Please don't hate math! Maybe try something like Miquon and enjoy math with your child. My husband is a math teacher in high school, and he sees that the parents' view on math has such an influence on a child's feelings of math.

I wouldn't buy the Standards if I already had the US ed. I have seen both and although I do like the Standards better, I wouldn't change if I were you.

I think the IP and CWP could be used in the summer, but I would do the mental math pages during the regular school year. I think it's important for the kids to keep using their mental math strategies.

My son is on to Level 3, and we really should stop for the summer at some point. But it is so wonderful and effective, I just can't stop working through it with him!

We started with ancients last September with a first and third grader. I plan to keep going through the cycle and my other two children will just join in as they are ready.

:hurray: What wonderful news!

We started AAS when my ds was working in ETC2. I found that both together helped him greatly. I don't think you need to finish a phonics programme before you start AAS, but your child perhaps should know their letters, sounds, and be ready to read simple CVC words.

That was me a year ago! We have just loved our first year of homeschooling! I love to plan, but like flexibility too. I planned each week what we would get done in a day and checked everything off as we did it. I really tried to do everything I wrote down, especially at the start so that I would stay on track. And I did it! I am sure you will succeed and enjoy it too!

My son did WWE2 in Grade 3 and will be working through WWE3 in the summer and into the Fall. I do not consider him behind at all. Don't worry!:)

Thanks for this thread! This is our first year of home schooling and I hadn't really thought of an end of year celebration just for our family. What a great thing to do as we do need to celebrate finishing a year. I think a trip to a special park with a picnic and ice cream on the way home may work. To start it as a yearly tradition is a great idea too!

I really wanted to get it done as my oldest is already going into Grade 4... I think we can do it. Next year, I will have to plan ahead!

Just a few weeks ago, I discovered that SOTW is 42 weeks! I guess I just assumed it was 36 weeks like most other curriculum. Now I am trying to cram the last 6 weeks in before July. Just a rant, I guess!

I had my son start SM in Grade 3, and that was tough enough. If I could do it over again, I would have had him go back to SM2A and B and quickly work through the material introduced there. He is now fine with SM and will continue into SM4 in the Fall. I am having him to CWP 2 this summer to solidfy the bar models. I do love SM too, and am glad we are using it.

I tried to do what your husband suggested for this past year for my ds8. It didn't happen. This year we are trying Soaring with Spelling for him. It will be so much easier for me to just hand him the book and watch him learn than try to find words, hear him complain about the words I chose, and try to get him to learn them.

Definitely worth it! Great review questions, narration ideas, mapwork and activities!

I've updated mine... we are also doing a Classical Conversations Coop which will be new to us all!

I am trying to wean my 2.5 year old starting yesterday. I really don't have any advice, but know how hard it can be. :grouphug:

In Ontario, it is very easy to home school... please don't let teh situation in Quebec stop you from moving to Canada.

My first grader: Math --30 to 40 minutes FLL/WWE alternatingdays -- 15 minutes Handwriting -- 10 minutes Phonics -- 15 minutes Reading to Mom or self -- 20-30 minutes Spelling -- 15 minutes History or Science -- maybe 30 minutes a day I would guess it averages about 2.5 hours each day. My third grader: Math -- 45 minutes Writing -- 20 minutes Grammar -- 15 minutes Cursive -- 15 minutes History or Science -- 30 minutes per day French -- 15 -20 minutes I would say 2.5 hours each day on academics, plus all his own reading which is usually from 1 to 2 hours a day, and violin for 30-60 minutes a day.

We use notebooking for Science, but I really don't do anything special. The kids use lined paper or white paper (and draw their own lines on it). They write what they have learned, draw a picture, or print something from online. They are very proud of their Science binders as it is all their work.

My daughter didn't crawl until 10.5 months and didn't walk until 14 months. Her three brothers all crawled before 9 months and walked before a year. I really think there is a wide range of normal. But your dd should trust her instinct... if she thinks something isn't quite right, an evaluation would be a good idea.

What book would you start with for an eight year old and seven year old? I am looking for something to supplement SM for the summer and into the next school year. My ds8 has completed SM3B, and ds7 has completed SM2B. I don't think I want to start at the beginning. Thanks!

Our ds8 is thriving in Suzuki violin. The private lessons and the group lessons together with Kodaly music theory class are helping to develop his musical abilities.

We cut them out after each week and glue them on an index card. The kids then put them in a ring with the rest. They like to look back at what they have done.

:grouphug: My prayers for peace and courage are with you, Christine.