I also did some pricing and some of the LG books are part of Amazon's 4 for 3 pricing.

Can you just take a break from math (ducks). I know that sometimes even a few day break will give DS the recharge he needs. Like 2 weeks ago he would throw a fit, cry, run away for anything that he had to write/color. We stopped anything he had to write and copywork. For the past 2 days he has been coloring and doing his own copywork non stop all day. To the point I have to pull him away to even do what he used to love! Sometimes I wonder if it is like right before a growth spurt they tend to have trouble... I would also suggest possibly trying another program if it is in the budget.

Have you looked at ambleside online? This might fit the bill, it is CM based but has seasonal basis. I love the idea of Waldorf, just not the entire concept.

It seems like already I'm trying to cram things in and if I take more time he does better. So we will read of course every day, but don't do math everyday. Well- we review/talk but not formal stuff. I remember doing block scheduling in HS and it was great, I didn't know if anyone did something like that? I just feel like for him trying to do it all in one day makes him shut down half way through as if I spent more time every other day he'd do better. I'm amazed your 3 year old still naps! I try to do a quite time for my almost 4 year old (since he turned 3) and he refuses. He is very very strong willed. Funny though b/c he has picked up on so much I didn't realize why he didn't want to take a nap/leave the room.

http://www.acornnaturalists.com/store/THE-REAL-REASONS-FOR-SEASONS-SUN-EARTH-CONNECTIONS-GEMS-P1212C0.aspx This is it and they ship to Canada :) HTH's!

HWOT didn't work for us as a program, but- the crayons and then small pencils worked wonders. He hated the paper and needed more repetition (they frown upon this I know). Plus the ETC books confused him even more. But, I ordered the crayons and that helped a ton b/c they are so short. I added in a ton of extra fine motor skills and he is doing so much better. We didn't buy the pencils from them b/c when we cleaned out an old house we were given she had a box of the little put put golf type pencils that were the same that we used :)

What is the paperbookswap I hear about? :oops:

I have EDM as well and sooo different. I just book shelved it. I still use some of the ideas about incorporating everyday things, but not the program. Also I don't think you're expected to complete one level in one year, I know I won't. But I thought I read each level starts with a review so you can go a bit faster at first? It has enough activities that you can still do math even something simple everyday. Like today we reviewed a lot, played a game, and did a hands on manipulative. I also think handing DS the abacus just makes math more fun for him than a workbook. However, his is NOT a workbook kid at all. We are just on level A though so base it upon that. I do know at the front of the book it suggest to put it away and play for a few days/review if they are having trouble and I have to remind myself to do this. But- you will have more than enough in your hands to do this. I know with Singapore EarlyStart I was having to come up with other things and it was frustrating when he wasn't understanding something.

If so share what you do. As in you don't always cover the same subjects in one day, etc. I'm just curious as to how others do it :)

I love it, very hands on with a lot of repetition. The lessons are laid out for you and even what to say if you need that, I changed the wording. I feel like it is teaching my son a very solid foundation of math. I know that a lot of the professors in our area that home school use the program (from an engineering school) and speak very highly of it.

I have STOW and could use it, but am not sure if I loved it enough. I guess I need to go look through it again. Doesn't it seem like so much for first grade? oh yes, and science, ahhh!! I'm guessing probably Apologia and reading books for us. I also of course started looking at Winter Promise again and now am even more confused. Please tell me to stop looking around :lol:

Well it is good to know about Singapore not being the same, I might give it another try. My brain is trying to decide btwn. Singapore, Horizons, or MM. I did not like the SL LA program at all and have looked ahead and do not like it much more for in the future. But then if I do TOG would the math, FLL, AAS, and phonics be too much? What do most parents do for phonics in first grade? I have done SL this year and not too sure where to start if I do switch :confused:

I'm trying to get together our list for next year, we will probably actually start this spring as we plan to school year around with breaks built in when we need them. So, I have decided on using Right Start Math B (he loves A) and I didn't know what be another good math pairing? We did Singapore Early Start and I didn't really like it, once you move up is it better? Ok so then we did Sonlight this year and I'm not sure I want to do it again. I loved the books, but am not sure that I will all the way through. I am torn between TOG and VP. We need something with more hands on. I have 4 children that would lead me to teaching at least 2 cores if I stretch, but 3 is recommended, that is going to be too hard. I'd rather do the TOG or VP history. Is it pointless to do the TOG until they start the Omnibus though? I'm so torn on what to do :(

Oh ok, good to know. No way would he be ready then Lol.

I agree the bars are very small for my 5 year old. He is in the young child kindermusik class. Mostly what we worked on so far is high low end and C and A. I'm surprised though how well he is doing and how his fine motor skills aren't the best. If it was me teaching it to him though I know it wouldn't be going as well.

I'm looking ahead to next year. My son will be in first grade, is that when you start level one? I tried weighing through all the threads, but wow. I don't have the time :001_huh:. My son is starting to read pretty well w/ phonics and some sight words, he has had little trouble understanding some very basic grammar rules and such. I just don't want to push him. What type of learner is this best for? thanks :)

She is not understanding period, comma, and punctuation use. They started the exclamation point and she really started to struggle.

My little sister is in first grade. She has recently started having trouble with grammar. More so with punctuation. My step-mom would love something easy to give her more practice in this area to bring her back up and help before she is behind. (She is in public school). She knows I home school and thought I'd know of something, but we just started this year and my son is in kindergarten so I'm not sure where to direct her. Thanks!

My son is going to be starting this fall and we will be doing a lot of the things mentioned in other posts. He loves science so I have a few science magazines and we've gone through together and picked out some things to do together. We are looking at ants, worms, butterflys, frogs, a lot with life cycles. Nature journals and walks. Also probably a lot of cooking together and then our family garden we will be working in a lot.

We love P&F too. I thought it was funny when DS1 (4) was talking about aglets and no one else knew what they were, lol

I haven't read everything, but DS is like this and he has an end of May bday. Sending him the Kindergarten I feel would actually hinder his learning. I know our K teacher (we only have one) and she wants them to come in knowing nothing :glare: When she found out he was reading already she was irritated. So he will be staying at home. The best part is we can break up the activities. We can work for 15 mins and take a break. he loves to read books throughout the day. Oh and at our school it is all day Kindergarten. I can not imagine him suffering through that long and already knowing what they are learning and being stuck inside- we live on a farm and he is very much an outside kid.

How about teaching the sounds and not the actual letter name? We've had to do this w/ DS. I figure he will eventually figure out the names. Also working w/ capitals rather than lowercase right now.

I just did too. Bonus b/c I can print off things at school w/ my technology fee :giggle2:

I borrowed Muzzy from the library and did not like it. I am interested about Rosseta, but am worried that we wouldn't like it for the price. Our library doesn't have it to loan out to try or I'd do that as well.

I would think it would be very difficult. It seems everyone else does each level of SOTW in one year or more... I have also heard WP link's do not always work :(