[How many of you homeschool lots of kids? How do you manage it?]

It IS so frustrating when you want to do so many things and all of them good!

 

A few things that have worked for us over the years--I know some of these were probably already mentioned above, so bear with me.

 

-- Really, really weigh the activity you are doing with the amount of "good" it does you. We tried the co-ops and had a hard time with them. It is not fun putting on shoes and getting ready to go somewhere, having kids hungry and tired when you get home. Nothing was worth that amount of pain to me:) I remember thinking that I could sit down and learn the Latin with them instead of driving to a class--so I did. It hurt my brain, but life was less chaotic:)

 

--If you can, do all your running around/music lessons etc. in ONE day (see above regarding the shoes, hungry kids and tired ones above)

 

--Pay for the driver's ed class (we have to here in OH or they have to wait until they are 18) and let those older ones do some driving. If you have a driver, suddenly life gets a bit easier.

 

--Have lots of learning toys and activities for the younger kiddos. My younger ones have always learned a lot from playing with puzzles, listening to tapes, using math manipulatives and so on.

 

--Use nap time to help with one on one instruction. So quiet!

 

--Assign older children to read to a younger one. This helps the little one and the older child gets reading practice.

 

--The last one. Ugh. This one hurts. Try hard to stay off the computer!! I don't know about you, but once I get on I may as well kiss an hour or two goodbye. When life gets hectic for me and I feel like I'm not getting much done it usually directly relates to the time I'm spending on my computer. Sniff, that one hurts;)

 

I know you've heard this a bazillion times, but life with young ones goes by so fast . . .

[What is your favorite spelling program for Middle school?]

Phonics Zoo by IEW!

 

This is our first year using it and it has really worked for us. Not as much busywork and more audio.

 

It is pretty expensive (but non consumable) but they give a money back guarantee! Not too shabby:)

 

Angie

who has used many, many spelling programs:)

[What to see in the Flagstaff, AZ area?]

If you can, you've got to go to Sedona's Slide Rock Park.

 

It is GREAT fun!! It is a river, but this particular section is shallow with lots of large, flat rocks that you can get in the water and "slide".

 

Oh, we had lots and lots of fun when we went there. In fact, my boys would like to go there again, but they could pass up the Grand Canyon. The only thing you may want to watch is the temperature. We went in May and it was warm enough, but if it was going to be chilly when you visit, it may not be so fun being cold and wet.

 

Have a wonderful time. Out west is so different than here in the midwest.

 

oh, I would also second someone's suggestion above about the Lowell Observatory. The museum was not that great. Very small, but you'll have to see if you can go look through the telescopes at night. We got to see Saturn's rings and two of Jupiter's moons. I don't know what you'd be able to see now, but it was a great experience for us living in all the light polution!

 

Angie

An ohio gal