I am looking at both TOG and MFW right now, and they both look great. I have a DS 8 (3rd grade) and a DS 6 (1st grade) and a DD 2. MFW seems to be a bit easier to organize and put together in that it seems like it all comes in the package, except for some of the books needed. In terms of planning and presenting the material to two different levels, is TOG more of a challenge? Could I just order the TOG bonus bundle and then add the books as we go? I really like both and am having a hard time deciding. I am coming from our first year of homeschooling and we used straight Abeka. Thanks for any input!

Thank you. We are going from using straight Abeka this past year to trying some different things. There is so much to choose from! :)

Is this meant to be used as a grammar curriculum on its own or as a supplement to something else?

I have seen that term on here quite a bit. What are living books? Thanks!

My son did Abeka K this year and we are looking at maybe doing Horizons Math next year. What skills were taught in Horizons K? I don't want DS to have trouble with the switch.

Sue, My DS (8) is also a very reluctant reader. What are your guidelines on how much yours read everyday? Do you go by time or amount read? Out loud or silently?

There is a song called "Fifty Nifty United States" that does them alphabetically.

Thank you! I just enrolled my boys. :)

I started another thread about My Father's World and would like to know what are some good Spelling programs. We have been using straight Abeka, and MFW suggests Spelling Power. Any pros or cons with that one?

What math and spelling does everyone use with it? They suggest Singapore Math and Spelling Power. What can you tell me about those? Pros and cons.

My DH and I went to a Homeschool Conference today and I was really impressed with My Father's World. Any opinions on it? We have been doing straight Abeka this year so it would be a bit of a change for us.

Yep, Sigma Kappa

BS in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood Endorsement

Thank you so much for the input everyone. We are doing Abeka Language, and he is fine with the worksheet pages but loses it when he gets to one where he has to write a story. I will not worry so much about those pages for now. Thanks again!

My DS is 2nd grade level and hates writing. What writing programs do you use? I can get him to copy his spelling words, but when it comes to writing stories, or even copying what he has dictated to me, he really fights me on it. Any suggestions to either get him writing more or me to stress less about it? Thanks!

Yep, my son's brain is just wired different I guess. He is exactly like that, will notice details that nobody else does.

Well, for our son, it isn't the "boring" activities, it is the fact that he gets distracted very easily. Where other children can block out distractions, he hears, along with the story, every sound in the room, people coming in and out, coughing, sneezing, the air conditioner cutting on, someone next to him playing with their velcro shoes, etc. It would be like if you went to a restaurant, and while trying to pay attention to your DH/DW or whoever, you also heard everything else going on and couldn't focus on that other person.

I didn't take offense at all, not to worry. I really haven't been concerned with changing his diet, he only drinks water, no milk, juice or cokes. That is his choice by the way, he won't drink anything but water. Makes for really interesting children's parties, I am usually the mom running around with a cup and searching for a water fountain. And he has never been a big eater, junk or otherwise, so at least here, the food thing wasn't something I could tie it to. We held off on medication, decided to homeschool first, but after a few months of that, we felt that we were not doing him any good by not putting him on medication, kind of like if we had a child who was diabetic, would we deny that child insulin?

Well, I have known that my oldest DS was ADD since he was about 18 months old, I just waited til he was 7 to get him tested. He has been on medication since September and is doing so much better. I see a world of difference in him. I think kids are either born that way or not, but that is just my opinion.

We use Tide.

Go to homeschoolshare.com They have a section of free lapbooks and one of them is for "The Legend of the Easter Egg".

We are doing Abeka this year, our first year homeschooling, and I have gotten so caught up in getting the workbooks done, that we have done virtually no other reading. I have gone to the library the past couple of weeks and have started making time everyday to read aloud. Thanks for the info on the Sonlight read alouds. I am finding so much inspiration from y'all on this board! :) Donna in Texas DS 8 DS 6 DD 21 months

Yes, the Core 1 read alouds. Thanks for the info! :) Donna in Texas DS 8 DS 6 DD 21 months

I am looking at curriculum for next year and thinking about ordering the Sonlight Read Aloud level 1. My boys are 8 and 6, will be 3rd and 1st next year. Anybody use these and how did your kids like them? Thanks! Donna in Texas DS 8 DS 6 DD 21 months

It never stayed in my kids long enough to find out! Sorry, can't help here. Donna in Texas DS 8 DS 6 DD 21 months