You're right, as usual. I have always appreciated your advice especially. I don't think of her as ONLY six, but as ALREADY six and OMG! Stepping back, drinking an Efes (beer), and taking several deep breaths. :grouphug: because I need one (she already got a giant one and is back to her Barbies).

I like the slide. Will try that tomorrow. Right now it's bed time. I have to chill out. I read at 4. She wanted to learn right about the same age and it's been pulling teeth ever since. We try, she balks, stalls, responds to any question with wild guesses that aren't even close, says she has no idea, then I back off a few months and try again. Same story. Now her school is going to expect her to read by New Years. At least that will be Turkish, a true phonetic language (1 sound to 1 letter). They just wanted her reading English first if at all possible. Deep breaths.....

She can rhyme. It's not visual, tonight's endeavors were completely oral, which frustrated her. She cannot always identify beginning and nodding sounds. She wants to read. She begs for books with pictures and simple text that she can guess at (BOB Books have been a disaster). She pretends to read to her stuffed animals. I'll keep on plugging. Just want to pull my hair out. She thinks this is funny.

Thanks!

I am at my wits end with DD. We have tried and tried to teach her to read. OPGTR didn't work. Spalding blew my mind in a very bad way. I'm now trying Reading Reflex. But it's not the curriculum, it's DD. She can't, or won't, blend. I started with three sounds: c a t. She couldn't sound it out. Same with r e d, d o g. I went to two sounds: m e was "top", s u was met with "merhaba" (I told her it was a Turkish word). She still can't tell me what i t is. She finally, after much frustration, allowed as how she could actually hear the sounds i t, but is still, over 30 minutes later, guessing wildly about the word (mop, pan, hello, etc). Her hearing has been checked. She's fine. The psychiatrist says she's fine. But we have been at this for over a year and a half and she still doesn't seem to either hear the sound or want to try. She's desperate to read, but only if she can guess the words, which I'm now on to and not letting happen. She's 6, started first grade today, and I'm terrified she'll fail (homeschooling is illegal here). Arrrrrrrrrgh!!!

Dallas also has the new Perot Museum (yes, THAT Perot) which is fantastic. One of the only museums I bought a membership too and have enjoyed every visit there. Lots of science, lots of hands on things for little and big kids.

Urggghhh. You're probably right. Sorry.

It's available now...

I found TWTM at the library and read the whole thing when DD was an infant. DH is opposed to homeschooling, and I was fascinated by the chapter on afterschooling, which DH wholeheartedly supports. I surfed the interwebs to find more information on afterschooling and stumbled onto these forums. While it's probably a 50/50 mix of education and socializing for me, I love you guys. I've since moved overseas and find you all to be a lifeline when days get rough and absolutely no one gets me. Even if I'm just lurking, I feel better just knowing there are like-minded people out there. And now that DD is starting 1st grade, I am excited to start this adventure "for real"! I own all three editions: 1st hard copy, 2nd Kindle, 3rd Kindle and hard copy. :wub:

DD is American going to school in Turkey (in Turkish). She is studying English and French (1st grade). I hope to start Latin with her next year. I don't want to overwhelm her this year as her Turkish is just becoming fluent.

iPad, hands down. I've travelled overseas twice now that I have an iPad. First time I brought the laptop just in case. After taking it out for inspection EIGHT times on the way to the US, it sat in its case the duration of my trip. This last time I just brought the iPad and never once missed the laptop (well, except when I didn't have to wrestle it out of its case EIGHT times!).

This. Like, totally rad, you know? It was so gnarly in the 80s, then the 90s came and it was, like, gag me with a spoon, you know? Total bummer.

I'm interested too. Summers here are brutal. And I love the story!!

Well, DH weighed the suitcase at exactly 50 pounds so he made me put a couple back. Checked in at 49 pounds. Whew!! On the plane now,whisking our way back across the Pond. Terribly amused that it's suddenly ok to use wi-fi on planes now and I choose to catch up with you ladies while DD plays pinball on the in-flight system.

I do the same. I just have more books thn usual this trip.

It's full too!!

...you're packing to return home from a trip to the US and one of your suitcases is full of books and your MIL eyes the suitcase and you suspiciously and says "I think you might be a bit overweight with that one...."! Fingers crossed!

I went to school in Harrisonburg and remember the Green Valley Book Fair fondly! Too bad I'm not closer to take advantage....

Peanut butter? Can't find it in Turkey, don't know about Saudi.

LibraryThing. I tag with the "usual suspects" (genre, subject, time period) but also with country (I have books in two different ones) and am thinking of adding another tag that indicates shelf or box/bin as well. I second previous posters that the key is to keep up with it. I am actually starting over after a huge purge. My current LT lists and my actual inventory no longer match. Time to fix that.

Lots of good advice. One thing I would recommend is pocket tissues (Kleenex). The small packs that look like a deck of cards. Not all toilets have paper, and you never know when you need a tissue or to wipe something. I have found them invaluable.

That's adorable!!

I agree too! To the poster who recommended cold tea compresses - THANK YOU! They were heavenly and the red is much less now. And less sting too!!

The links Stacia provided above indicated that the FDA is changing the regs to not allow such claims. Apparently it's not really possible. Here in Turkey the highest I've seen is SPF 50+.

Highlights Puzzle Buzz. DD gobbles them up!