I must have about 10 sub-folders under my homeschooling folder in the bookmark section of my browser. It's excellent great stuff and you could (maybe -not as easy as one thinks-) pull a curriculum from them, but what I have noticed in the past 6 years of hs'ing I use them less and less. I do save them because you never know when you may need them, but I rarely ever go searching for something in them. I save them during the week and then sort them out and put them in the appropriate sub-folder of delete them. Michelle

I love Montessori for the little ones and as they get older ease into classical. Michelle

Everyone has said great things and described the program pretty well. I just want to add that what I like best about the program is that it has helped my girls 'think' in terms of math. Anything in everyday life becomes a math problem or equation to solve. I do wish it had more drill sometimes but I use singapore for that. Michelle nycmom

and I know that you're looking for a comparison of the two, but I just wanted to let you know that we've been using Shiller Math for about 4 years and love it. I supplement with Singapore for the extra drill. M nycmom

I really like Pages for word processing. It's simple and clean. I still do have MS office though. M

would love to get a tracker/planner on my MacBook. I've switched to pencil and paper because I dread using HStracker on the regular PC Michelle

This is the best $15 spent while on my HS'ing adventure. This CD includes forms for planners and so much more. There are over 150 forms on this CD to use again and again as you like. http://www.themasterplanner.com/ Michelle

I have used the method with my 4 girls. A good book is Gettmans "Basic Montessori: Learning Activities For Under-Fives" I haven't seen a book that just focuses on the "practical life" side. Another place you may want to check out for materials and other educational materials is http://www.alisonsmontessori.com M

Hello Ladies, I've been reading this thread here and there and this last post reminds me of a lady I encountered in the drugstore while out with my 4 girls. She was speaking with a sales person and we came in the same isle looking for what we needed. She took one look at us and told the sales clerk, "Oh! I guess the whole school is out today." I don't know this woman so she does not know that I HS, but it almost sounded like she knew. I live in the NYC area and more than 2 kids is strange around here. Since I have all girls I get the constant, "So are you looking for the boy?", "What happened no boys?" Sometimes I don't know if to laugh or get angry at these comments...as if I had a choice when my children were conceived. Just wanted to share.... nycmom Michelle

I had ordered this from Blockbuster, but will check it out here. I had my 4 girls at home with Cara Muhlhahn as my midwife. She is great. Im looking forward to seeing her in the film. Thanks! Michelle

I live in the NYC area and this is very common, Im actually surprised some of you have never seen it. Ever since I was a child I recall seeing sneakers thrown over wires. I have always wondered what it meant. I don't think its gang related though. nycmom

My dd has had eczema on her face, hands, feet (especially) and arms since the age of 6 months. All the many dr's I have seem say that it is due to allergies. She will be 4 in July and as of now she has it bad on the top of her feet and bits here and there...anyway we're seeing an allergist now and having her tested. So far she is allergic to dust mites and that I know of egg yoke and peanut butter. I have gone through countless tubes of hydrocortisone creams and just pray that she now outgrows it as so many dr's have said. I think they just don't know what it is so thats all they can say. I have used countless creams, oils, ointments natural and prescribed some work better than others, but it never goes completely away. My point is try and get him tested for allergies and please put something on the eczema before it gets bad. When my dd was just months old many people told me that its common and that when she is a year old it would go away, so I was not aggressive with trying to treat it with anything too strong (Im not into drugs and hydrocortisone unless really necessary). Treat the rash...If you need any info on creams Im well versed in them...lol Oh, and my dd takes zyrtex too. She had claritin, benedryl and patanol eye drops. Zyrtec by far has been the best (they sell one for hives). Hope your little boy gets better. nycmom...

Hi, I agree that the room should be baby proofed before trying to leave the baby on the bed. You can check out http://www.alisonsmontessori.com for furniture, they also have lots of educational materials at a reasonable price. nycmom

I was diagnosed with hashimotos thyroidtis some time ago. At the time of my first dx I did not want to believe I had hypothyroidism, I did not fit the mold much and attributed my tired fatigued state to mommy burn out. I did not take the meds prescribed, I don't even like taking asprin. Things really got bad about two years later. Normal thyroid level is .3-5, I believe, and mine was 240...Long way from 5. I had seroius medical problems and was also diagnosed with myxedema madness which lasted about 2-3 weeks. When levels get to 219 people have been known to go in to a coma. I started taking the thyroid replacement hormone drug and thank God my levels are normal now, after two years. I feel great, better than before I ever had kids I believe. When I was sick it was a very scary time where we ended up putting my two eldest dc in a private school. It was heartbreaking for me to send them, but my health and mental state had deteriorated so much that I could not bear to think about it and let it get me down. I didn't forsee getting better let alone feeling as great as I do now. For a long time I tried making myself believe that school was ok, immersing myself in the school culture,and let the idea of hs'ing go altogether. I have noticed changes in my dc though and I know this is inevitable that kids change, but they both say that "learning is their enemy", despite being on the honor roll. On the outside they look like they are great students, which they are, but the love of learning is gone. Now dh and I are thinking of hs'ing once again after school is out. I thank God I got my health back and that I started taking my meds. My heart goes out to all those moms with an autoimmune disease.:grouphug: Michelle nycmom

If you're only going to use it for basic HS'ing stuff, surfind the web, emails, blogs, I agree with the other poster...Go with the macbook. I got one last year and love it! My DH has a macbook pro its nice but I like the way the macbook is small and compact and can do almost as much as the macbook pro. Michelle