have used that actually includes pre-planned, specific fact practice within the curriculum. Most others will simply introduce the facts and move on, expecting you to practice somehow on your own. The fact that Saxon includes the flashcards and reminds you to practice certain facts everyday is fabulous! Another program might have a different way of remembering these facts, such as with chants or using visual dots on a page, but yes, he just has to remember them.
When we got to multiplication, we used Memorize in Minutes http://www.multiplication.com/order.htm, which was a lifesaver. It uses pictures and stories to teach the facts, because straight memorizing, and even the skip counting taught in Saxon, just wasn't enough for us.
No one program will "do it all", even if it is working well. But, IMHO, I would stick with it, and just add in a little something here and there to liven things up and provide a different perspective.
HTH,
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Yes, I found with my 13 yo that it's better to use LOF to expand her understanding, not as her first introduction to a concept. I think LOF is great for kids who can infer information to solve problems. For kids who need explicit teaching of every jot and tittle, LOF may be better used as a supplement rather than primary text.
:iagree: Since I'm the one who kind of caused the OP's doubts about LoF, I felt I should chime in. LizzyBee said exactly what I meant. My son is an avid reader, loves the story line of Fred, the crazy word problems, etc. He did very well with Fractions and Decimals & Percents (which he was already familiar with). But, Algebra being Algebra, he just needed more explicit instruction and practice working with the equations to cement the concepts before applying them to the word problems. Likely, the biggest problem is that I am not able to help him, since I never passed Alg. I myself. If dh is around to help clarify something, great, if not, we're both lost. He didn't have that much trouble until he hit factoring. There are so many different approaches, depending on if he is working with binomials, trinomials, difference of squares, etc., that he has a hard time keeping them straight, and Fred just keeps plowing ahead. Dh is helping him with this now, so I'm hoping we can get over this hump and finish the book by the end of the year. I just hate to see him becoming frustrated and taking so long to work through the problems, since I don't want him beginning to dislike Fred (which used to be his favorite part of the day). For this reason, I wish I had set a foundation first, so he could thoroughly enjoy LoF as a practice, extension and new way of applying what he knows, rather than trying to learn the concepts at the same time.
BTW, ds does not infer well, he has a hard time applying what he knows to new situations, so this could be part of the problem. If the word problem is very similar to the example, fine, but if it is completely different, he is lost.
HTH,
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I saw that a few of you have used this. I am wondering how this is better that a traditional high school level textbook/workbook combo?
Their website was impressive, but I am having a hard time understanding exactly how the programs works. It is supposed to be self-directed, and yet, looking at the sample chapter, there is not an overly abundant amount of practice. Is there anything in the teacher's materials, etc. that gives guidance for study, etc.?
I have been "trying" to use Discovering French Nouveau by Valette this year, which has an excellent colorful textbook, a workbook and accompanying video scenes. However, since it is not designed for self-study, and I do not have the teacher's manual, I just haven't stuck with it. I intended to do 2 pages a day, but just doing the exercises in the book weren't enough. We were probably missing the "class" part, of reviewing and practicing the new vocab. daily, etc., that I just could not make the time to do.
I am hoping Breaking the Barrier will be the self-contained, all-in-one program I have been looking for (to use along with Rosetta Stone), but again, I don't know if there is anything included that helps guide the lessons, or if they are just expected to work through the book.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
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My SIL's stove has had a crack in the top for years, and eventually a triangular chunk of the cooktop fell in. She has been using it all along. I don't know if this is safe/advisable, but she hasn't had any problems in the 4+ years it has been cracked, and she cooks alot!
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I used the original FLL (1/2) with both kids, and we really enjoyed it. Dd did especially well memorizing the poems and chants. I bought FLL3 for this year, but ended up selling it and going with R&S3 instead.
I don't really remember what bothered me about FLL3, but I think it just seemed too much, too bulky. Both the teacher's manual and student book were huge (8 1/2 x 11) and thick, and a bit expensive for both. R&S does include some composition (very little in level 3, more so in later levels, but it is there), and I was looking to minimize my expenses and busy work.
We have loved R&S this year. I was able to get a used student book very cheaply, and I didn't bother with the teacher's manual. Even new, it is less expensive than FLL3, but great deals can be had for used sets.
It is true, there is a decent amount of Christian content to work around (if you prefer a secular text), but I just skipped those sections. We really enjoy the wholesome, old-fashioned b&w photos (similar to Pathways readers, which we love).
For us, it was a clear, straightforward, no frills program that was very easy to adapt to our needs. Each concept is broken down into manageable chunks, with frequent review. I choose which parts to do orally and which to write, whether or not to do all the review, etc., based on my dd's needs. I am always looking for a curriculum that has enough guidance to make it easy, but not so pre-planned and scripted that I feel like I'm a slave to it. R&S has been this ideal combo for us.
HTH,
If your child says "Don't make me angry"
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
I can certainly see this as disrespectful, depending on the tone and the circumstance, but a younger child might just be trying to express himself. I would actually take it as a good sign that s/he is in touch with his feelings, realizing that he is about to "lose it" and warning those around him that he is about to become upset. This is an extremely valuable skill that many (even adults) have not developed. Let's face it, sometimes we as moms are so upset, angry or frustrated that we can lose sight of how our tone, words and actions could affect dc, and the kid has a right to inform us that we are upsetting him (again, depending on the circumstance).
This could be used as a teachable moment:
1. Strategies for dealing with anger constructively, acceptable phrases to use to let someone know their behavior is upsetting us, etc.
2. Discussion of the fact that no one can "make" us angry, that we are each responsible for our own emotions and reaction to the behavior of others, etc.
Just my $0.02.