TheAutumnOak
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Posts posted by TheAutumnOak
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I haven't read all the replies - but from way over the other side (my kids will be 8th and a Freshman next fall), my advice would be this: You can ALWAYS skip a grade later, but if you need to gap a year it's a much more fragile process with young egos. I would, for all purposes until they hit at least 7/8th grade, call them the grade that most easily assimilates with local school grades or favor the lower grade if you think the child needs more time to develop.
I agree with what you are saying about favoring the lower grade, but I think taking a gap year is easier than skipping a year...Most people, I would think, take gap years at the end of high school...It is easier to stay home an extra year than to skip a year's worth of work...
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I don't think many people are using MP full curriculum, but we love it.
We also use R&S Math and I don't ever come across anyone else using it.
This...
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I am homeschooling three kids right now, and always feel like I am bouncing between people trying to meet everyone's needs...I think it would be easier to only have one at home...I can't imagine choosing school only because I had one to school...That sounds like an ideal fantasy to me most days ;)
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I just wanted to thank everyone again for all of your advice and support...I really appreciate it...
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If you keep your freezer full, it would take a long (days) power outage in hot temps before your stuff would be in danger. A full freezer is essentially a block of ice (and you should always keep your freezer full, even if you have to add jugs of water when you take stuff out), so it doesn't thaw readily. Think of the piles of snow that you see in parking lots still there for a looooong time after all of the other snow has melted away. Same principle.
This makes a lot of sense...There is still piles of snow in parking lots even in July!...I need to grab some of that snow from outside and put it in the freezer! :laugh:
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I plan on attending the GHC. I am aware of the affiliation of the speakers and I plan on attending the workshops based on those affiliations. I plan on using some stuff from veritas press, possibly zaccaro (in the future), the lost tools of writing, CAP and a few others. I want to know their companies philosophy and how they recommend teaching. If I'm using your product a lecture on how to teach it would be helpful. I want them to try and sell me on their product, tell me why your product is better than the rest of them out there. Also I want to talk to the reps. I love the look of MCT language arts but I have some concerns. Rather than looking online I think it will be great to be able to talk to him myself about the concerns I have. Of course the reps will be pushing their product and I realize that but I feel I will be better equip at buying the stuff I want after going to the workshops. The parenting workshops are good too because, well, I am a parent :) I'm also a Christian parent so those workshops appeal to me also. It's $50 for me and my husband, 15-20 min drive, free parking and my mom will watch the kids. Why wouldn't I go?
If I lived 15-20 mins away, I would definitely go...It would be more like a 10 hour drive and a hotel stay for me to go...
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Well, I shop the same stores you do OP, and I tobably spend a bit less. I prefer organic but will only insist on it for the Dirty Dozen. I shop Costco for fresh fruits and veggies and frozen fish. I hit Wegmans for my other groceries except beef (bought bulk from a friend) and raw dairy from a farmer. Whole Foods is a once per month trip for items unavailable elsewhere (only 1 or 2 things). Trader Joes for relatively healthful prepared frozen foods.
You will have to lower your requirements for organics probably to save money. You might look for a natural foods buying club. Cook from scratch most of the time if you don't already. Make sure nothing goes to waste. Freeze leftovers and make soup. Buy only whole chickens and use the bones to make broth.
Start a vegatable garden but only grow things your family eats. Especially expensive things.
Are you in No Va? Just wondering.
I am in New Jersey...
What is the Dirty Dozen?
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Do you buy all organic fruit and veg? You can buy regular of the Clean 15.
What is the Clean 15?...I would gladly buy them non organic ;)
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It's possible. Kroger has quite a few choices in organics now that might help keep you out of Whole Foods. And maybe making your own bread will keep you out of the health food store? Your raw milk is a pretty good price and since you are driving across state lines to get it, I get that it is important to you to keep. Less meat, cheaper cuts. More consistent rotation (I use a two week meal rotation) so that you consistently use the same ingredients Then you can take advantage of sales for those ingredients and know that you are going to use them up. Taking advantage of sales for things you don't ordinarily buy doesn't really make much positive impact on your grocery bill. Same with coupons.
Yes, that one is important to keep...My husband who loves milk is lactose intolerant, but he can drink raw milk without a problem...
I would be willing to buy less organic and shop around for better prices...Even cutting out juice, or just having it either with dinner or breakfast only...
Thank you everyone...I am starting to feel like we can cut costs...I wasn't sure if my goals were reasonable or not...
My teenage son does eat a lot though :sad: ...All three of my boys eat more than I do, even the 8 year old...
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I fit easily within that budget, but I live in Canada, and my DH and I only have two small girls. The cost of food varies massively by location.
I think you will have better luck by asking how to spend less than you already do, based on consuming less, or consuming more economical foods. But, of course, to do that, we'd need to know what kinds of food (and other consumables) you already buy -- so that we can assess what you can live without.
You can live without pop, juice, gatorade, koolaide, pretzels, crackers, cookies, candy, granola bars and chips.
You can live entirely without paper towels (if you invest in 2 dozen cheap washcloths) and kleenex (if you creatively use toilet paper as 'mini kleenex').
You can live on cheaper cuts of meat, and smaller portions of meat-per-meal.
You can live on considerably more rice, barley, oats, potatoes and home made wheat flour items (breads, rolls, muffins, loafs).
You can live with a lot more beans, lentils, eggs, soups, and stews (from scratch).
You can do without organics in everything.
You can buy the cheap margarine/butter and cooking oil options.
You can do without nuts.
You can buy more veggies and fruits from the frozen section.
You can use the cheapest hair and body products, and probably a lot fewer of them.
You can re-think your use of vitamins and supplements.
How many of those things do you already do? Probably plenty of them. (I'm certainly not doing all of them!) The only good type of budgeting tip is the type that you aren't already doing -- hopefully you will get some.
We drink a lot of juice and tea...We buy paper towels and mostly organic foods...I usually shop at Whole Foods, BJs and Wegmans, and I go to a health food store for bread...I buy raw milk in the next state over (it is illegal here), so it costs us $4 for half a gallon...We also get take out sometimes and eat pizza a couple of times a month...I buy a mix of fresh and frozen veggies...
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I had the opportunity to go once...I really enjoyed it...I went for the speakers...I met SWB, Andrew Kern, Jim Weiss, Martin Cothran, Andrew Pudewa, Christopher Perrin, MCT, and so many others...
I wish I could go again this year, but they are too far from me, and we can't afford to travel at this point...I really wish I could go...
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I have been looking at how much money we spend on food for our family of 5...I know this has been talked about on the Hive, but I can't find any of the old posts and really need realistic advice...
After looking back through our expenses, I discovered that we have been spending about $350 a week on food ($1400 a month)...We really need to budget better, as my boys medical expenses are increasing...I have a son with epilepsy, and another who has breathing problems at times and has already spent time in the hospital twice during 2014...My boys also play baseball, and I would hate to have to stop them because we can't afford it...I don't know if I need to realize that that is just the cost of feeding a family, or if we can make it spending less...
What I want to know is if it is realistically possible to spend much less than that a month?...$1000 would be ideal, but I don't know if I can cut $100 a week out of the food budget...
So tell me, is $1000 a month possible or not?...I know it will vary by family, but I would love to hear from people who make it happen, or realize that would never work for them...It is helps to know, we have 3 boys, ages 14, 10, and 8, my husband and myself...All are homeschooled, so the boys and I are home during the day...
Thank you to anyone who answers...I appreciate your advice...
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I may be in the minority, but when I read through posts, I don't 'like' a post based on the person posting, but based on what was said. Only about 1/2 the time do I look and see who posted what.
Maybe the minority, maybe not...I agree with you, and I only like a post if I agree with what was said or it was funny, never based on who is posting...Most people, I think, tend to agree with certain posters on certain subjects though...So it may look like people are just agreeing with certain posters, but in reality, they just agree on certain topics...
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It depends...If it is the first snowfall of a storm and nice, fluffy snow then yes because my boys love to play in the snow...If it is slushy, not good to play in snow then no...If it snows more than one day, no...But that first day of good snow is for playing outdoors...
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Wait, I think the same thing just happened to me!...I just went and checked the chocolate covered pomegranates I just bought and it says the same thing yours says...Is it Brookside?
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I'm sure some people might not like it, but I love the like button...I missed it terribly when it was gone that time...It is like an "agree" button to me, and I like knowing who agrees with what...That info is very informative to me...
I never feel compelled to like or rather "agree" with anyone's posts...
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No, I am not competitive at all...It is often a source of jokes in my house...I really don't care if someone is better than me at things...I don't know if it is good or bad, but I am just not competitive...
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That is very true. We are very close to this income level in a medium high cost of living area. What I'd say we have is no debt other than our mortgage (which will be paid off before our oldest hits college). We have a nice (but not amazing) house in a popular urban neighborhood. 2 functional, fairly new vehicles (but not fancy vehicles). 1-3 vacations a year. I stop at Starbucks guilt free. We eat out on a regular basis. We have a good nest egg for retirement and emergencies don't throw us around the bend. Like last year we had to buy 4 new appliances in a row and replace a vehicle. It was extremely annoying, but it didn't cut into our lifestyle at all. I will also say, we do not really homeschool on the cheap. Both my kids enjoy many enrichment and outside activities. We get a CSA in the summer and we can shop the higher quality grocery options. We do 1-2 house updates a year (we live in a 100 year old home).
But if you came to our house and I served you a meal, it would not scream elite by any stretch. I think what separates our lifestyle with someone closer to average is small things like music lessons for kids, shopping at whole foods, and having college and retirement savings. I think we're probably actually living a fairly similar lifestyle overall. And we chose NOT to do some things many families do. Like pay for private school or have cable TV. I usually buy cheap/on sale clothing and loved hand me downs when my kids were smaller.
Anyway, "elite" is definitely NOT the right word for the top 10% of anything.
I am not sure what your lifestyle would be called, but I wish I could live it :-)...I think almost everything you mentioned above would be hard for us to do financially...
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You guys are killing me...I live on the east coast and can't go that far...
I met Andrew Kern, Christopher Perrin and Martin Cothran at a conference once...I would love to go to another conference...
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I started 1st grade at 7 with my boys...If I could do it again, I would still have started K at age 6, but I would have done a little more...They could have been better prepared for 1st grade...
I still wouldn't start at 5 though...
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They've adjusted it so you may want to buy used if you want a faster pace or new if you want a slower. I would say call Tanya at MP. She's just amazing and can help you with placement.
HTH
They actually have both versions on the website...You can order the slower pace or the original pace...
I am not familar with Dancing Bears, but if your son can read Little Bear, even with a little help, you would be fine to do MP 1st grade core...The books in 1st grade are read with the child, they read aloud to you, or you go back and forth...
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I will have a third grader next year, and he will continue with Memoria Press...He will do the original 3rd grade core...Right now I am not planning any substitutions...
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If you don't want to send them, don't do it...At least don't do it now...Try and switch some things up with how you are schooling now and get through the rest of this year...Assess how you feel about it when the year is over...Bottom line, I don't want to send them, but I feel like I am drowning and it seems like the easiest way to take something off my plate.
There are plenty of people who put their kids in school and never look back because it was the right decision for them...There are also plenty of people who put their kids in school and regret it...You want to make a good decision, and I don't think taking until the fall to be sure will make a huge difference for them in the big scheme of things at their ages...But the extra time may be what you need to feel good about your decision...
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That is wonderful news, Tory!...Glory to God 😊
Chreia/Maxim Classical Composition
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
We didn't get to that stage yet, so I don't understand about the praises...I am bumping this for you in case anyone does have experience with this...
Welcome to the forums!