lol, I hope gender roles never go away, personally! Not that I want to be forced into a June Cleaver role but I do believe there is a beauty in the gifts/talents each gender is given and would not want to see a complete disappearance of natural gender roles.

She will turn 12 in November so she would be 11/12yo freshman, 12/13 sophomore, 13/14 junior, 14/15 senior. However, since she doesn't turn 15 until November she could not take a class in the fall; she would only be able to take advantage of the CC program for one semester. I really appreciate the input, ladies. I have some thinking to do and decisions to make!

My 11yod caught up to her 2 older siblings in 2nd grade. She is self-driven, high achiever, etc. She has kept up wonderfully with all the schoolwork and in fact passes her 12yo brother often. This year she will finish LL8, PreAlgebra, 8th grade history, writing and grammar. I had every intention of moving her into 9th grade until yesterday after our hs meeting. A woman shares each April what she did for high school, college requirements, etc. with our group. Our CC allows juniors and seniors to take one free class each semester and it was my plan to use that for lab sciences and/or foreign language. The only thing is that the student must be 15yo, no exceptions. At the rate my 11yod is going, she would be a junior at the age of 14, graduate at 15. I don't know what to do. We had planned for her to participate in the 8th grade graduation in May along with her brother and sister, yet now I'm wondering if I really want her to move up. What are my options?? She wants to stay in 8th grade so she can compete in the County Spelling Bee again (I told her that was not a good reason to repeat a grade, lol). Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm at a standstill as far as ordering curriculum until I decide what to do, although I've already ordered books for her for MFW AHL. I'm also leaning toward doing with my 12yos whatever I do with my 11yo as they are really on the same level. I'd like to keep all 3 in the same history (MFW) and know they can all handle it; my big concern is science. Thanks, ladies. I hope this all made sense. :)

Well...we're wading through our third week of this text and struggling. Pro: includes review (first Set of problems), challenge problem (Set IV) and dd likes the cartoon Con: explanation of concepts is incredibly light (IMO almost ridiculously so). I loved math and did very well in it yet when I read her text I can't believe so little explanation is provided. I have to sit with my dd at the beginning of each lesson and go over it with her, add more explanation, basically "flesh out" the concepts. She has always been good at math so that's not an issue. Once I am able to help her she does fine with the problem sets, thank goodness. I would switch but I'm tired of looking at math books and figure as long as she's getting it (even if it involves a lot of my time) we'll stick with it. I do like that it will challenge her to think through concepts more on her own, yet I personally feel it provides too little in the way of explanation. We do have the solutions manual but have not needed it yet. We also have the Dr. Callahan DVDs which are a joke - serious waste of $.

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I am wondering what monitoring (if any) the OP had during labor? Meaning was the baby's heartrate being monitored and did it indicate fetal distress? The two friends I've had who lost their babies were those who refused all monitoring so the baby's distress was not discovered in time; neither of them were VBAC. Personally, I feel VBACs are a wonderful option to automatic, repeat c-sections however they should be taken very seriously and extra monitoring should be involved. But then I believe in lots of monitoring VBAC or not. ;)

Awesome post! I totally agree!

According to the MFW site there are some books that I should purchase one for each student. For those who have gone through this program, would you recommend having more than one book if you were taking more than one student through besides the recommended ones? I'm specifically thinking of the lesson plans ($90 is a lot of $ but depending on how many pages there are, what would it cost to copy it?) and the Notgrass history book. The 3 dc I have going through this program do the same subjects at the same time so I need to know what can really be shared and what should be provided for each dc. Thanks!

I'm ordering most of my books from Amazon. Today I received the Rand McNally Historical Atlas of the World and while the picture on Amazon matched the picture on the MFW site, the actual atlas I received has a different cover. Copyright is 1997. Would someone be willing to tell me what the copyright is on the atlas with the suit of armor picture if you have that one? I don't mind using a different atlas as long as the inside is the same. :)

A while ago I posted a question regarding my oldest dd who asked a very general question about Mary/virginity/etc. That sparked a rather lengthy and sometimes intense discussion regarding the appropriate age for discussing such issues, exposure kids need to have to such information, etc. I do NOT want this to become another such discussion and hope what I want/need to share is in no way topic for debate. I just finished the second amazing weekend with my daughters (separate weekends, of course) using the Passport 2 Purity program. We had fun, we had open discussion, we all learned a lot, and I survived the event I have been praying about and preparing for since my first dd was just 7yo. What amazed me most was that neither of my dds had the slightest clue what sex was. Not.a.clue. My younger dd asked on our drive to the hotel why she would be learning about sex because she already knows she is a girl. :) My just-turned 14yo said the same thing and my heart sang for JOY!!! Here I'm driving 75mph on the freeway wiping tears from my eyes as I realized that the effort I made, the stand I took to shelter and protect my dc until it was the right time for them to know about these things and to find out from ME, worked! In a world where kids are bombarded with sexual content from the earliest of ages, where something as precious and private as sex is distorted to be crude and casual, my dc have been protected by not only myself but my friends who introduced the topic to their dc earlier than I did with mine. There may be those reading this post who have not yet gotten to this point with their dc and are wondering if such protection can really be done. I was told by many people a most emphatic, "NO!" I was told that I was delusional and that my dc knew more than I thought they did, that I shouldn't be so ignorant as to really think I could have preteens who had not heard things from friends. They were wrong...praise God, they were wrong!!! And now my dds know about sex from a Biblical point of view - so unlike the way I learned. I want to thank every woman who posted reviews/input on the P2P program. I want to thank those women who have gone before moms such as myself and done with your dc what I was able to do with my dds. I want to thank those moms who admonish their dc to use discretion and keep confidences so that moms who are coming up behind you don't lose that precious opportunity to share this beautiful information with their own dc and in their own way. The highlight of the drive home today with my 14yo was when I told her how I had prayed all these years for the right time to share this information with her and that I had felt pressure to do this long before now. She turned to me and said, "Mom, there is no way I would have been ready for this before now. God knows me, He knows what I can handle, and I know He told you the exact time to do this with me." :hurray: To those who feel differently than I do regarding an appropriate age to expose our dc to such things, I mean no offense and understand that everyone is different, including our dc. This post isn't meant as a slam or criticism toward anyone. Funny thing is that I was originally supposed to take my 14yod on the weekend and had no thought of doing this with my 11yo. Yet as my 14yo was getting in the car she mouthed off to me (again) and I told her to unpack her bags, told my 11yo to pack her bags, and off we went. It was the perfect time for my 11yo to go through the program! God's hand was so clearly directing all of this for all three of us, it is just amazing. He knew I needed to go through this with my future midwife/doctor 11yo who was not embarrassed and views everything technically before taking on my very emotional and easily embarrassed 14yo. He even knew my 14yo's guinea pig would be attacked in our yard last night and that she needed to not be here to find it in the morning (my future doctor found it and dealt with it in her efficient way). Coincidence? No way. God is good and knows exactly what our dc need at just the right time. :)

Personally, I would never give up a name I love for any reason. Names can't be "taken", IMO (or "stolen", either). I love the name Ashleigh and love the way it is spelled (different than the traditional Ashley). So that gets my vote. :)

:( I'm so sorry. I woke up last night and for the first time had a name for this little one...and I cried. sniff sniff :) I really appreciate the responses because choosing a name is such a privilege and I am always afraid of not choosing the right one.

Tide, hands down. I just tried homemade detergent this week and will never do that again as I had to rewash every load! Like I have time for that?! Tide is worth every penny since I don't have to look for spots and spray them and never have to rewash anything.

lol, my dc would love it if I used that name as they adore the Boxcar Children set. :D

Thanks for the replies, ladies! I don't know even one Henry of any age so reading that it may be making a comeback is surprising. I was going to use "James" as a mn but our last name is that of 007 so I thought that would be a bit hokey. My dad's name is James so I thought Jameson/Jamison could honor him without bringing to mind a secret agent. ;)

Is this name too "old"? Yesterday the name popped into my head and I cannot get it out! Don't know where it came from but am considering it now for baby (middle name Jameson/Jamison). Is it completely nerdy? The other contender is "Seth". Thoughts? I know this isn't a baby/pregnancy forum but the forum I'm on seems to be filled with moms who can't get past anything "aiden" based or from Twilight. No offense to moms here who have used such names but I want something different. ;)

It's not dinner but the best thing anyone did for us was give us a breakfast basket. It had homemade banana bread, fruit, juice, packets of tea or hot chocolate, etc. Since the hardest time for me as a new mom is the morning it was truly a blessing.

We gave the woman money then followed her to her house, knocked on the door and asked why she told us she lived in Iowa. She slammed the door in our face. So now we politely say "No" and keep walking.

Way back when I had just young 'uns this is what our day looked like: Up, beds made, dressed, breakfast; Mom start laundry load Walk (in warm weather) or indoor exercise (all together) Devotion/worship Basic school with older ones; younger ones have room time/play by me Snack break; Mom hangs laundry Play time while Mom cleans (one 20-minute chore/day); kids age 3 and up have their own chores video/TV (this was when Mr. Rogers was still on so we usually watched that) while Mom gets lunch ready Lunch Walk (unless downpour or blizzard) or play time together Mom read out loud (younger kid books) Everyone naps/quiet time in bedrooms Snack and chapter book School if not finished in the morning with older ones; younger ones table activity (coloring, Play Dough, etc.) Clean up house Walk (yes, we walk/get outside a lot!) or to park Get dinner ready -------- Having this routine helped keep our days calm and peaceful even with 4 age 4 and under.

Thank you all for the suggestions/insights. I've calmed down a bit so I can think clearly about this. I have had them take open-book tests if I thought the test was too nit-picky about dates/names. I've highlighted exact details that would be covered on tests, written them on the board, given them lists, etc. I'm a box-checker. ;) I like tests because it shows me retention of information beyond the day it is presented. My 13yo typically tests well so it is obvious she did not put the time or effort into studying today. My 11yo usually gets a "B" so not sure what happened with her. My 12yos...good grief. He is so lazy and apathetic when it comes to schoolwork. :glare: I'm going to have them reread the chapter and we will discuss the highlights. Then they will take another review written by myself using CM-style questions.

I am frustrated to the point of tears!!! My dc engage in good dialogue when it comes to History. They read their text, watch videos, we use living books...everything seems to be great until they take a review test and they get an "F"! WHY?! I have them take notes on what they are reading, we discuss the material together in great depth, so what is going on? Anyone have kids who do this? We are using All American History which is a bit wordy yet presents the material well, I think. We are over halfway through the book so I do not want to stop and switch yet the thought of going through this 16 more times at the end of each chapter is not good. Part of me wants to just let it go. They get the basic idea, they remember the main points of, say, the Gilded Age. Should I really care that they didn't get a good grade on a test?

I also have the Chicco travel system and really love it! The handle is wonderful for tall people. It has the best padded cover I've found in any carseat; unlike seats such as the Graco which are nothing more than foam on the back and a thin fabric cover, the Chicco's cover has thicker padding for the back, bottom and leg area. The carseat itself does not snap on to other strollers due to its unique design but if you have the travel system that shouldn't be a problem. It also doesn't snap on to grocery carts but since carseats should not be put on carts (in, yes, not on) that also shouldn't be a problem. I love the way you can adjust the straps without having to go through the back of the seat and the safety rating. I found mine on Craigslist basically brand new for $150.

I've read both books also and never thought of Tripp's book being anything close to the Pearl's. In fact it was because of what I read in the Pearl's book that I focus on Tripp's as it deals with heart issues, relationship-building, trust, etc. There is some of that in the Pearl's but it can get "lost" amid the instructions for physical discipline. We've found Tripp's book to bring great balance because many parents just want to know how to "deal" with their dc and do not consider that "dealing" includes more than simply stopping a behavior. I'll have to pull Tripp's book out again for a refresher read. :)

Just picking up on this thread again and I have the same question. I read back through my books and in all the years of teaching this class we NEVER taught to switch/spank one's infant! If this was included in your class at church I suspect the leaders were including some Pearl material.

When we teach parenting classes we always include Tripp's "Shepherding a Child's Heart". Any book we use includes a strong message from us on the balance of grace/mercy in training/raising children.