Hmmm....I'd be interested in knowing myself! I have a 5th grader too. Although our school day takes us from 8:30-2:30 so we are schooling a bit longer than you, but I wouldn't say it's that much more challenging than any other year, just growing appropriately. I will say though, that most of that homework they do is just hog wash in my opinion. Unnecessary busy work because they don't have the time to get to the actual work after the teaching the lesson. They can't assume that the student can learn the lesson on their own so the teacher must teach the lesson. If they can't do the assignment, then it must be homework.

Is this common practice with them? Do you have a history of this? I can't even begin to imagine this happening...how awful! Although, I'm honestly not sure I'd WANT to be around people like that anyway.

SFM, I just wanted to say that you are in good company of worriers. I would guess that most of us worry from time to time, if not daily or hourly, that we are doing what is best for our children, or wondering if they are ever going to "get it". Homeschooling certainly shapes us, not only the children. As believers, we MUST cast our burdens and struggles at the foot of the cross. If you have brought this before the Lord, and He is guiding your schooling, then you are fine. Repeat this verse as often as needed....I certainly do: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

If you are liking Bigger, just WAIT until you've gotten to Preparing...WOZERS!!! It makes the history in Bigger look like burnt toast! LOL In all seriousness...Preparing is SUCH AN AWESOME GUIDE! We've done all the guides starting in LHFHG and by far Preparing is my very favorite! It is soooo good and my boys are so loving the books Carrie has chosen. I no longer buy any of the stuff brand new anymore. Our budget doesn't allow for it. There are so many places where you can buy the complete set used so you can really still afford it that way! I'll be selling all of my Preparing at the end of this school year! LOL

My youngest has a birthday on August 18th, had we traditionally schooled him we had every intention of giving him another year of maturity before starting him in Kindergarten. Because we homeschooled, we went ahead and started him right at 5. He did fine, however, k only takes 1-2 hours tops at home. The next year he started 1st grade and did just fine, again ..only takes about 2-3 hours to do 1st. 2nd grade he schooled at home and in January we decided to enroll him in a prestigious private school in the area. He really wanted to go, but I was REALLy nervous with the 8-3 schedule, plus the fact they had very different WRITING expectations then what we follow in the early elementary years. We agreed, as long as he went in as a 1st grader, not a 2nd grader. He agreed to it. He completed that 1/2 year just fine there, but we have subsequently come back home and we continue on with his adjusted "grade" he is now in, technically one year back from what he could be age wise. Do I regret any of it. NO! A resounding NO! He should of really been held back anyways. There's no longer a feeling of trying to catch up to what the typical standards he should be reaching. Because he was young, and at home, while I pushed him academically, I also was softer on him simply because we did go ahead in Kindergarten vs. giving him that grace year. Now I know he is right where he needs to be, I know what skills he needs to achieve each year. There is no way he'd be ready for 4th grade work this year...he's in 3rd and I'm so very thankful we did that!

Thanks ladies! We were sitting here watching TV and an email popped up that he got a sale on one of his Amazon books...pretty cool! Granted he's not raking it in...but he's made about $75 in just a few days and a few huge garage sale finds! It's amazing how many BRAND NEW and even collectables that people get rid of for $0.25! Then he sells them for $2-$3 range, yet at Barnes & Noble they are $12-$17! He went to http://www.ignitebizkids.com for the entrepreneur camp. It's a local homeschool mom that started this business. I'm not sure if it's all over, or just here in Central Florida!

Two weeks ago my oldest son went to a week long Entrepreneur Camp. During that week they learned about business models, business plans, what it takes to run a business, etc. They were charged with the task of creating their own business and launching it this coming Wednesday at the Market Place event. Ethan has decided to run a book business! He's set up a website, a facebook page and even has books listed (and sold) on Amazon! The first night he launched his business he had a dozen orders...talk about confidence booster!! :) If you are on facebook and would like to follow his page you can find him at http://www.facebook.com/fortunatebooks His website is: http://www.fortunatebooks.blogspot.com Anyways...I knew you homeschooling mamas would appreciate this most! :)

I could have written this post myself. Yes. Sigh. I do have one child that makes homeschooling a DREAM. He LOVES, LOVES, LOVES homeschooling and rarely gives me a fit over any of his schoolwork. He is honest about his work, and never tries to get out of an assignment, etc. Then I have another child that suck the lifeforce out of me. We've talked about a sentence being made up of a subject and a predicate for THREE YEARS by golly and he'll still look at me like "I have no clue what you are talking about lady!" He dilly dallies, complains, moans and groans and wants to do the least amount of work possible. I love homeschooling and hate it at the same time. LOL

I have an awkward child and a "make friends with anyone" child. I homeschool both. Homeschooling didn't make the awkward child anymore than homeschooling made the social child. They are who they are, regardless of where they school. I also think that more of us homeschool BECAUSE we have awkward children. I know that my oldest (the awkward child) went to K and had a difficult year...it also was one of the biggest reasons we started homeschooling 4 years ago. Did not want him returning to 1st grade and struggle with acceptance. He was starting to hate school and that is NOT what I wanted for him. Little brother probably would have done JUST fine in school, but he gets to homeschool too now!

Start around 8, and my 3rd grader is done by lunch, my 5th grader done by 2:00 with a lunch break thrown in there and another random 15 minute break.

July 16th!! Can't wait!!

FWIW...I asked my boys what it meant to do a chore, even one they didn't like with a cheerful heart. They told me that it's doing the chore pleasantly because they love me and want to show me respect.

Along way. When their boss asks them to do something....think he/she will tolerate a whining attitude? I think not. They want to see a team Player. Why should mom expect anything less?

But you do do dishes out of love, whether you realize it or not. You do the dishes so your family will have dishes to eat on at the next meal, so your home environment is not cluttered, but clean, etc. I'm not saying that this heart change happens immediately, but if you start and continue a dialogue with your children that sets up, reminds, and allows for opportunity to serve others, then slowly the heart follows. They may not want to do the chore, but because I lOve you mom, I want to do it as pleasantly as possible. At the very least they have to understand that their whole life will be about doing things at times they don't want to do. It still needs to get done and a cheerful attitude will go al

Obviously you can't make anyone have a cheerful heart, but the part that needs to be addressed is the underlying selfish intentions. They might be "doing" the act that is requested, however they are begrudging their mom the entire time and making it miserable. Instead they need to be seeing these chores as acts of service to others. By helping with a portion of the work they are showing love to their parents and respect for all they do for them. To scream is contrary to all this and not teaching the children about gratefulness, honor and respect. The cheerful heart doesn't from being excited about cleaning toilets, but from showing mom that despite not enjoying the chore they chose to do it anyways, to honor her and show her love.