I have a tentative plan, but if it doesn't work out the way I hope I'll switch things up DS9 Rightstart D CLE Reading and LA History Sonlight 3 Christian Kids Explore Chemistry Spanish&PE w/co-op DD6 Rightstart B (continuing) CLE Reading and LA Abeka My America and My World Science books from the library on whatever topic she picks Spanish&PE w/co-op I'll also have the reading books from Sonlight available for them both just for fun along with some other stuff. DD2 (will be 3 in Aug) Sonlight P3&4 books Brightly Beaming Resources Playing, Paint & Play-doh We need to streamline this year. If this works I'll add back in Latin vocab and more formal art and composer study.

This is exactly the point I've come to this year. Creating my own stuff is fun but it takes too. much. time. I'm going to try CLE for reading and LA, continue Rightstart for math, SL 3 history and Christian Kids Explore Chemistry.. First grade dd will get CLE reading and LA and Rightstart. She can just tag along for the rest. That will still leave plenty of time for co-op field trips and extra curriculars without me staying up 'til the wee hours or finding myself unprepared half the time.

I just ordered the TM for CLE reading, LA and math used. I'm going to look through them but I think ds will like the workbook much better than too much physical writing in R&S. I think they both look academically good. If I like the looks of the TM I'll order the first workbooks to try. I figure I can always resell them.

I do all the things mentioned~library, used curriculum sales, internet, page protectors and my beloved white board (ds prefers this to paper) Two big things that led to savings for us Join yahoo groups of the curriculum you are interested in. Lots of good used deals there. I got Rightstart B&C and manipulatives very inexpensively this way. Google books~ I've been creating our LA, grammar and copywork from lots of these classics. I don't usually print things out. I read to dc or have them read from the computer screen. If I didn't have RS I'd use MEP. This does require a lot of time in research though. I think you have to strike a balance between time and money.

My kids are big snackers but are thin and eat well at meals so I don't worry about it. A typical dinner is a protein/starch/veg/fruit and probably dessert. My kids snack in the morning, afternoon and after dinner. It's usually cheese or peanut butter with crackers or bread, toast, fruit, nuts, popcorn, veggie sticks&hummus. I usually buy something special for the weekend like ice cream, chips or something.

Ok, who else still sings to recite the Preamble to the Constitution? Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Just a thought, but has he been assessed for discalculia?

Thank you for the input. I wish I was one of those quick decision makers but I seem to feel a compulsion to research everything to death. Which is why I was looking for a program in the first place. I've been spending way too much time researching to create LA. Why must I re-invent every wheel? :banghead:

Hmm, I guess I just need to poke around some more and see which seems more 'us'. I do appreciate everyone's comments. Maybe I'll order a workbook from each and look at it in person. I can always resell the unused one I guess. I'm leaning CLE but we'll see. Thanks again.

Hi, I'm Lisa. I've been lurking here for ages but now I need some help. I'm schooling my average rising 4th grader and rising 1st grader. I've been using a combination of Sonlight history and readers, Rightstart math, and a mommy constructed writing/grammar/science program. I think I'm ready to just pick a ready made, more self teaching method though. I like the looks of CLE and SWB recs Rod&Staff so..... any thoughts for LA and Math? My 4th grader is an indifferent student and he really needs to pick things up. I'd like rigor, but doable rigor for him. Anything too over his head will send him for the hills. 1st grader will do whatever as quickly as possible to get back to imaginary land with her soon to be 3yo sister. Any advice welcome.

I looked at some science there but thought they seemed a little light. More something I would give my kiddo to do on his own as a supplement. Just my opinion, I didn't use them, just looked.

And I was hoping there was an entire Potter curriculum I had missed.

My admittedly untried plan is to do SL core 3 and 4 and listen to SOTW 3&4 on CD in the car a couple times through.

I liked MM. It would have worked great for me, unfortunately not so much for my ds. I had to go all the way back to RS B and do that and C in 1.5 years. He's still 'technically' a year behind. He understands it much better with RS and no tears over the worksheets in RS like MM produced. Just a sample of one of course.

Just my experience here. I'm not sure of your dd's sensitivity but my now 18yo really had me worried when she almost exclusively read holocaust stories, the sadder the better, for her 3rd-5th grade years. She read adult ones when she finished the juvenile section. Other than me worrying she was a depressive ghoul she was fine. We talked about what she read a lot. This was the first test of my "I read what I wanted and so can they" philosophy. It was much easier for my parents who never paid any attention to what I was doing.

Ironically, I just picked up the audio book from the library for $.50. I guess it's safe to start listening to it. I hadn't got around to researching the story yet. Thanks (I'm Lisa by the way. I mostly lurk and school my #5&6)