I didn't read everything, but I recomend CLE to those that want away from the visiual stimilation that is in many books. Also children that need a lot of spiral repitiion to make it stick. So I could see why you needed to switch. My middles son would be very irritated and needs to move on faster than CLE, but for my oldest it is perfect. He also needs those smaller books to make him feel like he has accomplish more. But, we know it is traditionally "ahead" so we moved back a grade level and that was the perfect decision for our family.

Unfortunatly the one near us has many bad reviews. The only good reviews come from those that have state insurance and do not have to pay out of pocket. Some things to look for: She/he is willing to work around your ability to pay, even if that means every other week or once a month, with extra homework that you are responsible for. This one was unwilling. Also make sure that you are fully approved before beggining and don't take their word that they cleared it with your insurace, call yourself. She has gotten thousands of dollars this way from other people in our area. My friend drove further the other direction and it was $40 a session, not $150 and they were willing to do once a month if needed. I would highly recomend a second opinion if possible.

I love the rod and staff prek/k books, those are my biggest recomendation for anyone. My youngest also loves her Kumon cutting book, even my husband commented on how she cuts better than he can :rofl: My youngest begs, but she still tires out after a few activities. I give her a lot of hands on type things. And my 5 year old begs too, but at some point go out and play and find things outside (nature type walks) or we read a book together.

I guess I truely havn't meet a child like that, even in the school system. So maybe if I had it would be different? I know my now 7 year old came up to me when he was 4 and knew all his letters, was adding on his own, and had taught himself to read basic CVC words. I was blown away, but he still has trouble sitting still :)

What is her best learning style? What kind of memorization are you working on? My son that has dyslexia had trouble memorizing his letters and still messes up small sight words. He can read large words well. He is very, very audiotry. I am very, very visual. So you can see how that has been :) I recomend figuring out how she learns and working around that. We also work hard for a few weeks on reading, and then take a break. He knows if he pushes through he will have a break. During that time I read to him a lot. We are now to the point he is reading on level with assistance. However, for pleasure he still isn't picking up anything more than the smaller books to read to his siblings (like frog and toad level) Anything put to song he pickes up on much quicker. I feel bad because I am sceptical about the VT, I had a horrible experience and a good friend went to the same place and had similar trouble. After going to another place, much much further they gave her a completly different diagnosis. However, I knew the exercises wouldn't hurt so I bought this book, it may be worth looking into :) http://www.amazon.com/Developing-Ocular-Visual-Perceptual-Skills/dp/1556425953/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1400373307&sr=8-3&keywords=vision+therapy

I've seen a lot of discussion on facebook groups. I think it's hard for homeschool parents to not worry that they are behind because almost every PS parent goes on about how their preschool child is reading before begging K and it makes me laugh. I see the creativity squashed out of them that first year and find it sad that such a push for PS standards by so many. I think it is hard to find a K program now that isn't heavily focused on forming letters, etc. And any time someone says to just enjoy that first year other parents it is quickly brushed aside. I'm all for moving at a pace that is good for your child, I guess I just wanted to make those starting their journey know that it is ok if their 3/4 year old hasn't learned all of their letters because when you go through many homeschool sites it seems filled with discusions about starting K way earlier. I know my friend came over and was discouraged and didn't even want to begin homeschooling because she was already "behind"

I guess this is because I read so much about 3/4 year olds begining kindergarten curriculums that require a lot of writing, I even see it in my groups on facebook. Am I the only one bothered by the fact that everyone seems to be putting them into K way too early? My 5 year old will complete the MFW K program this year and then we will begin kindergarten again next year. We have gone very slowly and enjoyed all the fun activites. Yes my 3 year old sits in and has things to do, but I'd never dream of buying a K program for her. Even next year she will still be preschool. She has amazing fine motor skills and can write if wanted, she can cut better than my 8 year old. She can recite CC memory work, and has tested at a genius level IQ last spring. However, I still don't feel the need to push her so fast. Am I the only one that seems some homeschool parents push way too early? Is it many first time homeschool parents that are eager to begin? I was so hands off until my oldest was almost 6 so I just don't get it, lol. I know it's hard when all of your friends are talking about the amazing things that thier 3 year old can do, but honestly I haven't meet one yet that still gets tired and throws a fit if pushed too hard ;)

They are very helpful when calling :) They will even adapt/change the K program to make it more suitable. I still think at age 3 writing would be a bit much in the program. I'm still thinking of doing Jr K with my just turned 4 year old and she is amazing with fine motor skills. I guess I don't see the push for Kindergarten so early.

My oldest listend to them all on audiobook at 4. He loved them, at 8 he still talks about Narnia and remembers names and details.

And don't forget this thing called facebook- everyone shares the great things their child does. Oh your 3 year old can add, read, and write already? Of course that is shared- not all the other stuff and then you feel guilty as a parent because you are sitting on the couch hiding a snickers bar from your children while they run around outside because you needed a break from all the arguing...

I'm afraid to register for Khan Academy because I've heard they have started recording information and I'm not certain if I want that to happen or not :(

What it really boils down to is having a great CC community. Some are way better than others. I know of other communities that are even more amazing than the one we are in. Some homeschool coops are better than others. Ours is a disorganized free for all- but other areas having amazing coops that are next to others. My best advice is to sit in and visit before deciding on either one :) That's what it boils down to.

I'm sorry that your tutoring told you that. Yes I have everything writen on the board, but none of the children can read it so it's more for me and my helpers. We were told to make it enjoyable, but we do have only 30 mins to fit new grammar in. We were given fun game ideas at tutor training, ideas to make it so they aren't sitting at their seats the whole time. We were told to make it enjoyable. It sounds like no only did you have a negative experience with your CC community- it sounds like your tutoring advice wasn't the same as what others experience and this is probably why it wasn't an enjoyable experience :( This week I have songs planned with hand motions, movement around the room, and a fun review game. My children enjoy CC, even the ones in class. We all work together to keep things fun, otherwise the children wouldn't want to come back (understandably so).

Have you tried lavender essential oil? It has worked wonders on my son that has terrible allergies. We dab it on his forehead a few times a day and it helps him so much!

I was thinking of supplementing with this. My oldest has dyslexia so some things come easier than others. Do you think it would help him? We are currently a grade below using CLE and he loves the program, but I want to add extra support becuase soem concepts are not "sticking" Such as fractions. Telling time has taken forever and is still spotty at times. It seems like of everything I've seen it would fit well. I am thinking of starting with level 2. Is the student book required? Or could I make do without it?

A lot of the exercises begin through oral exercises. As in retelling and pulling out key points in familiar stories (like the three bears). I don't think it's face paced at all. You begin with letter formation in boxes, without lines. You move on to copy work while doing oral excercises.

I find it funny that this is a classical board and you are saying that memory work for a 5 year old is too much or not developmentally appropriate... We completed CC this year with My 5 year old, 6/7 year old, and 8 year old. My 5 year old learned as much if not more than my 8 year old! She has opened up so much through presentations, loved the fine arts and science experiements. None of them were above her comprehension. She begged for more at home. She devoured the material and memory work and found it exciting and fun! She loves sharing all of the pronouns she learned. Is eager to formally begin learning more Latin. She draws blob maps of Europe at home for fun. I did not once push memory work. We went into it using My Fathers World K for her Prek year and she is learning the alphabet and doing hands on lessons. We don't push memory work at home outside listening to the CD's in the van for fun and doing reading that's requested. She isn't required to do anything, but if I was to tell her no CC next year she would be deveasted. As would my other children. I am putting my youngest in next year, she already is picking things up from her older siblings. She is 3 now and will turn 4 in May. In the Abecedarian group we didn't expect mastery, honestly I emphasised making sure they could pronounce the larger words, we danced, sang, and moved to the memory work. We had fun learning. Durring review I would help answer questions and the games were made to go over the work and enjoy CC. I didn't do much at home at all. He will get the memory cycle again. Cycle 3 is next year, US history. At 5 years old he will go over that cycle again. The Math stays the same, timeline is the same each cycle. Go slow. The only time we would do memory master is if my child really wanted to and was wanting to do the work. Also for me it was worth the money because it held me accountable, I had like minded moms to talk to, and my childre made friends. I didn't look at it from a cost perspective because I see so many people put down CC because of cost not knowing what it is really like and what the take home is. It's not perfect, but then again nothing is and it was worth it for my family :) Message me if you have any more questions!

We haven't made a science fair project for competition, but my son makes his own science experiments all the time at home. I don't see helping him much besides trying to help him figure out what he's doing (narrowing it down), checking his work, and buying supplies. They had to build bridges in CC the past 2 weeks and we weren't allowed to help at all. I think it's great because so often we hover and micromanage and they don't really learn why it did work- his bridge was a total failure and he was of course upset, but he also knows how not to build it next time…

I'm using two different programs because my 2nd son is advanced and my oldest is struggling, they would be in the same math. It makes it easier to have two different programs in order to keep my oldest from getting upset when my younger son passes him in areas :) I know it isn't ideal, but it works for us. Otherwise it isn't pretty. Plus my other son enjoys the pictures and my older son needs the black and white pages. We have sang skip counting songs over and over and it has helped, but advancing with him is so very slow. I at least feel better after talking to an aunt that is an instructional assistant for children like my son that are 3 years older and they have basically given up on math and reading with them. She reads directions to move through and they have given those children calculators. I refuse to allow him to use one until he's in high school. I know it would move us through, but I don't want that for him.

Write/design a spiral approach math program that is for auditory learners? I'm pulling my hair out and it is not fun. CLE has been the only one so far that hasn't brought tears, but still soooo slowwww. I feel so bad for him. We do skip counting songs and will do songs for multiplication next year. This is an area that is very neglected. If you are great at this stuff it would be appreciated! Hands on visuals don't seem to help us at all. And mastery never happens, spiral is a must. Am I the only one with this problem?

I love mine, I think it is super easy to clean. I like that the sides are tappered and odd like the vitamix, so if you make something like a nut better it is sooo much easier to scrape it all out. I can do so much with it, and best part is that it actually fits under the cabinets for storage so I can leave it out all the time (vitamix is too tall).

I am just tutoring foundations, but I do know the essentials tutor and her sub had a Pudwah and popcorn night- no kids. They watched it all together for a long evening :) Made it more fun that way. And she had a daughter in it for 2 years before tutoring so that helped too.

Love tubby babies! My second son was 26lbs at 4 months old. He is tall and skinny at 7 now :) He was my puff marshmellow guy!

Oh no :( I wonder if she's getting ready to have a fever. Also, mine have trouble with sinus pressure due to allergies or shifts in the weather, could it be that? Also mucus will cause pressure. I would just give water, it will help with dehydration or clear out mucus.

My children are in the first year of CC so they are learning the Latin memory work, I'm wanting to begin Latin. I have looked at Prima Latina, but wasn't sure how it was compared to other Latin programs. My son is a very auditory learner if that helps :)