Just drizzling a cold rain here. A few days ago it was 108, and our AC was straining. Go figure!

"Ditto. . . No, no, no. :tongue_smilie: IMHO, there's no way LP would work for a 6/7yo unless they are a true prodigy. The child needs to be working at at least a 3rd/4th grade formal grammar level before starting LP. You'll only be buying frustration if you try this next year. My dc are advanced/etc and started it at 8 1/2 and 11. It's perfect for my 11yo and a real stretch for my also-very-bright 8 1/2 yo (who also had already completed Prima Latina, studied spanish, etc.) It is just too grammar intensive for a tiny child. This program is designed to be rigorous for 6th-8th graders. . ." Well, he'll be finished with GWG3 this year, starting GWG4 next year. We've finished Prima Latina and Latina Christiana 1 in K--then (because I was looking for a time filler so we wouldn't go too fast) we did Minimus and Secundus this year. I don't teach Latin around here (thankfully) my dh had 8 years of Latin in school. I think he's done a good job injecting more grammar into Minimus (ds still knows the basic declensions/conjugations he learned in LC1, and they spend time looking at the grammar beyond what Minumus gives you). So that was my reasoning. So... do you think that PL, LC1, Minumus and Secundus are enough prep for Latin Prep? I know it's hard to let the age thing go--trust me, I know--he'll still be 6 until December, not 7. He isn't a "prodigy", but he is profoundly gifted, to use the diagnostic term. I wanted something that would follow up LC1, really, but wasn't so... boring... We're aiming for Cambridge. I've checked out Lively Latin a bit, but the sample lessons have a lot of review--the grammar in particular. OK, some more thought. Maybe we could do Lively Latin and then follow it with Latin Prep. Just feels like we are spinning our wheels... if we go with Lively Latin it would be our 3rd "beginning Latin" program, Latin Prep would then be the 4th. We seem to be covering the same ground over and over, in different formats. Next year we will be doing the MP study of "Famous Men of Rome", so we won't use that part of the Lively Latin either. Still listening here... what do you think?

Ouch! Poor boy! One of those learning experiences... glad he is doing well.

My ds6 needs lots of coaching with anger. We're trying to teach that it's OK to be angry, but there are appropriate and inappropriate ways of demonstrating our anger. We've been working on a collection of skills, and a pattern to help remember how to resolve anger: First of all, we say "I'm feeling very angry!" (or however you want to say that). If we are so angry that we can't help ourselves from acting out, then it is time to walk away and have some alone time. In the past we've had to walk ds to his room, now he'll go on his own. Then we've introduced some "cool down" skills--counting, blowing fingers (you count down from ten, and blow on the tip of each finger like it's a candle on a cake), deep breathing, even hitting the pillow if you must have physical action. If we're not THAT angry, then the cool down skills can be used "on site" (just take a breath and count down from ten). Once you are calm, you can return and resolve the conflict with calm, kind and quiet voices. It is a challenge to have a volatile child, but we want our ds to learn to cope with his feelings before he's a grown up, you know?

Winners-to-be (I hope!): CW Aesop Latin Prep Explorer's Bible Study

I love the They Might Be Giants kids albums (and their grownup ones, too...). They even have the "Mesoptomians" song, which you can link to your ancient history!

Thank you so much! From what everyone says about the variability of difficulty and length... sounds like I'll just schedule "do the next thing!" I'm looking forward to Latin Prep!

We're planning on starting Latin Prep next year, probably about 1/4 the way through the year, as we finish Minimus Secundus. I haven't purchased it yet, though, so I don't have the book to schedule from. My question is: I looked online and found it has 10 chapters... How long does it take to do a chapter--1 week? 2 weeks? We're planning on taking it slow, but we do Latin every day. Some chapters are longer than others. How did your schedule work out? Do you use the workbooks? The puzzle book? Just trying to pencil in my schedule...thanks!

I would say it's about the same level of violence as the first film. If you wouldn't let them see that, then this is probably off limits too.

Lol! Growing With Grammar http://www.growingwithgrammar.com/index.html

Thank you! I have one who may very well end up in college "early"--maybe he'll live at home, maybe not. But I expect he'll have those same great growing-up experiences wherever he is. When I was in school the dorm I lived in housed freshmen and early admission students. I lived next door to a 14 year old Junior and an 18 year old who was finishing his Masters. They seemed happy, the 18 year old was moving off to start a PhD program the next year. I thought it was kind of cool. I have no idea what this particular program promotes, but for the parents of most profoundly gifted children it's not about "pushing", it's about letting kids find their own pace. I see enough other kids to know that my 6 year old is (as a friend say) "just a few standard deviations outside the norm." He is just... different. But I get to have other amazing conversations with him, even if they aren't the norm. And that's OK. I love him just where he is, even if that is in college before his peers. Kids need different things. Isn't that one reason many of us homeschool?

This was close to my experience. Cons for us with R&S: I previewed the pictures, and felt that the lifestyle portrayed was simply so far from our experience that I thought it would be distracting. I particularly didn't like the fact that ALL the families were caucasian--I like at least a little bit of social diversity in what we read. Pros for GWG: GWG follows pretty much the same scope and sequence as R&S, including diagramming, which I think is important. Retention hasn't been a problem for us. The workbook format is easy to implement, and my ds can do the work largely on his own. We haven't had a problem with retention. You should hear my ds's self-composed hard-rock rendition of what adjectives describe...

I got my period at 9, so I would definately recommend talking to your 8 year old! Of course, my mom never had "the talk" with me at all... luckily, I had read plenty of books on my own. Good thing, too!

Dear Kay (name), We are deeply sorry that the Subway contest has offended you and thank you for voicing your concern. Our intention was never to make independent schooled children feel discriminated against or excluded from this specific promotion. Throughout the course of the year Scholastic runs a number of contests and sweepstakes that are open to all teachers and students. The eligibility of this contest in particular was solely put in place to award a large group of children with the grand prize of $5,000 worth of athletic equipment. We do however understand how home-schooled children could benefit from this type of prizing and will make sure eligibility is open to everyone in future promotions. To show our gratitude for bringing this matter to our attention, please send us the ages of your children and your address and we would be happy to send you a complimentary book to share with them. We truly appreciate your feedback and will make sure a similar situation does not happen again. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me directly. Best Regards, Samantha Calastro Scholastic Parent & Child __________________ I assume others got the same email? Anyhow, sounds like in the future they'll think before making competitions "no homeschoolers". Good business just makes good sense.

Well.. he pretty much plays a 63 year old in the script--it's set in the 1950's. He actually looks pretty darn good! As an aside, Harrison Ford is my one "brush" with fame. I walked by him in a local hosptal few years ago--he was visiting, not staying there--he does live here in the valley. It took me a minute--that guy with the ponytail and earing... he looks familiar... it's... wait a second... Harrison Ford! By the time I recognized him, he was past me and out the door.

If you've seen it already, go ahead and answer the poll! My review: It was good, enjoyable. But the script really jumped the shark, as far as I was concerned--one word: monkeys. You could tell that Sean Connery had been removed from the story. Some fun action scenes, but it was no Raiders, if you know what I mean. Lots of goodies for fans--old lines, references, etc. Parental review: No sex, action violence, the worst part was when someone was eaten by ants. (My boys love that sort of thing. I thought it was gross.) You may have to discuss nuclear weapons after the movie, if your kids have not been exposed to that issue. Three stars from me.

My ds who is 6 has several silver hairs, all in one spot on top of his head. Is he going grey by the end of elementary? I have quite a few, but you'd never know it... I've dyed my hair since high school.

I think that geography is important as well, and that Trivium gives a good overview. My goal is that my kids have the basis for understanding current events, literature, news, etc. Geography is one of the pegs upon which we hang later learning and everyday experiences. How many people didn't know where Myanmar was, or that it had been called Burma? I think geography is just part of good "general knowledge".

I answered you on email, but for anyone else: We have a Xyron 900 and I love it! I used it to make all my Accountable Kids cards, laminate homemade flashcards, etc. My boys are tough on paper--by which I mean they seem to destroy any sheets that enter their hands if said sheets are not protected somehow. It is an expensive machine ($120), but those 40 or 50% off coupons at JoAnn come out weekly, so you can pick one up for around $60. I use the coupons for refills as well. I also have a Brother P-touch lable maker, and I used that even more. Craft drawers, office supplies, toy bins, shelves in my pantry, some bookshelves... are labelled. Otherwise my house would be even more messy and disorganized! They often have these at Costco, and that is definately the place to buy cheap cartridge refills.

That sounds like a great idea! We're using SOTW, but I think the Usborne and Kingfisher encyclopedias are great... especially if you have access to a good library.

I'm so sorry. Take it easy, rest, and know we care about you.

You really have to clip paper coupons... the ones on the site are not nearly enough. I actually have people from church who save and give me all their coupon inserts that they don't use. No expense to me... The BEST is when our local stores have TRIPLE coupons. We went to the store every day during that time period two years ago... and I still have enough free Windex/Hand soap/Air freshener to last me another year. Stocking up is key--as I remember I got 12 free bottles of barbeque sauce that week. It's all gone now...

I went to school in Baltimore and LOVED it! I would totally live there again... though I think that the great parts of it are more urban. We lived in Charles Village by JHU, and with all the problems it was a great place to live. What I miss most is the public transportation! Professional sports teams, museums, the harbor, lots of history, are all easily accessible. I like the "neighborhood"y feeling of the city--how each little are has it's own personality. So many great activities around the various schools, many of them for free. I'd live there again in a second (if dh would leave So Cal!), but I'd probably want to buy a row house and fix it up. They can be so lovely...

Wonderful! I read the title of your post and I was worried for a moment... this sounds so awesome! I'm feeling envious... 7 acres. Sigh.

So many places have generic unisex dressing rooms nowadays (like Target) or the rooms just open onto the store itself (as in many smaller clothing stores). Doesn't bother me... I assume that area is for people to assess what you are wearing after you have changed. The voting area, so to speak!