I found a terrific unit study on Charlottes Web but I cannot remember if it was free or if I paid. It was probably one of those freebies on CurrClick that they give away each week or perhaps an Easter Egg Hunt freebie. I think it was called Within The Web. Let me look for it and I can let you know. If it was a freebie, I would be happy to email you the file.

he desperately wanted to go back and gave you the following reasons: 1. Wants to be with his friends 2. likes the lunch choices better than at home :glare: 2. teachers were able to explain "things" better 4. less distractions These were the 4 he came up with off the top of his head. I don't count #2 b/c it is bogus. :D This child will be in 8th grade. I'm not fond of the quality of instruction in this middle school. I know he will do well academically b/c there is such a lack of rigor. He "cruised" through ps last year for 6th, only doing enough to "get by" and his getting by was As and Bs. :glare: I could write a book about how difficult this is for me. I fear I am losing him b/c he honestly HATES being at home and THRIVES on being with his peers. He is a good kid. His friend choices have always been good. There ARE lots of distractions here at home. 7 children under one roof at one time with limited indoor space will do that. A challenging 9yo who requires a lot of attention will do that. A 2yo who is in to everything will do that. I hate that I am actually considering sending him back. But, i can't disregard the fact that he REFUSES to be taught (here at home, by me). I can lead the horse to water but I cannot make him drink. I can provide him with a good curriculum, good teaching, one-on-one attention when necessary but I cannot make the child learn if he refuses. As you all can see, I am really so torn.

In our small, rural town, the ES is ranked a 4 and I can see why. My town isn't a very affluent town. The middle schools rate higher...partly b/c they are pulling from several different elem. schools...3 of which are in middle-upper class towns where the elem. schools rate fairly high. The high school also rates low. It makes me wonder b/c the high school pulls ONLY from the middle school. Seems the middle school (we have 2 buildings...one for 5th/6th and one for 7th/8th) ratings could be due to the above average instruction at the more affluent elementary schools and the low high school ratings might be due in part to subpar preparation in the 7th/8th building. Make sense? I don't know.

Elementary ranked 4. The 5th/6th middle school ranked an 8, 7th/8th middle school ranked a 7 and the high school ranked a 5. I am not fond of the elementary school and refuse to send any of my children back there. Not real fond of the middle schools either but both get decent scores on this site and have decent test scores. The high school I am not familiar with but I've heard varying reports.

FIAR for my dd5 and ds8. After "trying" to do LHFHG and "trying" to love it like most do...I gave up. Dd5 became enthralled with the book, The Story About Ping and I recalled that being one of the books in FIAR Vol. 1. So, I re-purchased FIAR Vol. 1 :glare: (and 2 & 3) and we are LOVING it! Life of Fred math for ds12. He LOVES it and actually ASKS to do it first thing. Saxon drove him to tears. That's all I am "loving" at the moment. Probably b/c my kids aren't really "loving" any part of school right about now. Funny how their excitement about learning creates a mom who loves to teach. I've tried the other way. My excitement would elicit rolled-eyes and groans.

I have had some early learners and some average and some "late". They are all different in the pace at which they learn. For example, I have a 5yo dd who is extremely bright and inquisitive and raring to go. She learns things VERY EASILY. Super-sharp memory. She'd be the ps teacher's dream. :D Her older brother, my ds8, is not quite as "quick to learn". He has a difficult time reading even simple cvc words and doesn't remember concepts previously taught as easily as dd5 does. But, he is very bright in math and also very curious and inquisitive. My ds9 has never been "ready" for formal work. He learned to read on his own very early but seems to have "lost" a bunch of his motivation since being "forced" to do school. School for him looks a lot like unschooling. But he is bright and he does learn. My advice? Don't push him. Read TO him a lot, do math GAMES, play with maniuplatives, build, create, explore, draw, color (strengthens those hand muscles for handwriting!). FWIW, my ds8 is just now beginning to print legibly and w/out having to trace. I'm glad we homeschool...b/c he would be labeled "behind" in ps and set up for a future of "failure".

I'm not sure that PreK or K, done in a "formal" way is necessary but it can be useful...especially to homeschoolers. Many have already mentioned routine and structure. Moms of many will agree that when you are teaching older kids, it is very helpful to have something for the 4 and 5yo to do (otherwise they will watch TV :glare:). I don't call PreK and K "school" around here. But, my Ker does! She LOVES learning...everything and anything she can get her hands on and eyes on and ears on. She is naturally inquisitive and curious about everything around here. I let her interests lead. My 8yo is like this too. We have used "formal" curriculum b/c she was READY and WILLING...handwriting, math, reading. She ASKED to be taught. If she hadn't, I likely would not have pushed her. When my olders were in PreK and K, some were like my dd5 and others were completely opposite. My boys especially much preferred exploring, building, being read to, playing, drawing, etc. than writing and reading and math (done formally). I think that once you have your dc you will probably just KNOW how to proceed with PreK and K, kwim? You will get a "feel" for which child is ready and willing and which need a bit more "down time" before formal schooling begins. I have a 9yo who still isn't really "ready" for formal schooling but is very bright and learns a TON just from exploring, listening, building, creating, etc. Every child is different.

You might also want to look into the Trio Blocks put out by Fisher Price. There is a girl set with pastel colors. We love the Trio blocks around here.

I am in the same boat here. My ds12 desperately wants to go back to ps. He was there for K and 1st, homeschooled until last year when we sent him back for a year. He wants to go back. He loved it. Dh and I weren't happy with what was going on at the school or with the instruction. We told him he could go back for high school if he still wanted to. That's in 2 years. He hates homeschooling and gives me so much grief. I just fear losing him if I send him back, but it couldn't be worse than now. So, I do feel your pain. It is a tough decision.

Wow. I am speechless. Thanks for the warning b/c I was really considering going with the Nook Color. That is unacceptable. Very poor decision by BN.

Eden Leah Naomi Lydia Hannah Ruth

Thanks all! Now I have LOTS of new recipes to try out! Hmmm...now which one to try tonight? :D

We are snowed in. I can't get to the store. I have chicken breasts thawed and ready to throw in the crockpot. We have some veggies (carrots, celery, broccoli) and brown rice. Also have plenty shredded cheese. And, we have plenty of store-bought chicken stock and lots of spices. I'm not really creative when it comes to cooking but I'm trying! Does anybody have anything simple and yummy I can make in the crockpot? Thanks!

Praying! God knows and He is with you. PM me if you need to talk. :grouphug:

Thanks everyone. I do think FIAR would be great for dd5 and ds8 for the remainder of the year and next. For ds9 (almost 10)...not so much. But I will let him listen in and do activities if he wants. If only I could figure out a way to combine all of my faves!

If you decide to sell...I would love Vol. 4! LOL. :D

I am also torn. I LOVE having lots of books in my home. I love looking at the covers, seeing them on the shelved just ready to be enjoyed! However, dh travels a bit and he has mentioned seeing a TON of travelers with Kindles or iPads (mostly iPads) and how convenient they look. He really wants one. I admit that I would love an iPad, too. I can see the convenience factor. Lots and lots of books on one easy-to-tote e-reader. Great for traveling. It's like a take-along library! :D I know I would still keep my at home library, though. For the kids especially.

I used FIAR once before and LOVED it. For some reason, I sold it and went with HOD and LOVE that, too! There is simply too many GREAT programs out there! I want to try them all, lol. So, I am back to FIAR for my 5yo and 8yo (adding in my challenging 9yo and just "beefing" it up a bit). We will start tomorrow and I am excited...mostly b/c my dd5 is chomping at the bit to do The Story of Ping. Has anyone used FIAR with an older student? How did you do it? Ds9 is using Preparing Hearts this year, but not the full program (b/c of the issues he has had). I thought about just doing FIAR until the end of the year and using only certain parts of Preparing. Next year, I thought about using FIAR for dd5 (then 6) and ds8. Obviously, we will add in Math and Phonics. Why am I worried? I keep thinking we should be doing chronological history! I thought I was set on MFW Adventures! I've been so excited about it! So why the change? Money. :glare: We HAVE the money but I have this nagging feeling that I could be using it elsewhere. We have sooooo many great books and curriculum, etc. Ugh. So, back to my question...has anyone used FIAR with older students and to what success?

This is exactly where we are right now. My kids LOVE our church and I adore our youth pastors. DH and I just aren't 100% about the church. But we stay for the kids. I figure, there isn't anything going on that is against the Word. It just isn't our cup of tea, kwim? I can be fed in other ways. Friends, Bible studies, books, messages on radio/tv, etc.

Still praying for you, Christine. I can't imagine how hard this is. Hang in there. :grouphug:

You really can't go wrong with either. Both are solid programs. As for combining, it is certainly "easier" to combine using MFW. Advantages are you are only running one program at a time (unless you do MFW K or 1st with any of the youngers). However, it is not difficult to run more than one HOD program. AND, it seems like you might be able to combine at least 2 children in one guide. Advantages to using HOD is that ALL subjects are included in the manual AND as the guides progress, the independence of the child does as well. That frees you up to work with the youngers. I have used both and I lean more toward the HOD philosophy than MFW and enjoy having all subjects covered in the guides. However, I do also like MFW, esp, K. If I could combine my favorite aspects of both, I'd have the perfect curriculum! :D You might want to ask some questions on the HOD board as to combining and check the placement chart to see if combining would even be an option. With the extensions in the older guides (starting with Bigger), it is easier to combine. For example, I just had 3 in Preparing (7th, 5th and 4th) and 2 in LHFHG (K & 2nd). It is possible...just depends on what you want!

Could you just use it for pizza dough?

PS are off today AND it is beautiful. Tomorrow and Sunday will be colder and yucky. We took off. Again. Can't get anything done when the ps neighborhood kids keep coming by. :glare: Besides, too many fun things to do outside.

Goodness! Praying here! Dear Lord please touch and heal this tiny baby in Jesus' name!

Perfect timing for us if only dh would reconsider his decision to be done. :glare: Perhaps I can "convince" him later. :tongue_smilie: