My daughter has the Hemnes bedside table, three-drawer chest and wardrobe in white. We have the 6 drawer chest, queen bedframe and bedside tables in brown. I love the look of it, but... as always with Ikea furniture, it's important to remember that you do get what you pay for. It's attractive and inexpensive, but it's not going to be furniture that'll last a lifetime.

I wonder if it's regional too... People in my social circle rarely (if ever) wear makeup. My mother or grandmother never wore makeup. Is it a pacific northwest thing? It just seems normal to me. But I understand in business contexts it's probably more common. And in some places (the south? the east coast?) it's more common too.

We've got friends staying this weekend who have a 9 yr old son who I've always suspected is not a neuro-typical sort of kid. I love being around him because he's interesting and really articulate and has a great vocabulary, but I can't help notice that he's got a lot of signs that you usually see in kids on the autistic spectrum: he's unable to make eye-contact (shifts his eyes around as if he's thinking), doesn't understand sarcasm, has intense passionate interests in unusual topics where he wants to tell everyone about them regardless of the social context, has some social problems at school, is very forgetful of things that we've done but has an amazing memory for details, walks on his toes, and still occasionally has toilet accidents. But he's never been evaluated by a developmental pediatrician or school psychologist or anyone. He's an only child and his parents are wonderful, highly intelligent, creative people (older parents). They really treasure his gifts and uniqueness, but have never considered that there might be an underlying reason for his quirkiness. We talk about our kids, but I've always felt a little weird about saying "have you ever thought about aspergers?" I honestly think they've never considered it. The only school testing that was done was for the gifted program which he didn't qualify for. So... Is it okay if I say something? How can I casually slip that into a conversation?

I have mixed feelings about it. It definitely isn't bad and it certainly has a place for kids who struggle learning math from a parent. At our house, the tears really stopped once we got TT. But, I do think it focuses far too much on how to do an algorithm and not much at all on number sense or what it means. As long as the parent pays attention to the program and supplements with manipulatives and alternative explanations when needed, I think it's great.

EPS "The paragraph book" has been used by some folks here.

We are homeschooling for academic reasons. Our elementary schools have really low expectations for kids. Very little actual content is taught... grades, tests and textbooks are considered too rigid. Our local high school, however, does offer AP classes and more academic content... plus sports, theater, clubs... I have no reason to homeschool in high school.

You could always buy something that fits at the thigh and then have the waist taken in by a tailor. Alterations like that aren't a big deal for them.

I understand that the lists are sent out because most public schools have limited budgets. They figure if some of the families can supply the items on the list, they'll have enough. All the materials go into classroom supply closets. At least at the school my kids attend, there is just a big bin to put the supplies in and nobody checks who does or doesn't donate. The lists are long, but cost around $10 with all the school supply sales.

My 9 yr old girl wears leather split-sole Fuzi. Once we found a brand that worked for her narrow foot, we've stuck with it. Sizing is European, so she's in a 34n right now. You've got to try them on though!

We loved that book too! Also, depending on age, there is a Horrible History Archaeology book that gets read a lot around here.

We haven't read too much historical fiction about the US... but my daughter and I enjoyed: Chains (and Forge) Fever 1793 To Kill a Mockingbird A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Julie of the wolves Now that I look at that list... it's totally girl-oriented. Sorry!

Could you cancel your order and re-order somewhere else? If not, you could wait and just skip the workbook for the moment - especially if the lessons are not particularly new or difficult for your child. Or you could order the intensive practice or the extra practice and use it while you're waiting for your order. Then you'll have it on hand if you want to use it later on.

Do you mean a lesson about formal logic or a formal lesson about logic? I don't know how 'formal' the lessons are, but if you want some age-appropriate formal logic, look at Orbiting with Logic (or the other books in the series). I think there is a mix of informal logic (inferences and analogies) and also some lessons on set theory and symbolic logic and truth tables and such.

Yikes! I'm shocked by the statistics.

It's apparently an eternal question... originally posted 3 years ago!

I've bought individual mugs at Macy's and online. We need more mugs than the 8 place settings we bought.

:iagree: My kids know it (from Girl Scout camp), but the pledge is kind of creepy... unless you don't take it seriously, in which case it's artificial and not really a pledge at all. In California where I taught middle school, the pledge would come on over the loudspeaker. I required my seventh graders (ESL students -- most of whom weren't actually US citizens) to stand up and be respectful, but did not require them to say it. Ironically, despite being completely opposed to the idea of a patriotic pledge, I felt I really ought to say it in class -- so that I was supportive of the school and so that students who wanted to wouldn't be saying it alone. So every day I did. Here in a very liberal town in Oregon, public schools don't say it. One town over (much more conservative), they do.

I started out thinking 4 year cycle was a great idea - so neat and organized and logical... but then... I realized that I didn't actually want to be confined to someone else's plan. My older daughter and I spent the first two years of homeschooling doing ancients because she just loved it so much. Now we've started medieval Europe. I anticipate getting through the renaissance by next year. But then what about non-European history? Plenty of things were going on in China and in the Americas... and my daughter really wants to know about them. Then what about American history? We really want to use Hakim's books, which look more extensive than just a year long read. What about the rest of the world since the renaissance? To confuse matters, I also have a younger daughter who doesn't share an interest in history. Starting ancients in first grade didn't work for her as she wasn't ready and she didn't understand anything. I'm having to come up with something totally different for her.

As you can see from all the other posters, it really depends on the kids in question! My older would have been interested at 3 or 4 years old. My younger is 7 and still isn't interested and only barely able to focus on it. Both my girls are bright kids, but one just isn't ready.

If pre-algebra is a time of solidifying arithmetic knowledge and a gentle introduction to algebra, perhaps you could do that without a full 'program'. I would imagine since you like LOF, you could do that... perhaps throwing in some SM CWP, Keys to..., Zaccaro... whatever cool materials you've always wondered about. Just make it a fun get-ready-for-algebra time. Then start Jacobs (or whatever Algebra you like).

We used it for a short time and didn't like it. Maybe the level was wrong though... my daughter already knew the words and it just seemed like a time-waster. I know I've seen somebody on here that likes it, though...

Thank you so much for your ideas! I'll see what I can find around the house that she might enjoy.

If she wants to homeschool them for the long run, I'd just call them whatever grade they'd be in if they were in the U.S., but offer them materials based on their abilities. It'll probably be all over the board - math will be at or above grade level, language arts will be ESL. As much as I like homeschooling, I'd imagine it'd be a good idea to move them to a school after a year or so. Their English will improve in leaps and bounds.

Anyone?? :bigear:

I always wanted to do that... All of those are Christian though... I'd talk to a local synagogue and mosque and temples too to see if you can attend a service or other religious event. Don't forget to go to a congregation where you are a racial minority. It might be fun to check out a high church Episcopal service vs a church without a formal liturgy. Or how about a megachurch?