Quick background- My two big kids are 10 and 11, my little is 3. We've been homeschooling since my oldest was in 1st grade, for K and part of 1st she attended a virtual charter school at home. We started our classical education journey at the beginning of the school year prior to this one, so they were in 3rd and 5th at the time. My oldest did formal phonics with K12 curriculum. She had already been sounding out CVC words as she had shown interest and I taught her at age 4. She didn't like the phonics and lost interest in learning to read. This was the major deciding factor (among other things) in pulling her out and homeschooling on my own. I taught no formal phonics after that and backed off completely, only reading aloud to her. It took a couple of years before she wanted to read on her own. When she was in 3rd she could read well and started to enjoy reading even though I had not taught her any more phonics. My previous experience with formal phonics was negative so I decided not to teach my son, now 10, formal phonics. He taught himself to read. He went from not reading to reading everything practically overnight at about 6. Both children read very well and above grade level. They also spell well. So enter my confusion. I recently decided to switch from Sequential Spelling to Spelling Power. The level of SS I was using was too easy for them and as I had SP already I decided to go with that. They took the placement tests and tested on the same level. Looking over the word groups and rules I do not understand how knowing the rules helps with spelling words? Example- Long a can be spelled ay, ai, ey, ei, eigh, ea, or followed by a consonant and silent e. How is this helpful? Wouldn't most children already have picked up the patterns/word families by reading? Don't they still have to basically memorize the words to know how to spell them? How would memorizing that sentence help them know which pattern to use in a word with the long a sound? Is there a better way to teach spelling rules that is free/cheap? I'll confess I do not know the spelling rules as I was never taught them. Also I've been thinking quite a bit ahead of teaching the little to read. I'm not convinced formal phonics is necessary, but I do not want to short change her. I need some convincing as I truly don't understand the necessity. My older two, especially my son, pretty much taught themselves to read and I'm not even sure how? I do know they read very well and I have no complaints.

Watch educational shows, read, read, read, play educational games. Hope you feel better quickly!

I'm nurslingblessings, but admit I've been terrible about updating my notebook. I actually just took a pic of some mittens I made a few days ago and haven't uploaded yet. Hadn't added a pic in a loooong time. I plan to add pics of the mittens and dd's Halloween knitted cat costume this week though. I'm not really an inspiring knitter anyway, lol. Some projects on there blow my mind! I'm more of a down home, practical knitter, though I have made some amigurumi and things I never took pics.

Thanks so much everyone! I'm writing them all down. :)

I forgot he loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He hasn't read any of Dahl's other books. Thanks!

My ds is 10. He LOVES to read. He devours books, but he is very particular and doesn't like/want to read most of my suggestions. I have shown him how to search for books on our library website, but that did no good. Imo he judges books by the cover, regardless of our discussing not doing that. If he decides he will not like a book before opening it within 2-3 chapters he has proven himself right. I have no problem with him reading the books I assign for school, rather need help finding books for him to read for enjoyment. Books he's loved/liked: Bunnicula series (though I think he's old for this now) Time Cat Warriors series Martin's Mice Mr. Popper's Penguins Holes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Garfield Comics Calvin and Hobbes Comics Books he hasn't: Series of Unfortunate Events Harry Potter Lightning Thief The Penderwicks Artemis Fowl I'm out of ideas! HELP PLEASE! :)

Wouldn't do it. I often mistype and need to go back and edit, but it is because I'm trying to quickly type out something in my few spare minutes and often check for mistakes in my next few spare minutes, lol. I'm actually an excellent speller and I will look up the rare word I am unsure of spelling before I type. Typing, however, eh, I make mistakes all the time. It totally wouldn't cross my mind to correct someone's grammar on an online forum. I just don't consider this so formal that super correct grammar would be required, more along the lines of friendly banter. I know some people are very bothered by grammar/spelling. We all have our pet peeves, this isn't one of mine. :tongue_smilie:

It sounds like you are adding water to the yogurt maker? I suggest rereading your manual as I've never heard of needing to do that with a yogurt maker. Mine you just put the jars in, put on the lid, and plug in. No adding water. Aside from that I suggest you try a different plug in your house. Sometimes this can make a difference. My first couple batches turned out runny. I think the machine was running too hot. I used a different plug after that and had glorious, thick yogurt every time. Next suggestion, if you aren't already, use a whisk when you add the yogurt starter in. Don't go crazy with it, but give a nice gentle whisking. If using commercial yogurt, do be sure it says live active cultures on the container. I have to use Dannon all natural plain as it doesn't have any additives I can't have on my diet. It works good! I don't add anything extra to mine, just whole milk and yogurt. So it is possible to have a good, thick yogurt without adding other things. I also leave it for 24 hours so that the lactose is all gone from the yogurt.

My big kids are natural spellers and readers. They haven't had extensive, formal phonics as we adopted classical homeschooling late in the game. Consequentially I've never been 'big on phonics' as of yet. I do have a younger dd who is 3, so I am currently researching learning to read. I hear so much about phonics yet my older children do quite well without having extended formal teaching. As a matter of fact my eldest dd had a negative experience with setbacks with formal phonics. Anyway, it isn't just you who doesn't quite grasp spelling/reading/phonics and the pathways of learning. I've put quite a lot of thinking into this lately and I believe it is as individual as well, the individual. :)

When I went GF my family didn't. I did start buying GF pasta in place of wheat noodles. I also use separate pans for GF items. Also I hardly ever baked sweets or ate sweets anyway so that was no biggie. I did make pizza dough and breadsticks, don't do that anymore. I miss a good pizza more than anything. I've only bought one brand of pizza that was yummy, very $$$. I have no problem with temptation unless I am very hungry, so have snacks like dried nuts, craisins, bananas, etc available at all times and to take away with you so you have something fast and easy to put in your mouth. It does get much, much easier with time. :)

I do think their ages are making this more difficult on them. They're at that in between age. I do know that putting them in a room with some other kids won't necessarily gain them a friendship. I'm just not sure what else to do to help them because they've been unable to make any on their own so far this year.

Yeah, the concern over personality clashes or problem behaviors did cross my mind. I like the game board or video game idea. A woman recently did this on the online group I'm talking about with a chess club. We went once and her next one is in Nov. However she has decided if there aren't 10 kids participating she isn't doing it so I think it will be cancelled. She's had two meetings so far and only had a few kids each time and different kids each time. There was one other mom and myself who stayed and another mom did drop her two children off after chatting for a few minutes. This is actually what gave me the idea to maybe put the offer out for a 'playdate' on there. Only just even the word itself doesn't really seem appropriate for my kids' ages.

I wonder what sort of volunteer activities I could suggest?

I do like the park idea, but I'm fairly certain no one would participate. They used to meet irl like this, but stopped because of low/no attendance. Also the RAIN just won't stop around here. It has really put a damper on our activities here lately as we walk everywhere around town. I don't have a car during dh's work hours.

The kids they've played with at the park or activities have been different every time. Dd did do anime club over the summer, but she didn't click with anyone well enough to get phone numbers. Most of the kids were older than her and she decided not to go back anymore. I guess because she isn't in the boy/girl flirting age the whole thing made her feel awkward. Ds did do a chess club over the summer at the library, but it was different kids he was playing every time, so same thing. I don't have any phone numbers and they haven't met any kids in the immediate neighborhood to invite.

I'm considering posting on a local homeschooling forum inviting local moms (strangers) to come over with their kids or do a drop off after meeting for a 'playdate'. My kids are 11, 10, and 3, but I'm not looking for a playdate for the three year old rather wanting to invite kids between maybe 8-13 for the older kids. We moved about a year ago and the kids don't have any friends. They've met other kids, played with other kids, attending activities with other kids, but have no friends. It is all too random for them to have really had the chance to connect with another kid on a more real level that friendship requires. They always had friends before. We lived in apartments for years so the kids always shared play space with a lot of other kids that lived very close to us. Kids would be at our house constantly. Now we live in a small, quiet neighborhood with quite a lot of older people. On top of that the kids are both naturally introverted and perfectly happy to stay inside all day. I have to initiate every activity and sometimes even make them go. They're good kids and I know they want friends. The activities we've attended recently haven't worked out for one reason or another so there has been no consistency. I'm just not sure what to do at this point and I think we're in danger of becoming 'that unsocialized' homeschool family. We do not attend church and our local inclusive homeschool group is only online, they don't meet irl. Money is extremely tight and any more pay activities are out of the question right now. I feel like it would be received weird if I posted offering playdates for 10 and 11 year olds. What do you think? On the other hand I would be offering free drop off time for a local mom to be able to do shopping, cleaning, planning, relaxing, whatever for a couple hours on their own.

I'm in the camp that wouldn't have a problem with one normal sized drink with dinner.

We've been using SS for the past two years. My kids are in 4th and 6th grades. I like it. My kids both spell well, however, so I'm not sure how I would feel about it if they struggled with spelling. As it is I have started added in a few 'challenge words' from commonly misspelled word lists each lesson because they rarely miss words and I want to be able to see improvement somewhere and have them be actually learning something.

In the past we've spent about $750-1000. It is really TOO MUCH and put's us into debt that it takes the next several months to pay. We've talked about cutting back many, many times. It is the only time of year we buy anything new for the kids. We are big on buying used for everything else. This year we are going to have to cut back by necessity. Our debt for the year is already more that what it usually is by the end of the year, after Christmas. I'm making what I can homemade with the materials and yarn I already have stashed. I'm committed to not adding much to our debt, but I'm concerned dh is not! He really loves getting the kids new stuff for Christmas. I've asked him to agree to a set limit per kid, but he hasn't yet. Sigh.

I don't.

YUM! I make my own version of pumpkin butter almost every year. I bake a regular old pumpkin (hopefully bought cheap right after Halloween) at 350 in the oven until soft. I puree the pumpkin in batches with honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Delicious on top of butter toast. The kids love it and it is healthy. I always freeze quite a bit in small portions because one pumpkin makes a lot of pumpkin butter.

Apparently my title choice wasn't worded well, lol. :) I assure you my three year old cat isn't picking up pencils!

Too cute! I love when they first start to draw things that make sense. Dd just recently started drawing people with their appropriate parts and faces with eyes, nose, mouth. I love to watch her draw. :)

I so love the PreK age! It is so fun and amazing to see them learning, figuring out new things, and being excited to do so. It warms my heart to watch my dd 3. Today she wrote cat on her magnetic doodle board all by herself and it really looked just like c-a-t. She didn't even realize I was watching her, lol. I think she picked it up because #1 she loves cats and #2 her sister made her some animal puppets and wrote on them the animals' names. She was playing with the puppets just prior to sitting down with the doodle board, so I think she saw it, then copied it down. She's getting sooooo big! :) Her big sister is 11 and I love all the things that are new and fun about her being 11, but sometimes I miss the cute little girl she used to be. She was quite precocious, just like my little dd, and insisted to learn to write and read at 4. Dd 3 will turn 4 in February and I'm trying to remind myself to enjoy this little person while I still have a little person around.

I have this. It's never been an issue. I even have excellent eyesight. :)