I've read melatonin only works if the body is deficient in it. Valerian can help (though in some it has the opposite effect... it's a stinky herb, too, so just be forewarned!) I grow a lot of lemon balm which is also relaxing and helps promote sleep (as does catnip). For ADD, we've been using the Feingold diet (which avoids specific chemical additives and food colorings). And we've found the book Healing ADD by Dr. Daniel Amen had a lot of helpful and practical suggestions in it to try. There are different types of ADD, and this book helps you hone in on the right one so the correct treatment can be applied. He mostly emphasizes supplements and beginning the day with protein. I found the section near the back about how to teach ADD kids very helpful. What is the "green therapy" you first mentioned?

I was a piano teacher and am currently teaching my own kids (started them at ages 6 and 9). I like the Bastian Piano Basics. Each level has 4 books that are page-coordinated with eachother (Piano, Theory, Technic and Performance). I like that it teaches theory quite early on. Kids over 6 would start with the Primer level, while kids 5-6 would start with Primer A & B (after finishing A & B kids this age would go straight into Level 1). There are 5 levels all together (Primer and Levels 1-4). So you've got about 5 solid years of instruction. After 1 or 2 years, I add Thompson Modern Piano Course for the Piano: First Grade for its wonderful melodies.

From what I've read about Common Core, it is all about the testing, so if the book in question appears on a test, then yes, the book would be required, despite claims teachers have a choice over which books they teach. I really liked this article that Hillsdale College put in their newsletter this month: The Case for Good Taste in Children's Books

Incompetech has tons of free printable .pdfs for every kind of lined paper you can imagine, including penmanship practice sheets.

I'm using this for the first time this year, too (we've been doing it since the beginning of August). I basically made flash cards of all the roots and vocabulary words, which we study daily, and then I have my son do the worksheets from the book (one a day). The flashcards simplify the process. The worksheets and activity sheets and tests (the latter come every 2 weeks and cover 2 lessons) and their answer keys are quite scattered throughout the teacher/students books. I find it a pain to track everything down. I don't find this very user-friendly, either, so I've made the flashcards the heart of our study. There's a Rummy Roots card game (and More Word Roots) that is helpful, too.

I'd recommend doing the shorter subjects first and saving math (the heavier subject) for last. I also tend to time the heavier classes with physical exercise or music beforehand. Having my son practice piano before starting with the other lessons seems to make a smoother transition into school somehow.

I've read TWTM all the way through (both the 2nd & 3rd editions), and I read it before I ever found this forum.

I'm not affiliated with the Ron Paul Curriculum but I thought I'd forward this info in case anyone was curious about this curriculum. Normally this costs $250 for a year's access (plus $50 per class). Here's a chance to try it for much cheaper until the beginning of January. Deadline to sign up for the $25 trial is tomorrow, Monday at 8 AM September 2nd. (Classes are still $50 each.) They are offering a money back guarantee (if you don't cancel before the beginning of January, they'll automatically renew your credit card for the full $250.) Grades K-5 are free. I can't vouch for the quality of the courses since it's brand new. As far as I can tell, there are no textbooks to buy. They present video lectures and links to online books for the courses, and depend heavily on student participation on their forums. It still looks pretty rough so far. Ron Paul's new book called The School Revolution comes out on Sept. 17th, to coincide with this. I had thought to maybe supplement with their history classes, but the one video I watched seemed pretty dry even to me-- it'd probably be even worse for kids. But that was only one class. They do have various teachers for various classes. It's too bad there isn't a Well-Trained Mind online school like this. I'm still a big believer in the classical trivium and haven't found its equal. Ron Paul Curriculum Tip of the Week - August 31, 2013 RPC for $25 =================================================== http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/43.cfm Repeating the offer. . . . Here is a deal. If you sign up between now and 8 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on September 2, 2013, you can join this site for $25: full access to the site until January 2, 2014. Your family will get the whole package: access to the forums and access to the courses. I have set the system so that everyone can log in at once. So, you can “test drive†the curriculum for 4 months. If, on January 2, 2014, you think it’s great, you can subscribe for $250 until January 2, 2015. If you think it’s not what your family needs, you can get a refund on everything: the $25 membership fee, plus the all of the courses you bought at $50 each. A visitor who sees the home page's promotional for the curriculum will see the $250 membership fee. It's now or never. Here's why I'm doing this. Dr. Paul’s new book will be released on September 17: “The School Revolution.†I think it’s going to be a best-seller. In it, there are several descriptions of the Ron Paul Curriculum. A lot of people will sign up for $250. They will not know about this 48-hour offer, because it will no longer exist. I know what will happen. On Monday morning, at about 8:05 a.m., EDT, we will start getting emails. “Dr. North, I was so busy over the weekend. I planned to join. I really did. But things came up.†Things tend to do that. I am sorry to hear about it. However, the deal ends at 8 a.m., EDT. I suggest that you subscribe today if the deal appeals to you. (Keep reading.) WHY THE DEAL? Course providers want feedback. I am one of them. We want a lot of forum participation by students. That’s the feedback that counts most. The more students who get active in the forums, the faster we will be able to make modifications in our courses. Our goal is to supply the best on-line courses in the homeschool world. What is the best way to get a lot of students signed up fast? Offer a big discount to their parents . . . from opening day. But, before you decide to join, I want you to see the video I have produced for parents. It makes the case for signing up. If this program is not what you need, find out today. http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/723.cfm I made a second video. This one is aimed at students. If this curriculum is going to work for your family, your children must commit. I hope this video will persuade them to commit before the offer ends on Monday morning. http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/724.cfm Warning: If your child needs nagging to get assignments completed, adopt another curriculum. Nagging will not work with this curriculum. Trust me on this. FINAL OFFER. . . . I have created a link. It lets you sign up for the next 4 months for $25. I will kill it on Monday morning at 8 a.m., EDT. Watch the two videos. Then come back to this email (save it) and click the link to go to the 48-hour sign-up page. http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/43.cfm Gary North ================================================= Recent articles posted on www.RonPaulCurriculum.com: ================================================================ Commitment to Success This video is aimed at students. Click here to read full article: <http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/724.cfm> ================================================================ Memo to Parents Before you sign up, watch this. Click here to read full article: <http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/723.cfm> ================================================================ Statistics on Home Schooling: Why and How Much Money? Nice Graphs. Are you "normal"? What do other homeschoolers think and do? Click here to read full article: <http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/787.cfm> ================================================================ Why School Vouchers Are a Bad Idea Some conservatives favor school vouchers. They shouldn't. Click here to read full article: <http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/704.cfm> ================================================================ Mathematics and the Lowest Common Denominator There is no subject for which self-pacing is more essential than for mathematics Click here to read full article: <http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/687.cfm><div align=right><a class="more" href="http://74.200.210.26/public/department15.cfm">More</a></div> That's it for this week!

If you like Bauer's other works (Story of the World, Writing with Ease, etc.) then I'd go with the most current edition because it includes those and tells how they fit in with the rest of the curriculum.

The above article was also posted a week ago on Freedom Outpost, though I didn't realize it. The editor of Freedom Outpost had some additional information regarding Michael Farris' responses to Publius Huldah. I'll include them below:

My husband had a shingles outbreak last year, so both my kids caught full-blown chicken pox within a day or two of each other (neither had been vaccinated). Funny thing is, we deliberately exposed them to chicken pox two years ago. The girl had been vaccinated for chickenpox, but she got a mild outbreak when her father got shingles. My kids got a mild case of chicken pox after exposure. So you can say they got them twice, though the first time was mild.

A direct follow-up by Publius to Michael Farris' article: Parental Rights: God-given and Unalienable? Or Government-granted and Revocable?I like how she points out the distinction between unalienable and fundamental rights. She then directly refutes Michael Farris' post point by point. This is really the heart of the whole discussion, whether a PRA is necessary or even harmful.

Here's a new article by Publius Huldah. Since PRA proponents claim the PRA will give protection from the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, Publius shows how international treaties have no effect in the U.S., even when ratified by the Senate. She walks through the steps for how this is so. Treaties: When Are They Part Of “The Supreme Law Of The Land�

Thank you, WishboneDawn!

Well, I've actually been a member of this forum since 2011 and have indeed posted on other topics before this, even if it doesn't look like my message count is very high. I don't have a lot of time for social media. I keep posting on this thread because it's important since it will affect all familes. But to any who find it "boring," you really don't have to read it. No one is forcing you to click on this thread.