I stayed at a condo through Storytime last time we were at Disney. We loved Windsor Hills so much we thought it would be fun to come back and just stay at the resort. So, since we are not going to Disney this time, we'd like a bigger home since they are the ones with bigger pools.

Thank you so much for all your advice! :thumbup1: Happy Summer!

I am interested in staying at Windsor Hills or Windsor Palms the next time we are in Orlando. Last time I rented through Storytime as was recommended here. They were great, but they do not have availability for the time we want to go. There are SO MANY companies in Orlando that you can rent from. I am worried that some may not be as reliable as others. So, I'm hoping for recommendations here. Have you stayed at Windsor Hills or Windsor Palms in Orlando/Kissimmee? What company did you rent through? How was your experience? I know that some use VRBO. I'm thinking that since that is just through the owner you could get a mix of experiences. If you used VRBO, which owner did you find reliable/which home did you rent? Thanks for any advice! Kimberly

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this!!!! A very true point and one that I had never heard expressed that way! I think my perfectionist self doesn't like this truth. I want to find a way to "do it all". It is an important reminder that we can't and to pick life based on our values, not on a delusional perfectionism. Thanks SO MUCH for sharing. If I need this, I'm guessing others may too! I'm definitely sharing this! :001_smile:

Thanks! I'll look for that book!

Thanks! I'd value your ideas WAY ABOVE 2 cents! I LOVE the part I bolded! I think that is great advice!

Shamless bump, hoping for insights! :D :bigear: :bigear: :bigear:

I'm speaking this Monday night at our local homeschool support group. Here's the description of what I'll be talking about that was put in our newsletter: "Do you ever wonder if you have made the right decision for your kids when you decided to homeschool? Do you ever worry about whether you are cheating them in some way on their education? What about their socialization?" If you were speaking on this topic, what would you say? Do you know of any links to research on the topic of socialization I can add? Or any other kind of research that helps support the decision to homeschool? I'd also like to give them some responses to give to doubters that they talk to, you know - those relatives that want to support you but are really worried your "messing up your kids future!" :glare::001_smile: I think sometimes we have doubts because others doubt us. Knowing what to say to them boosts our own confidence. So, what do you say when someone questions your decision to homeschool? What do you say about the "socialization" concerns? What about other questions that come up - like "how are you going to teach Calculus?" What questions do you get from others, and how do you respond? Any insight you have will really help! I am really hoping to encourage people who may be needing it. Thanks!

:( Believing for you that your 55 year old self will look back at your 35 year old self and see how much better things became, and how - somehow - it was worth it all. Praying for that! Your post is a reminder to be grateful. Sometimes I get pouty and I forget that others have much more difficult things to deal with than me. My heart goes out to you tonight.

Best quote of the thread! :lol: I think you have summed it up perfectly! :D

Oh my! Now I'll HAVE to go there! :001_smile:

Ok! I'll bite! (no pun intended) Why should I not ask for ketchup at the Whispering Canyon Cafe?

Jennifer, I was going back through this thread and writing down everyone's suggestions on one piece of paper so I can figure out which one got the most votes, when I saw this post. I MISSED it somehow, the first time around!!!! We are going to be there for 7 days. Thanks so much for answering about the shows. It is much needed information! Sorry I didn't notice it earlier! :D

Urpedonmommy, since this thread has been brought back up again, I just want you to know. I have thought SO much about your post. I have actually quoted it to many friends and family. It has really brought me peace. You have helped me put my unrealized dreams into perspective. You reminded me that I am here because, in part, I chose to be here. I chose to sacrifice for my children. I chose to make my life more about their needs than my own ambitions. Also, I love the part about moving forward means closing another door, and doing something well means doing other things poorly. This is why I have made the choices that I have made. This is why I am here instead at the top of some social mountain. I now have peace in the valley, thanks to you. I can not thank you enough for your wonderful, thoughtful post. (I hope you see this).

Good quote! I agree. Maybe life is also about us rising above any "mistakes" our parents may have made. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in trying to do this thing perfectly. But, overcoming some of the imperfect things my parents (who were wonderful, and certainly tried their best) did has made me stronger and has given me new perspectives in life.

Wow! Your oldest is so far ahead!!!! :001_smile: I'm jealous! :001_smile: I think you are right. Two hours is overkill. I just had my good friend, Alison in KY, call me and talk to me about this thread. She pointed out that I am doing so many things in Math EVERY DAY that could be done less often and still have good results. To give you an idea of what I mean, I was doing ALL the flashcards (I have a set that has every single multiplication problem 1 - 12) most days. Then, if my son missed one, it was put in the back of the stack and we'd keep going through the stack until he was done. She recommended that I pick 10 flashcards a day instead of doing the entire stack all the time. There were other things that I was doing as well that just made it too long of a lesson. The Abeka video is killing us. But it is killing me to know that I spent $300 on it and I have to return it by the end of the year. So, if I slow down and don't finish, then what!? Alison gave me some ideas on that too. I think I just need to let good enough, be good enough. I try too hard for complete mastery of EVERY. SINGLE. CONCEPT. OF. EVERY. SINGLE. SUBJECT. Need to change my focus and remember what is really important, and what can be let go of. Thanks so much to Alison and to everyone who posted here. I SOOOOOO needed some perspective. What would I do without wonderful people like you all to give me some! ;) :D

Great post! I think you are right. I think this is exactly what I need to do. It's nice to know that others have been there, done that and have come out on the other side with a better answer.

You can do Math 3 days a week and get it done? I LOVE and NEED that idea, but to be honest, it sounds too good to be true. Math seems like one of those things that has to be done every day. It is the one regulator I use as an indicator to me if I am "keeping up" or "falling woefully behind." My dd12 is using Abeka's Math on DVD. It is supposed to be a 50 min. program/day. She has to pause it though to catch up with them as they go. Then there is homework on top of that. I timed her (and watched her to be sure she was honestly staying on task). It took her 2 hours to do her Math! I teach my other two. I'm sure I'm doing way too much, but I'm not good at seeing what I can leave out. It takes 30 min. - 1 hr. to teach each kid, and then they have about 30 min. of homework after that. I really do feel like Math is important. But to be honest, it seems like it is getting a disproportionate amount of focus to how important I see other subjects, or the direction in life it seems my children are heading. I only have one child (my dd7) who is the Math/Science kind of kid. My oldest two are much more language/ideas/creativity oriented. To spend 1 1/2 hrs - 2 hrs EVERY day/ 5 days a week when I never get to teach other subjects, just seems out of proportion to its importance. BUT, I don't know how to "tame the beast" so to speak. Math is so (oh shoot! What's that word? You know, how one layer has to be laid before the next can begin?), well, whatever that word is - Math is so that! :tongue_smilie: :D. I want my kids to be "on track". I don't want my dd12 to hit Highschool and not be ready for Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry. Also, Math is one of those things that have a measuring stick. You KNOW if you are at a certain level in Math. In History or Science, if my kids don't know something that a ps student knows, I can just tell myself- or someone else - that we are studying something different in those fields and just haven't gotten there yet. I can't do the same with Math. I would so much rather have 3 days of Math and have the other days to explore Science, Writing, Art, Literature, etc, etc. How do you do it?

Rebecca, this is a great idea! I have thought about using the timer before. Especially for Math. I get going in Math with the lesson, flashcards, speed drills, going over homework problems missed....and soon an hour has passed! Then they still have 30 min. of homework on top of that! Yikes! In the b&m schools they have a bell that forces Math to end and make room for other subjects. I'm thinking you are right. I need this "bell" in my school!

Thanks! I do have a lot of re-thinking to do. *sigh* I thought I did all of that thinking last Spring when I bought all this stuff for school. I guess it is just a process of constantly re-looking at what you are doing and changing what isn't working. This doesn't come easy for me. I tend to be a perfectionist in this area. I invest HOURS AND HOURS of time researching curriculum and planning. To realize, now, that it is too much and that I have to re-think it all..... Well, let me just say, that pill doesn't go down so smooth!;) But, it must be done. And I do know there will be more peace on the other side - AND more enjoyment of school again. I can already see that, if I stay on this path, it will be that enjoyment that suffers most!

I've been praying for you a lot. It has really touched me what you are going through. I will definitely be praying for you and everyone who loves your wonderful friend tomorrow. :grouphug:s.

No flames here! Except directed at you MIL in your honor! :tongue_smilie: I'd be frustrated too. It seems so controlling. I would not like that. Sorry you have to deal with this. :grouphug:

It DOES help!!! You really helped me to clear the fog. Oh, it is so hard to let go of good stuff! But I think you are so right. I need to just pick one or the other. I like the idea of a reading time. We could all read, and that way I can be sure they are focused. (instead of off in another room daydreaming instead of reading while I'm trying to teach Math to a sibling). If I knew they were focused and really reading, then I could feel good that whatever they could get done in that set time would be just the amount they needed. As a previous poster said, I need to teach the child, not the curriculum. I'm thinking now that maybe I have let WP and SL have too much power in the dictation of how much is enough. Thanks so much for the advice. I soooooo appreciate everyone who has been kind enough to help! :) As I said before, you are all :Angel_anim:s in my book!

That is very wise advice. I need to print that out and stick it to my mirror! Thanks for sharing it! :001_smile:

Sounds good. The problem is, Sonlight is one of the most intensive programs I have! Do you do Sonlight for all your kids? It has so much reading! It's one of the hardest ones to keep up with. Especially if you are following their History, Science and Language!