Mrs Beers from Latin Road and Phonics Road taught me that when you say "b" you start with your mouth closed and your lips in line and when you say "d" you start with open mouth round lips. The letters are written the same way. This cleared up the issue for my dd who was 7 at the time and already reading. She struggled with writing the letters or even copying. Still does now (about 12 months later) on occasion, but can catch it completely on her own!

Originally borrowed it from the library, but when I found myself writing 5 to 6 pages of notes just for one year for one child... I decided to buy a copy. This has been highlighted and written all over!

http://www.wizehive.com/voting/view/battleofbrains/1901/354990 Above is a link that I am looking for help getting votes for. A friend of mine is part of a local homeschool group LEARN Science and Math Club's proposal "City Imagineerium". It is one of 10 finalists in the "Secondary" category, and the only homeschool proposal selected from 560 entrants. We are in the running for a $50,000 grant which would set up a scholarship fund for attendees to our summer camps, as well as purchase much needed science and robotics supplies. You can vote once a day through Friday. To vote, simply click on the link, select the "Secondary" tab and then vote for "City Imagineerium". Please consider voting, and spreading the news to your networks. My kids and I thank you for your support! This is a small group of about 40 families in Kansas City. The program is very open to other families and relatively new. Please if you have the time please vote for them. Currently they are in LAST place. This is the only position that does not receive any grant money. I know several families in this group and they are all interested in not only helping their own children get the best education possible, but also helping other families! I would like to see other homeschooling communities support their efforts! Thank you!

We move a lot. I would love a welcome basket like what you are talking about from the people we rent from... alas we have only bought or lived on Army bases... however we have received great help from neighbors. The best thing I have gotten yet was a hand drawn map of the neighborhood with peoples names, their children, even their pets. Since we had already moved in there was a list of vets too, because we have pets. I also would suggest a list of local grocery stores and gas stations. Including information about prices... ie this station tends to have the best prices.

If he keeps going and finishes it (jump for joy) offer to type it with him and edit it for spelling and other errors at the same time. Then together, side by side, you type while you work together reading through it. When you get to a spelling error, ask if he knows the correct spelling (often times spelling and creativity conflict), if he does not type it as it is spell and see what spell check does with it. Help him problem solve through the options spell check provides. I too, would struggle to see these misspellings - but who would want to discourage the will to write!

Not only do I think this will work, but I know it can work. As the oldest in the family I shared a room with two sisters. Later, when my baby sister was 17 and shortly after I had my first child, my parents adopted three girls. These girls CHOOSE to share one bedroom for sleeping. At first my parents fought this as they have more money, more space, less children and wanted to make up for the rough start these girls had. Then they noticed that this IS what these girls not only wanted, but needed. Like what you are talking about the bedroom was just for sleeping and clothes. One room was turned into a playroom and the other into a study. The girls now each have their own rooms, but really enjoyed their time together. This nighttime together allows siblings to bound, through both better and worse. I encourage this choice, especially while your children are willing. :grouphug:

I do the opposite. I found my DS 9, does his work much better and more quickly without us right with him. Yes, he gets distracted. He has a list of work to be done for the day. He attacks that list one activity at a time. He checks with me about every 30 minutes, sometimes returned to work on his own and sometimes for teaching time. We set timers for math and language arts, anything not done in the given time is set aside and must be done at some point before 830 the next morning. There was a period of time when he was undisciplined to get the work done by 830 am, so I assigned it to be done before dinner. Not that I withheld dinner, but we ate and then went to gymnastics (his favorite activity). If school work was not done in time for dinner he could not go to gymnastics. There were other times when we took his work to gymnastics and he could not get started with his team until he finished the work. These outside pressures over the last year have armed him with the ability to finish work with his own drive. His distractions and fidgetiness can drive me crazy, but he is maturing through it.

We really do like it. My children and their friend have all enjoyed using it. It is set up on my son's "desk" (read area to be used as a desk, but so full of stuff cannot be a desk). We have not had any damage to it, the children have been able to use it when needed for school, but mostly use it spontaneously.

I also have a nine year old son big into science. :-) We went over 50 last year and got him a microscope from http://www.mindware.com/p/Microscope-Kit-and-Book/41030 This year we are adding prepared slides from the local science store. Be warned though, he and his 9 yr old friend were looking at boogers and scabs through the microscope! :-) Also Non-fiction science books (as in information not story), mysteries, and magazines. Hope this helps. Funny how children can be so hard to shop for!

I am a big fan of substituting coconut milk and almond milk. Because of the pumpkin I would choose an almond milk, may even sweeten a bit and use a vanilla.

What a beautiful way to share the memories and the dreams you and your family had for this precious baby. It is a difficult loss, a pain not to be underestimated. My the love you and your family share, ease you through this difficult time.

Check out Institute for Excellence in Writings new program PAL, http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/pal. I have a few friends who are using this program. Each of the families is not only really enjoying the program, but their children BEG for PAL time. I have joked, I want another child so that we can use this program. We use Phonics Road and Latin Road. I honestly believe that I would use this one instead of PR and plus it has IEW money back policy.

We do and we have a great time. Sure, Dad is working and we do not see him like it is a vacation.... BUT we do see him like it is a work night. Sometimes he has a work dinner and we are on our own. Still, we have a great time being away from home. :-D

there are a couple of things to consider. I believe that one people often skip is children's perception of a marriage and of a healthy marriage. Of how they should treat or be treated. Clearly, there are times when the marriage is not only unhealthy for the children it is immediately physically and emotionally unhealthy. However, there are also times where the marriage has no CLEAR immediate risks to the children, but the long term risks can be terrible. I have two different friends whose parents stayed married "for the children". One set is still married and the other now is divorced and remarried. In both cases, the children from these marriages are very confused not only about what a marriage should be, but communication outside their marriage too. I believe that we should try hard to make our marriages work. Our society dumps rough relationships quickly. It seems that some of these could be worked on. BUT... I strongly believe that one of the things you MUST take into consideration is would the adults in the relationships want THEIR children in the same type relationship. I have asked people "would you want your daughter to be married in a relationship like yours and your wife's?" If the answer is no than the situation is one that needs repair! Either by working towards a better marriage or by ending it. I also have asked, "do you honestly believe that you and your children would be better off without the marriage?" This is a hard question to answer for an outsider, no matter how well you know the relationship. This call is tough. Marriage is rough. Bad marriages are rougher. My parents divorced when I was 9, the oldest child. I actually felt like my mom was taking care of us when she left my dad (okay told him to leave). I later learned it was mostly about his having Tea with her best friend on the kitchen table when my mom came home from work. yes, Tea, not tea. This was the final straw to a long line of infidelity. Not sure if that would have been enough alone or if he needed to be the abusive husband and father too. However, the feeling of "you left dad to protect us" was one that stayed around for a long time.

We have mom, dad, big brother and baby sister in our family. Santa seems to get a gift for each child to share with the family. These seem to be either the same or coordinating. This is a good way to bring in things that we kind of want to get, but are not as excited about. We also each give ONE gift to each other. This helps to keep the gifts very good. The children have a $15-$20 limit (because mom and dad pay for these too). Mom and dad normally stay under $50 for the kids, but the limit on each other is based on what our money belt is feeling like. So... what to do for DD 8? Ours is 8 too... she is the hardest person for me to buy for. She is the hardest for me to tell others what types of things to buy. She LOVES American Girl dolls, as well as other types of 18 inch dolls. Any accessories are always welcomed. This has been the main types of things she has received for the past 4 years. I am sure this year will be no different. The good thing is that she does play with these dolls, not only alone, but with her friends or her brother. The bad thing, is that other than MORE clothing, there is not that much that she can be given, between space and what she has already. Her birthday just past and one grandparent sent her money to send an American Girl Doll the the hospital. This is by FAR her favorite gift from her birthday, because on of her doll's hands were mauled by our now 2 yr old puppy. We did not put the puppy down, but is was a close call. The drive of Kentucky Fried Chicken on the dolls hands was too much. Looking into iPod and music, seems better than a radio with open ended commercials and stations to choose from, while mom and dad are sleeping? Eager to see what other people are suggesting for their 8 yr old.

I am glad you asked. We may be needing non dairy buttermilk substitutions this fall! Thank you!

I love LOVE love my droid phone, but that said we do not own Apples other than iPods. If we had apple products, we would have gone with Apple

We went dairy free, subbed a variety of soy milk, oatmeal milk, almond milk and coconut milk. Have never done hemp milk, not even sure I have seen it. I like being able to switch my son (now 9) around because it helped to avoid becoming intolerant as well as giving him the nutrients from each of the different sources. Now we are on a BIG coconut kick in our house. Everyone in the house who has drank any type of milk is enjoying vanilla coconut milk from so delicious.

we went with a darker grout to avoid stains and we regreted this choice. Dark grout is great for dark tiles, light tiles should have lighter tile. It really broke up the flooring and drew everyone eyes to the floor. Sounds like you are talking about counter tiles, but still eyes are going to find the contrast QUICKLY. If the grout has a 15 year seal, ask what happens if it does happen to get stained.

Cheesecake. Does that count? OH my it is my favorite dessert and when I was nursing DS (now nine) the lactation consultant had some homemade Cheesecake at EVERY meeting. Once a week! Oh my, it was like going to heaven every Wednesday morning! Hard habit to break too! Honestly, I make a lot of apple pie around here. We cut the apples, sprinkle with the tiniest amount of sugar (2 tbls), cinnamon (depends on how much we want, but 1 tsp - 4 tbls), nutmeg, and any other spice that sounds good at the moment. I top the apples with less than 2 tbls butter and a crust that has some cut outs. I never eat this. I do not like baked fruit, apples at all, and rarely eat pie crust, however it is still a household staple!

:lol: I love it! Again finding myself thinking... this is why I homeschool!

It was familiar immediately, but it took me a minute to realize why! I love Fringe!~

praying this young man found a warm place to bed down for the night and is quickly found.

At some point as a late 8 yr old or early 9 yr old DS stopped writing or saying the wrong letter and was accurate. I had been told that sometimes this is just a phase. I am hoping the same is true for my DD, who is now 8. She will tell me how she spelled a word on her paper and have written the wrong letter, but knows what it should be. I remind her about the open mouth-circle, closed mouth- line. Or say something like "be sure your B is a B" and we move on to the next word. This is a very interesting thing that many MANY children struggle through, yet seem to get past. Glad for the many ways of helping them with the process!

My husband is active duty Army, we know many families who have been through so many deployments during the last 9 years. The three before that, not as often, but the last nine years have been hard on our soldiers and their families. That said, I support my husband and his desire to continue to be in the Army. We are planning now for his next deployment in a couple months. He does this with a heavy heart, which is lightened having seen the changes and relief on the societies where he has been. Myself, there is no way on God's green earth I could handle a deployment as a soldier. There is not one part of being a deployed soldier I could handle... wait maybe one, my husband did eat way more than his fair share of lobster and crab during one of his deployments, he had sea food at least once a week. However, that was a unique situation and a small payment for everything else that was happening. There are people, both male and female, that can do this. There are others who are not cut out for deployments and still others who would not even do what I do, staying here with our children while hubs deploys. Yet, this is what makes our country stronger. As for typical deployments. Then number of deployments is only one part of the equation, the bigger parts are deployment time and dwell (at home) time. Deployment time is all the time deployed added together. This could very from 3 month deployments to yes, the many who did 18 months while things were crazy. Dwell time is only about the time since your last deployment. Dwell time can be high, even with soldiers who have VERY high deployment time. I am glad to hear of yet another wonderful member of our military who is not only taking care of our Nation and the world, but also taking care of the others serving with them. This is key to successful military.