Already going tomorrow for my annual checkup. I need to know what to ask. I already went last month about this time thinking my thyroid was going wacky or I was iron deficient. Everything was "normal". I personally think my thyroid is running a bit fast, but it's in normal ranges and I don't have symptoms. Beth

I'm really good about testing thyroid levels since I have benign nodules with a personal and family history of being hyper-active. I will have them test b12 and hormone levels. my cycles have been getting shorter also. How do you get bio-identicals?

I'm 44 and my new PMS symptom is this feeling like my heart is going to beat out of my chest. I lay down to sleep and all I hear and feel is THUMP THUMP THUMP. During the day, I just walk up the stairs and I'm winded and my heart is racing. My sleep is horrible. I do have quite a bit of stress in my life but during those last two weeks feel unable to handle anything. First two weeks of my cycle, everything is fine and dandy---I don't notice my heartbeat. What is going on with me and how can I stop this madness?!?! Beth

Is there enough writing in HOD Preparing? I have had my ds doing IEW and have found it works great for getting students to write with more expression. I use it to build skills in writing - not so much for them to follow all the rules for the rest of their writing experience. I'm thinking of using IEW with HOD, but am not sure if that is overkill. Beth

Legos, classic kids board games, and puzzles. Beth

Kids are a lot more flexible than we are with timelines and matching everything up. Like a pp said, go with what you want to do. Don't worry about matching science and history up. Next year, we're doing an overview of history, listening to American history in cd, and doing Science in the Beginning. My kids will enjoy all the random pieces and never even notice. My oldest learner never noticed that things weren't matching up well or even realized when we skipped a large section of history to join a co-op. As long as those elementary students are learning the basics and getting a good foundation of how to learn, everything else is all gravy.

My ds in 7 th grade does a couple of online classes and a BJU DVD science class. Last year was almost the same. He is fairly independent and comes to me with a few random questions throughout the day. He's being pushed to the best of his ability and I can focus on other things. Beth

My ds was almost 12 when he used it. He did fine. Beth

I'm thinking of doing comprehension questions for my UG student next year for all his history books. Is that a crazy thought? Beth

Homemade bone broth and fermented foods? I have a friend who swears by the combo. The Diane Craft diet doesn't heal the gut problem and will need to be repeated to be effective. The bone broth is easy to make and easy to take. Fermented foods, not so much. Beth

I suggest calling the IEW people up and asking them there. Beth

I would test through Algebra 1 only because geometry is integrated throughout. While she may be fine with the algebra portion, she may have missed some geometry concepts. Beth

You're going to be required to be in classes the whole day. Unless you can keep a newborn and a toddler happily occupied for almost 3 hours twice during the day, you will have to utilize a nursery (assuming they have one). Depending on the nursery situation, your two year old might not be able to nap in the afternoon. It personally sounds exhausting to me. I would do just challenge and Essentials if you can. Beth

I am thinking of purchasing the Beyond guide and the Preparing guide. Can you tell me why or why not this would be a good/bad idea? Beth

Yes, I have done that for years. I have noticed that when I tend to add my own extras to enhance the curriculum (such as memory work lately), I fizzle out around November/December. I'm flighty like that. I think I am going to try a curriculum that schedules everything (narration, Bible memory, notebooking) for a year and see how that goes. Having a guide might give me a weird outside accountability that I seem to lack right now. Beth

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Here's my problem. I'm a box checker. I don't mind it, but I am wondering if I can keep up with a program I own because I want more out of it, but it's not scheduled. Somehow, having to pay for a curriculum that lays it out for me gives me accountability. I own all four years of Tapestry and don't go to the buffet it is. I use it as a book list. Sad, but true. I know I could really beef it up and make it more of what I want out of it, but I have this feeling that I will give up sooner than later. I need comprehension questions written out for me and scheduled. I even failed with Story of the World! I had the activity book with the questions all set for me to do each time I read the book. I lasted about 10 weeks. Narrations went out the window at that time also. I am wanting a little more accountability for my children (after realizing my 9 year old ds really wasn't understanding what he was reading at all for history) and more accountability for me. I've been doing this 9 years and have always reverted to the path of least resistance by November or so So, is there reform for me or do I just admit my weaknesses and just buy an all in one? I have done really well sticking to a laid out schedule - I'm just not good at making up my own pulling from fabulous resources. Beth

I have been in about 4 years of acclimation to an adopted daughter. I have had my children doing as much independent work as possible. I am wanting to be more intentional with my 9 and 6 year old next year in teaching them history and how the Bible relates to history and themselves. I have been doing Tapestry of Grace for 5 years - I have the books and the guides. But, I am finding myself piecing together geography (I don't think I use the Map Aids in the best way because it becomes a do it and forget it worksheet), Bible study, Bible memorization, and discussion. Right now, my 9 year old does history on his own and I barely know if he's gotten anything because TOG does not include discussion questions at that level. I don't really want to try to piece together notebooking pages to match up. I'm a little flighty when I don't have stuff laid out for me - even if I do it myself. Somehow, just having someone co-ordinate everything - Bible discussion, memory work, notebooking pages, art, music, ect seems to make my life go smoother. I have tried piecing all that stuff together and I fizzle out before January hits. I've been looking at Heart of Dakota but am concerned it will get old fast if it's do the same thing week after week. I am not a fan of My Father's World. Any suggestions? Beth

I used to be a very anxious person even during my ongoing relationship with Jesus. I too had trouble believing God's promises to me. Due to some very difficult years in my life, I went on an anti- anxiety medication for 6 months because of severe insomnia. All of a sudden, I realized how messed up my thinking really was and I was able to see anxiety for what it was. I've been off it for years now, but there is a deeper faith. I had to come to a decision to either believe what God said is true and applies to me or just jump ship. It wasn't a feeling, but a decision. I can't say that everything is rosey, but my anxiety is a fleeting feeling now rather than all emcompassing clouding everything. I also had to make a decision to believe that God is good because there have been things that make it not seem so. Despite everything, I can say "God is good." Beth

I have been debating this in my mind for years. Now I'm looking at high school and know the only way my dc will learn a foreign language is to pay a tutor. We don't want to do that so Latin becomes the fall back because it doesn't need a proper pronunciation. Beth

I'm always shocked about harsh judgements made by homeschoolers in other parts of the country. Maybe homeschooling is more mainstream in these parts? We have around 30 families who are considered Christian homeschoolers in our very liberal college town. Maybe being conservative, Christian, and homeschooling for those reasons makes us stick together more? We have the mix of religious beliefs and some who send some of their kids to public school. I have not heard any condemnation from anyone about educational choice or religious belief. I don't know what most of them use for curriculum and frankly don't care. I'm constantly surprised at stories like yours when others brand you for choosing a certain educational path. Or even others who are not of the correct religious denomination to join a group. Maybe around here, we're so "out there" fringe that we don't have energy to argue about stupid stuff. Beth

Wow! Did that feel good to get off your chest? I think part of the problem is that homeschoolers are such an independent breed. I liken it to herding cats. I too asked this very same question a few years ago concerning a friend who was working full time from home. She was always "not getting school done". I was basically told that no one can make the standards for another family and we just have to encourage but not interfere. Now, she is reaping the results of that year and her children are a year behind while doesn't seem like a big deal until they get to high school age and realize they are a year behind. She did wind up joining what is considered a controversial co-op around here, but it has given her accountability so even when life throws something at her she is still trucking on and not going months without doing school. I don't know what the answer is. For me, I endeared myself to a homeschooler further ahead on the track than me to keep me on a good path. There seems like there should be some solution to parents who are not educating their child, but again, herding cats is hard. Beth

My ds is doing the physical science online. I like the online option since all the quizzes and tests are online and self correcting. I also like that it gives me a TM online that tells me how many point to give each component of the labs and then tallies the grade for me. Ds is really learning science well. The only issue is that it is a 45 minute teaching almost every day which I haven't figured out if it's over kill. Beth

I have a child in Saxon 1, one in Saxon 5/4, and one in Saxon algebra 2. The algebra 2 ds does it mostly in his own - he's my math brain. I do the mental math with my 5/4 guy and he will do the mixed problems in his own. Yes, he does have questions and when he does, I refer him back to the lesson where the problem came from to see if he can figure it out on his own. I am spending time teaching him how to find the answer in order to make him more independent of me. My 1st grader gets my full math attention so she takes the longest. I don't do everything they say to do. I don't consider Saxon twaddle. My 5/4 guy likes having "easy" problems ( the ones that have been reviewed over and over). I don't find anything wrong in mastering a concept to the point of boredom. I did switch my algebra 2 guy to Saxon from Singapore because I noticed that he was forgetting concepts as we got into the 4-6 levels. He's done well. I like the mental math better in Saxon than Singapore because it's assigned every day and gives some nice tips to make it easier. I like how Saxon develops concepts bit by bit with practice. I watched in Saxon 2 how they developed the skills to find the quadratic equation gradually so it wasn't a huge bear all at once. By the time ds had to solve for "x" in the quadratic equation, he could do it with ease because he had practiced all the concepts leading up to it for weeks. I'm happy with Saxon and am not changing any time soon, Beth

We have 3 bio and our last one is adopted from China. She was a special needs adoption which meant that she had a cleft lip/ palate. It's been a little rocky just because she has a very strong personality, but so far the different race is not too big a deal. She does wish she could have my color skin at times though. I wish I could have her skin---we're mutually jealous of each other. I'm not sure how that will play out later. I do wish she could have a Chinese sister, but we're emotionally maxed out with children. Beth