Our state requires 1000 hrs for grades K-6 and 1080 hrs for grades 7-12. Ironically, mandatory age of education is 8 (i.e. 2nd grade). Anyway, the state also says, ""The legislature recognizes that home-based instruction is less structured and more experiential than classroom education. Therefore, these provisions of the nature and quantity of instruction shall be liberally construed." As long as we cover the 11 required subjects in some form, we are good. That said, we usually do more that 180 days just because I count field trips and educational material gained on vacations. Somehow I start after the PS, finish before the PS, and still manage at least 180 days (because we don't have inservice days, monthly Fridays off, and tend to do at least 1/2 days over Spring Break, Christmas break, etc).

Before we got married, our priest told us that most fights between married couples are about one of three things: children, money, and sex. After 16 years of marriage, I can tell you that (in our case) he was right.

At least it's good news! Yay for DS! I found out my dad had passed away via a FB message from a friend who was working at the nursing home.

Are you going from CLE LA 100 level straight to FLL 3? I'm considering switching to FLL with WWE and Spelling Power in the fall. We finished CLE LA 100 and when I flipped through a copy of FLL 1&2 I had sitting on the shelf I realized we hadn't covered some things and wondered if we should start with a brief overview of that before starting FLL3.

History and reading/literature: Assign reading/lit of time period History and art: Artist studies from the time period, trying to replicate art of a time period History and music: Artist studies, listen to music of the period while doing history History and science: following WTM cycles of Ancients with biology/botony, etc History and geography: Use ancient and current world maps do discuss History and writing: Dictations, research on subject/person of interest and write paper History and typing: Type final drafts of papers Science and reading: Assign corresponding reading Science and art: Have kids sketch what we study Science and writing: Research and write essays based on science topics of interest Science and typing: Type final drafts of papers Art/music and reading: Artist studies with independent reading re: biographies or styles/periods Art/reading/writing: Draw scenes from books as part of a book report

$600/month for a family of 10 is crazy cheap insurance! That said... Around here, an ambulance transport costs $1000 PLUS about $20/mile. And, according to the recent Time article Re: health care costs, the average ER visit costs around $1200-1300 (more or less depending on the insurance company's contract with the hospital as well as tests and treatments during your stay). Many insurance companies try to discourage people from using the ER (where the cost is astronomically higher than with a regular office visit) by making the co-pays higher. Our insurance has a higher co-pay for ER than office UNLESS you are admitted to the hospital from the ER as a way to discourage people from going to the ER for non-emergency issues. I am sorry you weren't aware that the co-pay had been increased. The insurance company should have informed you in writing when that change was made.

We use Pentime. It's inexpensive and my kids seem to like it.

I combine the kids for things like science, art, history, and music because it is easier on me. I just tweak them to make them age/level appropriate. However, I use the same math for both only because it works for both. I use different LA for the kids because the kids have different needs. For DS, we have gone through 4 different LA programs (FLL/WWE, CLE, Rod and Staf) before finding one he could tolerate (LLATL). For DD, she has done fine with CLE (although it bores her) and I'm considering switching to FLL/WWE/Spelling Power for a change of pace.

I only budget about $200-300 for HS'ing my 2 kids. I don't included expenses like memberships and field trips in that amount, but my actual curriculum and resources stay in that ball park. The first thing I do is look at what I already have. For example, I have FLL and a clean copy of WWE from when DS11 was younger so those will be reused for DD. Same with AAS and Spelling Power. I have them, so I will use them. I use the library A LOT not only for reading materials but DVDS, audio books, curriculum, and so on. I look for things that are free online (Grammar-land, The Story Book of Science, MEP, BBC Dance Mat typing, Sheppard Geography, and so on). Of course I want to give my kids a quality education so I look at reviews and compare my options to make sure that I am making good choices regardless of the price. I buy the core subjects first and then fill in with the others. To go as inexpensive as possible but keep the quality up there, I would do something like this Math: CLE Math (workbooks and answer keys only): $40/child LA: FLL, WWE, and Spelling Power for DD (already own), LLATL ($27) or $49 with TG Science: earth science/astronomy---Usborne Science as spine (library and resources on hand), Intelligo unit study that was free on Mothers' Day History: SOTW2 w/ AG and library resources (already have) Geography: Sheppard (free online) Latin: GSWL (Already have) Spanish: Computer program (Already have)... Also, GSWS is only $10 as PDF Music: Story of the Orchestra and library resources (already have) Art: artist studies and online resources (free) Typing: Typing Instructor (already have), BBC Dance Mat (free) Cost: $107 bare bones or $139 with LLATL TG and GSWS PDF

What is different on a Kindle or Nook vs. an iPad? I took a cursory at them at B&N and Best Buy but didn't notice a big difference from looking at a book on DH's iPad.

Weekdays June 5-13 are Homeschool Days and tickets for the whole park are just $10. Buy online using the code "homeschool." The weather is supposed to be decent for the next few weeks and I plan to take advantage of ticket prices I can actually afford as an "end of school year" reward for the kids.

I used their Learning to Read program for DD in kindergarten and it was WONDERFUL. However, by the end she was bored with their stories (theme and difficulty) so we moved into more interest-based reading for her.

Ellie, thank you. Dropping the extras would certainly give us more time. That is definitely something to consider in the big scheme of things. It would leave more time for things he enjoys like science and history.

Sigh.... I HATE reading off the computer. However, I LOVE free. Stupid digital age.

Kindle, ipad, Nook.... I've looked at them all and I just don't like reading from them. DH has an iPad and always tries to get me to read things on it but I DON"T LIKE IT. I don't like the way it looks on the screen. I don't like the way it feels in my hands. And if it's supposed to be like a book, where is that book smell???

DH teaches 2 days/wk, I teach 3. That's why we both have to agree on the program (which is also why we use LLATL for DS, which I hate, and I "supplement" with IEW, Vocab Cartoons, and Spelling Power).

I am considering switching DD from CLE LA 2 into the WTM suggestions of FLL, WWE, and Spelling Workout (or Spelling Power). DD has done well with CLE LA 100 and it is very easy to teach but she hates it. We tried FLL, WWE, and Spelling Workout with DS but he hated that so I have it sitting on my shelf. They are very different in their learning styles and personalities so I think she would actually enjoy the latter. However, I am concerned that DH will not embrace the style of FLL especially but also WWE since they are more teacher intensive and less open-and-go fill-in-the-blank workbook style. So do I stick with CLE for the ease for the teachers or do I switch to the other and tell DH to suck it up?

We start out slow and add things in as we go. LA, math and reading with PE to start. Then we might add in history and science on alternating days. Then art and music. And so on. Additionally, some of the curriculum we choose only takes a few months to complete. For example, last year we used Evan Moor's Beginning Geography and we were finished before Christmas. So we did 2 month health unit during the time that was initially slated for geography.

I don't have an e-reader. Well, I guess I do. I could use an iPad, right? I never use that thing. I hate hate hate reading books on it. But I guess I could preview it for free on there. Thanks for the suggestions. :)

Typically I am sitting at the table with them prompting and guiding and teaching at least one of them. For example, I will take DS through his new math concepts and then set him free to complete the assignment. While he is working on that independently, I will walk DD through her LA lesson. And so it goes for most of the day.

I have wondered if he will handle Spanish AND Latin. I plan to do Latin and DH plans to teach Spanish so we shall see if it works. Art and music are two areas where we tend to slack off. Still, I'm hoping by having the small bits of information from The Stories of the Great Composers that we may actually get through at least that much next year We have done separate Geography in the past and we have also folded it in with history. I like your idea about learning the countries/cities/landforms.

No. Definitely not.

I know. DS hates LA. Hates it. So when we've tried more rigorous programs he has fallen flat, cried, argued, etc. He doesn't fight LLATL and it gets done but it feels light so we add the others in to make up for LLATL's shortcomings. It's not ideal, but it has worked.

I was looking at Grammar-land... Then a friend told my about The Storybook of Science.... And then I got sucked into the website and I have no idea what I want. Help!

My coworkers and I pranced about the clinic for a while this afternoon. It was very liberating. :)