Thanks, all. I'll look into these... I don't know much about them, so some research is in the works. Do DIVE and Art Reed DVDs correspond to the Saxon lessons as they are laid out in the textbook? My son and youngest daughter do very well with Saxon, so I'm reluctant to give it up... I may just brush up on my math and teach them myself, but I'm reluctant to do that into some of the highschool math levels. From the very little research I've done, the DIVE and Art Reed are similarly priced, but one is from a Christian worldview and one is not, is that correct? Thanks again!

Hi, all! I am looking ahead for a good middle grade and up math curriculum. I am currently using Saxon, but I noticed that the Saxon Teacher cds are very expensive if bought along with the homeschool kit. Teaching Textbooks is around $40-50 cheaper, but is it worth it? What are the strengths of each? Where are the weaknesses? Any input or experience with these is welcome! I want to make the best informed decision that I can. :-)

Thanks!

I was just wondering if there's a way to delete old posts, particularly in the "sale and swap" board? I am sure it is there, staring me in the face and I am just missing it... Thanks!

I was thinking of doing a weekly or bi-monthly logic puzzle with my kiddos (2nd, 3rd, 5th grades) this year. Anyone have a favorite they would like to suggest?

:iagree:

You are most certainly not alone! I have never had any of those things done except for a massage--and the only reason for that was because I got a gift certificate as a "Christmas bonus" one year! I've also never paid more than $15 to get a haircut, never darkened the door of a tanning salon, never purchased designer anything (though I do have some hand-me-downs!), don't wear jewelry other than my wedding ring, don't even have an engagement rint, and never felt the need to do any of these things nor felt that I should. Sadly, I'm so oblivious that I didn't even realize it until my husband mentioned it! :blushing: So you are not alone.

The spiral approach isn't working for him. He needs the more repetitive practice that Saxon uses. I also have a friend who taught high-school math before homeschooling who uses Saxon and recommends it.

Thanks all! I'm just nervous because he bombed the placement test for Saxon. :-( BUT, I do know that he (a) actually can do several of the ones he missed and was being lazy; (b) was still recovering from a bad cold, and © has been more focused on bike-riding weather than his schoolwork lately. I think I wish I'd switched to Saxon in 4th for him, but I do plan to make the switch in 4th for my girls.

Has anyone switched from Singapore Math to Saxon? I will make the switch for my now-4th grader next year and wondered if anyone has any advice or experience to share. Also, is the 5/4 for fourth grade and 6/5 for fifth? Thanks!

I have been trying to buy curriculum for next year and had been told about the WTM forums. My problem is: I don't seem to have the time or the habit of checking regularly! I am horribly inconsistant. :-( So I just want to apologize for anyone who I have asked about something or who has asked me and it took me a week to get back to! Somehow, I need to remember to check...

I used the Plaid Phonics this year for extra practice, but I did not buy any teacher supplies--just the workbooks. I had used A Beka phonics in the past for my girls, so the Plaid Phonics was just for extra practice. I liked the way it was structured, but again, we just used it to review concepts that they already knew. It has a little grammar practice built in, too, which is one thing I like about it.

I may just go with the good, old, teenage standard of cash folded in fun and funky origami shapes... :-) Thanks for all the gift-card ideas, too! They are kind of a farm family in a very small town, so cash might be the best bet. It just struck me that there was a kid involved this year! I'm really, really glad I thought about it before they arrived. That would be horrid.

I have a Christmas gift-giving protocol question... What would you do with the 14-year-old son of your dad's live-in companion who is also a former stepmom? (She was my stepmom when I was a teenager, they divorced years ago, and have recently "shacked up"). They are all coming to visit for Christmas next weekend. What does one do?!? Buy a gift? Not buy a gift? Laugh hysterically at the absurdity of the whole situation?!? Thanks for your input!

Sounds like a migraine to me, absolutely. There are many good medications out there, but many of them have potentially ugly side-effects, as well. Ask your daughter if she has any warning signs that a headache is coming... Sometimes, migraines come with an "aura" that precipitates the actual head pain, often including visual disturbances. For me, I will be uncontrollably irritable about 12 hours before a migraine, and will sometimes get a sensation in my head on the left side behind my eye (where my migraines are) that is not painful but warns that one is coming. Hard to describe... Anyway my point is that if she has a warning, she may be able to take something and head it off (no pun intended). Some of my tricks include eating some protein with a little caffiene (tea works) will help. I also use large doses of magnesium (I have a liquid mineral supplement), as migraine sufferers have been found to have low magnesium levels just before and during a migraine for some reason. Failing those, I take naproxen. If all else comes to naught, I will take Imitrex. I would encourage you to help your daughter "track" her headaches and to see her doctor. Sometimes you can identify "triggers" if you have a record of what happened or what she ate, etc. just before the migraine. If the headaches are bad, a drug like Imitrex or Maxalt can be incredible. Personally, I do not take them unless nothing else works because I have known the "1 in 10,000" person (in the fine print of the medications) who had a dangerous reaction, although such reactions are very rare. For me, taking the medicine is much better than losing 2-5 days to a migraine. Try this link for info on how to track the migraines. Hope this helps!

Hmmm, I may try that. I cut the dosage a year or two ago from 100mg to 50 because my throat felt painfully tight at 100. I'm about to get on the horn with the doc and see about getting an alternate to get me through until my appointment.

We had a cave salamander make an appearance in our basement this evening. Any ideas on how to feed this guy and keep him happy for a few days of observation?

After pushing my oldest child on to start school early (albeit, homeschool), I have become a rabid proponent for letting them wait. I did start my youngest in K a few days before her 5th birthday, but she is only the youngest by 16 months, was already reading on a first-grade level, and wanted to "do school" with brother and sister. If she had to go to a public or private school, I would have waited, but in homeschool I can teach her at a relaxed pace and not worry too much about what grade level she's at! Let's look several years down the road now. If she starts now, what is the real benefit? The earlier they start, if all goes well, the earlier they graduate and then we face the college decision. I also opine that I'd rather my daughters be as close as possible to being through the teenage years when they start college. There's also the concern that, even if they are excelling academically right now, there is a "wall" they could hit in a few years, say 3rd or 4th grade, if their brains just aren't physically mature enough to make certain connections. I'd rather mine be ahead of the game in their age-appropriate grade than struggle to keep up as the youngest of the class. Those are just my thoughts and opinions, but I hope they are somehow useful! You'll make the choice that is best for your particular family and circumstance.

Thanks for sharing all your experiences. I've taken it for years, but this is a new twist. Never have liked the drug or the way it makes me feel, but I like it better than the 3-4 days that an untreated migraine steals from me! Interestingly, one of you mentioned the facial burning... I get that sometimes, too, and it does remind me of that same type of sensation. Anyway, I strongly suspect we will be looking into alternate medications at this appointment. . .

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced a burning sensation in their chest after taking imitrex? Nothing major, no shortness of breath or anything else, just a mild burn that comes and goes. It's happened twice now, but the day after taking the drug, and I'm trying to figure out if it is the imitrex or just a coincidence. And I do already have a doctor's appointment, just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. :001_huh:

My bunch had walking pneumonia one March--every single one of us. We were told that it is not super-highly contagious and needs close contact. Apparently our family is in close contact, because we all got it, one at a time. The good news is, it is "walking" pneumonia because a person can still function as opposed to other pneumonias. The bad news is, it often starts out like a cold and just gets worse, with an increasingly nasty cough. I'd go ahead and get it checked out, because it's pretty simply cleared up with antibiotics. If it turns out to be just a cold--well, I tend to look at it as "wasted" time and money, but if you are paying for peace of mind before a vacation, it really isn't wasted. Personally, I'd rather take mine to their regular doc rather than someone I don't know and who doesn't know them and their history. . . Hope that helps some!

Smores? With banana? On shortbread? On a spoon all by itself? I love it with bananas! On plain crackers is good, too... and freshly-baked bread still warm from the oven... and oh! I'm going to have to go buy some!

I purchased the tests for mine, (1a, 2a, 3b) and we are doing "test day" on Friday. However, I find that there are so many tests that I end up skipping many of them. I think I will use the skipped tests as extra practice or review... My son has struggled with some of the standard unit conversions, so I plan to go through some of these later in the year just to build confidence. That's my plan, anyway! We'll see how it goes. :-)

My middle daughter was like that. My firstborn was colicky, and so when she barely cried and slept a ton, I just knew something was wrong! I told my ped. that she seemed lethargic! She wasn't... she was just calm and a great sleeper. They told me as long as she was growing, gaining weight, normal coordination and development, etc. that I should simply count my blessings. ;-) If it's only been a week or two for the heavy sleep, she may be going through a growth spurt. I remember mine being more sleepy than usual around 6 months or so... She could be worn out from watching/learning from all those big brothers, too! I wouldn't worry unless it continues for weeks and weeks or gets worse. She's probably just developing mentally and physically and worn out with it! But if you are really concerned, ask your doctor. Phone calls are free!!

How long did it take your bullfrog tadpole to change? Was it huge when you got it, or did you get it from an egg? I'm considering trying to raise a bullfrog next year, if I can find some!