I'm not there yet, but as someone who learned cursive (long ago) but still greatly prefers printing, I would say that he should use what is legible and comfortable. I do believe all kids need to learn cursive, if only to read others' writing.

I'm not there yet, but as a person who learned cursive long ago but still greatly prefers printing, I would let him do what is legible and comfortable. I do think it is important to know cursive, if for no other reason than to read others' writing.

First Ds (now 8) has always disliked worksheets. I put the worksheety stuff away. Second DS (now 5)...loves them! We do RS as our primary math and he says, "If I do this, can I please do pages in Singapore?" He eats up ETC. As a treat, we let him get those generic first grade workbooks at Costco. He spent his birthday money on workbooks at Barnes and Noble (wonder what the saleslady thought when he annonced, "My Mommy won't buy these for me with ehr money.") I have given up. Different strokes, etc. He still sits in on all our CM reading, does our art and composer studies, learns poems and folk songs. Guess I'll be happy with that. My question - should I ditch RS and just use Singapore for his primary math? He's flying through 1A.

My DS lost his already-very-loose tooth at the park when he fell. He wrote a note to the tooth fairy telling her what happened.

DS8 is not fond of chores. However, he is required to tidy room, pick up toys in living room/dining room/family room, feed and water dog (2x/day), wipe down his and brother's bathroom in-between major cleanings (that means about every 2 days), clean windows and mirrors (loves this job), sort clothes for wash, fold/put away own clothes and towels from wash, and help with yardwork (pick up yard, haul clippings, pull weeds). Other miscellaneous stuff as needed. DS5 likes chores. He has to tidy room, pick up toys elsewhere, set table, fold/put away own clothes, and empty dishwasher. He can't actually put some of the bowls and plates away (too high) but I discovered it is still a big help to have everything stacked on the counter where I just have to lift it up.

I solemnly told them it is a day set aside for people to be especially diligent about their work and strive to do it extra-well. So we did a lot of work, and they actually paid extra attention! I suppose I get an "F" for social studies, failing to tell my kids the true meaning of the holiday.

Prior to DC, our parents expected us to go home every Christmas. It was a 3-4 hour drive in good weather over mountain passes to DH's family, another 2 hours further to mine. It being December, it usually took hours longer. We went, doing this juggling thing between houses, even when the passes were a blizzard...even when I was having a very bad time during my first pregnancy...even when we really didn't want to (lots of negative stuff at my family's). The instant first DS was born we let both families know that we would be starting our own Christmas traditions at our own home. No packing up little ones for a difficult trip, no missing out on our own place. Our DC would wake up in their own beds and come down wide-eyed to the tree they had decorated and the train Daddy had set up overnight. But our parents were welcome to come here! The families grumbled but, gee, they were too busy with their stuff to come here. 'Nuff said. I voted "every 5 years" just because I imagine that someday we might go. But we never have.

stories from his child! I think it is cool that he is aware enough to consider this!

My DS8 was a consistent bed-wetter until 7-1/2, but it didn't bother him at all (we stayed very low key) and just woke me to take care of everything. DS5 has been dry for a year but occasionally has an accident. I would be happy to help him at night but, like your DS, he is mortifed and doesn't want anyone to know. I made sure there were wet wipes in the bathroom and showed him how to do a good job cleaning himself and how to put his wet clothing in one of the sinks with water. Then, I suggested he grab his pillow and some of him many blankets and make a nest on the floor until morning (sleeping in a "nest" is a family treat, at least for the boys.) In the morning, he quietly pulls off the sheets, puts them in the washer, and whispers to me. Again, I would be happy to wake and do this, but he wants to pretend it didn't happen and I'm willing to be part of the charade.

I drink a variety of teas and coffees, but you might like Market Spice or something similar. It doesn't have sugar but the spice seems sweet and satisfies that craving for me.

We usually do some family things and some separate things on weekends. For example, yesterday the boys and I went to a folk music festival for 4 hours, and the rest of the day they did Legos, scooters, what not. Today, it was a bday party for all of us for 2 hours, and Legos (them) and reading (me) the rest of the day. Okay, I occasionally refereed. Many weekends (like next weekend) our whole family goes camping together. We happen to be meeting up with some other families this time, so the adults can get together while the kids play. Usually, its just our family. I don't think my folks ever "played" with us or took us much of anywhere on weekends when I was growing up. We ran wild in the neighborhood. But I remember envying families that "did things" together -even - gasp!- played board games together. I remember playing Monopoly and backgammon by myself (kind of defeated any strategic efforts) because no one else would play. I think if everyone is content, whatever works is perfect for a family. And I want one of those shirts - mom, not cruise director. Because there are times....

Okay, maybe not. One DS (now 8) never had a problem with this, he was happy to read books or play quietly in his room. Second DS (now 5) has always had a problem with this and would constantly sneak out. Books on tape became the answer for him - he loves them, and only gets to listen during his room quiet time.

Saying prayers for your mom - after surviving Katrina but losing so much, she doesn't need another disaster.

I was like this as a kid - I had a whole imaginary world for years, only I was the only "real" person in it (much older than sibs). And I grew up to be, well, fairly normal. But I still have a hyper imagination. My two DS have imaginary play going on all the time, also - there's is a long, involved, ongoing space saga that, yes, starts at the breakfast table each day. ("So, Captain Max, any signs of the fleet overnight?") I truly believe that heavy doses of TV and video games have sucked the imagination from most kids these days, and I wonder who will become our imaginative, creative scientists, inventors, innovators, and leaders in the future. Tell them their characters need to rest up for the next day, and know you are blessed.

nm

Read the responses, hoping for enlightenment, but didn't find it. I have two DS, 8 and 5. They love each other, have common interests, can be playing cooperatively (if loudly) for an hour and then....one says something that sets the other off (sometimes intentional, sometimes not) and within seconds it is warfare. The consequence is separate time in rooms, but they quickly sneak out to be together again. Argh!! I agree with another poster in that for us, it seems that too much time together can make it worse...with the caveat that sometimes, the oppostie is true!

I'd post pics of my living room, but the Lego chaos there is rather embarassing. That's where we do reading, oral work, and sometimes writing while laying on the floor. And I'd post pics of the kitchen table, where we do a lot of our seatwork, art projects, and science projects, but the leftover pizza on the table is also embarassing.:001_smile: Sometimes I look at these pics and envy the wonderful learning rooms, complete with white boards, maps, organized book areas, etc. Then I realize we probably would still migrate to the heart of our home, the kitchen/dining/living room area, so the lovely room would be unused. P.S. DH does wish that our dining room didn't have to be decorated with maps of the ancient world.

Hi Michelle, I'll second Jessica - it depends on the child, in particular, where they are in terms of reading and writing skills going into first. For example, my DS had just finished Phonics Pathways and was reading Magic Treehouse books going into first, but hated writing. Our first grade curriculum consisted of... ETC 6, 7, 8 Spelling Workout A/B (skipped many of the more trivial exercises but he loved it) FLL (part 1) - skipped writing exercises D'Naelian practice book (just a little each day) Righstart Math B, first half of C (loved it) SM Challenging Word problems (1st half) REAL Science Earth Science SOTW 1 - oral narrations, lots of projects (and we spent so long on Egypt that we didn't finish and are just now on Ancient Rome) Random art projects - we do a lot "Composer of the quarter" using Classical Kids cds and various books Piano lessons Swim team (PE) Lots of independent reading and readalouds When I list it out, it seems like we did a lot! But somehow there was still plenty of time for one day of co-op, park days, field trips, and Legos. Very best wishes!

about letting your dog "roam free," especially since he likes herding. I don't know about the laws in PA, but in Oregon and Washington, a dog that tries to herd a neighbors cows or sheep is confiscated and must either be euthanized or sent to live elsewhere. The herding is viewed as a threat to the livestock. I've had to be careful with my little Aussie when we head out to the farmlands. You might want to check, especially since the farm thing is new to you. But the acreage sure sounds nice!

My FIL began to lose his mental faculties about 5 years ago. In one short year he went from needing someone come in a couple days a week to round-the-clock in-home care. The in-home care was quite expensive (you essentially have 4 full-time caregivers working shifts) but became impossible when he became combative and hurt one woman when she tried to bathe him (bathing became a huge issue). Medication options to control extreme behavior are limited outside of a nursing home, so we were finally forced to go that route. It wasn't an easy thing, and even though it is a "nicer" place, I still find it a very sad place. I think many people find the same thing - physical or mental issues become prohibitive at home.

Been there done that. The ottoman idea seemed so comfy and cute, but the reality of the tray was that as soon as someone bumped it red wine/Legos/dominos/the board game pieces went flying. And it got bumped. A lot. Easily. I'd like to say it was a result of little boys, but the red wine was a grownup friend. Ottoman now resides beside the couch, table in front.

Don't get me started on FIAR. I don't know who cried "Uncle" faster, me or DS. Again, although there were many books we read over and over, there were few from FIAR that we could do more than 2 or 3 days in a row. Thanks for letting me know there's a no-unit-studies club!

I love the idea of unit studies. I've tried to get into true blue units studies, the kind where every subject from math to lit to art to PE is tied in to the subject. I bought Amanda Bennett's Olympics unit study, thinking, "Maybe if someone else lays it out for me." I can't do it. I like themes for our reading, writing, and projects - we did someone else's theme schedule for SL pre-K, and as we've gone through K, 1st, and now 2nd we tie lots of our reading and projects to a theme (for 1st and 2nd, it's been wherever we are in SOTW and science). But the whole tie in of math and grammar and such starts to feel artifical to me. Just let me do our math program, spelling program, FLL, thanks. I feel like I'm being a boring homeschooler. Please tell me I'm not alone!

I've tried planning out each day 1-2 weeks in advance. The problem is that half the days, I am the one who doesn't really want what was planned for that night. Some days I really just want a big tasty ceasar salad, others I want pasta, others I want something spciy like Thai-something. And I really don't know until afternoon. Guess that's the problem with having 15 years of single adulthood prior to marriage/kids, where I could plan dinner at 5 pm. Obviously, I spoiled myself.

We are suburbanites whose only pets are dogs, but we've gone without fail since before the DC were born. And every year I have petted every single horse in the multiple horse barns (much to DH's dismay). Now, every year my DS wants to pet every single goat in the goat barns (much to my dismay). When he was 4 we "lost" him for a moment, and found him lying on the dirty, dusty, hay-strewn floor cuddles against the cutest little Nubian goat. We go early to "do" the animals and 4-H displays before it is too hot. Eat lunch, browse a little more, and never even stay for rides. Love the fair, looking forward to going next week!