Just a comment on the "vague maladies" - sounds similar to my accelerated 6yo ds, who was finally diagnosed earlier this year with gluten intolerance after a year or so of what I would have called something like "vague maladies". He would periodically get super-tired earlier in the evening, complain of a sick stomach and headaches, and go to bed early (usually throwing up once). He'd then wake up in the morning perfectly fine and be fine for a few days before it would happen again. I finally took him to the Dr when it became a more-often-than-not thing, who pretty much did nothing (took a blood test at my insistence, but that didn't turn up anything). We then went gluten-free and took a stool test that showed a high likelihood of gluten being the problem. Now we have been GF for 6 months or so and he only occasionally has the ickies (usually due to known gluten cheating!). Just a thought! :)

Personally, I LOVE Rightstart for teaching - but I think it is lacking in any practice period. I do all my main teaching out of RS (A,B,C - 3 grade levels currently!) but I have supplemental math practice for each grade. I need to be able to just say "go sit and work on math for xx minutes or xx pages" sometimes! :) For level A and B I use Math Mammoth as a supplement (it ties in fairly well with the teaching approach and sequence, with occasional alterations). For C I've been using ALEKS online (which started mainly because my 8yo HATES worksheets but I actually really really really like as a supplement).

I take st johns wort mixture from native remedies called mindsoothe and it definitely helps me stay calmer during a frantic day! :)

Throw in "milk the cow, train the calf, work and take care of the horses, and do a part-time accounting job" - and my dh is generally out of town! Thank goodness we live with my in-laws and they are willing to help out extensively with child watching while I run errands and take care of the farm. I must admit to being generally exhausted and sometimes crabby, though, especially when I don't get enough sleep!! We are working on fine-tuning our schedule so that my kids help out with more of the farm chores. I am also trying hard to commit to far fewer "add-on" activities or volunteer work (I'm too easy to talk into it sometimes, so I'm learning to say NO!!"). Currently teaching grades 1, 2 & 3. :) I'm glad that the grade-levels are low, since it doesn't take as much time - but I'm looking forward to when more of the classes are independent!

We had a stool test done on my 6yo ds at Enterolab to test for intolerance to gluten, milk, egg & soy. We had already self-diagnosed him with gluten intolerance and cut gluten out of his diet, and the Doctor had done a blood test for allergies that came up negative. The lab test came back reflecting a high number in gluten (which probably, we assume, would have been even higher if we hadn't already cut out most gluten) and within normal range numbers for the others - so, I would say that it was a reasonable result for what we anticipated. We weren't sure about milk - I decided not to cut it out based on this test, but he still has some more mild issue that we are exploring. I was satisfied - they came highly rated, dealing with them (via computer - never needed to contact them directly) was easy, and the results came back about what we thought they would.

I've got 6 horses (although 1 I plan to sell fairly soon, if I can't convince my friend that she's the perfect fit for her daughter that rides with me). Unfortunately my 2 boys don't appreciate the horses - they'll ride once a year or so, and occasionally enjoy petting and talking to the horses, but otherwise are apathetic. It turns out, however, that they really like COWS! Lol - we just got our first cow today, in fact, and they are jumping off the walls excited to milk her tomorrow. So, maybe I can be a horse person and they can be cow folk? :D

My best wishes go to you all - what a horrible thing to have happen. :(

Overlap and independent work. It is definitely easier when there are multiple kids in the same grade level! It is also easier when several are at lower grade levels and can take long breaks while you work with older ones, IMO. I teach 4 kids, grades 1, 2, and 3 (2 are in 3rd grade). We spend approximately 5 hours total per day. The 1st grader only spends about 2.5 hours, much of it in "joint" subjects such as leveled science and Spanish. The 3rd graders are going the entire time, moving between joint, individual, and independent.

What didn't work about MCT? That might give a good guide about what sort of programs might be good... and I don't like our current LA (Sonlight LA) and was thinking of trying MCT for a couple 8yo boys!! lol :D Alternatives that I have heard of: FLL (lots of people seem to use this) IEW (sounds really good but very difficult for the teacher) That's all I can think of off hand, although I know I had looked into more a few months ago. While we're talking 3rd grade grammar - any assistance with more independent grammar at this level, or is it all very teacher intensive? I've got such teacher-led subjects that I'm trying to find at least a couple I can incorporate that AREN'T so much! :)

The only "sport" my kids desire to be involved in is inline hockey (on rollerblades). There is an indoor arena doing lessons for super-cheap near us, so this works out great! Both my ds6 and my ds8 really enjoy it. :) We are also involved in Cubscouts (and may switch to 4h when they get a bit older) and take piano lessons.

I suppose I should have said other, but I said no. I have 2 lefty kids in homeschooling and both tend to use righty scissors. So I guess it just depends on the person and what works for them!

:iagree:especially now, when it is likely prices will plummet again within a few years.

Things I've read about involving some sort of twitching behavior: Laminitus (vet or farrier check with hoof clamp) EPM (dragging hind feet?) Severe founder HYPP (from Impressive - QH) Tying up (over-exercise) Shivers

Wow, sounds scary!! I've never run across that one, but a bit of internet research had disturbing results. :( As a preliminary measure, I would take the horses temperature and start testing various things, (make sure to mark down specific symptoms in a log!): -temp -when twitches started (day/time) and what you were doing with the horse during the day leading up to that -what makes them stop -how on-going they are -if there is any reluctance of the horse to moving around or picking feet up -if there are any noticeable swellings or discomfort -anything else that jumps out at you as you go! Make sure the horse is separated from other horses and monitor the water intake (if he is on an automatic waterer, shut it off for now and hand fill). Clear out any manure in his area so you can monitor that.

Salsa Spanish RSO Science WWE applied to SL read-alouds SL Grammar, History & Bible AAS RS Math Math Mammoth (supplement) HWOT cursive General reading Piano Co-op - memory, art, science experiments, tin whistle, misc

I do Sonlight for History/Bible but I changed the read-alouds to go with WWE (the main book philosophy, with questions & dictations & narrations based on the SL books, rather than the WWE workbooks this year). We use their LA, but you could just as easily not buy the LA add-on and go with FLL. I'm using Core B right now & spreading it across grades 1-3, which is working fairly well!

I'd guess at school as well, or from close friends outside of school. I grew up in NC and FL (switching back and forth for the military) and never thought I had an accent until randomly one day as an adult some guy told me I was TOTALLY from NC because he could tell by my accent... ? My dad and mom lived there as well, but didn't grow up there or have accents.

Hebrew Nationals!

I have 6 right now, although I'm hoping to find a good home for one of them soon (basically dumped on me earlier this year by a boarder-gone-bad). I wish my kids (6yo & 8yo boys) wanted to ride - I got 4 of the horses before they were born, but I always assumed that they'd be out there with me & they are totally apathetic (they'd MUCH rather be playing inline hockey! lol). Horse 5 was a rescue that I tried to adopt out & that went badly (she got injured & they didn't treat it well, then they almost put her down on the farrier's advice without ever having a vet out!) so she's here to stay.

I had almost the same exact situation last year!!! My ds7(at the time) had read through number 4 & I didn't want him to read more for a year or two at least. Somehow I ended up agreeing after some great thought & pleasant discussion that he could read more (I'd read the whole series myself and loved it, but didn't think he was ready). It turns out he was totally ready - he did GREAT!! Honestly, it was hard to resist giving him those big books to read when the alternative was him reading nothing (since the only the he wanted was that). We discussed it and I made it clear that if he felt uncomfortable about anything in it he could come talk with me about it. Anyhow, we've now not only read all the books, we've also watched all the movies through 6 and will watch both 7 soon (which I totally wasn't going to do!). It went great - he is now 8yo & still loves HP and did very well with the reading and movies (which weren't as bad as I thought).

It's my 3rd year of Cubscouts and this year I have *2* boys selling that dratted popcorn. Of all the ridiculous things to sell - way overpriced gourmet popcorn?! ugh. I flat out told them this year that I would buy in advance the amount we sold last year & sell it directly & that would be it. I can't stand door-to-door sales!

:iagree: That's mine!! I actually laughed to myself about it - I'd have to basically DRAG him along & I'd know he was completely uninterested in being there, so I just wouldn't even bother to take him. I'd throw out the option ("oh hey, I'm going to my 25th reunion - interested?") but I'd fully expect him to get that deer-in-the-headlights look and bow out as quickly as possible. I guess if he WANTED to go I'd take him! lol. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't go to my own HS reunion either, though, so that's a factor, too...

Math Mammoth as a supplement for grades 1 and 2 worked very well for us. I switched my 3rd grader to an online program due to various issues (one being that he can't stand worksheets), but I am strongly considering buying the deal from the HS Buyer's co-op so I can get the specific-item workbooks. My 2nd grader LOVES worksheets, and he does great with MM! I haven't decided if I'll keep him with it or switch to online (for various reasons). I haven't tried to use MM as my core - I use RightStart for that and have been so pleased I haven't wanted to move away. I think I'd have a lot of difficulty using it as a core - sometimes when I try to use their explanation to discuss problems I have trouble "connecting" with it...

Lol!!! When I first started RS, that was EXACTLY how I added - I lined it up in my mind like a good old-fashioned multi-digit addition problem and added & carried. Like doing large addition problems with a paper and pencil, only doing it in my head! Turns out... that is WAY slower than the methods they teach for mental math in RS (and my understanding is the same basic ones in Singapore)!! It took awhile for me to learn it myself, but once I did I realized that I genuinely can do the math much more efficiently in my head now! :) So, I'd definitely keep on plugging on. I set it up just like you did above - with a +2 and a -2 showing what is going on. It will click soon, I'm sure! I say a lot of that similar thought, too - "Yes, that's the right answer - but you have to be able to show/tell me HOW you got it, step by step!!" :D Mine are 6yo & 8yo.

I don't use Singapore, but they do the same thing in RightStart & it is (IMO) very important! :) 528 + 37 528 + 2 = 530 530 + 30 + 5 = 565 Much more efficient to add in your head if you use the "adding 8s" method (add 2 to 8 to make a 10) than if you try to add 528 + 7 + 30 (which, btw, I now automatically add as 528 + 2 + 5 + 30!! lol). I never learned these sorts of methods growing up, and I'm finding that I personally am MUCH faster at mental math now that I have learned (after 2+ years of teaching RS) how to automatically use such methods! :)