We adopted from China and have 3 bio boys. It took over 3 years (just because the agency we were with was fairly large) and we adopted a waiting child. Our daughter has a cleft lip/palate that was partially repaired in China. The cost was around $25 K, but we have friends currently adopting from China and their costs are around $40K (ouch!). China is placing typical children, but the wait is 5 years or more. So, china has mostly been placing children with medical needs - from mild to life threatening. Our daughter was 2 1/2 when she came home and has no RAD symptoms. It was a hard road for the first year and a half. She is a little hyperactive and was so.much.more that first year or so. She also has a very strong personality and wouldn't back down. I thought I had ruined my family and thought this little person would destroy any joy or peace we had. Now, 3 1/2 years later, it's MUCH different. I started her on a program for gut issues and it has almost taken her irritability and intensity away (she had been on antibiotics most of her early years and had a parasite when she came home). She's still very much on the active side, but we're getting a handle on it. My 2nd child was much the same at her age and he's calmed down quite a bit. Adoption is not for the faint of heart. It's not always a smooth transition, but worth it. Beth

I have the CDs, but never use them. Beth

I am thinking of giving up Latin for the pursuit of just studying the roots of words and using it for vocabulary development. suggestions? I do not want a discussion on why I should keep Latin. I've been considering this for months. Beth

We adopted our daughter from China's waiting child program. She has a cleft lip and palate. Our oldest has severe disabilities (wheelchair bound, completely dependent, a very young mental age). Honestly, seeing doctors is no big deal to us because of our oldest. There's a lot of been there done that. Other than the cleft issues, she's a typical kid. If you're already used to medical issues, it's not too tough of a transition to other medical issues. Beth

I have no idea where to look for conceptual physics or chemistry. Looking at bju samples, I would probably go with the Dive cd anyway . Beth

Would bju physical science be too difficult for a young 8th grader (will turn 13 in September)? He will have completed algebra 1 by that time. I was thinking of using it with the Dive CDs or the bju DVD option. Beth

Here's my take on it. I would suggest starting a non-workbook approach before they hit Algebra. This is because they need to get good at writing down problems correctly and working from that point. There are so many little details in Algebra that need to be correctly written down that it would be good to get some practice writing down problems before they get too complicated. My son right now will forget to copy something as simple as a negative down and it messes up the whole problem. I'm not saying do it in 54, but definitely before hitting Algebra. Beth

I have never found a really good time for read alouds lately. So, during lunch, we have listened to a chapter or two of a book on tape. Some of them have multiple voices or just a really good narrator who can do multiple voices well. We just finished "The Light Princess" by George McDonald and it had multiple voices and music. It was well done. My kids listen better to the books on tape than they do my reading. It's a win win for me. Beth

My concern is also that ds needs more of a spiral with lots of review built in. He did well with Singapore until he got to fractions. He got fractions, but then "forgot" and had to review in order to do problems with fractions later on in the curriculum. I just want the best of both worlds... beth

My son is currently cruising through Saxon Algebra. He is doing Alcumus on the side. Alcumus is not difficult for him and he is completing levels in geometry, algebra, number theory, ect. Every once in a while he gets a problem with topics that he has not learned yet. The computation problems are easy for him (if he's learned it) and the word problems aren't really tripping him up. My question is this -I'm a little hesitant about putting a 7th grader into algebra 2. I know that good Algebra skills are important for later math skills, So, do I just continue with Algebra 2 or have a review time of Algebra with AOPS? I'm not too interested in continuing with AOPS simply because if I need a video teacher, they don't have that option past Algebra. Beth

My son is currently cruising through Saxon Algebra. He is doing Alcumus on the side. Alcumus is not difficult for him and he is completing levels in geometry, algebra, number theory, ect. Every once in a while he gets a problem with topics that he has not learned yet. The computation problems are easy for him (if he's learned it) and the word problems aren't really tripping him up. My question is this -I'm a little hesitant about putting a 7th grader into algebra 2. I know that good Algebra skills are important for later math skills, So, do I just continue with Algebra 2 or have a review time of Algebra with AOPS? I'm not too interested in continuing with AOPS simply because if I need a video teacher, they don't have that option past Algebra. Beth

I have been using the supplements with my dd since summer. She was adopted and has a cleft lip/palate so I'm pretty sure she had multiple rounds of antibiotics. I have noticed a big difference in her behavior. She was prone to screaming fits and just couldn't sit still at all. Her voice, which was continually scratchy due to screaming has healed itself. Copying one word was almost more than she could handle. She can now do a whole page of handwriting without falling off her chair or giving up in utter frustration. I didn't change her diet too much because that would have sent me over the edge. She doesn't eat pasta as much as she used to and we generally stay away from sugar. I've noticed that if she does have a lot of sugar, her behavior deteriorates, but not nearly as bad as before. I would say to try it because you really have nothing to lose. I was grinding up all the supplements at first, but eventually, she learned (at 5) to swallow them with applesauce. Beth

if you join CC connected Essentials, there are songs for all the charts done by "no greater joy" I believe? You can also ask your tutor to make you a CD also (ours did). She also made some flash cards (also found on CC connected Essentials) to memorize quite a bit of that information. When the kids had a song to sing when they wrote down the charts, it made it so much faster. I'm not sure, but maybe you could join the CC connected Essentials for a month just to get all the information you need? Beth

I would like to start a listening program with my daughter. She was in an orphanage for over two years with ear infections most likely constantly. She has trouble calming herself. I'm borrowing a program from a friend for a few weeks and her ability to learn phonics has improved dramatically along with her ability to write longer (a whole sentence or two verses 2-3 words). Unfortunately, we are of the high deductible type of insurance and out of pocket costs will run $700- $800 which we really can't afford at this time for a program that is optional. Does anyone do this type of program without the oversight of a paid Occupational therapist? Do you just have them listen to Mozart and be done with it? I know Mozart isn't the same with the frequencies and all that, but is it better than nothing? Beth

I would like to start a listening program with my daughter. Unfortunately, we are of the high deductible type of insurance and out of pocket costs will run $700- $800 which we really can't afford for a program that is optional. Does anyone do this type of program without the oversight of a paid Occupational therapist? Do you just have them listen to Mozart and be done with it? Beth

This was my thought as well. I'm wondering if the op is someone who's being made to feel sinful in her choices to continue homeschooling even if her and her husband feel like that's God's direction for their life. There are always times in churches where you just have to agree to disagree and just move on keeping your opinions to yourself. Beth

So, when do we as Christians stop battling each other? Just because you want a good Christian school run by Dads does not mean that you have to degrade homeschoolers. Yes, having educational choice would be great for everyone. Unfortunately, in our town, you go to the public school where 9th graders are required to act out explicitly sexual scenes from their literature book, you pay what is half of your husband's entire take home salary to send your kids to private school (of which there is only one K-8 and is Catholic - not that it's "bad" but not evangelical Christian), or you homeschool. No, it's not the ideal - especially for my sons, but we are making it work with the addition of outside classes and duel enrollment as they reach those later high school years. Christian school is not bad. I wish we had an affordable academically excellent option. We don't. Even when I was thinking pre-school for my very social, very wiggly daughter would be helpful for my sanity, I found there were no Christian pre-schools in our area. So, my little girl who sings to Jesus all the time and loves to act out Bible stories would have to stuff all that for "wheels on the bus" and songs about protecting the earth. Sorry - not going to go there. Homeschooling sometimes becomes the only choice for the large percentage of homeschoolers. So, let's all agree to not demonize people with differing thoughts about how to educate. Beth

Didn't there used to be a time when children were valued and exclusive ministry to your own children was seen as a good and worthy goal? I have been struggling with this very thing lately. I've felt worthless and pointless. I'm devoting my time and energies into educating my children and caring for my 13 year old with special needs. Yes, we are keeping them away from the public school, but that is not a bad thing. In fact, to make public school work for our children would require MORE of my time - not less. My friend knows how to work with the public school system and still have her children come out strong Christians. She works hard at it - volunteering, working in the school district, ect. But even she has been reduced to tears by some of the things her children have been exposed to by teachers- yes she can talk to the teacher, but can't undo the innocence her children have lost. When talking to her, I feel like I have very much taken the path of least resistance. The time she spends pouring into her children and undoing the "damage" is so much more than I do on a daily/weekly basis. So, until there are good alternatives out there, I cannot in good faith send my children to a place who's mission (in our liberal town at least) is to reduce Christianity to a fairy tale. As far as my ministry outside of the church? Every time my husband and I try to do more than take care of things at home, we realize quickly the time and energy required put too much strain on us. Our 13 year old takes up any extra energy we have. But, what does God require of us? To follow what He desires for us. To follow HIS path. I guess I'm just frustrated because I get this type of thing every Sunday also in church - to minister in the community...I'm frustrated with it and feel like being "just" a mother will never be enough. We've bought into the feminist lie that motherhood will never be enough - instead of an outside job to prove our worth, it's an outside ministry. Just because you put a nice Christian ring to it doesn't make it more valid. As far as older boys go? My plan is to give my sons more and more independence from me as they show themselves responsible. But to expect that they would be in close daily contact with their father who "is relatively close to home", that's a unreasonable goal for most families in today's day and age. My husband would LOVE to be more involved with his children. Unfortunately, in this world, jobs require more time from a sole breadwinner. My husband is gone 12 hours a day commuting and working - and we are considered lucky because we see "so much" of him. I have friends whose husbands spend more time than that at their job and commuting. So yes, it would be ideal to have the father primarily raise their sons. But until the family is valued again in this society, it's just not going to happen. If my husband would get a job that would let him be here more to raise his sons, it would require me to get a job and then my "ministry outside the family" would be lost anyway because I would be working. So, it's a wash. Beth --who's irritated because I keep smacking up to this very attitude everywhere I go

I second online classes. I had my son take a TOG online class this year and while it would be better to have face to face interaction, it is the next best thing. He'll be taking two next year. This way, I get to pick the teachers who are better at teaching a certain subject. I can also farm out the subjects that I can't teach as well and keep my ds on an individualized education plan. It sounds as if you wouldn't like giving up the control over your child's education. It seems as if the people who really like the Challenge classes are more willing to give control to another entity. Online classes may be better for you since you can give up control in the areas you decide. There are a lot of options available - Potter;s school, Veritas Press, Laundry Academy, Memoria Press, to name a few. I had considered doing Challenge this past year, but knew that some of the subjects they were teaching were below his level of learning, but the next level up had other subjects that were too advanced for him. You'll find it's an age segregated classroom deal where everyone is taught the same thing regardless of ability (unless you have many challenge classes and they let your child sit in at different levels - like math for instance). I figure that if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I may as well get what I consider to be a superior product which for us at this time is online classes. If on the other hand, you want "socialization" and face to face discussions, online classes won't fit your goals. Beth

I asked this very question not to long ago. It seems the concensus is BJU is superior in content but is not an independent course. It needs to be taught by someone. I am planning on using earth and space science for 8th with the DVD teacher. I also plan on doing the labs because that's the thing my son finds especially dull in apologia general science. If you just look at the lab supply kits on homesciencetools. com, apologia physical science has some balloons and rubber balls in it's kit. BJU has so much more with "real" science materials. I'm not saying you can judge a science curriculum by its science kit, but science with stuff you can find around your house only excites so much. I also like that BJU's physical science is focused on chemistry and physics which seems more in line with current standards. Beth

I'm assuming you can't record these sessions? Too bad they don't offer something like this at the start of the school year! Beth

How are you doing the labs with CPo physical science?

CM and classical are sisters really if you look at them side by side. I would listen to specifically Andrew Pudewa (of IEW fame) "fairy tales and the moral imagination" for how to make classical more CM. He talks about how classical is like a globe with many countries. His version of classical sounds more like a CM philosophy. He says he like the country of classical where the focus is on beauty - music, literature, nature. It's a really good speech that is well worth the $3. Here's the link: http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/ftm-e Beth

I'm using Saxon Algebra 1 with my ds after we used Algebra 1/2. I've been having him do Alcumus (Art of Problem Solving) online for word problems and to check his overall math skills. We do about 3-4 problems daily. He is doing great with them and has solved problems from their Algebra 1 and Geometry levels. Saxon is doing just fine with us and we plan to continue it. I do teach it to him and don't just hand him the textbook. I believe math needs to be taught. I was a math major in college and every level math I ever did was taught - they never handed you a textbook and told you to just figure it out. Beth

Every once in a while, my son has trouble with some concepts and makes mistakes. I find that if I sit there with him and help him see the mistakes right away instead of at the end of the problem set, he's a lot more open to learning from his mistakes. It usually takes 3-4 times of me doing that for him to get back on track with a tricky concepts. Just today, we "did" math together. If you're not as well versed in Algebra right now, get the solutions manual. They have all the problems worked out step by step. Beth