You've gotten great advice! Development is not even, in any kid really, and in some kids it is way off. My 7 year old knows only some math facts by memory, the rest she calculates and uses her fingers sometimes. Yet she can remember complicated routines and dance passes, because those are physical activities. She's always been really precocious physically (riding bikes, cartwheels and handsprings, complicated eye-hand coordination stuff with rhythmic gymnastics). But reading? S-L-O-W. Math concepts are good, memorizing facts is not so much. I'd love for her to be a complete klutz and a math whiz, but alas, she is who she is. Your DD is, too. You (and I) have plenty of time!

Praise the Lord! Having had a miscarraige and spent hours in the hospital alone, thank your DH for staying with her. And what a miracle the baby is ok.

She is so tall and slim, the woman could wear so many things and look great! But not that. Her choices always seem to be a little "off" IMO. But I am hardly a style maven (as I sit here in a t shirt and jeans) so what do I know?!

I started assigning reading in 3rd grade, I just used the SOTW AG and planned reading that fit with our history read alouds. I now use SL, which assigns reading, and DD also reads the read-alouds for her core to herself. (I couldn't get to both her and her little sisters RAs, so this was a nice solution!). I don't assign a time, just "xyz" chapter of whatever books. Her free choice reading is all up to her- I find she goes a week only playing her new DS or Wii game on her free time, then drops those and reads 5 books the next week. Since she reads a great deal for school, I don't care about free reading- totally up to her.She also does 12 hours a week of gymnastics, so if on off days she wants to veg with the DS for 3 hours, well, I'm fine with that. My youngest is your childs age, but not a great reader. So her reading is all aloud to me right now, or me reading to her. While she does read the occasional book to herself, I couldn't assign reading to her to do alone at this stage. Hopefully next year.

7 is an age for seperation anxiety, I think. Both of mine had it then, even my very outgoing oldest. My youngest started getting very clingy at around 6 1/2, and is now coming out of it, a year later. I stayed with her as much as possible, but I don't know if that helped of if they just grew out of it. I tend towards the latter- a few people have had similar experiences with their kids at 6-7.

That is exactly how it happened with my girls. They knew about where babies grew, where they came out. Then periods and eggs. Then sperm and why you need a Daddy. And one night my youngest (who was only 5) asked me very pointedly and directly "But HOW does the sperm get to the egg? How does it get there?!". So I told her, and her big sister too. Poor big sis pulled the covers over her head, she was totally grossed out. (I was putting them to bed and they shared a room). We talked about how parents talk to their kids about it at different times and that it was not an appropriate topic of conversation with friends- just like Santa. (My kids have never believed in Santa). In the 2 years since, there has been only 1 time DD was tempted to tell the "facts" to another child, and she was older and had such egregiously wrong info that I can't really blame DD for almost telling her. I just didn't want it to be this deep dark secret we "reveal" when they get older. Or have a negative stigma attatched to se@, that it is so awful we don't talk about it. They both had the fairly normal reaction of "eeewww!" and then that was it- question answered, no more curiousity. As they get older I am sure more stuff will come up (DD asked me what balls were the other day) but since we're over that hurdle it makes the rest easier and we can lay the framework for guiding them with our beliefs towards se@. I don't know if this is helpful at all, but just answering honestly worked great here.Good luck- DH was so, so glad he was working late that night!

I ate a lot of cat food as a kid, well past the toddler exploration age, LOL. I don't think its a big deal at all, nor will it hurst him. Contamination can come from any food- look at baby formula in China!If he was my kid, I'd be totally nonplussed by hearing he'd been snacking on the dog food. I might be a really bad mother though.:glare:

My DD swims on a team, and we go through suits at 1 every 3-5 months. The pool just eats them, I swear!

I'm with jld. I am the most vocal advocate of girls following their dreams- and it sounds a lot like your DD has found hers. Let her be. Math is easy to pick up whenever; let her write her novels and play piano. Let her hone those skills she is passionate about. Help her translate them into marketable (ie, financially rewarding) skills. There is plenty of time for Algebra, should she need/desire it. If she has found a "passion" (music, writing, homemaking) then let her run with it. I lament the fact that there was never really anything I was ever passionate about- classic jack of all trades, master of none here. She sounds like a really neat girl, with a world of possibilites before her in music, homemaking, nursing, childcare, organization, novel writing, and personal assisting. Those are marketable skills, and they all require no Algebra.:lol:

You've gotten lots of good "how to" advice, so I thought I'd chime in with moral support. I've taught both my girls to read, and it is *not* easy. Or, not always, certainly! Different kids are different kids. My oldest was reading fluently at 5, my youngest is 7 1/2 and just now really "getting it". Used the same stuff, same everything (if anything, I was more consistent with my youngest!) but it took a lot longer. If I had to do it over, I'd have shelved the Phonics Pathways and ETC at ages 5 and 6 for my youngest. Total waste of time, as she was not the least bit interested in reading, and merely being polite and listening, without actually learning a durn thing! I have come to the conclusion that reading truly is a developmental milestone some kids reach later than others. DD could ride a 2 wheeled bike at 4, and turn cartwheels and back-handsprings at 5. Expecting every kid to do that would be silly, yet with reading we have a "one age fits all" window kids are expected to fit into. Its like potty training, IMO. (Lordy, I sound like an unschooler, but seriously- youngest DD has really opened my eyes about reading readiness!) Keep plugging away- it will come! I promise!

I'll admit it, I daydream longingly about it! I'd have time to take a photography class. To scrapbook. The house would be clean and well-organized (ie shifting seasonal clothes, organizing closets, etc). I'd read more, I'd excercise, I'd take the dog on long walks rather than throw her ball for 10 minutes at 5 pm each night to wear her out a little. But- it just wouldn't work. The girls would have to quit their activities, as I could not imagine gymnastics practice for a 7 year old until 9 pm and then up for school at 7 am. We move so often, the reason we homeschool is that they would get an incoherent, hodge-podge education. They wouldn't get to go/do/see half the stuff they do now. But I still daydream about it. Ahhhh... (If you are a SAHM of kids in school, kindly do not disabuse me of the notion that its heaven. I need my daydream!!)

:lol: I was just thinking when I read your thread title, "If ever there were a place to find out, this board is it!" (Of course, *I'm* on this board, too!)

I thought that's what this board was: my self-education.:glare: Seriously- it is starting to really get to me, the lack of personal time. I've just given up completely on staying ahead of DD in math. (Yes, she really is only that old, and yes, my math skills really are *that* bad!) I am trying to stay up on Latin, and brush up (aka re-learn because I forgot it all in 10 years it seems) my Korean in preparation to move there in the spring. But I have no.darn.time. Starting next week, Dh will be gone M-F, and I plan to get some studying done weeknights. So hopefulyl I will not be on here as much- if you see me, kick me off and tell me to go study my Korean!

MY youngest was 14 pounds at 1 year. Now at 7 1/2, she is 42. Not a large child, ever- when born she was just 6 pounds. She did walk at 9 months, and crawl around 6, but she had a big sister to keep up with. If he is waving and interacting, sitting up and the Dr isn't concerned, I wouldn't worry. I have read that growth charts that Drs use are actually very skewed due to 50 years of formula feeding as hte norm in the US.

Well, I wouldn't be married to a man who *couldn't*, quite frankly. Nursing babes excepted, but even then- good grief! Its not, as my DH says, rocket surgery. And as for *wouldn't*, well, I also don't see me married to anyone like that. I can't imagine having an ounce of respect for a partner who, well, isn't. That said, I have a friend who wants me to come over and hang out all.the.time. And I just don't really want to. For a few hours, to do crafts together, okay. But it always morphs into "stay and watch this TV show/eat dinner/etc". And I just don't actually want to, because I will freely admit I am sometimes an anti-social introvert who just wants to go home and not talk to anyone.;) The kids are not my excuse exactly...oh heck, sometimes they are. Could that be it? Don't get me wrong, DH has a very different standard of "care", but there isn't anything *wrong* with it. They watch TV together, for hours and hours, which personally I don't really like, but I am not the only parent here, so DH gets to choose what they do sometimes, too. And yes, the house does get messy, but DH will always pick up in the evenings, so if I'm gone I try to stay gone until past bed-time to avoid walking into a mess.:D But as far as having a DH who actually *can't" or *won't* take primary kid-duty? I can't imagine.

We do a song and map a week. Or, that is whats scheduled, LOL. We've only done 5 songs/maps this year so far, but in my defense I started it late (Oct) as we traveled in the early fall and didn't officially "start" until then. We learn the song, they point to the countries whilst singing it, then as a test a few weeks later they fill in the map that is blank- having to recall the song and the country's location. My 7 yo does better with it than my 10 yo, go figure. Its a nice, fun way to learn basic geography. I figure they are light years ahead of Miss SC already, even with only 5 songs learned.:lol: I won't lie- I'm learning, too! I never knew the middle east like I do now!!

There is one in Northern VA (Chantilly?) in the spring. I have wanted to go for 2 years, and haven't. If you search around the internet, you'll find it! There is a big convention in Richmond by HEAV, but it isn't secular.

Well, I liken it to discussions about hs'ing on other (non-hsing) boards. Generally, those go paint all hs'ers with a broad brush (ie, we're religious wackos, etc etc). And I will always go into those threads to point out the varied reasons and benefits to hs'ing, that hs'ers are not a cohesive group, and that what works for one family may not for another. And its the same thing, here. If we're discussing ps, there are many reasons for people to put their kids there, varied benefits and drawbacks to doing so, etc. It isn't "non-supportive" to point out facts, is it? Sometimes school is a better option. It just is. Not all schools are horrible, they just aren't. Millions of kids go to/graduate from them eveyr year and turn out just fine. I hs. Obviously, I am not a fan of the ps for my children, time of life, and particular circumstances. I'd be hard pressed to find a family I truly think ought not be hs'ing- really! And I will endeavor to support anyone who is considering/doing/wants to do hs'ing. What I won't do is tell anyone that only hsing is right and psing is not. And effectively, not mentioning the benefits or option to ps, would do that. So I guess thats my long-winded way of saying: no, I can't do that. I hope you understand! It isn't to be unsupportive, its just my honest feeling.

I'm going to chime in with another "relax, he'll get it". My youngest is 7 1/2, and just lately is reading actually making any progress here! Until now- and we started at 4 1/2!- its been the same htings, over and over, not sticking. Long vowel words/rules took a year, I swear, for her. Sight words? Forget about it. In one ear, out the other. I *knew* she was ok, as she has been steaming ahead with math just fine, and could remember odds/evens, math facts, etc. Just not, you know, letter sounds.:glare: She is reading on a 1st grade level now (in second grade) but the fact that it is finally really, truly "clicking" means that from here on out, I expect she'll progress faster. Or at least I certainly hope so, as I have grey hair from this kid already!! He is 6- 6!- and he will get it, I promise. Last year a cousin started PS kindy and started reading really well ASAP (she is a year younger than DD). Oh, the flack I caught from the in laws for that, when my DD couldn't read yet. But, what I never pointed out to (but would love to!!) them is that: kids learn at different rates. They just DO. My DD potty trained early, and rode a 2 wheel bike at 4. Would it be reasonable to think other kids are "dumb" or "behind" because they don't do those things at the same time as DD? Of course not! Those are developmental stages children hit when they are ready. As is reading. Could there be real learning disabilities? Sure, but I really think 6 is too young to make that call. If the same thing is happening at 8, maybe revisit it. But not 6. :grouphug:I sure can relate to your post!!!

We're moving so we won't be at our gym next year, but if we were, we'd be in this spot. We just simply can't squeeze any more $$ for gymnastics out of the budget- I have a pt job already to pay for what we do now. But next year its another level, more hours, 4 new routines choreographed...we couldn't do it. If for some reason we stay here, I plan to just tell the coach that DD cannot train any more hours, due to finances. It will put her "behind" the other girls in her level, but what can you do?? I would also ask to help out at gym birthday parties/clean the gym/whatever to pay for the increased hours, but ultimately, we just couldn't do it. I can commisserate- it stinks to have a talented kid who could go so far, yet can't because the classes/coaching/travel is too expensive. I almost wish she just stunk- it would be easier to have to quit!!

At this point in her pregnancy, birth defects are not a concern, she should be able to take her regular meds. This certainly sounds like a case where the benefits greatly outweigh the risks! Can you talk to her DH and get him to speak with her Dr? I know many women downplay their feelings/symptoms to Drs, and maybe she hasn't let her Dr know how incredibly serious this is. Gosh, poor thing. Unfortunately, I *can* imagine what she is going through, having gone through it after my youngest was born. Its the most awful thing.

Hey, I have a LL question, too. Cna I use this with an 11 year old next year? She will be in 6th grade. We've done just Minimus this year, and I quite frankly don't want anything too rigorous at this point. I have zero Latin background myself, so I want "gentle". I figured we'd do LL next year, then move to Galore Press or soemthing more rigorous in 7th+ grade. Anyone using it with an older student?

At LAAASSSSTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :party: I swear, I've been emailing them since 2004 about more science! My oldest is in 6th next year, but I think we will do this Chemistry over the summer and while finishing up this year's SL Core next fall. (We have an overseas move and I planned to stretch our year into next year already.) I love this science so, SO much. Now I will have to start harassing them about high school levels or at least MS levels. it is so hard to find non-Creation-based science for hs'ers!

If he wants to quit, he needs to. Making him stay- no matter HOW good the coach's results are- only reinforces the culture of degrading, abusive coaching as "the way it is". We have a coach with a, uh, less than cuddly demenaor. Personally, I would have run after the first class, especially at age 5, if I was my DD. But she loves her sport. There is much crying and gnashing of teeth at practices, lots of yelling, and to be frank I imagine if I videotaped a practice, most people who watched would be screaming at me for allowing my DD to be put through such treatment. *BUT*- she loves it. We have no other options for this sport- it is hard to find. It is the only thing she ever tried (and we tried them aaallllllll!) that she enjoyed. So she will try to let the coach roll off her back, as all the girls do, because the only other option is quitting. If she chooses to quit, I will happily pull her, but until then- she is the one who has to handle it. Not allowing your son (or my DD) to quit means you are forcing your child to put up with behavior you know **** well an adult wouldn't- which is how these coaches get this way in the first place. Parents are so blinded by the great results and medals, they don't care how their child is treated and chalk it up to "how it is". Let that boy quit, and let HIM write a letter to the coach telling him how dissapointed he is in him. It may make a difference for other kids someday. My Dd and I have had very frank discussions on what the coach says and how it feels, and it always boils down to "its wrong, but if you want to do this sport, its the only option". And so she stays. The ones I really feel for are the girls with parents who will not let them quit, no matter what. There are a few of those, and its heartbreaking to watch. Don't do that to your child in the name of "toughening him up". There are lots of swim teams and coaches- tell this one to talk a long walk off a short pier.

I love so many, but they are way, way too pricey. Are you finding them on Netflix? How? I have looked a bit and can't find any TC on there. Also we are leaving the country soon, so getting a Netflix subscription probably won't work. Libraries? Used? They seem so, so expensive! I would love for them to be supplements/interesting car listening/etc at this point, but at those prices, I don't see us using them until absolutely necessary for high school.