My dd LOVES Zaccaro's books but HATES LoF with a fiery passion. :lol: [ETA: your dc might adore LoF, but just saying it's not for everyone. I think it works best for kids who like outrageous silly stories -- NOT my dd.] I'd focus on the play side of math (Elementary challenge math is good for this) and less on "curric" (going too fast in Singapore), esp until he has all his math facts down solidly. Math is so lucy more than arithmetic! ETA: IMO the diff between a 2/3 grade math and 5/6 is mainly just how many digits are included (and unlike denominators). In other words, the concepts don't change, just the computational difficulty. This can be tortuous for kids who inhale concepts, because it can seem so repetitive (and downright redundant, since to them the higher level stuff is obvious given the lower level stuff). That's why supplementing with problem solving challenges or things requiring deeper thought can help them nurture the need to learn new concepts when the curric usually has few to offer. ;)

Anyone done the recorder with Oak Meadow?

A better option might be Challenge Math by Ed Zaccaro: http://www.amazon.com/Challenge-Elementary-Middle-School-Student/dp/0967991552/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2 It is a lot of fun for the kid who likes "tricky" problems and would fill any gaps before starting AoPS pre-A. Zaccaro also has a "Real World Algebra" book which may be a nicer intro to Algebra than AoPS. AoPS Pre-A is very rigorous but also very formal textbookish (think: proofs and theorems), even though the method is more exploratory than most texts, it takes a certain discipline/maturity to read and work through compared to the more playful (but also deep) Zaccaro books.

:lol: I often wonder how such a normally expressionless animal as a cat can manage such a look of distain? But they do. :D

Consider MCT LA for grammar/vocab/writing -- really creative and she'd probably love the poetry and writing parts. You'd need to add a spelling program. If she's writing on her own a lot, maybe consider just having her journal this year (in addition to the MCT)? She can practice taking her writing and improving it with the things she's learning. I wouldn't want to drill-and-kill or over-train her writing.

BFSU is solid, but not tied to history. You could add in Ancient Science: http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Science-Time-Traveling-World-Exploring-History-Making/dp/0471215953/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329521059&sr=8-1 If your kids were a bit older, I'd suggest Hakim's Story of Science (published by Smithsonian) with the corresponding lab workbooks developed by John Hopkin's Univ: http://smithsonianbooks.com/usersection/Default.aspx?tab=joy&content=Overview&fvalue=Overview You could use that the next round thru history. THat's my plan. ;) BTW, you can get the Hakim books and guides for half price thru the publisher.

:iagree: I thought it was just the right-wing that equated progressives with communists. :p Progressives just want a fair deal for ALL (not just the wealthy or powerful), not to sacrifice their children to the "greater good". Plus I loved the passive-agressive bit about being all for women sacrificing their lives to being a wife and mother. :lol: I mean, are homeschooling mothers martyrs or selfish? Make up your mind!

If I start with OM2.... Anyone with experience doing the recorder books for music (do I need to get the introduction one to start?) How about the knitting/crochetting crafts? Are they in the main syllabus or do I need to get the nature crafts book as well? I'm a knitter, and my 8yo does finger knitting, but may have to have my mom teach the crocheting part! :D Again: my girls are strong on core academics, but they LOVE crafts and music, so I see OM as a way to keep myself honest and include more of these things.

I'm thinking of adding OM for my 6.5yo dd. She reads well (fluently easy chapter books, so around beginning 3rd grade level, read books for over 2 hours straight today) and has a good grasp on basic math, strong abstract thinking (starting on memorizing math facts). Writing has just been handwriting and we discuss books we read for plot, characters, etc, but we haven't' done formal spelling or grammar beyond part so speech via MCT. I'm thinking of trying OM because this year we've been focussed on reading/phonics/speech and tagging along with her 8yo sister's history and science. I'd like to add something more fun and broad at her level. I expect her sister will also want to participate, even if it is too easy for her (she's significantly accelerated in math and LA), so my plan is to do OM together at the 6yo's level, and add in science/history at dd1's level (dd2 can still tag along), MCT (esp for dd1), and math for dd1. My question is, whether to start with OM 1 or go to OM 2. Is there much missed if you don't do OM 1? She's probably ready for OM 2, especially WRT reading/phonics, but I don't want to push her too much but I don't want her to be bored, either. Any thoughts, experience?

I'll second Phonics Pathways and Reading Pathways. My 6yo really likes the pyramid stories in RP (each line is the same but with more words/details). I also agree with not worrying about spelling until they are reading fluently. Until they get to about a 3rd grade reading level, it's enough just to be decoding imo. When reading becomes fast and automatic, they'll already have picked up a lot of the basic spelling and grammar rules and be ready for more focussed study. ;) As to 100EL: I love the program, and it works getting kids quickly to a sold 2nd grade level (plus by the end they're reading 200+ words on a page, which imo sets them up to not be intimidated by real books and their eyes are better trained at reading close lines of words and blending (as long as you keep on them to read with constant sound). BUT I loosened up on the scripted stuff. If they are at CVC, you might just try reading the words, skim to see if there are new skills (like telling whether they can hold a sound), and then go to the story (which I only ever had them read once without interruption, only the occasional help or "good"). You can always just note what some of the rhyming words/sounds are and play that as a game later in the day (without referencing 100EL): "I start with "ssss" and rhyme with mope, what am I?" I also skipped the handwriting part. :D

:iagree: I constantly have on my radar what is working, what is not; what are we missing, etc. I'm a constant tweaker. :D As we get past the halfway mark on a material, I get more serious about planning what to do next. I usually do units in science or history, and don't change much during those. I think it depends on whether you are a plan person (happiest with concrete plans written in pen; satisfaction is based on reaching destinations) or a process person (enjoy the process of planning; think the fun is the journey getting to your destination). THis isn't a better than thing, just different strokes for different psyches. :) If you like things planned (sounds like you), then monthly/quarterly/whenever look at where you are and make adjustments, order new materials, etc. You might think of this as "terms" and even take a week off to reorganize and plan the next term. You might also start with your goals for the year, then break that down to what you need to do in the first term to be "on track" for that goal, if that makes you feel better. If you are a process person, planning is just done in smaller buts on an ongoing basis. It's like driving a car -- you have the destination in mind, but you gotta steer along the way. Whether you plan once a year, once a term, or once a day, it's really the same process.

Again, for me it comes down to intent: most people are asking because they are trying to get a rough gage of how old, what the child is doing and/or it's just one of those "polite" kid-related questions. I remember as a kid the looks I'd get when I "returned the favor" and asked the adult, "And how old are you?" :D I usualy just say the age-approp grade. I don't mention hs-ing unless they ask which school they go to. I feel that if I made a big deal of level vs grade or how we don't do grade level because we homeschool, it'll just feed into whatever strange notion they might have about homeschooling. Don't need to seem any odder, right? :D My kids have to have *some* non-hs friends so I don't want to scare off the other parents. :lol: By following the expected conventions, if they are interested and ask WHY we homeschool, I will likely include the ability to teach to whatever level the child is at in whatever style is more effective instead of having to teach to the lowest common denominator with some not great - not bad curriculum. ;)

I use grade level, mainly for when people ask and a bit to check where my ds are wrt state standards. I don't feel any need to follow those standards, or use "at grade" materials, but I figure I should at least know what the ps kids are expected to be doing. It's a tool and convenience, nothing more. For me it isn't some deep metaphysical or philosophical thing. :D Many states require testing/reporting at certain "grades".

I saw the title and thought, "Crud, I have to feed them AGAIN??" :lol: Homemade pizza sounds like a winner to me. :D We all have colds here and ti sounds like a nice comfort food.

If you just order the Teacher's manuals, the whole Island level is $110 plus $11 shipping. The TMs are the student books plus little blurbs, so nothing lost. I'd rather write the sentences out for practice -- I can do one a day, right? LOL Another option might be to just get the Grammar Island TM first and see how you like it -- it's the one book you do all by itself for 6-8 weeks. The other books are used together AFTER you complete Grammar Island. It would only cost $2 more shipping to do it that way (s/h is 10% with a minimum of $5). Shipping was really fast, so if it goes well after a month, then order the rest of the TMs. :D I'm considering the lit, bu would hold off until we're in the Town level.

We did private insurance for a couple years when I was self-employed. A couple warnings: it's cheaper, but for a reason. Private insurance is NOT the same as what you can get from an employer!!! They are not held to the same regulations. Examples: most will exclude any maternity care, so you better be sure you won't have any more kids. Any pre-existing condition they can (and will) exclude forever (not just for a waiting period), if you or dh have any issues (high blood pressure/diabetes/other, non-ideal BMI) they will likely simply refuse to cover you, so before you do this make sure you can get coverage. They also can issue a policy, and then if you need it, go back over your application and pull all you medical records to find anything they can use to invalidate the policy. Fortunately, we have coverage thru dh's employer now, but before I got a private policy I would check to see if there is any group you belong to that would offer a cheaper group plan (group policies are usually more like employer ones). I think most states won't allow you to join state programs if you even have the option to get insurance thru work. Some have programs to help you pay the employer premiums, though, so I would check that first. Insurance is a racket -- the companies pay 10-30% of what the hospital/Dr/lab would charge you for the service. If they started charging everyone the same, insured and non-insured, it wouldn't be so risky to be un/under-insured.

For me that's part of the ICK factor: the organization KNOWS most product is bought by the immediate families. If you're going to do that (and so little $$ ends up at the club level) why not just have dues? It just seems dishonest or creepy by the larger organization to push for child labor at best, manipulating relationships at worst...eeewwww. I avoid shopping at stores with those kids at tables out front. :p

I was a consciencious objector from fundraising at my private high school. :D It just made me feel sick to ask people to buy over-priced goodies because they knew my parents or were my neighbors. I felt like it was abusing the relationship. I don't think I could have my kids in a group that required doing it -- I guess I still don't feel any more comfortable about the idea than I did as a kid. :p

Sounds like he had some even less realistic expectations about what would happen when he told his family. Did he think they would say, "oh, I'm so sorry you aren't happy. We understand. Go and find your bliss! Anything we can do to help?" :confused1: That sort of self-absorption probably means parts of him never fully grew up. I think that *can* be a danger of getting married so early: you stop working on yourself to work on "us" and then you start having a family...What a sad mess. :sad: PS: Just because it happened to your friend, doesn't mean it will happen to you.

I hope your friend pushes for counseling before anything is decided. If nothing else, then need to work things out so they can co-parent. Personally it sounds like he's got a nice fantasy about hat being single will be like, and he may regret his attitude when reality comes a callin'. Of course you weren't really asking for advice for your friend. :p As to your question, dh take our relationship as a given. But we also talk about how we know our marriage is the foundation for our kid's sense of security and happiness. So we do keep it a priority. We've been married 10 years now, and it's never felt like "work". We've never done date nights, I think we've gone out as a couple once in the last 4 years. On the other hand, we talk every day, sharing things that happened, things we've read, things that interest us -- not just about the kids. As I go thru every day I'm thinking about what little things I can do to make dh's life easier, maybe doing some chore he usually does. And I know he does the same thing. Every day. We both wake up every day feeling we got the best end of the deal, that we were the lucky one, and that shows in how we treat each other. I really thing that is the key. At least it is for us. So far. Doesn't mean we're perfect. I'm loathing V'day next week because he doesn't. get. it. He's awesome with every day stuff, but not good with holidays. LOL He's ruined more than one blouse trying to "help" me with laundry, and his mother is a nightmare. I'm sure I have my moments, too. ;) I do think partly it's compatibility and I agree age/exp helps. We were both married before (no kids), so we know what a bad marriage is. We know what it is like to work hard for something that will never really work. I think that's why we appreciate what we have so much.

I would consider why the mom is resistant to considering her child gifted. If she is that dismissive, there's probably a reason. Perhaps she is overwhelmed considering the implications or is worried about not being "smart enough" to raise a gifted child? It might be easier for her to think of her dc as "just bright".

One more tidbit for thought: we think of life and ourselves as such well 'designed' efficient things, but we carry tons of baggage from our evolutionary past and lots of compromises -- basically as is we'd be one shoddy design! A couple examples of baggage: 1. by the time we're born we're on our 3rd set of kidneys (the first 2 atrophy and are replaced, the first is just like the kidney's of a reptile). 2. Only ~1% of our DNA codes for making proteins; some of the remainder are responsible for turning the DNA code bits on/off, but a lot of that 99% is believed to be remnant DNA -- genetic baggage. We have the genes to make the proteins to smell dozens of underwater substances, but we've lost the ability to turn those genes on -- they're orphaned by evolution. 3. We are wrought with design compromises: we'd be better off without an appendix that we don't need and can burst and kill you, but if it got any smaller it would be more likely to get infected and kills us, so we're stuck with it. The nerve for our voice box travels down the spine past the voice box into our chest then loops back up (unprotected) in the neck -- if you can hit just right in your chest you can lose the ability to speak. It's a straight line in a fish but a 15' detour in a giraffe. 4. every cell in our body has 2 sets of DNA -- one in the nucleus and another different DNA in our mitochondria. The mitochondrial DNA (which we only get form our mothers) is so much like bacterial DNA that some antibacterial medications attack our mitochondria. Anyways, these are all things that make perfect sense form an evolutionary standpoint, but would have been beyond Darwin's imagination 150 years ago.

Well, I find these interesting, as long as you don't assume any of the myths (on either side) are generally believed. In other words, I don't think that either group are truly "popularly accepted" at least not among either the scientists or religious people I know. So to me it starts with "myths" I've never believed or would except people to believe and then I wasn't impressed by his counter arguments against these "popular" myths either (just from logic theory, I found the arguments to be terribly flawed). I guess I'm saying I wouldn't look to either list for real information or insight into either creationism or evolution, but I did find it interesting the manner in which the author tried to shoehorn them together. I think the ways in which he succeeds and fails (and the whys) are thought provoking. As to science teachers: about 3/4 accept evolution, but only 1/4 are willing to teach it, mostly due to fear of offending creationist parents, but also because many do not feel confident of their own knowledge (probably because their teachers were also afraid). I really think it is too bad that evolution is so rarely properly taught. Even if evolution was 100% wrong, it disturbs me to think that any current accepted theory isn't being taught in science classes because of political or religious reasons. It's like ignorance is preferable to teaching something that might challenge one's beliefs. I'm not sure it is much different than expunging history of things that don't agree with our worldview, like Japan expunging the Nanking Massacre from their history texts. I admire those who want to learn about evolution, educate their children properly about what it does and doesn't say, and then decide how that fits with your faith. Many thanks to the posters here for their insights and civility.

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Picked up a bag of sweet mini peppers at Costco. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with them. :D Especially, what to do to get my kids to eat them. I'm going to make fajitas tonight, but beyond that I'm kinda clueless, esp since I need to use them all fairly quickly. ETA: can I sauté them and then freeze them to add to stuff later? Maybe in strips or pureed and frozen to sneak into spaghetti sauce or soups? WWYD? TIA!