My dd hs'ed until grade 4.5. She is doing fine in a little catholic school now and we supplement with Saxon Math after school and in the summer. Her spelling and handwriting is not improving like I would like. I'm looking at Spelling You See American Spirit to supplement with this summer but would love any advice. She's a good but not great reader and I'd say her spelling and handwriting is very poor for a rising 6th grader. Any programs you guys recommend? Thank you!!! Amanda

I am at a complete loss- there is a tween girl that I'd like to take shopping for first bras and fun clothes that fit but she is much bigger than your average 10 year old but not curvy or developed. She is quite stout but not extremely chunky. The 12-14 size at target is long enough but on the snug side. Where do I go? I do not want anything that says husky or something like that. Please help! Thanks!!!!!!

I'm looking for a first grade spanish language math workbook- does anyone know of a good one? Thanks!!!

My difficult to please daughter is doing really well with bookshark 3. We do it verbatim and I'm extremely happy with the scope. It is working wonderfully for us and we couldn't be more pleased. The la is fabulous! My dd did a research report over 3 weeks of step by step instruction that blew her ES's socks off. The science was lacking evolution but we cover that subject a lot for fun. It was fun and it got done and she learned a ton! I don't care for their personal beliefs - buuut, I don't see a heavy enough influence in bookshark to interfere with dd's schooling- when I see bias, which happens in history, from time to time- we talk about it and dd ends up going on a rant about it to some unsuspecting innocent bystander later on... Pretty funny. it's a great, secular, comprehensive program and it's open and go! Yay!

Oh people, I'm afraid you are amateurs! I forgot to replace dd's tooth with a coin from the tooth fairy for 3 days straight! Not only that but she sweetly reminded me each morning that I had forgotten. On the 3rd day, as I was getting mad at her for not getting up she tearfully said... "But mom, I'm waiting for you to do the tooth fairy!" Yep, jerk mom of the universe.

Any good recommendations about 1600-1700 America? My daughter watches pg-13 movies. Thanks!

First day of grade 3 went well. Longer than I thought but we'll find our groove.

Big box o' Bookshark 3 came this week and we start tomorrow! Fingers crossed this will be a good year. Already tweaking from the get go though... The first dictation assignment is too difficult. Will pull from a reader. Don't want her to get discouraged from the start.

So wonderful! Now for higher grades!

Wow! Looks like a few 4th grade booksharkers. I think we will order the 4th grade too... But waiting a month or so... Can't wait! Is there a yahoo group or forum?

Anyone get their box and want to share thoughts?

Nm

I have an iron-willed child too. It's a difficult balance between creating a tyrant and having unnecessary power struggles that may feel important but really don't accomplish anything. In my experience, leaving a 4yo with a personality like you describe, alone in her room while expecting her to comply with a task that has become a power struggle, while tired... Is not going to end positively. Great that it worked but it doesn't sound like a great template for future bedtimes. I understand where you are coming from, I promise. I have died on many a mole hill, trying to fix a "spoiled child" complex. I now try to use my authority to demand polite behavior, proper school work, effort during music practice and other non-negotiables. These skills will help her in her life, the little stuff slides. When I pushed for more obedience, it felt like I was creating one of those mom/daughter relationships where the adult daughter bemoans a childhood of personality conflict and relishes the absence of the mom-ogre in her present life. It's not that I constantly worry about her liking me because goodness knows sometimes she doesn't, but the good times out-weigh the bad. Rethinking a parenting moment that has not gone as planned and changing tactics mid-way, may feel like losing but I try to focus on the long term relationship not the present battle.

I'd like a fun book to read while dd is at camp. Nothing with too much romance and not young adult fiction. I just finished jk rowling's the silkworm and liked that. Any ideas for me? A feminist theme would be welcome. Thanks a million!

We are finishing mp 3rd grade. I liked the drill of r&s as a supplement but it is basically an entire year of math fact review. Dd did Horizon math concurrently and this summer she is doing Beast Academy 3a-d. Next year I think we will transfer to Saxon and do Beast Academy the following summer. I really like Horizons, for the color and incremental advancement but it doesn't have enough review for dd but doing both programs was time consuming. That said, it worked well.

Anyone get their Bookshark box yet?

I've always been curious about Sonlight but too turned off by it's evangelical/providential leanings. I've also been scared off by all the talk of lack of retention. Also, weird conspiracy theories and wacky science, oh my... But, my dd loves nothing and I mean nothing more than snuggling on the couch with me and a book. This is the Sonlight image. Maybe it would be perfect. Now that there is a secular version seems an obvious choice. Memoria Press is working fine, but she doesn't love it and the thought of her loving school makes me yearn to try. Wisdom? Ps- I really lean boxed curriculum, I'm such a square!

Wow! Thank you for all your thoughts. The articles in the catalog annoy me too! I like it because it is clear cut and easy to use. Dd doesn't love it but I don't think she would love anything that wasn't me reading aloud the entire day. Thanks again!!!! Love to hear more thoughts!

For those that use a boxed curriculum, why don't more people use Memoria Press? I know it's full curriculum is relatively new. It seems so LCC and classicalish. It makes me nervous that more people don't use it. Am I missing something? Thanks!

I didn't have dd8 do the pretest. She had finished Rod and Staff 3 and Horizons 3 before we started Beast 3. We are doing it as a supplement to Horizons 4, over the summer along with a slightly less-full school day. Beast is difficult. I work her through many of the problems. My dd has average math skills. She needs a lot of hand holding with this program. There is frustration and there have been some meltdowns but overall, she enjoys it. We spend a lot of time on it. I often make up similar problems and help her work through them so she can gain confidence and experience and then she can do the workbook but I often help her there too. This is the only way the program could work with her. She needs lots of hand holding and extra help. I look at it as experience at solving difficult problems. Experience, experience, experience!!! When she gets to a higher math level, where a similar problem is being asked. She won't be starting from scratch. There will be a part of her brain, ready for the challenge, or at least more ready than it might have been. But, she is an only. I don't think I'd be able to spend this much time if I had more kids.

I would have answered the questions but I understand where you are coming from. I would be upset at the shoddy examination and I'd ask around for a recommendation from someone of like mind. Funny Anecdote alert- can't help it- I had a funny but disturbing incident during one of my daughter's physicals. The doctor was asking all manner of questions similar to what you mentioned. I answered without hesitation. Then she asked how many fire alarms we had in our house and I said one in each room and I started counting off how many... Then I glanced at her screen and it says FIREARMS! Not fire alarms! Here, I had just said one in each room! Really glad I glanced over!!! Sheesh!

We are using BA3 as a supplement to Horizon 4. It's very I depth and advanced, in my opinion. But it doesn't cover all the concepts of a regular 3rd grade with review and drill like a regular program. I wouldn't use it as a stand alone. I'd use both.

Hobbit, Harry potter, etc. is waaaay out of her league for pleasure reading. I might as well tell her to eat Brussels sprouts during a movie. She could do it but it wouldn't be fun, you know? Hopefully we'll get there. I certainly have done the ground work dangnabbit! She should love reading! And, she does like babyish books. We've been through all the Dahl books, many a few times, as read alouds. She had me read My Fathers Dragon over and over and I tried to get her reading it but, OY! What a struggle! Thank you all for your recs! You're life-savers!

Thank you so much everyone! Adventures in homeschooling--- when did your son make the leap? The multiple pictures and short chapters and pages have really helped her tolerate Poppers Penguins more than usual. The fantasy aspect and funny animal antics interest her... Anymore like that? She doesn't like Magic Treehouse for some reason, maybe still too many words.

My dd can read at grade level but prefers easy, not too many words on the page, easy readers and picture books. For school she reads a chapter a day in her current lit book and does the guide etc. but... she would rather do anything than read a big kid book for free time. She will happily read easy readers though. I keep many, many, many available to her and she enjoys that... She has been reading Mr Popper's Penguins as a summer supplement and on her own... has been going ahead! YAY!!! She'll be done soon and I'd like a similar (level) and super engaging book to hopefully keep the momentum going. Must have pictures and probably should be short-ish. Thanks!