Have you looked at Wayfarers from Barefoot Meandering? It's new but I started using it this week and I really like it. She gives several suggestions for each level and you can switch out books if you want to. Here's the web site: www.barefootmeandering.com

This. Exactly this. This is why I really, really do NOT want to join a co-op and haven't for years. If I wanted to deal with all that I'd put my kids in school and be done with it.

That's exactly what I was just thinking.

Wow! That's crazy to me! I can't even imagine having the ENERGY to do that let alone the desire!

I downloaded this a couple days ago and we started it today. I like it so far.

In one state we lived in we were in 4H and the moms were SOOOO tiger-mom about those project books! I mean they asked EVERY single question in the books, and wrote down EVERY single answer and even asked a million other questions and wrote down THOSE answers and would turn a 45 minute field trip in (literally) 4 hours because of all that and my kids wanted to play in the dirt after about 30 minutes. This group of moms came to a park day and were teaching (telling everyone the answers to the project book) what they learned from a field trip we skipped and this other mom and I were there already and they were shushing us because they could not hear! I was like are you kidding me??? This is a public park and we were here first and now you have the gall to shush us??? The other mom just got louder which was funny. That was just stupid. I have mostly introverted kids now, the 2 who were really social aren't a much as they used to be. One because she is 15 now and is going through the "All people suck" phase and the other is my 9 yo boy who is really just happy everywhere.

I'm more introverted now than I used to be but I also think I'm more choosy about who and what kind of people I want as friends for myself and my kids. Having a few really good friends is more important to me than a lot of accquaintinces.

In our previous state for a couple years we were VERY involved in a church, then we left. I got the kids in martial arts and 4H but then we moved. I haven't done anything here yet because so far all I have found are coops. We had a bad experience at church so I'm reluctant to do that again. I am planning on signing some kids up for martail arts and my 15 yo for acting classes.

To those who feel guilty for not belonging to a coop: DON'T! I have tried them, don't like them, and really don't want to be in one and at this moment would rather stick a fork in my eye than belong to one.

Exactly!!! Why can't kids just play anymore? Why does EVERY SINGLE THING have to be a learning experience? We live in a busy neighborhood now, after living in the boonies for years and years and yesterday, for the first time in almost 2 months of living here, I finally saw 3 teenage boys walking around. Not even kids with bikes, no skateboards, no yelling kids on the weekends (except my own), just those 3 boys onetime.

Hmmm...wouldn't it have been easier to just put them in school if that's what she wanted?

I do. All the states I've lived in are in the south. Well, I guess Texas is southwest.

I agree with this! More experienced moms can fall into this trap also.

This is what I have seen. Really, a lot of this could be done at home and was done at home till all these coops started. I just don't see any reason to put that kind of pressure on my kids and myself and really don't want to be in that atmosphere and I miss being able to just go take the kids to play with other homeschoolers.

IMO, coops are like school only not everyday. It's as if homeschooling is turning into this...I don't know...competition to be better than all the ps and private academically. Like we have to prove we are superior by doing all of these highly academic classes and things. I'm not saying anyone is intentionally doing this, although I'm sure some are, I guess I just miss the "old days" where my kids and I made friends with other hs families simply buying hanging out not paying hundreds of dollars for more school work or me teaching others kids. There's really not a whole lot of difference in the atmosphere of the coops "I" have been to and ps/private.

Give me a minute to put my head between my knees now that I realize I've been homeschooling for 13 years!!!!! Anyways! I've noticed that when I started this journey there were lots of hs groups that met weekly at a park and the kids just played. Just played. the teenagers all the way down to the newborns. Well, obviously newborns didn't play, but they got admired and held, etc. The moms sat and talked. Jus talked. Talked about what was going right, going wrong, what was for dinner, what they missed about working, their pets, whatever. Then we met once a month and had some kind of educational activity. A field trip. A science day. International Night. Etc. Now, there are way more groups and they still meet weekly but instead of just...gasp!...hanging out, it's all day educational classes (aka co-op) and homework assignments. And MAYBE once a month fun things like skating. Maybe. I'm really not fond of this shift. What was wrong with just going to a park and letting kids PLAY?

Has anyone read these on Kindle and also read paperback version? If so, what would I be missing besides the pictures?

Right now I am using Veritas Press timeline cards and teacher manual and reading books that go along with what's on the card. Plus doing some of the projects in the TM.

That's what my kids always disliked about programs like this. A little of this book, a page of that. Annoying to them.

I'd do as little as possible and just heal. We always watched lots and lots of SpongeBob when the kids were sick.

OMG! I have this SAME problem with my youngest 4 kids! 3 boys and a girl. What I have been doing lately is just staring at them until they stop and after a few minutes if that doesn't work, I make them do jumping jacks till they calm down. This has helped some.

First, to those offended by this thread: stop reading it if it offends you. Simple. Second, it seems as if there is way more than what we originally were told. While I personally would be very leary about calling CPS I also do not think a 13 yo should be spending THAT much time taking care of her siblings. But the more I read about this family the more I can understand the OP's concerns. I hope you keep us updated with what's going on with them and what you decide to do.

I would just make the decision for her and do what's best for the whole family, not just one person. If she's staying home once a week because she doesn't want to be in school, it sounds to me like keeping her home woud be better. Is there a reason she can't ang out with friends on the weekends? Or join a co-op?

The last paragraph in this story is what concerns me. It states that parents do not have an absolute constitutional right to homeschool. That in itself should concern ALL homeschooling families. As a side note, if these children in this article were not taught to read, how did they learn to play instruments? I'm being genuine here.

Exactly my thoughts!! I agree 100% with you about the immunizations but does that mean I should call CPS about my neighbors kids that aren't immunized? Those that support calling CPS, do you realize the power they have over wether or not to remove children from a home? They do not have to go to a judge, they can remove the kids after a ten minute conversation, if they want. It's very naïve to think this couldn't happen. What I meant by true neglect is kids who have no food in the house, haven't bathed because the plumbing doesn't work, there's garbage and roaches and rats crawling on them, the parent(s) are out getting high, partying, or whatever, and the kids are fending for themselves day and night. Strangers are in and out all day long. All night long. Etc. Does any of this sound like what the OP described? No. Again, where do we draw the line? I don't know. But I don't believe it's in a case of not educating kids according to the school system standards, which the OP is doing.