We have never used anything other than the student book. They do a page to practice and they are done. I don't focus on "perfect" (whatever that means to people). I'm an adult and some days my handwriting isn't "perfect". As long as it's legible and I can tell it wasn't rushed through, I'm fine with it. If you think she needs more practice give her copy work. However, you say she has other curriculum so she's getting more writing practice anyway.

R&S. We tried FLL and I promply sold it. My girls were bored to tears. I also really like CLE.

This really reassured me and my oldest dd! We switched last year from R&S to CLE. She placed in the 500 books and we've been working from there since there were several things taught in that level that R&S hadn't even touched on yet. She's been a little down about being in the 7th grade now and doing 508. I showed her this and encouraged her that she is doing well!

No regrets on the system itself. We got ours last Christmas and the kids still play it. The only thing that stinks about games on a cd, if they get scratched they won't work anymore. The kids played the $50 Super Mario Bros. game for just a few months before it was too scratched to play. :cursing: And ditto my WiiFit game.

Rod & Staff Grade 1

Posted ours last night: http://doulaheather.blogspot.com/

:lurk5: My dd wants to get a hotel room and have a girls' night/sleepover. I think all she's thinking is swim, have junk food, and stay up really late. :lol: Definitely need more ideas. There's no way I'll be able to stay up as late as they can and even if I have an adjoining room, their noise will keep me awake! Love the idea of taking just her away for a night. :) That might be a neat tradition to start with the kids since she is the oldest. Of course, we'd have to pray for good weather! Her birthday is in February. ;)

Where ever they are comfortable. Today my youngest did his math sitting on Daddy's desk. LOL!!

I have two LG, one UG, and one D. We spend anywhere from one to one and a half hours. This is our first year to use it. I love it but I'm kind of overwhelmed! Right now we are focusing on doing reading assignments, maps, student pages, discussion (on Thursday), and a timeline. I'm trying to add in the writing assignments and the People of the Ancient World book. We were doing the vocabulary but it was taking SO MUCH TIME for them to look up the words. I felt like we were spending time doing that when we could be using it for other, more important things.

Yes. My children will learn to play the piano, taught by me. Beyond that it is up to them if they want to learn another instrument. Why? Because I think it's important to be able to read music. My girls have been begging me to teach them to play the violin. But I won't until they learn the piano and have the ability to read music.

I will preface this by saying, even though we have this schedule, we are still flexible. If we are done with Latin at 9:15, we start History. I think today we were done with all of our morning stuff by 11:00. On Thursday last week we didn't get done until 11:45. 8:45 - 9:00 Bible Study 9:00 - 9:30 Latin (M - Prima Latina w/ the 3rd grader; T - Latina Christiana with the older two; W - they do their workbook pages; T - Review) 9:30 - 10:30 History 10:30 - 10:45 Poetry (T, W, Th) 10:45 - 11:30 Science (oldest does Apologia on her own, I do CKE Earth/Space with the other three) 11:30 - 12:00 Quiet Reading 12:00 - 1:00 Lunch (play, take a walk...) 1:00 - 4:00 Individual School Work This is the first year I have made a little flow chart for their individual school work. Always before it wasn't a problem for me to sit and be available when they needed help or had questions. I realized that my youngest would absolutely need 100% of my attention at some point during this time. I also wanted to be able to be available to the others. So I came up with this: 7th grader: Vocab., Typing, Math, LA, Literature 5th grader: Typing, Reading, LA, Math, Vocab. 3rd grader: Copywork, LA, Typing, Math, Vocab. K: Math, Phonics, HWT This way, the olders do not need my help when I am doing things with the little one. By the time he is done, I am available to help my 3rd grader with LA, then my oldest with Math/my 5th grader with LA if she needs it (they overlap a bit usually but it works). And so on. I am somewhat flexible with this. However, I ask that they stick to it as much as possible. They can switch stuff around if they want but it's understood that if I am helping another person, they will wait until I am available. They will not interrupt someone else's instruction time with me. Last week I had ALL FOUR OF THEM requesting help at once. I almost ate a whole box of fudgesicles that evening. lol Anyway, it became very obvious, very quickly that following this works for us.

Have you found penpal yet? I have a 7.5yo (3rd grade) who would be interested.

No, I do not do either. From what I have seen/read, it would cause me much stress and more work than I need. It would not work here.

Most here are starting on the 12th. I talked to one teacher yesterday who said they start on the 20th. We started this past Monday. It can help get the kids back into the school groove. I always thought it was weird until I did my student teaching. We started on a Thursday. That day and Friday we got NOTHING done except going over classroom procedures, classroom management, getting desks organized, classroom management, learning the daily schedule, classroom management, etc. I think the teacher started a few things on Friday but still...not much got done. And it. Was. Exhausting. By Monday they knew what to expect and were ready to be back in the school routine.

If you want/need to do an iron supplement, Floradix.

Thanks!

I have a friend who is considering HSing. However, she needs to get her ex-dh on board with it. She asked for some "good analytical statistical info on homeschooling" to show him. I know it's out there but I've never needed to look it up for myself. Are there any good sources I can pass on to her? Anything that is not affiliated with a HS organization (i.e. HSLDA)?

Congratulations!!!!!! First and foremost, nutrients need to come from foods. If you are lacking, then take a vitamin. I wholly agree with anything that is whole foods based. Perfect Prenatal and Rainbow Light are ones I recommend to clients.

Here's mine! :) http://doulaheather.blogspot.com/

Welcome Annie and Congratulations!!! :) Getting close huh?!? I hope you have a lovely last few weeks of your pregnancy and a wonderful birth!! Hi Wendy! :seeya: I wondered if that was you when I saw your username as the last poster to the thread. ;) Are you all doing well?

:lurk5: Looking forward to trying your version. This morning we had Pioneer Woman's Make Ahead Egg Melts. They weren't quite a hit here with everyone, I think because of the hard boiled eggs. Using scrambled would probably be more liked. Would love to see more ideas! :)

Happy First Day!!!! :) It's ours as well. I was reminded yesterday that for the last two years I have taken the kids to a local bakery for breakfast. ;) As soon as we get back from eating, our day will begin. :thumbup1:

Here!!

I made a list for each of my kids. There is a paper copy in their assignment notebook. I also keep a list on my iPod so when we are at the library they and need a new book, they can take that and find one. The older two have extra spaces on their list so I can add to it if I find another for them to read. They have from now until next June to finish them. I don't require them to read a book in a certain amount of time. It's just understood that the list needs to be completed by June. They will have 30 minutes each school day to do quiet reading and work on these books. My 7th grader has 23. My 5th grader has 22. My 3rd grader has 15. My K has has 15 (that we will read to him).

Monday!!!! :hurray: :thumbup: :hurray: