I have kept all FOUR of my kids together for both phonics & math thus far. (My triplets are a little behind, and the youngest is ahead.) I do try and vary the presentation of the same lesson/material as needed, but we don't proceed until EVERYONE has something down. Yes, I understand that one or two may be somewhat held back, but frankly, I'm OK with that, both because my sanity is vital and I cannot do 4 different lessons of OPGTR and RS daily, and because I see no harm in having one or two kids get extra reviews of info that is foundational!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE The Learning Box Preschool. It has all the usual preschool stuff, but the arts & crafts are WAY better than anything else I have seen. And everything is included. Open the book to today's date, open the baggie with today's date, and go. If you need a teaspoon of cocoa powder, it's in there. If you need 4 pink pompoms, they are in there. A 3" square of white cardstock, it's in there (precut!). We did a LOT more crafts just because it was so convenient!

Both of my 5 1/2 year old girls were in OT for ages, and graduated last fall with normal pencil grasps. Camille struggled for ages, and with the Stetro grips (which we have been using for about a year), she finally had a normal grasp that she used even when she grabbed a crayon or pencil that didn't have the grip on it. Suddenly, her thumb is creeping over the top of her pointer. That was NOT the original issue, so I'm not sure why this is now emerging. Help for a creeping thumb? Meredith had a normal grasp, but her hand tired easily. About a month ago, I looked over and her crayon was straight up and down rather than laying back in the "web" between her thumb and pointer. I corrected it, but somehow that is the new default and she can't seem to make it lay down. When I tell her to fix it, she attempts to but can't even remember how it is supposed to be. (This is my compliant child - she's truly confused.) Thoughts about how to get that pencil to lay back down? My youngest (and most challenging) child is 4. She was a full-term typical single child, so has not had all the therapy the others have. She has a normal grasp, that she figured out on her own. My issue with her is that she asked to start handwriting a year ago (at age 3) and I put her off b/c I thought she was too young. Now, she has figured out how to write most of her letters herself, and so doesn't want any instruction, but she has figured them all out wrong. Like the R - she makes a circle, then adds two legs. It looks like a bird! All her letters are approximations, and I know what they are supposed to be, but nobody else does. Now what? Do I leave it alone for now, and force her to do a handwriting program with me when she is a little older? Or is that giving her too much time to develop more bad habits? Thanks!

Anybody??

Thank you!!

What about Dinosaur Chess? I have heard it is better for the younger set than Fritz & Chesster. I have NOT personally used it though.

Do you have a Classical Conversations or other homeschool group in your area? That way your son would be in class, and your youngers would be in the nursery. You go to class with him, so you get a few minutes when you can really focus on him, and he meets some friends! It would also cover your history, science, art, music, etc.

So do you rip pages out of workbooks? We are currently using ETC, HWOT, Dev Early Learning, etc. The thought of ripping makes me cringe, but if it is the easiest way to organize, I may have to!

This might be helpful: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227503&highlight=placemat+map&page=2 http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233325&highlight=africa+middle

Someone posted a video of them doing a Miquon Lesson with their child a while back, and it was so helpful to really see how others handle this rather difficult-to-implement program. Has anyone else taped a lesson? Or would you mind doing so and posting? I am particularly interested in lessons on the younger end of the Miquon age range (in the Orange & Red books), but would love to see anything you have the time to post. THANK YOU!!

Thank you so much!!

I would consider the non-curriculum stuff: music, art, basic computer, sewing, cooking, etc.

Can you give me an estimate of how much time you spend homeschooling? I mean, really homeschooling, not recess or that kind of thing. I keep hearing that kindergarten can be done in 1-2 hours a day. How much for 1st grade? 2nd? How does that change by the end of elementary and into middle school? Thanks! PS - yes, this is yet another question for DH. Still trying to talk him into letting me homeschool. He is still eagerly eyeing the public school down the road...

Yes, sorry, Five In A Row. We haven't gotten close to through all the stories, and I don't want to miss any!

The Learning Box - FANTASTIC!!!! Covers all the academic stuff, but the best part is the crafts. Everything is included. If you need a Qtip, it's in there. Open the workbook to Day 1, open the Day 1 baggie, and go.

Main: - Leading Little Ones to God - OPGTR - Readalouds based on lists from Ambleside Online, FIAR - Beginning readers - Handwriting Without Tears - RightStart math - Scripture memory based on AWANA Extras as we have time / inclination: - we've been working on drawing a world map - we will probably continue the calendar stuff we did in preschool, just b/c my kids really like it for some reason! - Explode the Code - MEP Reception - Miquon Orange - FIAR workbook - Draw Write now

Mornings: - Pullup off, panties/undies on - potty - get dressed - put on socks (don't ask me why that had to be listed separately, but it didn't get done without it being separate) - make bed - be sure only ONE toy in bed (this is an ongoing battle!) - check bedside table - no more than ONE item on top, no more than THREE times in drawer (another ongoing battle!) - brush teeth - tangles out of hair - go downstairs for breakfast (I still fix their hair for them - they can't do ponytails yet.) Night: - Potty - Pullup - PJs - Stretch (we have a set stretching routine that they do while waiting for everyone to come together for prayers)

I grew up in Simpsonville (suburb), and lived there as an adult until 6 years ago. I LOOOVED it there! I have several friends who have moved to Spartanburg and do not like it nearly as well. A lot less to do, less family-friendly.

My mom made us do "enrichment" math outside of public school. Her rule was that you only had to do the odd numbered problems. If you got EVEN ONE wrong, you had to correct that one, and then go back and do all the evens. We were very motivated to slow down and do it right the first time so we wouldn't have to do twice as much work!

I have triplets. One is completely typical. One is a gifted at math but can't get that letters go together to make words. One has some sort of processing problem - everything goes in but she struggles to get anything out when she needs the info. In our house, it is NOT about test scores or who gets the most right or who is in highest level book. "Do your very best, with a smile!" The kid who got every problem right but sulked about doing the work is getting in trouble. The one who tried her very hardest with a good attitude is getting the praise, even though she got most of the answers wrong. Truly they don't even get that other people focus on grades / levels. If YOUR focus is on attitude & effort, theirs will be as well. Even when you talk to your spouse, talk about attitude & effort. Don't ever even mention grades / levels. Instead of saying "Meredith got all her spelling words right", say "Camille worked so hard on her spelling words this week - she copied them every day without me even asking!" Even if Camille got 90% of them wrong. Just give her some of those same words again next week. I have on occasion had a kid ask "why can sister do that and I can't?", and I just casually answer, "some things come easily to sister, and different things come easily to you. Just keep trying, and you'll get it!" I also crack down VERY hard on anyone who brags or teases - that is absolutely unacceptable and you have to snuff that out at the very first hint!

That's exactly what I was thinking! YOU know your kids a lot better than a proctor! If you aren't seeing those issues, go back to one curriculum for both!

I think you need to sit down and have a heart-to-heart. Here is the arrangement here: - DH works hard all day at work doing his job, and I work hard all day at home doing my job (SAHM) - he is expected to work hard all day, as am I (I can't sit around watching hours of TV or surfing the net - kids are my first priority, and then I should do whatever I can around the house. Some days I get a lot of housework done, some days I breakeven, and some days, well, I should get credit for the house still standing!) - he gets a lunch break for an hour or so every day, so do I (I shouldn't feel guilty about that time - I need it to recharge just like he does!) - some days he works late. On those days, so do I! :) - when he gets home, whatever work is left we split 50/50. Our saying is "neither of us sits down until we both sit down". He usually walks in, we eat dinner as a family, and then it is bedtime for the kiddos. I am ready for a little alone time by then, so he takes over with the kids - stories, baths, bedtime,etc., while I clean up the kitchen, wash dishes, and finish up the day's laundry. - whoever finishes first is expected to help the other finish their work. Again, his work is childcare, mine is kitchen/dishes/laundry. Nothing else is truly urgent! I will admit that I have mopped the floor when it really didn't need it on occasion when the kids were getting on my nerves, so that I didn't have to go up and help blowdry hair! - when we are both finished, we each get a drink & sit down in the family room and talk about our days. No TV, no computers, for at least 15 minutes or so, usually more. That's our time to tell each other what went well, what our current stresses are, etc. I can't imagine we would have much of a marriage without that time to connect. And if one of us was up doing all the work while the other sat right after dinner, one would be mad and would be working right up until bedtime, so there wouldn't be any good conversation! We both can feel good about this system. Both of our contributions are recognized. Neither of us is working more than the other. On occasion, when it is obvious I have had a hard day, Chuck will pour my drink & send me to the sofa early, and finish my work himself. But it is certainly not something I ever expect - it's just his way of showing me that he loves me! I think you need to be sure your husband understands that you, too, have a job - you are at it ALL DAY while he is at his job all day. Of course he's tired at night and doesn't want to help. Aren't we all? I'd love to sit on my duff all night every night and never do any post-7pm work either, but that isn't realistic! As to how to make him understand - I think he needs more time with the kids running the house. Make it work somehow! There is nothing like experience to help with the understanding.

Find one you like, and just take it to the copy store & shrink it to the size you want. 60ish percent should work to go from 8.5x18 to letter size.

Be sure you coordinate your colors. In our house, purple is for North America, magenta is for South America, green is for Europe, aqua for the Arctic Circle, red for the Tropic of Cancer, etc. Everybody's map uses the same colors. The huge wall map uses the same colors. Even the globe - I used a Sharpie to outline the continents & trace the major lines. When we draw the maps, we use those color crayons. "Everybody get out your dark orange crayon! Let's look at Africa. Is it north or south of the equator? Is it east or west of the Prime Meridian? What shape is it? YES! A rectangle sitting right on top of the equator, with a corner cut off the top, and a triangle below!" Etc. etc. I guide them through placing the rectangle & the triangle. -------------------------------------------------------------- We do a "hotdog" fold (longways) and a "hamburger fold" (shortways) first. Draw equator & PM. Add Tropic of Can, Trop of Capri, Arctic C & Antartic Circle. You HAVE to have these lines BEFORE adding any continents!!! THEN go to continents. I always start with Africa b/c it is in the middle. If you start with some of the others, and they draw too big, they can't keep going b/c they are out of room! If Africa is oversized, they can still put other continents on the map, they just end up a little skinny! :) If you do Africa FIRST, then Europe, then Asia, you are much better off than if you start on the left side of the map and work your way over, like would naturally be your inclination!

I bought those world map placemats. I then used Sharpies to draw a simplified outline around each continent, and to trace the Arctic Circle, Equator, etc. I do NOT let them trace, and my kiddos are 5 1/2 & 4. They are able, with practice, to draw very rough (but recognizable) outlines. In fact, they can probably do a better job than most adults in America at this point! The real plus to the placemats is that they look at them while they are waiting for dinner to be served, anytime we talk about "Aunt Helen in Montana", when they overhear us talking about the earthquake in Chile, or when their school friend is going to India for the summer. They LOVED tracking Santa across the world last week using that NORADSANTA.org. They really enjoy it finding places that are relevant, and can point out more places than I can!