I'm having them read books at their level that make connections I want the children to make. We read the Bible every morning TOGETHER and I help them to understand the passage and ask questions. DD 9 Just finished the Narnia series and finally figured out that heaven is where everyone goes in the last book, and we'll be making some more connections in the other books through discussion. I guess what I'm trying to say is, yes I'll make them read these, just not alone and I'm finding a love for these books by learning WITH my children. Plus we always do this first think in the AM, we make a pot of tea, we sit together and have Bible time, or later book club time and I hope this will be a fond memory for their lifetime. Lara

I homeschool through an online charter, they use Tritone, it has a way to play the piano with the computer keyboard (which is kinda hard so we use a regular electronic keyboard) they teach songs and music theory. We don't actually use it much, the school has a huge emphasis on writing and reading, most of out time is there and they don't care much about the music so we don't either. Lara

I went to a bible college (won't recommend THAT). Hubby went Univ of Denver. I find that a lot of people settle near where they go to college. My friends that went to other states stayed there. I want my children to be near me when they grow up, (not to be clingy, but so that they have each other and myself for support- sometimes family is all you've got-when we moved the only ones who showed up were DH's brother and mine) So , the college question... in state would be good but if they got into a top school I would never hold them back. Lara

I really like spelling power, it tests to level, and you don't have to do it in only 15 min a day but it works, and it gets them to college!! Lara

I don't have answer, but I have the same problem!!!! Lara

WOW!!! Thank You for your input. I feel better about following my instincts (second time I've said this today!) DD does do the edit, revision part its the following the steps sentence by sentence for the preplanned example that drives her nuts, she usually goes backwards to get the good grade. Then when the paper is graded, she aways get 95-100 pts when I know that she didn't THAT good. The paper we have to do this time (she's been putting if off for 4 weeks) is written, but she won't go backwards and so the format. I'm turning it in today anyway just to move on and get it out of my life. Karen-Anne--What grammer & writing do you recommend for us, The WTM says with R&S no writing curr is needed, your input would be greatly appreciated. Lara

I'm partially HSing now, I have an on line school (which is great because they gave me a computer and pay for internet and books and extra $ for for whatever) HOWEVER... I find the writing to be restictive. My DD 9, 4th grade is a good writer and quite creative. Her current teacher (whom I really like) is following Colo Csap procedures and having her do the 5 steps of writing, (plan, 1 draft, revise, edit, & publish) Brenna will write a great, well written paper if I let her just go, if I make her do it the planned way, the paper is disorganized and she takes so long to do it we end up in tears. Do you all follow this structure stictly? I'm pulling her next year and doing this on my own, I'm just wondering if I should make her continue this way or let her do it her way. I find the over planning process to stifle the creativity in her. Lara

I just started HS this year and I use an on line charter school ( I was just afraid to step out and fall flat on my face at my childrens expense) Before the year began (4th grade) I wanted to do something like this with the Little House on the Prairie series. You have boosted my self confidence and are causing me to trust my instincts. Perhaps my children will do alright with me plugging through. Thank you!!! Thank you!! Lara

I have a backyard full of the stuff so I'm familiar with it. It spreads because the oils travel when you scratch or if you sleep touching it, for instance, my child sleeps with her knees touching, the PI will be on the other leg the next day. You must clean the oils off super fast, I use laundry soap or something called Tecnu from Oak and Ivy, I also use plain old benadryl to keep the iching to a minimum. As to anything else, I'm learning too. Lara

I homeschool because my dd (9) was having trouble staying focused in class, her teacher complained that her math was poor, (her CSAP scores proved the teacher wrong, she scored really high) I decided to HS and I am currently using and on line charter school, but will go solo next year, my children are bored and I cannot seem to find stuff that interests them and still integrate it in to the current school's curriculum. After some trial and error, I discovered DD has low blood sugar, her brain turns off 2-2.5 hours after eating, she needs a large break in the middle of the day, and works best at night..... all easily managed at home, without the trauma of who likes me and who won't play with me today. Lara

At days end I give all my worries to God... He's gonna be up anyway. unknown I'm learning to put God first (our church is doing the Blessed Life series) so on my wall is a sign: God first... in my heart, in my checkbook, in my day, in my motives, in my words, in my actions Lara

Thnk you for your suggestions, now I have research and choose. thank you again. Lara

Thank you

I was thinking about this while cooking dinner (& making choc,chip cookies) Alton Brown has a show on the Food Network called "Good Eats" where he often gives the chemical reason food acts the way it does. ex: he took a cc cookie recipe and made them cruchy, fluffy, & chewy by tweeking the ingredients. He also will give lesson on gluten strands or microwaves. He ALSO sometimes gives a history of the food or method of cooking. You could try to expand on this for science class this year. Lara

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kkkkkkkkkkkk Lara

I can truly sympathize. My DD (now 9) would throw the worst fits from 1.5-4. I remember a 45 min scream fest (both of us) because her underwear didn't have a tag in the back, but on the side. I ended up putting marker xx's on the back and calling it "momma's special tag". We had fits about getting in or out of the tub, once she grabbed her sister (who was 2 at the time) and almost pulled her hair out trying to get me to put her back in the tub!! I had neighbors offer to watch the child for me while we both calmed down (she screamed because she didn't want to go to the store, screamed at the store, screamed in the car on the way home, and grabbed the car seat as I was getting her out of the car because she wanted to go back to the store, the neighbor caught us as I was trying to get her little hands pryed off of the railing on the front porch to go inside) My mother blamed me ... said I was a new mom and didn't know how to control the child. Really???? What worked?? regular (I mean regular sleep, strict bedtime, strict naps) Regular food, low in sugar (we discovered she is hypoglycemic, which us opposite of diabeties where her body uses too much insuline and the brain is STARVING) Time and maturity She is still my problem child, she is the reason I am HSing, she wasn't staying focused at school (needed more food, she eats every 2 hours). She still throws fits and will not stop screaming until you talk it through. Its as if her brain gets stuck and you need to hit the reset button. She is VERY intellegent, VERY artistic and VERY FLIGHTY. (Just like the absentminded professor. I am anti medication (for me and mine), I would as a last recourse after all else fails because some things are very hard to undo, some steps cannot be reversed, some labels stick for life. If you want talk more, let me know. Lara

I think sounds great, maybe less than a year? or add a comparison of another culture/time period? Your in Colo right? The Littleton Historicl Museum is a great place for stuff like spinning and farming (they dress up in 1860's clothes and spin or cook a meal, they have a blacksmith and you can watch ) At least they used to, I would go there all the time before I had children, and they have remodeled, call first. Lara

I'm looking for a history book that just gives me the facts and I can get other curriculim from there on, I guess just a timeline with some discription to go with it. I'm really trying to teach history by showing what was happening at the same time, for instance I can remember my american history, but I cannot remember what was happening in France or Irelannd at the same time. I want to give my children a sense of history as a whole, not just a piecemeal, I would also like to have a good bible tie in as well, ie: Moses was in Egypt while Egypt was doing this, and what was happening elsewhere in the world. I know this is a lot, but I plan to go slow. Suggestions on some material would be great! Lara

Has any one tried Mastery Learning Systems math books? www.masterylearningsystems.com It seems very easy to do (they have videos to watch teaching techniques) But I can't get the difference between the 3 multipication books or 2 addition/substraction books. Just wondering if anyone else has tried them. Lara

I started homeschooling this yr through an online school and am now moving on to solo. We are very limited in funds so I really need to make wise decisions for curriculum. I am struggling with a math curriculum. Has anyone heard of Mastery Learning Systems? The website is masterylearningsystems.com. I would also like any advice on other systems. They all seem to be very basic, what about the other stuff the chidren are tested on such as, geometry (4th grade) and time (2nd grade) and measurement ---is that stuff in the level books along with addition and so forth? And where would I go to keep up with what the CSAP will test the children on next yr? I have a 4th grader, 2nd grader, 2 kindies. Lara