When I started reading your post I thought it seemed familar, I've actually had your site, guesthollow, bookmarked for awhile now. I use your recommendations for books all the time. We love Otter's rating system too! What really helps, for me, is that you note if it's a religious text. I also can't get the info from the link, my copy of MS word is older. oh, wait just saw the link for older versions, TYVM!

My daughter only said "Mama, Dada, Bubby, and NO!", until she was 18 mos. old. Everything else was "mmmmmm". Now at 7 we can't get her to stop talking. She does have a slight lisp that caused issues for her when she was younger. But we had her hearing tested several times and she was fine. My nephew didn't really speak until he was 3. He was late to potty train, had a lisp and was also easily frustrated(biter). At 10 he is an intelligent well spoken child, who does well in school, and everything else. My neice spent her first 2 years not talking (about the same as my daugter) except she knew 20+ different signs. Now at almost 4 she has an amazing vocabulary both in speaking and sign language. Every child is different. If you really feel you have cause to be concerned speak to your doctor about testing/speech therapy.

Pro's- -I get to raise my children, instead of sending them off to be raised by strangers. -They get to learn at their own pace, whatever that may be. -They read and study to learn not just pass a test. (Spelling is the only thing we test for, and that's just to determine the next weeks words) -I feel like I actually "know" them. Con's- -I have to choose between sleep and alone time. - I worry about math way too much. - Finances wouldn't be so tight if they went to PS and I had a job. The Pro's so out weigh the con's. I mean who really needs to sleep?

Me-Moderate left brain DS- is right brained DD- is middle This causes me some trouble, but I am trying to come up with more creative ways of teaching the information.

We use Usborne Encyclopedia of World History (internet linked) as a spine. I go to the Library on Sat. to pick up additional books for the following week. I really like doing it this way. We can go as slow or fast over a particular subject. Plus I love the internet sites that go along with each section. I also try to come up with a artistic project each week. For example when we did a week on Sumerians, we made "clay" tablets and made up our own language. For Early Northern Europe we used jenga blocks and built our own mini stonehenge. My son used to hate History (from a textbook) now he begs to do his lessons because they're the most fun.