Hi All! I really need to exercise and am looking for a good DVD program that I could do at home. I've tried some "Crunch" videos on Netflix and...well...not a huge fan. What is your favorite exercise DVD program? I want something that really gets the heart rate up - the equivalent of a gym class at home. Aerobics are a definite, but some weights and pilates would be nice too. Any ideas? Isn't there a something something 90? Or something? :001_smile: Thanks! P.S. My two young daughters have a strange fascination in watching me exercise...find it very amusing for some reason. :) SO, please no programs that have the pelvic region gyrating in, er, interesting ways....

Thanks, Bill! This is good to keep in mind considering I'm coming from the opposite approach. If anything, I think this will require more effort than before...but perhaps a more efficient use of that effort. You know - it was standard to take Algebra in 9th when I was growing up and I still ended up in Calculus as well. BUT, I actually live in CA, so I wonder if that makes a difference. I think I have to adhere to my state's standards...or DO I? :001_huh:

Wow, everybody. I come online today (on West Coast time!) and find a lot of great advice! These posts are well thought out and very encouraging. Thank you for taking the time to write them. Really. I'm starting to feel better and even....excited! I dove into the PM 2A HIG last night. You know you are a homeschooler when you spend Friday night curled up with math texts! :lol: Right off the bat was a review of how Singapore approaches addition and subtraction. It is soooooo radically different from how we've been working with numbers. I must say that that I looked up from my reading with little light bulbs blinking over my head. It just made sense. It's not how I learned math, but it made sense. And that made me excited. Per someone's suggestion, I'm going to start in 2A with my daughter and work on the new math strategies that stumped her on the placement exams. I'll retest at the end of summer and see where we are at. If we need to stay in 2A, so be it. You all have encouraged me enough that we can work through this, catch up, and hopefully eventually excel. I do really want to hit Algebra by 8th grade, if possible....that is the CA standard. Per further suggestions, I'm going to give Essentials a try and take a look at Miquon.....but one thing at a time. I've got to learn to transition to Singapore first! :tongue_smilie: Most importantly, per everyone's statements, I need to start reciting a new mantra to myself. It goes: "Mental Math Does Not Mean Drills. Mental Math Does Not Mean Drills. Mental Math Does Not Mean Drills." I can see that I really need to shift gears in my own thinking. :lol: I don't know if I'm ready to let go of math fact practice entirely, but I do see I need to re-prioritize how I approach it. Thanks again, thoughtful posters! And please, if anyone has anything further to add as we start this journey, please keep it coming!

Thanks, Bill. I haven't read it yet, but I remember that Cuisenaire Rod thread of which you speak. I'll take a look. This is probably a very wrong question to ask in the math world, but do those Miquon teacher books coordinate with specific lessons in the student materials or are they separate topical entities unto themselves? I'm coming from the Saxon world and a very detailed lesson order is what I'm used to. I already feel a little overwhelmed at letting go, but feel it is quite worth the attempt for my daughter's next year in PM 2A. Learning the method and style of TWO programs, however, especially if Miquon were to have very little structure, might throw me over the top! :blush: Any advice, Bill and others, to someone entering Singapore from a radically different program? Thanks!

So would Essentials really be a complete Kindergarten year? It looks so simple, with only two books - a whopping $20 for the entire year. If I were to go with Miquon, which "colors" or levels are appropriate for the K year?

This is encouraging too...thank you! I'm feeling much better about just starting where we are at and hopping to it and not worrying how it compares with other programs... Okay, so it sounds like I really shouldn't be comparing the levels of Singapore to other programs....which is helpful! I'm in CA also, so this news is especially good to know - thanks! Well, I'm referring to the "Primary Mathematics"....I think. :tongue_smilie: Singapore, Standards Edition. If I understand correctly, Math in Focus is a Singapore-like program using the same methods but put out by a different company and with a slightly different scope and sequence. I'm very new to the Singapore world myself, though, so take what I say with a grain of salt! :lol:

I feel like this is what started happening with my daughter...which is why we are drawn to Singapore as well. Are you using the Standards Earlybird or the Essentials? How is it working out? Thank you so much for your advice, BinahYeteirah. I'm realizing I need to redefine how I view "mental math". Up to this point, it has been the drill of math facts and I guess I'm having a hard time letting go. :blush: What you've said is reassuring! Thanks to everyone so far! I really need to hear that it is okay to be in 2A and that it will all work out. :blush: I already have the Standards Earlybird...should I be switching to Essentials, just do Memoria K's Rod and Staff for K, or stick with it? Do you guys have words of wisdom for a new Singapore user????

Well, that is encouraging. :001_smile: Thank you!

Hi All! So, we have been using Saxon for 4 years now and have decided it is time for a switch. I loathed the idea of switching maths, but my daughter has been miserable for a year. She was getting her work done and seemed to be doing well, but she was miserable. After a year of this misery, we thought it time to try something else. After a lot of research, hubby and I have decided to give Singapore a try. Well.....I'm nervous! And well, bummed. I've been using Saxon 3 for my daughter's 2nd grade year. She just took the placement test for Singapore and she placed in.....2A. :sad: We were using Saxon a year ahead and now I feel like I have to repeat 2nd grade all over again. What do I do with this? Do I need to try to play "catch-up" here? How would I do that without overwhelming my daughter with multiple lessons a day? Also, where, um, is the mental math in Singapore? I am used to skip counting and math fact practice all laid out for me and I guess I am going through withdrawal. I realize that Singapore math applies a far more conceptual approach. Indeed, it is what attracted us in the first place. But, I do feel there is a place for math fact and skip counting practice. I saw the mental math strips in the HIG...are those enough? What about skip counting? Where do I find skip counting? Additionally, I thought I'd start my soon-to-be Kindergartner in the Earlybird maths....is there ANY math fact practice in there????? I haven't seen it so far, but I might be missing something. I'm going to be using the Memoria Press K package and wonder if I should just use the Rod and Staff for that year and then start with Singapore 1A in first grade....would that be better? Help. This is a HUGE switch for me and I'm scared. I really want to give Singapore a try, but I'm scared.....isn't that silly of me? :leaving: Thanks!!!!!

I used to live in Orlando and, yes, the first week of July is crazy. The heat/humidity is horrid and you also run the risk of the daily afternoon thunderstorm. In addition, lines are very long. We once (never again!) attempted a July Disney World visit and spent 90 minutes in the sweltering sun, waiting for the 30-second Dumbo ride. We lived there and thought we had built up a resistance to the crowds and heat, but no, we were miserable. I highly recommend late January/early February. That is when the weather is beautiful and the lines are short.

It was nice to meet you, Dolphin! I'm the one that enjoys the decor as much as you do. :lol:

My daughter had one of those lumps, too. There was a technical name for it, but I forget what it is. Anyway, the lump was also only on one side and lasted for a couple of years. I would show a doctor, but it probably isn't anything to worry about.

I think I'm a box checker too! I'm finally admitting it and embracing it! :lol: I'm hoping to use Memoria K. For my third grader, I'm thinking about combining the Memoria 3rd Grade Pkg. and Sonlight Core D. I'd take out the Christian Studies, Greek Myths, and Math (we use diff. program) from Memoria and let Sonlight be my bible, history, fun readers, and read-alouds. Anyway, Sonlight might be a good program for a box-checker and I hope I'm not crazy for trying to combine it with Memoria! Hmmm...maybe I'm crazy? Another one is Heart of Dakota. I haven't used it, so I can't give an opinion, but I think it schedules in math, grammar, science, history, reading, etc. I'll be :bigear:

I would recommend Nancy Larson science. Everything you need comes in the kit and each lesson is laid out for you, including scripting. My daughter has really enjoyed it. They have a Level 3 course available, and maybe even a Level 4 coming out this summer. The customer service is excellent and, if you ask them, they will provide a list of complementary literature you could use that corresponds with each lesson.

:bigear: I'm considering the MP packages for next year as well...

Food, tickets to shows, and LOTS of clothes for the girls. Folks are so generous! A couple of years ago, our car died and we had no money to buy a new one. One week later, a family pretty much gave us a minivan. So, so generous! We are very thankful!

I'll offer some encouragement!! :D I'm in the middle of using 100EZ for the second time and it is working wonders once again! My eldest is now a highly competent reader that devours every book in sight. I am very thankful to 100EZ for starting her on that path. My youngest is doing just as well with the program and thrives on the regularity of its rhythm. She loves the silly pictures! I personally love that 100EZ is scripted. It gave me the direction and confidence that I needed to teach something as fundamental as reading. I know how to read, obviously :tongue_smilie:, but I wasn't sure I intuitively knew how to teach reading. Additionally, I think that 100EZ does an EXCELLENT job of teaching a child how to blend the sounds they learn. A very crucial skill. My children didn't encounter any difficulty in phasing out the visual crutches used in the program and actually found them helpful; again, especially in learning to blend each sound. However, I will admit that the difficulty in the lessons makes a big jump at around Lesson 50. I dealt with this by turning "100EZ Lessons" more into "150-200EZ Lessons". :lol: We would do the sounds/words portion one day, saving the story for the next. That seems to have kept the kiddos from getting overwhelmed. Also, we did follow up the program with Phonics Pathways to make sure all phonetic combinations were learned. But Phonics Pathways was such a breeze to use because my girls were already so learned in blending the sounds. So, all that to say....it worked for us!

I'll stand with you on this one! Up until one month ago, we lived in Florida where I would count the days until winter. The winter months meant a tiny respite from the continual oppressive heat. This year we celebrated Christmas with it being a toasty 85 degrees outside - yuck! We've since moved to Southern CA and I was SO hopeful for some cooler CA weather...meaning 50-60 degrees. :tongue_smilie: Nope. It's in the 80s. :glare: TOO WARM!!!! So. YES. I wish there had been more of a winter!!!

These are all very helpful posts, thank you! After entertaining the idea of allowing the kitties to be indoor/outdoor in CA, we've decided we just wouldn't be able to take that chance. It is just too urban and I think you guys are right - we might lose them, they might get sick, and they would have a heightened chance of being hit by the car. I'm also sensitive to what would be very-close-in-proximity neighbors who might not appreciate cats in their yard. Right now, we have lots of property where that hasn't been an issue, but alas SoCal is not known for being able to have "lots of property". :) These kitties will need to be indoor only. I tried introducing them to the indoors last night. Our female, who has been staring into my living room for years, immediately leaped in and enjoyed a dinner placed on our kitchen floor. I've opened our door again today and she has been either roaming the house or hanging out under my bed. She hasn't yet tried to go back outside, even with the door wide open. I'm thinking she will adjust to indoor life just fine and has actually been waiting for this moment. :lol: Now our male, on the other hand, is much more skittish. He isn't afraid of me at all, but he is nervous to enter the house. He will come if I sit by the door, but he only stays in the entrance. I think his adjustment will be the one to worry about. However, he is a wimp in general. He is my huge fluff ball that sat on my feet and cowered under my legs in fear of 4th of July fireworks. It could be that he is just nervous in regards to new things, but would actually adjust to indoor life very well. He IS very lazy. And he is the one that would benefit the most from coming inside. He is our kitty that has been chased by dogs and who has had trips to the vet. I really would like to spare him from these things. Many of you have warned that outdoor kitties will NOT like to be indoors and we are taking that to heart. We are going to try to make this adjustment with "eyes wide open". I AM hopeful, though. My sister has just allowed 11 practically feral kitties into her home and they seem to be adjusting...I think. :tongue_smilie: I would love to hear more advice on how to go about this transition from those of you that have posted success...or not success! We are thinking we should bring them in now, before the move. Perhaps a move AND new life could be too much. Our current house isn't very conducive to indoor kitties, but we are willing to try. Now, in regards to the declawing. I should have known this would spark some strong feelings. I really do appreciate your opinions and will continue to research this. Our vet did say that they DON'T use the "guillotine" style...no amputation of digits. I have known many kitties that are happy indoor cats...with no claws. And I PLEASE don't want my husband to be the bad guy...I don't think I posted well earlier. He has made declawing a condition to coming inside. I want to consider his wishes and really, I agree with where he is coming from. I'm on his side here. I don't think declawing my kitties and allowing them to live in the lap of luxury, no longer being chased by dogs, will be torture. :) With that said, I AM very interested in this softpaws thing. Especially if this is something the vet takes care of. I did some research last night on do-at-home nail caps and read reviews of struggling to keep those caps on. If a vet can do a professional adhesive that lasts months however....well, that is worth consideration. I'll talk to the vet today about it. Thank again, everyone!

Enjoy the day at Magic Kingdom! We live in Orlando and it can be done in a day. One way we try to help the line-waiting situation is to grab any fast passes for rides like Space Mountain (which can have up to a two-hour wait!) AND we try to go on popular rides earlier in the day. We can zip through Haunted Mansion or Thunder Mountain first thing in the morning, whereas you will have a 45-min. wait by mid-day. Also, this isn't going to be helpful for the budget, but I've just GOT to recommend it. There is one show in Orlando that I think is absolutely worth every penny. It isn't cheap, but just so so so good. Cirque du Soliel's "La Nouba". It is in Downtown Disney and it's amazing. I would even recommend it over Magic Kingdom, but I don't know how your kiddos would react to that! :001_smile:

Our vet actually will declaw the kitties. In fact, their own many kitties are declawed. So that part isn't a problem. I'm not sure if imposition is the right word, but you are right that we have concerns over our various options here. I love our kitties and want the best, but I also love my husband and want him to be happy as well. :tongue_smilie: He is totally open to allowing them inside...if they are declawed. I'm trying to figure out what the best scenario is here. But you are right - I wonder, as much as I love them, if a new home where they will be more free is better? Or should I risk an indoor/outdoor arrangement with them declawed? It sounds like maybe my outdoor kitties might not transition well to indoor-only. My male cat especially...then again, he is totally a lazy blob and might love the indoor life. You guys can obviously tell I'm having a bit of trouble hammering a decision down here! Thank you for all of these thoughts, ladies. I've been in conflict over this for a while and really need to make a decision on how to proceed.

Hmmm....I appreciate this opinion as well. I've wondered if my cats are an annoyance to others. I'll have to take this into consideration with our decision...

That seems to be a piece of wisdom many are saying. Someone mentioned that declawed cats CAN go outdoors - that it is their hind legs they use for self defense. Is this so? I respect the opinions of those against declawing, but my husband is MUCH more open to allowing them indoors if their front nails are gone. I would like to at least offer the kitties the option to come inside, so....

Ah, profound. A cucumber can always become a pickle, but alas, a pickle can never return to being a cucumber. :001_smile: You guys really have me wondering if they would like the indoors. Our female always sits at our glass door and stares longingly into our living room. Our male, however, I only see at mealtime. He then goes to his secret outdoor-kitty lair for the remainder of the day. He DOES stay on the porch at night, so they might both appreciate the option to be inside at night. HOWEVER, I also appreciate the reasons to keep them indoor-only. They would stay clean, no fleas, no cat-spread illnesses, etc. ARG! What to do, what to do....

This is very helpful, thank you! Another question. Our home in CA will be on a much busier street and with a much smaller yard. Our backyard is up against our detached garage and then an alley. Is this going to be a safe enough environment for the cats being outdoors? This is one of our concerns and why we were considering the indoor-only option. What say you?