We had a some friends visit for a couple of days. My friend is a ps teacher and her son is 8yr, going into 3rd grade. My 6yr and him were collecting rocks and chatting about their finds. The topic came up about whether rocks were alive. He said yes rocks were alive, what? I explained they were not and gave several measurements to find out if something was alive or not. Well my 6yr pipes in and says "well, at one time if it was a fossil, it did hold something that was alive." Smarty pants. Of course, my friend's head whipped around to her. I told my daughter to quiet down and under her breath she says "I showed him my fossils but he was unimpressed." Later this same child said that fruit were really vegetables because they had seeds, again, what? I just don't get it.......how could he be so wrong yet his mother is a teacher? My friend and I discussed problems with the public school system. She reported that kids are passed on from grade to grade even though some should fail, parents pushing kids into TAG type programs (advanced) when not warranted and kids lacking in basic skills. I have been reading "The Conspiracy of Ignorance" and Martin Gross's overview of the pubic school system was confirmed by my friend's teaching experiences. I am a little dumbfounded. I knew ps was lacking but I just didnot know by how much. Additonally, my daughter is participating in a science camp designed for 1st graders in Sept. It has been a waste of our $135 and really is a sciency daycare program. My husband is throwing up his hands saying that we could have bought several books/materials with that money instead. I thought a class from a Science Museum would not be dumbed down, I was wrong. I am getting the message however it is hard to hear.

I was looking for a place to discuss opportunities for gifted children who are participating in service projects that better the world in some way. I found examples from the academic competitions listed on the Duke University website. I believe every child gifted or not, has a responsibility to better the world in their own way, of course! Many people on this particular site refer to their children as gifted, so I thought I could safely ask the question. I didnot realize that others could take this concept so in the wrong direction either stating that gifted children shouldn't be expected to better the world or that in some way parents are pushing them to better the world when it would not be good for them.

Afghans to Afghans- love your service project! Doing a little research tonight and found out more about the President's Volunteer Service Award, given to youth who have done 100 or more hrs of volunteer work in a year. Please pass along to those youth who could be celebrated for their service.

You are all right, a child does not have to be gifted to serve their community/humanity/world but I am curious how gifted children serve...looking for unique ideas here. Is there a platform/forum for kids like there is for adults, i.e,TED? I am not suggesting a discussion on what kids should or should not be doing with their gifts but rather what has been celebrated or accomplished. Looking for a website/group of parents with children who are accomplishing outstanding, innovative, global minded service projects who are willing to share their gifts and talents.

Sorry if you were upset with my thoughts on this subject. I did make the assumption that most parents want their children to strive towards bettering the world in some way. I was looking for ideas of how other parents have helped their children with community service projects. I recently read an article about two gifted brothers (7&8yrs) who helped organize packaged food items for children of Tanzania. This website may be the wrong place for such discussions. Is anyone aware of a website for gifted children who want to serve humanity?

There is a lot of discussion of children's giftedness, how much they are gifted and testing questions on this site. I am often disappointed that there is not more discussion about what will our children do with their giftedness. I know that for my dd6 things come easy, she is accelarated maybe even slightly gifted but the question keeps coming back to me as her parent/teacher -what can she do with this? How can I help her strive to do something noble? Something good for humanity? All the curriculum in the world can't help me with this question. I really would like to hear more from everyone about how their children shape the world......how are they changing it?

I have not had my dd6 tested but she is accelerated. She read early however she is a detail person, she sees the small in everything (eye spy kind of stuff, likes a microscope). I don't know if "attention to detail" has something to do with early reading or not but my oldest 7dd has a difficult time seeing the details and she is a late reader....just my theory. There is a wide range with regards to learning to read and many kids make tremendous progress (moving grade levels) in short periods of time. My dd6 taught herself (she just showed me one day) to write her own name when she was 2yrs, began reading at three (listening to older child's lessons and wanting to be apart of things) but did not "take off" reading until she was 5yrs. She still suprises me with words she can already read. Large chapter books still make her uncomfortable (the size) however it is the content of the story she is wanting so her curiosity is bound to get the better of her. My 7dd is slowly learning to read but I am so proud of her (she was a preemie, our miracle baby).

Thank you everyone.....many options to choose from. My 6dd turned her nose up to the books she picked out with the librarian and chose "Because of Winn-Dixie" which we had at home. I think her picks will just be that. Mom, along for the ride. P.S. Warriors books proved to be a little too hard at this point in time but she is saving it for "when she is a older."

We went to the library today to find my new dd6yr books. She has been reading the "MagicTree House" books but has lost some interest. The librarian had her read a little from several books and together they chose: "Sarah, Plain and Tall," "Forever Amber Brown," and from the Secrets or Droon "Journey to the Volcano Palace." She is comfortably reading at a 3rd grade level. Can anyone suggest any book series for her? She is interested in cats, dogs, jokes, and science. I have read her many of the "favorites or classic children's" books so am needing other suggestions. I don't want to push her too much out of her comfort zone just yet with a higher level reader(except when she reads to me). However, she picked out on her own the "Warrior" books about cats but I think it may be a bit of a challenge.

Thanks everyone! I went ahead and purchased FFL-excited to get started!

My mother-n-law (former teacher) is gently pushing me to teach grammar/writing with my two dds (gr 1/2 next year). I am not in a hurry to introduce a program but I would like to know my options. Can anyone recommend a program? We are totally green in this subject area. Thanks!

Sorry but I did not read all the previous posts however I have a question. In any given ps class, how many kids are reading "their grade level?" I am a little dumbfounded to think that a 2nd grader for instance, would be only reading a 2nd grade reader. Really??? Are most kids having a difficult time reading so little? Maybe I have become a jaded homeschool mother or something.

My next door neighbor told me I would be a great homeschool teacher when my children were infants. I thought she was nuts. I did not know anything about homeschooling however she had homeschooled both her children from 1st-12th grade. My 7yrdd was born premature with speech delays/learning disabilities and so in working with the specialists we enrolled her in special ed preschool. It became apparent that their expectations of her were way too low. I began to notice that shortly after sharing "what we were doing at home school stuff" the teacher promptly began copying my projects with her class. I pretty much decided that if she was copying my teaching, then why would I need my daughter away from me with those that thought she could do less? So we opted out of special ed kindergarten. Not only am I reclaiming an education on her behalf, I am also saving her from experiencing crushing peer abuse. She can remain to be the happy, confident learner safe at home. I never considered sending my other daughter (just turned 6yrdd) to public school. She would be bored out of her mind and frustrated as well. She would probably shrink to fit in or become a trouble maker or both. I don't think my oldest will ever want to go to ps but I worry sometimes that my youngest may in the future. I hope to homeschool them thru 12th, just like my neighbor. Her and I still talk about how silly I reacted to her encouraging me to homeschool. People often come into our lives to lend a hand when we don't even know we need one.

I needed to hear I wasn't alone...everyone gave some helpful tips, thank you. We are winding down from all of our extra classes next week. I think I am just burnt out this time of year and need a week off. Additionally, my oldest daughter is graduating from college next week so we are busy planning a dinner party, moving her belongings, dealing with family guests, her plans for the summmer, etc. Of course her venturing off into the world is bringing up my old dreams for myself. For now, I have decided to explore women's classic literature (read all their works)....so Edith Wharton, Bronte Sisters, Jane Austin, (to name but a few) here I come!

I am needing a little advice/support regarding balancing my time vs the kid's time spent on pursuing their interests. Being a homeschool mom can be all consuming, not only am I answering questions/researching, traveling all around town to dance/piano/chess/library/swimming classes and various field trips, I am also trying to homeschool! My life is filled with my children which is wonderful but at the same turn I am somehow getting left out of the equation. A simple example of basic self care (low on the totem pole): last night we had "beauty night"; I washed the girls hair, put on lotion, brushed hair, painted their toe and finger nails but forgot to do me! I don't want to become a martyr. I gave up a career and graduate school to homeschool my girls. I often turn to those fantasies of "what could have been?" but then quickly think how my children would be if they had attended public school. The more I read, hear public school stories from parents, the more I know I've made the right decision. But here in lies the problem, how do I give myself the space to fullfill my dreams while being a homeschool mother? Waiting until my children are grown and out of the house seems too long to wait. Anyone else struggling with this?

Do you know of any seasoned homeschool mothers in your immediate area you could consult with? Face to face consulting and reviewing curriculum with another homeschool mother can be liberating. It is time to call in those experienced mothers for support! Additionally, considering your whole family's horrific experience with public school, a little vacation from "school" is needed. I would recommend taking the summer off....just make the library your second home, go on those walks/hikes, plant a garden, have playdates and get recharged. Your family needs room for healing and you also need time to be at peace. God never tests us beyond our limits so give yourself permission to reflect and breathe.

I am not a fan of the Junie B Series either and my kids have also been turned off just because I found it so difficult to read to them. Books I choose for read alouds are mostly Newberry Award winners or old time favorites. A steady "language rich diet" of well written stories help our young children develop an appreciation of literature. Instead of being TV focused, children who have been read to and love reading make (unrequested) associations between various book characters/stories that add to their understanding of morality, people, culture, and events. There is nothing like a good book, to get lost in another world and to be shaped by another's experience. I do think as parents we can guide our children to rich literature but I also believe they become capable of choosing for themselves.

however the book choice fight might be saved for when they pick something that is truely not good for them to read at such a young age. Once my dd started reading, I went through my bookshelf and pulled some Women Studies books down along with some criminalogy books from college. I have to be careful for my dd will often ask me, "so, what is that book about?" when I am reading something from Toni Morrison. I donot want her reading my books. The princess, fairy stage is just that. Our kids are exposed to such wonderful children's literature (read alouds) which in turn creates an appetitie for well written material so no worries, she will move away from the others.

I find it also hard to explain that we do school for 2 1/2-3hrs a day to homeschool moms for they will say that my k should not be doing that much school. What? Also, reading to her for 1-2hrs is way too much. What? This kid has a mind of her own, she wanted to learn how to play chess and she requested to join a chess club at 3yrs, to play the violin at 4yrs, learn to swim at 4yrs (we had to gain special permission for some levels of swimming for she had to be 6yrs), learn chemistry at 5yrs and now joining a library book club. We started her in the chess club at 4yrs, she was the youngest participant. She is still wanting to learn violin and has already taken 2yrs of piano. We have started/stopped chemistry (my fault in not getting organized enough) and she will be attending her first book club in two weeks (she had to be 6yrs to join). Her latest request is to be in a play because she wants to be on stage (she has already been in several tap/ballet performances) and act/sing. How do you explain to people that it is your kid leading the way? Most people get it when they meet her not because she is showy but because she is just a strong individual. How do I keep up with her?

The kids are enjoying MEP and we have finished 6 lessons of 2A. I decided to catch them up on new concepts, as we move along, not covered in Singapore rather than taking a whole step back. I am not sure how to incorporate Singapore in without overloading the kids but will play with the idea a bit. MEP really makes sense to me, even more than Singapore. The only draw back to MEP is that it is not colored!

Keep up the good work!

I bought Cycles: Differentiated Curriculum 1-3 I have been reading thru the lessons and was suprised to find that we have covered these subjects however the tie into "cycles" is wonderful and worth the review. Cycles are a basic life thread. The additional extensions are where we may get our challenges or the "meat of the program," fun ideas though. I also bought Water Works K-1 I am still looking thru this one but so far it looks good and it is an indepth review of water however the first few lessons are a little repetitive for us since the girls are familiar with the scientific method. All in all it is a good find. I plan to introduce both these programs in a few weeks. They will be our Friday special projects activities. Anybody else giving them a try?

I don't talk much about we are doing either just because most of our homeschool friends are unschoolers. Is it unusual for my almost 6yr (k) to be reading MagicTreehouse books, doing 2A Singapore/MEP 2, SOTW, and Science4RealKids Chemistry? I guess I just don't know what is expected for a Kindergartener these days. Today she announced that for her 7th birthday party (this year she will have a rocket bday party for her 6th) she would like to make an Egyptian hieroglyph (rather than a pictograph,petroglyph, or cuneiform) birthday card so her friends could decode the invite. Is that odd for a Kindergartener? Right now we are dealing with the responsibility of having an allowance. I have decided that she can have $3 a week ($1 for savings, $1 for giving, $1 for spending) she chose to give $1 to help endangered animals (especially Blue whales). She did however want me to go online and find out how much money a skateboard costs, I did, $20. Well she got very upset and told me she would like to take her guitar and play by the mailboxes so people will give her money. No......this kid is into everything, I am a little nervous what she will be like when she is 12! She also wants an email account to write to her friends (they don't write notes yet). She wants a microscope for her 6th birthday, and a new bike. Is she odd or just a normal almost 6yr?

I love your attitude and philosophy of homeschooling. I am reading "And the skylark sings with me" by David H. Albert, his sentiments are as yours. His is a story of their family unschooling two gifted children-wonderful examples of "free time learning." I do often have a hard time just allowing my children to freely learn but I am getting better. It can be difficult to resist the temptation of a "boxed" curriculum for it seems easier than trusting my children to guide the way. Trying to change........

I like you signature and tried to solve for it. Yes the equation would be correct if each box was counted from left to right with quantities of 4,3 and 2, 1 in one long string of numbers, so the first two boxes would be 40010321 and the second would be 03214001. +,-,X both boxes would be equal to each other. Do not know if I solved this problem "correctly" but I made it worked out in my own way. Not a math whiz but this was fun!