I got mine from Core Knowledge. They have a selection for each grade, and each is printed on heavy 8.5x11 glossy cardstock. The back side has basic info - artist & time period, why work is considered important, interesting bits to examine, questions for discussion, etc.

I am in the market for some books for my young 5 year old. This child has what she deems to be life-threatening injuries every 2 seconds. I have tried talking to her about it, ignoring, kissing & sending her on her way, etc. There has to be one of those kids' books about social skills that addresses this.

Very cool! Filing this away in my brain - thanks for sharing!!

My kids had preschool "homework", but it was always reasonable and rarely on paper. - Find something round and red to bring to school. - Find something that starts with the letter D to bring to school. - Tell your mommy a story about a bear and have her write it down. - Wear orange to school. - Carry this stuffed frog everywhere you go for the entire weekend. Tell your mommy about everything you did and have her write it in the journal.

Our VT had us put all traditional reading/phonics work on hold. He said that given the nature of my kids' particular issues, they would learn to read by employing compensating strategies, which then they would have to unlearn. To avoid bad habits, we were to avoid phonics/reading until a certain point in the therapy. I am not sure if that is standard with VT, or just related to the particular issues my kids have, so you need to ask your doctor. I have basically tried to do everything else possible now that they would have otherwise been doing in the next year. All the history, science, readalouds, math (with manipulatives, not worksheets), memory work, etc., so that when I get the greenlight from the VT, we can cut way back on that other stuff and really focus on phonics.

Yes, that is the ones we use. Unfortunately I think you are probably going to have to try both. I have one kid using one and one using the other! (Actually I have two using each, but two kids really don't need them - it's just easier to make everyone use them and not deal with "it's not fair"! But of the two who don't really need them, one did better with the Claw and one with the Grotto. So in my little group of 4, we are 50/50 on which is better!) With the Claw, make sure you get the right size. The smalls are tiny - I have tee-tiny kids with tee-tiny fingers (not on the growth charts even at the bottom!), and they are way too small for my kiddos - I can't imagine very many children who are coloring-age being small enough to use them! Mediums are for kids, and larges fit adult fingers. You put your thumb in the biggest hole, and then the other two become obvious.

It's not going to HURT anything, but I don't think it will help anything either. Most of the standard grips you can buy off a shelf in an office supply store are really just cushions for people who either write alot or who have a pencil grasp that was never remediated. They don't change anything about the grasp, they just make it more tolerable to live with. I would check into either the Claw or the Grotto. Buy a few of each to see which works better, then buy a whole bunch of that one so you can put them on every crayon & pencil in the house. We also used Handiwriters for a while. Total pain b/c little kids want to switch colors every 2 minutes, and you have to rethread the crayon through, but they worked to get the crayon laying back in the web of the hand, and to take the ring finger & pinky out of the equation. Again, I doubt this would be necessary for most kids, but if you can't get there with the Claw or Grotto, check into adding a Handiwriter to the grip. ------------ What do you have him coloring? My kids were not successful with the coloring sheets that are intended for really young kids b/c they had such humungous spaces that needed to be filled. A more detailed picture or smaller coloring book (they sell some that are like 6" x 4") that had smaller spaces worked much better. Also, they sell coloring books that have raised lines instead of regular black lines. It gives the kids a physical clue when they run out of the lines. They are expensive, but they did help.

OOOH - thanks! I'll check those out. I am SOOO tired of sharpening crayons! My kids press so hard (sensory + lack of hand strength = pressure control issues), so the crayons are flat after like 2 uses. I sharpen and sharpen and sharpen...

I think it depends why the writing is bad. For my kids' particular issues, we were told to avoid colored pencils and use crayons, b/c they could FEEL the crayon writing - it had more feedback as it dragged across the page. With vision problems & sensory issues, the crayons were needed. I can see where colored pencils would be great for your average kid, as pencils would be great for learning pressure control & precision. We just aren't there yet.

Tell me about how your teach your kids kindness. My kids are 5 & 6.5, and I feel like we talk it to death, and I show it to them, but they are just awful to each other (two in particular - the other two aren't nearly as bad). They are kind to me, DH, and people outside our family 99% of the time. It's really just the inter-sibling relationships that are really lacking in this area.

Ditto!!! My kids are happiest and getl along the best when we are being productive!

We LOOOOOVED The Learning Box Preschool. It is easily adaptable so you could use with both the 4 and the 2 year old. It is NOT going to teach reading, but will cover everything else. Patterning, sorting, crafts, etc. The best part is the crafts. They are super-cute, easily adaptable based on skills, and everything is included. Pull out the instructor guide for Day 2, find the Day 2 baggie and EVERYTHING you need is in there. It would be very easy for someone else to step in and do for you if you wanted something for your older 2.

We haven't had it with schoolwork yet, but we have had it with therapy homework. What has worked is making lots of fun plans. Making brownies, going out to dinner as a family, some huge messy art project, etc., that she is not included in if her work isn't done. (Of course if it is something out of the house, that means that one parent has to stay home with sulky while the other goes, but hopefully it's a one time deal!)

I don't think this is what you are referring to, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE The Learning Box Preschool!!! It is a full preschool curriculum, but what makes it really stand out from other programs are the crafts. GREAT crafts, and EVERYTHING is included. If you need 2 inches of yellow yarn, it's in there! Packaged in a baggie labeled with that Day #, corresponding to the month's instructor guide. I can't say enough good things about that program!

For S, I say "C with a tail!" and for some reason that helps my kiddos get it the right way.

Our goal is to do 3 programs: 2 lessons per week in RightStart A ("Math") 2 lessons per week in Miquon ("Math Lab") 2 lessons per week in MEP Reception ("Puzzles") My kids don't realize we are doubling up in one subject as I refer to each by the name in the parenthesis. On my time chart RS-A and Miquon share a space (so ideally one should get done MonTh, and the other WedFri), and MEP shares a space with Lollipop Logic. In reality, we never manage to get all 6 done each week. Usually about 3 to 4 a week. I often wonder if I'd better off just focusing on one and getting through it, then focusing on another, instead of all this switching.

I make my kids use Elmer's white glue - the original liquid kind. I feel like it is good for their fine motor skills. Squeezing & releasing at the right time to not get too much is great for them! (And yes, there is still a lot of overflow!)

I have 4 kids who have had handwriting teaching together, so I *know* the instruction has been identical! :) Two have pretty handwriting, two have chicken scratch!

Song School or Prima Latina are the 2 that are recommended the most for the younger crowd. Haven't tried either personally - just repeating what I have seen others say.

What is her seating like at the table? I finally broke down and bought the Stokke Tripp Trapp chairs our OT had been recommending for years, and the difference in all 4 of my kids was amazing! Having a chair that is the perfect height, with the perfect height footrest makes all the difference! Hand strengthening is really important as well - I've posted several times in the past few days about it - if you haven't seen those let me know and I will re-type.

When I was 16, I left school and drove myself to my orthodontist appt to FINALLY get my braces off. I had had them for EIGHT YEARS, so needless to say I was so excited I told the whole school before I left. The orthodonist took the front braces off, and suddenly had this horrified look on his face, but wouldn't let me look in the mirror. Turned out one of my front teeth had come out with the braces. As an elementary & middle school student, I had been a competitive gymnast. At one point, I chickened out at the last second on something on the uneven bars, and had smashed my face into the bar. Other than a really swollen upper lip, we didn't think there was any dameage done, but apparently the tooth was injured and died. And with the braces on, it hadn't come out and discoloration wasn't noticed. I had regular dental visits, so I have no idea why an xray didn't catch this, but anyway. So as a 16 year old in 1987, I had an implant. The surgery itself was, well, dental surgery so it stunk, but was over quickly. The real issue I went through was the temp tooth. It was constantly coming out. After about 50 visits to have it replaced, my dad finally superglued it in and dried it with a hairdryer - that did a lot better than the dental glue. After I had the permanent one put in, I never had another problem. It's almost 25 years old, and is as secure as ever! It was considered experimental at the time I had it done, but I would definitely do the same thing again. If you ever want to bleach your teeth, do it BEFORE the permanent tooth is put on. The permanent one will match your existing teeth, and can't be bleached. PS - I assume it goes without saying that I did NOT go back to school that day! So traumatized! In fact, I absolutely refused to go to school until I had a false one. As I was a really well-behaved kid who had perfect attendance for most of my school years, thankfully my parents decided not to fight me over it!

I say that to my kids like 10 times a day!!! :)