:iagree: Reading IS the reward. I think rewards for reading could be counterproductive in most cases.

DD has the Animas pump too! It really has made a difference in our lives. Diabetes is still always there along with its lows and highs, but the pump does give us a lot more freedom. I love being able to lower or raise the basal rates as needed depending on her activity level or whatever else is going on. I also love that I can give her insulin before, during, and after she eats, rather than having to give it in one shot. Happy for you and her!

This post made me realize I was at 99--one away from the next level. So here is my last post as a Worker Bee!

Yep, same experience here. DS knew "T" three months ago, and now he knows every single letter, uppercase and lowercase, and the sound each one makes. Is the Word Factory one this good?

Do you mean, how much would it cost to pay someone to take over the homeschooling of six kids?

I am torn on this as well. DS will be four in November, and I would like to send him to the same preschool that DD went to. However, it is a lot of money for two mornings per week, and I'm not too excited about getting up to drive him and watching the clock and then picking him up (15 minutes each way). There is a cheaper option at the local high school, but it starts really early in the morning (like 7am) and there is no real structure to the program. I'll probably end up sending him for the extra time to spend on academics with DD and so he can have fun and learn some basics. I'm not sure about K for DS when the time comes. I guess it depends on our situation and if I want to continue homeschooling at all at that point. I can already see he will likely be an early reader, so if K is like DD's program this year, he will probably not get much out of it.

I think it's great that you put his needs before your own!

I would let her go. My philosophy is that we will homeschool until either one of us no longer wants to. I don't want to homeschool someone against his/her will.

I'm waffling on spelling for first grader. Do I want AAS or not? I was a very natural speller, and dd seems to be picking up reading fairly easily, so I'm wondering if she will be like me and it might be unnecessary. Decisions, decisions.

I think I'm in the minority on this one, but I don't plan to teach chronological history until second grade at the earliest. I think my 6yo needs a base of knowledge to work from, so I'd rather talk about different times and places and record them on a timeline and world map as we go along (we're going to do this through FIAR books). This will allow her to get a sense of time and place, and we'll build on history from that base knowledge as she gets older.

This is my tentative plan: Core Program FIAR (discuss history, geography, art, etc. through this and supplement texts) Math: Math Mammoth Reading: All About Spelling, Explode the Code, as well as Making Words and Word Ladders, lots of read-alouds Science: Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding, nature study, weekly nature science class PE: Dance, swimming, gymnastics, and hopefully soccer Extracurricular: Theater, chorus, Girl Scouts Halfway through the year, I hope to introduce Spanish and daily journal writing, and possibly GWG (though I may wait for Grade 2 for GWG)

Thanks, everyone! This is helpful.

You might find this article helpful. http://www.secularhomeschool.com/content/416-Secular-Homeschool-Science...Wait-Is-That-An-Oxymoron

Does AAS ever go on sale through homeschool buyers' co-op or anywhere else?

Another vote for Leapfrog Letter Factory dvd.

Hi, I just began homeschooling dd. I meant to start next year, but her kindergarten teacher (who was wonderful) left for maternity leave for the rest of the year, and I thought, why wait? I am making plans for her first grade year next year, and am trying to decide what to do about ds. I could put him in a preschool for two mornings a week. It's a nice place--dd went there too. I think he would enjoy it and learn something, and it may free up some time for dd and I to work together. BUT it is not cheap and I am a little reluctant to have to rush out the door, even for just two mornings per week. We could instead put this $ toward other activities instead. Who has done preschool for younger children--was it worth it? FWIW, we'll be doing FIAR, and I will include him in some of the learning. He'll be turning four in the fall. Thanks!

Definitely freecycle. It will all be gone in no time.

Because we're better than that. We're better than the criminals.

What is HSS?

I've had so many strange comments from people, like "Well, at least now you'll really healthy" and "I heard about a new trial that can transform type 1 diabetics back into type 2 diabetics" (that one from a nurse, sigh). I don't blame people for being ignorant of the disease--I was too--but I dislike when people think they know something about it when they clearly don't. I think homeschool is the best choice for us for now so I can keep her as healthy as possible, and if she chooses to go to school in the future when she is a little more self-sufficient, I will support that. Nice to have you here!

My dd was dx four years ago when she was only 18 months old. Neither dh or I had the slightest bit of medical knowledge or interest and knew nothing about type 1. It was quite a shock! She is now pumping and doing very well, but diabetes just doesn't go away. It makes everything more difficult, as you know. She sometimes asks to sign up for half- or full-day dance or sports camps, and it's just so hard, because do I sit there all day, or do I ask some poor person to take over responsibility and go through all that training, knowing that they still won't understand what they're doing? Now her scouts troop is planning some overnight trips. I guess I should start packing my bags too. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a child where I could just say, "Have a good time! See you tomorrow!" as they went off on an overnight. :) Anyway, sorry for rambling!

Hi, I just want to say welcome and that my dd has type 1 diabetes too--this is also one of our big reasons for homeschooling next year. When was your dd diagnosed? Jessica

I'm going to use FIAR next year for dd6. I have the first volume and just love what I've read. It is not a classical program, but it has wonderful quality literature and activities that help children start to understand the world around them. Lots of room for creativity and to gear the level of the material up or down. I'm also excited that ds (who will be 4) can do a lot with us. I plan to also use Math Mammoth, ETC/other phonics program, journal writing, HWT, FLL, and maybe introduce Spanish. Not a classical line-up, but a purely classical education is not my style, though I like some things about the classical approach and plan to introduce SOTW in grade 2.

Reading came so easy to me, I can't remember not being able to read. I was three when I started reading on my own. It is actually strange to me that my 5yo isn't reading fluently yet, even though she is above her grade level, as it came so naturally to me.

This sounds exactly like my almost-6-year-old dd! We really can't even take a trip to the toy store because she will end up lying on the floor because of the difficulty of the decision!