I use a mix of things. I ended up going with mostly US stuff (WWE, FLL, SWO) in the end - there are only a very few spellings that we change. We started some Galore Park this year when my ds was over 7. He has found it challenging, and I consider him pretty good, so I'm agreeing that it's best not to rush into it. We have also added in a bit of Primary Language Lessons, a vintage grammar book. It's nice and gentle so a change from the Galore Park. We don't do all of these, all of the time! I don't really think you need to worry about using American books, it's a minor issue. If overall you like the style and content then go with it, wherever it's from. My dd6 is just starting WWE1, FLL1 and SWOA. They are good programmes if that is what you are looking for.

I'm enjoying thinking of Rosie being like Medusa!:D Seriously though, I'm in the same boat so I'm :bigear:. I'm pregnant at the moment (!) so hopefully won't have to worry about it too soon, but before I got pregnant this time around I was horrible for 3 out of 4 weeks. I got pregnant and it was like a cloud lifted immediately. I think I might try Rosie's chiropracter idea, but I'm nervous and I'm sure my dh will think it's hilarious!

Thanks Ellie, that's reassuring! I agree about it being a perk for the grandparents. But they don't care about colourings/additives etc etc. Anything goes. My kids get Froot Loops for breakfast. Ugh! Sadly, given their culture, there really is nothing I can do because it isn't worth starting world war 3 over. On reflection, I really think we're doing ok. My kids are healthy, enjoy fresh home-cooked food, and beg for apricots and cashew nuts at the supermarket rather than crisps and chocolates. Can't believe this thread is till going! I usually kill off threads really fast!

I was going to suggest that you smell it too. It's a bit gross, but you'll know!

Yes, building confidence is key I think for her. She has a tendancy to huff and puff just from looking at a page if she thinks it's too hard! My ds is doing great with MM. He just finished grade 3. I think dd does need something completely different, not least so that she stops comparing herself to her older brother. So now I have one vote for orange and one for red! I assume that means it doesn't really matter as long as we just start! Thanks for taking the time to reply

That's reassuring. I was worried that Sonlight might be a bit ambitious with so many other kiddos around. He does love books, which is why I thought it might work. It's just so expensive!

Thanks so much, we're not Christian but I'll have a look at it, I may be able to adapt it to suit our beliefs.

My 4 year old is desperate to do some 'school'. The thing is, he isn't quite there yet I don't think - knows some numbers, but not really any letters, can colour nicely but can't copy his name. You get the idea. It is easy for him to get lost in the day (I have ds7, dd6, ds2 and I'm 34 weeks pregnant) and I wondered about some sort of literature-based program we can do. I do want something we can 'follow' because we have so much else going on, I don't want to have to use my brain too much! So I'm wondering about Sonlight PK or FIAR for him? Is there anything else that might fit the bill? I want him to 'think' we're doing school, when really we're not - clear as mud?!

Thanks Element. That site has masses of videos - wow. It's a great start.

My dd6 has just completed Math Mammoth grade 1. She can do it, but she didn't enjoy it. I also think there is an element of not really understanding what she is doing and why. I think Miquon might help us lift the mood and reinforce some essentials. So....should I start her with Orange or Red? I have never used Miquon before, and as I understand it there is a bit of a learning curve which makes me think we should go back to the beginning. But I don't want us to be bored stiff and wasting our time. Thoughts? Thanks for reading :001_smile:

Just put the kiddos in bed and sat down to read all the responses. It has been an interesting read. Thank you :001_smile: Funny, I didn't think we were being too strict, but it does seem like we are in the minority. I still don't think my children are deprived though, or craving sweet things. I will give it a bit more thought though. I agree with Diane et al. that yes, there can be an issue with overindulgence if something is 'forbidden'. I don't really think that is a major reason why so many in our western cultures are overweight though.

I'm 34 weeks too. It's rubbish at the end isn't it. Sorry you're having such a rough time. Not too much longer......

DH and I recently decided that our kiddies were eating too many sweet treats and we have made a rule that they can only have a treat on Fridays. It has worked well, the kiddies look forward to Friday, and I think behaviour is generally better especially from my dd, who tends to react to these kinds of things. The rule gets relaxed when we visit people and when we go for the weekend to my in-laws (at least twice a month usually). Are we draconian? My MIL certainly thinks so, and is very upset that we have not given some sweets to the children that she brought round on Wednesday. They are in the fridge waiting for Friday, so it isn't like we've thrown them away. These are asian sweets made of pure sugar and fat with nothing good about them whatsoever! They are a heart attack in a box. Everytime we see MIL she gives them sweets, chocolate, junk food. It most certainly isn't my place in their culture for me to say anything, and DH won't. All I can do is limit this in my own home, which I think is a perfectly normal thing to do - right?

Hi, I'm Emma. We've been homeschooling for 3 years now, since my oldest turned 5. We have ds7, dd6, ds4, ds2 and a little one due to arrive sometime in August. I really ought to stop having babies, but I love them!! We have sadly left NZ now and are back in the UK where I grew up. I'm still grieving the loss. I hope one day we can return there for good.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply. I have had a good sleep, and I'm feeling a bit more positive this morning. It does help just knowing you're not alone. Let's see how today goes.....might try a coffee at some point. For him and for me!!

Thanks so much to everyone for the hugs and advice. They've all gone to bed now so the house is quiet for a few hours. I didn't know the tomato-staking lady had advice for littles - I'll look into it. Coffee - that's interesting. Why does that help? I'm not against trying it though, and he does drink my tea sometimes so he'll probably like it. The issue is not really just about 'school' times, although that is a problem too. This little guy blows hot and cold - when he feels like playing with his cars or trains he will play by himself for an hour, sometimes more. But if you give him milk in the green cup when he wanted the red cup and he feels like a fight - watch out! He can scream from the moment he gets up until the moment he goes to bed if he's in that kind of mood - he was today. What's odd is that he tends not to scream when we are visiting somebody though, so everybody thinks he is as good as gold. He is speaking words, but not sentences yet - compared to my older 3 he is slower, but I don't think he is abnormally behind.

Sorry, I know there are toddler threads on here ad nauseum. But I'm losing my mind. He is wrecking the house, completely disrupting school, upsetting the big kids from all his screaming........and on, and on, and on, and on. He is number 4, age 25 months. From day 1 he has been intense, to say the least. Everything at the moment ends up in a fit of screams because some minor detail is not what he expected. I know there isn't much to be done except wait, and hope he grows out of it soon. Just venting really.

I wonder whether your new mixer is doing a better job at kneading than your old one, and you are over-kneading. Kneading too much = coarse, sticky dough with a 'curdled' appearance. Maybe try kneading less?

It certainly doesn't sound like something I would do, not least because I can't enjoy my food knowing there is a crying baby waiting. I would personally rather sort out the baby and then eat in peace, even if that means eating in shifts with dh.

Sis, is this your first Ramadan? For some reason I'm thinking that it is. Anyway, not trying to be patronising if it isn't, but........ I wouldn't worry too much about 'breakfast'. Eat a bit of bread, maybe a sandwich, and then fill up on dates. Seriously, the barakah in the dates will make the fast go by much easier than anything else. I like the caramelly ones, but dh likes the squishy ones! And you need a really big jug of water - actually I think this is more important than the food. Last Ramadan I kept the sandwich, dates and water by my bed so I didn't have to go fussing in the kitchen at suhoor time - it worked out great. also meant I had more time for salah.

Yes, this. Sometimes I worry they annoy people simply because they are happy to chat to everybody they meet.

My 4th was my hardest, but not because of him being 4th. It was because he was/is 'intense'. It's just his personality. If he had been my first I really would have struggled with him, but experience made things much easier and I had a lot more patience. I just carried on as normal, just one-handed with a baby over my other shoulder! He has settled down (a bit) and I'm now expecting number 5, so it can't have been that bad. (My others were 6, 4, 2 when he arrived)

Thanks for the thoughts. FWIW I'm not trying to scare him! It's enough for him to read 'the Normans invaded England', for example, and he'll have nightmares. He doesn't need the gory details or any pictures at all. The flip side is, history is one of his favourite subjects. I don't think we'll drop it completely. Might just drop the extra reading I think. He reads a lot of other stuff. I can modify what I read out loud.

Negin, thanks for posting this, it was an interesting read. I am confused though, perhaps you can enlighten me? People in our culture (in my case the UK) have been drinking milk, and giving it to their children as something 'good for them' for years. I don't know how many years to be fair (I would guess a hundred or so), but it's kind of ingrained now don't you think? It didn't seem to do people much harm back then. Do you think it was because the overall balance in their diet was different, because they had shorter life expectancy, something else? As with all things your article seems to be saying that moderation is key, with a healthy balance of lots of other 'good stuff' in your diet, but is there more to it than that? Goodness it's so confusing! I'm particularly interested in this because my dd6 drinks a LOT of milk, and I've just discovered on a recent thread that it may be contributing to her night-time wetting.

WWYD?? My ds is refusing to read almost any history book I offer. If I press him he will read a page or two, but I don't like to force him. We're talking the simple books you get from the library on a single topic, say about vikings or something. He says they give him nightmares. On the one hand I feel like he needs to be reading something history related to top up our SOTW work. On the other hand, he is not lying - he does sometimes get nightmares and if does they are usually about one or other of the wars we have learnt about in history! I would like to use more of the recommended reading in the activity guide, but our library never has any of them at all, and finances won't allow us to buy them in at the moment.