Thanks for the freebie book! These look very straight forward and I just printed out the first chapter of one to start with my kiddo. Great link!

I just bought the webapp via their website (no ipad at the moment) and cannot even log on. i try to log in and it says I am not yet a user, although I got a confirmation "thank you for joining" type email after I paid. I tried to reply to their admin(at)soundliteracy.com email but it bounced. hmmmmm...

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Also, it's not an app but check out Reading Bear on youtube. It's free and goes through all the phonics rules based on the Flesch 's list from the bestseller "Why Johnny Can't Read." I used the paper flashcard version of this list long before this multimedia version existed and it is helpful. https://www.youtube.com/user/LarrySanger

Check out Little Reader Touch, it's a free download but there is a paid version available with a one year curriculum. The full version is actually a software program with an optional i-thing add on, so it's not cheap but it's effective. I just put my ipad on the charger so I could check my other favorites for you...although it makes me want to cry when I look at the shattered screen ::sigh:: Annnd it was Mommy's fault this time so I can't even blame the kids. :crying: wah. I'm still waiting for the ipad fairy to wave her magic wand... Anyway, I once bookmarked a MASSIVE list of kids educational apps, the most I had ever seen online. Now of course I can't find it, but I am looking. In the meantime I stumbled across these which still look pretty good although the other one was better. I'll let you know if I can hunt it down. https://docs.google....&hl=en_US#gid=0 http://teachwithyour.../Grade K-2 Apps

I have looked into this and was/am very interested. -okay I just looked up some links again- http://www.isingapor...ore-math-online Samples- http://www.isingapor...m/learning1.php http://www.isingapor...m/learning3.php

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Thanks for your reply! I sent you a PM with my email address. :) You really make me lean in the direction of LS, does DD have to be 5 to begin? I planted a litle seed tonight to Dh that we may need to drop 2K on curriculum. He wasn't as opposed as he could have been, which is a good start! They also assigned me a point of contact, I figure I'll hear from them after the holidays. We'll see how it goes!

DD is 4 and I am looking as to how I am going to do school with her now that she is ready for something a little more structured. Right now, I have a hodge podge assortment of materials for more ecclectic style learning but it feels like it's more work for me to do it this way. I do have a decent amount though and it seems like enrolling in a school will be throwing money away in the sense for what I aleady own, but it will help me stay accountible and keep us all on task. What age can you enroll your child in Laurel Springs? DD is reading very well, how to they handle asynronicities between subjects? I thought about using time4 learning and What your ______ needs to know as a base, and then working everything else we already own aroud it, and it would be a lot cheaper, but I feel like it would be so nice to have support and accountibility. Although, a message forum and a good magnetic daily tracking chart would probably take care of all that. {sigh}. And I won't have to convince we need to drop 2K on school which will be a huge disagreement, I can already see that coming. We are moving to Japan in 6 months and I'd really like to enroll the kids in Japanese school (which is not free because they will still be in yochien). But that means I need to be very consistant working with them at home to ensure they continue progressing since there will be a language barrier until they begin to pick up the language and truly learn at school. But doing a half day Japansese program and then a stuctured online private school would probably be overkill both on them timewise and financially on us as parents. They are accelerated as it is, so I don't have much fear of them falling behind, but I do want them to continue growing and the LS school seems like such a "safe" comprehensive choice starting out on this journey in a more formal way. I just need a sounding board...the wise choice is probably to develop a good schedule and plan at home, stick to it, use the materials we have, invest minimally in a few more, and most likely enroll the kids in time4learning. Is T4L *that* bad? LS just sounds so lovely in their marketing materials....

Miss Marnie's "The TV Teacher" videos are excellent for handwriting, especially for kids with Special Needs although nuerotypical children can use them as well. We're big fans in our house.

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I forgot to share the link to Mommy Maestra, so here you go: http://www.mommymaestra.com/ On her resources page she lists a few more programs that I am not yet familiar with. http://www.mommymaestra.com/p/resources.html

You may like Destination Reading by Houghton Mifflin, they have levels 1 & 2 and it covers some reading comprehension along with blends, etc and up. they offer a trial on their website and then you can buy it discounted through homeschool buyers co-op. We bought the Destination Math and i have been pretty happy with it. http://www.hmhinnovation.com/DR-DA.php

Check out www.drmoku.com to learn hiragana & katakana. A quick heads up to the more conservative parents, there are a couple references such as the symbol for "mu" is a cow breaking wind and the synbol for shi and tsu are two cute dogs but the boy is romantically interested in the girl dog. I am pretty liberal and let my kids use it because we've found it to be effective and I don't think that little bit will corrupt them, at least not completely anyway. ;) The app works on smart phones AND your computer! There are two seperate apps, one for hiragana and one for katakana. From what I understand, most children's books are written in hiragana. (We are moving to Japan next year so we have a specific interest in learning at least the basics. I was excited I got 30 out of 40 something on my Dr. Moku katakana quiz a few days ago. :D) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdJdRwjPVkM Also check out the Hiragana Mama blog for more resources. Good luck! http://hiraganamama.wordpress.com/

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If $15 piano lessons are out of your range, think about it. What is worse, wanting opportunities and not having them nearby or having them nearby and not being able to afford them? Sometimes I find enrolling the kids in outside activities to be very draining. There are times I just don't want to go and the semester can drag on. This is partly why we only have the kids in 1 outside activity at the moment and I am dropping it in January for a number of reasons. *I* thought it was the perfect program, but it ended up not being a great fit for DD. Those co-ops you think are wonderful might not be all that you think, as in they may possibly be disorganized, gossipy, expensive, whatever! I find it so easy to think the grass is greener when it comes to my kids because I want the best for them! But more often than not, the best turns out to be lots of time at home with a devoted mother. Don't beat yourself up too much over greener grass, if you are meant to move you, you will. Until then, just make the best of it! Have you considered starting something up on your own to fill the void and help others in the same situation?

http://www.davidsong.../youngscholars/ See about applying for the Young Scholars program. If accepted it would entitle you to free consulting services from a professional to help you manage your child's education and hold your hand through the process. Good luck!

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My advice is to invest in a mini portable laptop mouse. They are pretty cheap on amazon, I think I got our last one for about $8 inc. shipping, we needed a second the times they use laptops at the same time. Then get a velcro dot and stick it on the LEFT button. This saved my kids SO MUCH frustration! They can feel where to click, in the beginning I used a sticker and it did not work as well. The velcro dot sticks better, doesn't get worn off, and they can feel it better. They also make oversized track ball mouses for kids that they can roll with their whole hand (these are very popular for kids with special needs from my understanding) and they do not require fine motor control. But I found the mini mouse allowed them to manipulate it much better and we skipped straight to that at about 2 years old.

These might not all be applicable to you on account of the ages, but I am sharing all the resources I know of in case anyone else finds them useful. Some are better for little ones. Edited to add: Nevermind, I see your child is 10! They will mostly all be too young, expect maybe El Perro y El Gato and Speekee perhaps. http://www.whistlefritz.com/ (WONDERFUL! immersion) www.speekee.com (free trial/online version available, immersion) http://www.gpb.org/salsa/term/episode (immersion) www.kidstartspanish.com (immersion) http://www.bocabeth.com/ (Billingual) http://www.amazon.co...h/dp/B0051WNQGM (Billingual) or the full Latin American version of YBCR for immersion called Tu Bebe Puede Leer http://www.bashoandfriends.com (immersion, lots of audio with some youtube videos, this artist created all of the materials for Lango children's language schools nationwide www.langokids.com, many of the songs are the same as those offered on his CD available for purchase online. Samples on youtube. ) (edited to add: He has a great song to learn spanish alphabet and vowels on youtube! highly reccomend that one, I forgot about it until now. http://joseluisorozco.com/ (immersion, mostly all audio I beleive, very authentic. A friend raves about these cd's.) www.pocoyo.com (to see samples of Spanish, search Pocoyo America Latina on youtube. I was able to find some randomly ONLY in Spanish at Walmart for Christmas a couple years ago. Perro y El Gato. We like these a lot and I would like to get the whole set for Christmas, you can check out the samples I just added to a playlist on Youtube. https://www.youtube....low=grid&view=1 (http://www.amazon.co...ords=perro gato) http://www.dinolingo.com/ http://www.littlepim.com/ And of course, I always scout the children's video areas for videos with Spanish play options. I have been able to get Strawberry Shortcake, Thomas, etc. Good Luck!!!

Mine is the new version. The included DVD's for K were better than 1st or 2nd, K has a *lot* more fun cartoons/songs like you see on youtube, 1st and 2nd is more straight words with only minor animated introductions. We started very young though so a simplified phonics program worked well as I was looking to use demonstration versus explanation.

HI there- I have not compared the two programs side by side but we did the full k-2nd program and we are now doing master reader. If my memory serves me correctly, it only gives examples rather than rule explanations. It's been a while but I actually don't remember reading any rule explanations at all.

I used to work in youth sports administration, a job that I "fell into" by chance in my life before kids. There is a HUGE double standard in this country when it comes to valuing sports vs. education. I don't personally get it, but hey, to each their own. A friend of mine just laughed after she quite easily taught her young toddler letters using the Preschool Prep series and then shared it with a family member so she could teach her child too. The mom insisted her child was not "ready," but this is the same kid that had already memorized every single pokemon character and facts about each. :D Hilarious!

DD began sight reading around 13 months and decoding phonetically outloud at 19 months. DS was decoding around 16 or 17 months I think? I purposefully began "teaching" DD once I learned it was possible to start that young, although at that age it's more about exposure that direct instruction. Infant and toddler literacy is just misunderstood so people can get very judgemental about it, but it's truly the best decision I ever made for my kids. For anyone that doesn't approve of that? Well, they can raise their kids however they like! :glare: Go for it!