I cannot imagine doing school on Saturdays. We push HARD all week, and by Friday afternoon, I'm ready for it to be over. Our living is split right now between a house in town, and out on the ranch. When we're out on the ranch, everyone goes their own way on Saturdays, unless there's cow work to be done. Or sometimes we might go help a neighbor with moving cattle.... But mostly, everyone goes their own way. The boys are out playing and exploring. The girls are just gone on their horses.. Everyone seems to find their way home for meals ;). While we're in town, we're busy doing sports or music on Saturdays. All the kids are in a sport during the school year, and music recitals often happen on Saturdays. Right now, we're busy lambing, too. (The sheep are close to town). Obviously, I'm a bit of a chauffer when in town. When we're out on the ranch, I'm working with my dh, hopefully horseback. Sundays are always busy with church, and then with getting ready for the school week. I try to do a lot of cooking on the weekend, because during the week, it's so hard ot cook real food, and still get everything else done. With respect to housework. My kids are responsible for their own rooms, and for picking up (toys, tack, and such) after themselves. My girls are getting better at cleaning their bathroom. My boys help with some of the lighter work. I have to get better at this, though. Sometimes I forget that my kids are getting older, and can handle heavier housework. I really need to work on delegating some chores. I will admit though, I'm very picky about how things are done (poor kids) so I often just do it myself.

With six of us in the family, and making almost everything from scratch.... we go through a LOT of flour, rice, beans, sugar, oats, etc. I just hate the bags that flour comes in. They're so messy and inefficient. I have some canisters on the counter-top, but they hardly hold anything, and I'm constantly refilling them. I've thought of buying some big rubbermaid containers, but that seems inefficient as far as carrying them from the pantry to the work area every time I want to use them. How do YOU store these things? And please, if you have some nifty storage device, please tell me where it can be purchased.... Thanks, Jackie

You obviously know that already. My dh and I were foster parents for several years. It is an emotional minefield to say the least. But a minefield that can be traversed, if you go into it with realistic expectations. It seems that most, if not all, of the responses you've received so far have been very supportive of you taking in this young lady. That might be the right decision.... only you and your family can make that decision. But, based on my experience I would urge you to carefully consider how this might impact your children. When we fostered, our hard and fast rule was that we wouldn't accept a placement that would disrupt the birth order of our children. We made this rule based on the advice of some friends of ours who had fostering experience. I think it is a very good rule. Children naturally look up to, and usually try to emulate, older siblings. They also have a very well-established order in the family.... How will your 13 yr old dd deal with being bumped, essentially, from her existing place? I never even gave birth order a second thought before becoming a foster parent. In fact, I thought all that birth order stuff was ridiculous. But it's real. As you discern what God's desire is for this girl, and for your role in her life, I hope you will discuss this aspect with your dd. Just my .02 :grouphug: to you as you grapple with this.... Jackie

Hahahahahahaha! That's a good one!

Actually, there have been very few public schoolers that have shared curriculum with me. I find that most of them don't really know what curriculum is being used for their dc. Many of them just kind of give me a blank look if I ask what their dc are using..... But I have gotten a few comments. One that I remember was from a mom who told me that her child was getting an excellent public school education, and was actually doing algebra in 3rd grade. Ummmm, I doubt it. I think she meant that her child was doing some "solving for the unknown" in addition and subtraction. But I am touchy about this. It feels like an implied comparison to the education my dc are receiving. And I think I'm a pretty typical homeschooler in that I WORRY about whether or not my dc are doing enough.... and gaps.... what about those dreaded gaps? And how do you discuss mastery vs spiral curriculum with someone who hasn't really thought about it? I would much rather discuss curriculum with other homeschoolers (which is obviously why I hang out here so much:001_smile:). I mean it's just more relevant. So, while this person might have meant nothing by her comments, I certainly understand your discomfort. Hang in there. Remember YOU are the best teacher for your dc. Jackie, who has to remind herself of that fact...... daily.

Well, "O Best Beloved" we are thoroughly enjoying Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories. Very entertaining, and we're also finding great material for memorization in the great poems sprinkled throughout the book.

I will say from my own experience that there's nothing like being around the language all the time. My 2 older brothers spoke French before they spoke English. My parents always spoke French to each other as my father was a French-Basque immigrant, and my mother was daughter to 2 French immigrants. But by the time I came around (10 years later), English was the primary language in our home. My older siblings didn't want to speak French because the other kids made fun of them.... (Isn't that a shame?) But my parents still spoke quite a bit of French to each other, and there were many times when their friends would come over, and all that was spoken was French (or sometimes Basque, which is IMPOSSIBLE to learn :001_smile:) I took 4 years of French in High School, and all I learned was how to read and write it. And my mom was my teacher :tongue_smilie:. I guess my time in High School reinforced my speaking a little bit.... but not much. But it ALL came together when I spent a couple of months in France with my Dad. I was completely fluent, and was dreaming in French. Ahhhhh, wonderful. That was almost 30 years ago. I can still speak French if forced to, and I am teaching my dc the language right now, so that they'll have the basics..... But I plan to take them to France and spend some time there. Hopefully it will work for them the way it did for me. The frustrating part will be that a LOT of the slang has changed. I think the problem with the way we teach Foreign Language in our schools is that there is never really the expectation that the language will be used. 99% of the students in my mom's High School classes never expected to use their French. They were simply fulfilling the necessary requirement for college-bound students. In Europe, alternatively, they study the language with the expectation that it will be used. It is so much easier over there to get the practice. I mean you can take a long week-end and immerse yourself in a foreign language! So, because of my own experience, I think that you need exposure early, and regularly. Then, you need immersion. My .02 jackie

Shameless bump.... Any other experiences? (Thanks, kidlovingmama)

Have any of you ever tried a homeopathic remedy for allergies? My dd,age 14, suffers terribly from allergies to dust, mold, hay, pollens, sheep, horses, cats, (just about any type of animal dander), and several foods (although the food allergies are not super severe). The non-food allergies are severe, and can trigger some pretty scarey asthma attacks. She has been on 3 different asthma and allergy meds for years, and is never without her rescue inhaler. Dd absolutely LOVES her horses, sheep, etc., but suffers terribly for it. I would love to hear if any of you have experienced a successful homeopathic remedy. I would love for dd to be off the meds, and able to do the things she loves.... Anyone? :bigear: :bigear: TIA, Jackie

Can you tell me where to get them?

What's Touch Math???

2 of my dc suffer from allergies, and I am so tired of trying to keep them away from "everything"! A friend of mine just took her dd to a homeopath. He claims that homeopathy can actually change the childs reaction to the allergen. That the childs system can actually change from treating an allergen as something dangerous that must be fought.... to just something harmless (like people without the sensitivity). Have any of you heard of this or tried anything like this. I'm thinking our lives could be drastically improved if this could work.... If I should have posted this as a s/o, I apologize.... Thanks, Jackie

My 2 ds's ages 7, and 8, are really struggling to learn their subtraction. And, frankly, I think their brains simply aren't ready yet. No worries.... I can wait...... although I do get impatient at times.... We are using MUS, and I truly believe in this program. I don't want a new math program for them. I would just like to hear what others are doing alongside their math programs for students who need more time/practice with the basics..... We review addition daily with flash cards, or math bingo, or little competitions (timed) between the 2 of them. They are doing will with addition, and have most of their facts memorized. My thinking here is that if they can get a really firm foundation with addition, they will begin to see the relationship between adding and subtracting. (Even though they cannot yet understand "adding up" to solve a subtraction problem). They also have trouble with the MUS "solving for the unknown" as in x+9=18. Even the simplest problems of this nature require the use of manipulatives. Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated! :bigear: Jackie

My oldest dd is an excellent reader. She was constantly telling me about the books she was reading (in detail). She would also correct me sometimes about things we were reading together :tongue_smilie:. (She was usually right). She was also a natural speller, and a good writer. I say "was" because I'm referring to her 4th-6th years. She's an 8th grader now. Anyway, because she was obviously "getting" everything she was reading.... I didn't do anything "extra". When this student has a choice between being taught by video, or lecture, or reading, or by actually doing (as in experiments in science), she will choose learning by reading every time. My 2nd dd is now in 4th grade. She doesn't like to read. I have to really push her to finish a book. She is currently reading in the "Little House" series, and she can rarely tell me details of what she just read...... This was a shock to me when I discovered that she wasn't retaining things.... even things she likes..... So I have her doing the Reading Comprehension Guide for Little House on the Prairie, which is put out by Logos School. It is a stretch for her. These little comprehension guides serve many purposes for us.... writing, spelling, reading comprehension, copy-work, penmanship...... I am also doing the "Paragraph writing" workbook which is put out by Evan Moor. It is helping her learn how to pick certain things out of a paragraph, like a main idea, and supporting ideas. I never knew that reading comprehension could be so difficult for people. Now I know. And reading comprehension will be so important to her for the rest of her life! I am really focusing on this with dd. An interesting thing with this student is that she can remember anything that she sings! If I could figure out a way for her to "sing" a book instead of "read" it, my troubles would be over!:lol: She remembers math facts because she sings them. She knows her geography because we have accompanying songs. Ditto with Bible studies. It is so interesting how differently children learn things! I have never forced my dc to do book reports, because I just don't think they're worth the time. When dd masters the reading comprehension exercises, we will probably move on to something like written narrations. But maybe with your students, who seem to have excellent reading comprehension already, you can just focus on other things... like languages, science, etc. That's what I did with my oldest, and things are going great with her studies. Good luck, Jackie

I have always said that some kind of music instruction will be required for my students through high school. I just believe it is very enriching, and can be a creative outlet. I believe it is excellent for brain development, and that it actually helps with math, memorization, latin, etc. That said........ my oldest dd LOVES the piano, the tension of performing, practicing, all of it. Enter my 2nd dd, age 10. She tried piano for 2 years. She's actually a good little musician, and really likes picking out tunes by ear, and just dorking around. She HATED piano lessons. Hated the discipline of reading music. Loved the accolades after a performance, but just hated having to get her music "performance-ready". She started to really cry about it. That was not what I wanted. What's the point of that? It was obvious that staying that course was only going to make her hate music. So, I said, well, what would you like to do instead? You need to have some music in your life. She chose guitar. Her piano teacher at the time said she might really flourish with the Suzuki method, so that's what we're doing now. Let me just tell you that my dd is back to her old self. She will sit and "play" guitar for hours. She absolutely loves it. She is 10 and has been doing this since september. Last lesson the teacher pulled out a book (it has been all "by ear" up to this point) and told dd to start reading the notes and playing a couple new songs each day out of the book. I thought "oh no, here we go..... reading music...... the honeymoon is over". But not so. Not at all. She is reading the music, and is really happy with it. I think our dc need to express themselves. My 2 ds's will start next year. And I have already decided that whatever moves them is what we will do. We will start with piano, and they're both begging to do so.... but they also know that they can choose their own instrument after a while..... they can be their own person.... they can find joy in expressing who they are.... whether it's through piano, guitar, drums, voice, dance..... whatever. Just my little bit ..... I wish you well in whatever you decide for your dd.

:lurk5: You should see my desk, my car, my barn, my house...... But my kids are clean and happy :tongue_smilie:! Does that count? Seriously, though, I wish I could be more organized. I blame it on having 6 busy people in the house. I actually dream of the day that I can have everything where I want it, then turn around and leave the room, and have everything still be in the same place when I come back. :001_smile: And yes it actually did work that way when I was a young, single, professional. My black, T-top camaro was clean and polished, and my house was clean too...... But it sure was quiet there all by myself. I remember that growing up, my mom was constantly picking up, wiping up, etc. We were not all at home all day as my kids are.... but sometimes I wonder if my lack of organization is going to rub off on my dc. Looking over at my dd's desk right now, I would say yes, it's totally rubbing off on her. :001_huh: I'll be watching for info. and tips here.

:iagree: :iagree: And furthermore..... I might have been able to "live off the land" pretty handily when I lived where there was actually a growing season..... but here in Wyoming, the saying goes....."If summer comes on a week-end, we'll have a picnic"....... Oh, what I would do to be able to grow my own beefsteak tomatoes again :drool:.

We're dreaming, right? If I weren't homeschooling, I'd be working. I used to work as a commercial banker, and I'd actually have to be dreaming if I thought I could get a job in banking right now!! But I was very well-paid, and dh and I had plenty of money. So I guess we would have more money to do things like travel with the kids. I would really love to take my dc to Europe and other places to seeall the places we've been studying. But it's hard to take a vacation as a commercial lender. Plus, my kids wouldn't have a classical education, so their humanities instruction would be sorely lacking :tongue_smilie:. So that dream is kind of a bust. Let's see...... I'd have time to marathon again. But the discs in my back are a mess, so I can't actually marathon anymore anyway...... So that dream is kind of a bust. I'd have more cattle and more horses. There! That one could work. I'd have more time to ride the horses I own, and more money to buy the horses I want....... But I'd have to deal with knowing that I hadn't done my absolute best for my kids. I'd have to deal with all the "stuff" they would pick up at school. I guess I'll just make more money and own more horses and cattle later on, when my youngest is in college. Come to think of it.... I guess I'm doing exactly what I want to do right now. :001_smile: Thanks for the post. This is a good way to start my day! :001_smile:

Dd took Omnibus I primary and secondary as a 7th grader and loved it. (got A's in both sections). She is currently taking Omnibus II primary and secondary, and loving it again. The teachers are great. They make the material very interesting. The teachers also keep communication open with the parents, which I really appreciate. I cannot recommend these courses highly enough. They are expensive, imo, but no more so than other online courses. HTH, Jackie

((Krista)) So sorry to hear this. It is HARD to hear this about a parent (or anyone close to us). But I hope you're encouraged by all the stories of success that have been posted here. Hang in there. Praying for you, your Dad, and all your family..... Jackie

We must be "of the same vintage" :001_smile: Also love Stevie Nicks, Billy Joel, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, The Eagles, Foreigner, Heart, Pablo Cruise (who remembers them?) and especially ******Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers******!!! But now that I'm "of a certain age", my most listened to 'tracks" on my ipod are Chopin and Amy Grant. They sure don't make 'em like they used to :coolgleamA:. Jackie

Ooh, Ooh... I think I know this one also... 1. I learned "On y danse", although either is grammatically correct. 2. "On" is often used for a command. So I would say "On va prendre un photo". Don't you love french!? Il n'y a pas de quoi. :)

Joanne, you are so courageous. After reading your post, I wondered if you've read the shack? I know there's a lot of discussion regarding the theology of the book, but I think it might really speak to you right now. I choose to believe some of the books themes on God's desire for reconciliation and fellowship with each of us. You might want to check it out. Stay with it. God is waiting for you. And thankfully, He's not in a hurry. Hugs, Jackie

Our oldest is our bio-child, and our other three are all adopted through open adoptions. I don't have the perspective that you're looking for, since I'm not adopted myself, but I just wanted to send you a great big :grouphug:!! I'm really sorry that your Mom is making such insensitive comments. I can see how this would really shake your world. I also want you to know that even bio-kids can be recipients of equally insensitive comments.... like the several times my mom has emphasized the fact that my dad was "very unhappy when he learned my mom was pregnant with me because they hadn't planned on having anymore children". What possible good could come from a statement like that? Same with your mom's comment....what possible good could come from it? I guess that's all I have to say....just :grouphug: to you. Be strong in who you are. God created you and loves you.....(and I don't know your religious persuasion, so I hope that doesn't offend you). Jackie

but, no, I wouldn't. I just can't get past the guilt that I would feel having someone else doing something that I could do myself. Also: Cleaning is good, honest work that my children do along with me. I can't imagine spending money on cleaning! I'd rather spend it somewhere else. I'd be too embarrassed to have someone else cleaning up my dirt. It feels, I don't know,...... slothful. Oh well, guess I have plenty of my own issues, Laura. Whatever you decide, have peace about it.....:001_smile: