I personally think that IEW's US History Writing Lessons would be a bit advanced for a 4th grader anyway. I'm not sure I know of any other writing lessons that are specific to US History. Could you have dc do copywork/dictation ala WWE using your US History books? Narrations + copywork and dictation should be enough writing for 4th grade, IMHO. :)

Still wondering if this is too much, but my tentative plans for dd13: MFW AHL for Lit, Bible and History Saxon Alg. 1 SYRWTL Spanish along with Level 2 of the text she used in ps this past year. Apologia Phys. Science Latin Road to Eng. Grammar Level 1 (so excited to start this!) R&S Eng. 7 or 8 (not sure, she completed 6 2 years ago, but hasn't had much grammar since) Thinking Toolbox and Fallacy Detective (perhaps) Phonics of Drawing for art (in her spare time) She plays sports during the year That's it.

Ah Seton. That was it. Thank you!

Hey Chris. :grouphug: You know that I was in your position last year but only with more kids and less the 18yo drama. I wish I had words of wisdom for you, but I do not. I just have prayers and lots of them. Oh, and a few words of encouragement from someone not as experienced as you but who has btdt at least once :tongue_smilie:: 1. Your dd will not be permanently harmed or even hindered b/c you had a rough year and did not complete your studies. You do know that, right? :) 2. If you have to put her in ps for a year or even more, she also will not be permanently harmed! :D 3. Taking care of yourself is the best gift you can give to your dc (you know that as well!). 4. Guilt and regret do not help. Ask me how I know. ;) All that being said, don't make any decisions in LOW TIDE. Pray, seek God, get to your dr. for meds if you have to and make sure you are taking enough time for YOU. I'm going to PM you...perhaps we can get together some Saturday for lunch and prayer. Sound good?

I've never used Beyond, but you can check out the placement charts at heartofdakota.com to see where each of your dc fit. Those are the best way to determine placement, IMHO. I love HOD and can't wait to use Beyond in 2 years with my dc. They will be 1st grade and 3rd grade. Another option, since you already have books and other curricula on hand you could try http://www.guesthollow.com for American History. It is a free curriculum designed, I believe, for a 3rd grader but easily adaptable for your younger. We used some of it this past year with a 4yo, 1st gr and 3rd grader. She uses all sorts of great books, Evan Moor History pockets, has projects, etc. Just a thought!

:grouphug: Chris, know that I am praying for you and for your ds. It's so hard when things don't work out as planned or hoped, isn't it? And, it is equally as difficult believing that God is still at work and wants only the BEST for us and for our dc when what we think is the "best" doesn't pan out. I'm trusting and believing that God will soon reveal to you both His perfect plan for your ds and will give you peace in the meantime.

Been putting this off and I have to do this now. Where do you buy your standardized test? I had a site and lost the link. It was for the CAT-B or something like that. Was cheap and with free shipping, grading etc. Anyone? Thanks!

I hear of folks at church who get together on a regular basis, see their posts on FB, hear them talking about all the fun they had...it really makes me kind of sad. I think people at our church see us as "the homeschool family with 7 kids" and not so much as just 2 people who need friends just as much as any other family. It makes me wonder if people just really don't like us. :confused: We live farther away from our church than any other family (about 30 min. away) and so asking people over for dinner or something just doesn't work. Nobody wants to travel "that far" to get anywhere.

This just started to really bug me tonight. I was always a social butterfly. Always around people. I like people. I am an extrovert. I get energy from being around people. Dh is the complete opposite. AND, dh never really had a lot of friends. In fact, he doesn't keep in touch with any of his friends from high school or college. At church, he talks to people, but doesn't have any real friends. He has co-workers, but none that he would call or talk to outside of work. But he is ok with this! I am not. I NEED people. I've suggested getting together with other couples and while he isn't adverse...he sure isn't very excited about it either. He'd do it for me, but I'd spend the evening worrying about him. That's not much fun. I think dh has turned me into a homebody. :glare:

If you are married, do you have another married couple with whom you are friends and hang out with regularly or at least every once in a while? It just struck me that dh and I do NOT have any couple friends. Sure, we have friends (more like acquaintances) from church or my friends from high school who got married and the "men" just sort of became friends, kwim? But we don't really have other couples over for dinner or go out with other couples, etc. Do you?

I haven't read the other posts, but several things about her article just makes me go "huh"?. First, she mentions that she likes that public school provide a SAFE environment in which her kids are taken care of and educated. Then, under reasons she doesn't like public schools she mentions bullying, peer pressure, drugs, violence, etc. Ummm...does anyone else see the contradiction here? :D I also love that she "worries" about parents pushing their own agendas or passing down their own hatreds to their children. Oh? So it is better for the child to be exposed to OTHER PEOPLES agendas and hatreds? OK. :glare: As for criticizing the parents who pull their kids out due to what is being taught. I take major issue with this statement: "My guess is that in most cases there are perfectly reasonable and factual things taught as part of the school curriculum that the parents do not want their children to learn (evolution, birth control, homosexuality, other religious beliefs). This, I think, is problematic." Number one, evolution IS NOT FACTUAL! It is a BELIEF! To push that on my child without explaining the alternative view is just as bad as not introducing children to evolution at some point even if you are a Creationist! And homosexuality and birth control? Ummm...tell my why my elementary aged child needs to know about those things? Why? And tell me why it is better for the SCHOOL to teach them than me or my husband? :glare: I could go on, but I'm already fired up about the article. She says it best when she says that she has absolutely no exposure to homeschooling for herself or for her children. Great...so don't talk about something you don't know anything about! :D

:grouphug: I have been thinking about the same thing recently. My dh's supervisor lost her teenage son yesterday to a freak virus or something. One day healthy and thriving, the next clinging to life in a hospital bed and then...he died. Today, I hear about Ben. It's all so senseless and tragic and just, plain sad.

Was devastated to hear this. I'm so sorry. I had so hoped that he would be miraculously healed. Praying for you and your family. I'm just so sorry. :grouphug:

Lots of food for thought, as always. Thank you! I'll try to answer a few of the questions and clarify a few points. We are really cracking down on his attitude of late. For a long time, I was not in the best state emotionally and let a lot of it go. Now, I am really cracking down. He is NOT an adult as is obvious by his attitude and thus does not get to choose ps or hs. I want what is best for him and for us all...thus my questioning. 1. This child is involved in a lot of social activites (church, sports, clubs, etc.) and has a ton of neighborhood and church friends...all are friends that we approve of. However, his one ps friend (they have been friends since 1st grade) is his "ally" in pushing the "benefits" of ps...the kid obviously wants my ds12 to stay in ps w/ him. Ds12 will not lose any of the out of school time he spends w/ his friends (unless by his own choice/attitude...if you get my drift). 2. My dh is going through some personal issues right now and I don't feel like I have him on my parenting team at the moment. I have always been the one to research, ask questions, read the parenting books, etc. while dh sort of "flies by the seat of his pants". I think I have stumbled upon a good resource and disciplinary tactic but dh is "at his wits end" and really doesn't want to hear about it or try anything new right now. No criticism to dh...he's just going through a rough time (like I was) and can't handle it. He will back me (to a point) but he is certainly not a team player right now. 3. The fact that ds12 could make my life difficult next year only plays into my decision making a tiny bit. I am the parent...end of story. He chooses his attitude. He might not *like* school at home or having to do chores or what have you...but he WILL do them w/ a good attitude and one of respect and submission to our authority...or there will be consequences. 4. I'm tired of his ps friends telling him that he NEEDS time away from his siblings that it isn't "normal" to spend so much time with your family. :001_huh: Ummm...who says? Anyway, I'm sure I missed some of the questions. Thanks for your great responses. I think I just needed moral support to lay down the law and tell ds12 in no uncertain terms that the decision has been made. Oh, and FTR...he wants to come home for high school anyway to play football on our local homeschool/private school Christian football team. It's been his "dream" since 3rd grade!

Having been in a VA before, I absolutely would not. I would rather beg, borrow and steal (well...not steal) to get the curriculum that I needed. Our VA used K12 and each child had to be on their own level and so I had 4 different levels of History, science, art, music, math, la, etc. going on at once. Talk about insanity! I would rather downsize my current curriculum to a less expensive choice or purchase it in "pieces" or borrow from a friend, etc. Have you checked into booksamaritan.com? I've never used it but hear wonderful things. You send in a request for curriculum and they see if they can find what you need. It's free/need-based.

Just wanted to second OhElizabeth's advice. I was wondering the same thing about maturity for your dd. You obviously know her best. I vote for taking the summer off...you need your sanity! ANd your dd will not suffer! :)

Would Miquon work with a 9yo who is still in Singapore 2B? He is very good at "mental math", but never did like manipulatives. They frustrated him to no end. He was struggling with "carrying and borrowing", or so I thought. He just didn't seem to be able to write it down on paper but could easily do the problem in his head. :glare: Anyway, I'm looking into Miquon for my ds7 and dd4 for the summer and to add to SM next year. Wondering if ds9 would also enjoy some of the explorations.

After saying last month that he wanted to come home...he has changed his mind. And he is very adament about it now. His 6th grade class visited the 7th/8th gr. building last week and he saw all the "fun" things that he could do. And of course his friends all want him to stay in ps, too. :glare: Ds12 is a very social kid and loves to be around friends. He does not however do well with his family and his siblings. Dh and I decided that we want all the dc to come home from ps so we can once again, hs them all. This will not be an easy task for me and one which I prayed a lot about. So did dh. We hs for a variety of different reasons...different ones for each child but there are some that are common: 1. Christ-centered curriculum 2. staying away from the negative peer influences of sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. 3. a more rigorous and "tailor-made" education. For ds12, we have noticed his attitude declining since being at ps. We hoped it would get better, having some time away from his siblings. Not so. It is worse. Dh and I have agreed that until we see an improvement in his attitude with siblings and his treatment of his siblings (and us) that we will not have the privilege of playing with friends. We don't expect him to be best friends with his siblings...just to treat them with the same respect he does his friends. I do not think he has "earned" the right to decided whether to stay in ps or not. What do you all think? We have "heard him out"...meaning we let him list his reasons and argue his point. No reason was "good enough" to warrant our decision being changed. My problem is this: He could really make my life a living H*ll next year if he wanted and I cannot deal with that. :glare:

Thanks everyone. I'm going to ask for excusal b/c I am the sole child care provider for 7 children under 13. Not to mention we don't have the finances to hire someone. Hope it works. Say a prayer for me. :)

Hope you both have a blessed day!

Thanks everyone. I have been re-evaluating my relationships recently and wondering if I expect too much from a good friend or if said relationship simply is NOT what I thought it was. I wrote down what *I* expect of myself as a friend (i.e what I would do for a friend) and came up with this: a. Honesty, even if it hurts b. Grace and forgiveness to a friend who has disappointed, made a mistake, etc. c. Availablility...not 24/7 on call but there if my friend is in a crisis. I know myself, and I would drop just about anything (w/in reason) to help a friend in need (physical or emotional). d. Prayer support e. Trust: I am a SAFE friend...do not gossip, judge, criticize, etc. My friends know they can tell me anything. f. Compassion g. Companionship h. 2 way relationship: I can lean on you and expect from you the same things you expect from me. I can bare my soul to you and vice versa. Those are several I came up with. None of my relationships match all of those criteria. It seems that I do all those things (or would), but my "friends" do not. Most of my "friends" these days are way too busy to even get together for a cup of coffee once a month! And if I am in crisis and need a shoulder to cry on...they tell me go to God and say they will pray for me. Anyway, just curious what others expected in case I was, indeed, being too "needy".

Has anyone successfully been excused from Jury Duty b/c of being a homeschooling mother or stay-at-home-Mom? Just got called for JD in July and I do NOT want to go. Plus, we will be schooling year round and I do NOT have a reliable daycare provider. I'm going to write a letter asking for an excusal but wanted to know in advance how successful that might be. Thanks.

Just curious what others' expectations were of friends. Do you have any expectations? Doing some thinking about my relationships recently and wondering if my expectations where too high. Thanks.

It really depends on your evaluator. I do not keep anything as detailed as lesson plans. I include a few samples (perhaps 4-5) for each subject area, a few writing samples, any photos or projects that we did. For things like Fire Safety we just write down a brief description of what we did to cover that. I also keep a list of reading material (any read-alouds or books read independently), any ed. DVDs that we watched, field trips taken, curriculum used (just the name of the book). Oh, I also have a print out from HST of the days that we schooled...to equal 180 or more. My evaluator is very laid back and does not require more than what the state does. Some evaluators require specifics (more than what the state wants) and I, perosonally, steer clear of those. Find an evaluator with whom you are comfortable and share common philosophies of education and ask her/him what he/she requires for the portfolio. Good luck! PM me if you have any questions!

my dd used level one this year in 8th grade at her ps. I have Auralog's TMM Spanish for her for next year but also want a text for more grammar practice. I don't have any more in my budget so I though I would just use what the high school uses since I am able to use it for free. What do you think? I do speak a bit of Spanish so I can help her.