My favourite book is Meals Without Meat. All the recipes are down to earth and they all work (I hate recipe books where I follow the instrucitons exaclty and they dont turn out well). Whenever I find a copy 2nd hand I buy it so I can give it to a struggling vegetarian. It is written by a New Zealander. I dont know if it is available in the U.S.

I think its hardwired into their genes somehow :) They seem to be born able to handle information technology. We struggle because we are too old to learn so easily and quickly and intuitively. Even though I am internet savvy, and reasonably capable of delaing with computers, I am mobile phone ignorant, and still havent learned how to text. I have had dd show me twice but I havent used it immediately and so the instructions just leaked out of my brain again. One day, I will be a proud texter. When dd shows me again.

We just read some of the Inferno and didnt find it especially violent...bleak and depressing, sure, but not violent, especially. Well, not compared to a normal evenings TV, anyway. However, none of us enjoyed it at all, I must admit. Perhaps if we had made the effort to listen to lectures about it or we had additional notes, we would have engaged with it more, but we didnt, and we didnt get far into it. It was the 2nd time we had touched on it- the previous time being 4 years ago. At least the kids have a vague idea of what it is now, and we discussed the characters and tried to keep it all straight. But its not one they will remember fondly (unlike the Iliad!).

Lol, I want to take issue with what is a deity? I mean, I know what most of you think it means...its just not what i think it means. So I answered evolution with no deity just to not be difficult :). But my understanding is that "God" is the conscious living intelligence that is ever present and eternal and not separate from the process of creation or what is created....but God is not a separate entity and certainly not a parent figure. Not that God is any the less incredible for that. But, I dont believe in the Bible story as literal. I believe in evolution.

It seems to me that the large pharmaceutical companies, some of which are the wealthiest companies in the U.S., have vested interests. I have read enough articles over the years that suggest that there is much corruption at high levels, and so many vested interests, that I just dont believe what they say anymore- particularly when they are goign to make billions of $ from it. I think the public is rightly sceptical. Blind faith in the "science" that is put forth to justify thousands of medications including vaccinations,that is basically coming from corrupt and vested interests, is a dangerous thing nowadays. It feels comfortable to trust the authorities until something goes wrong with someone you know personally. Having said that, I did a partial and delayed vaccination schedule with my kids at my dh's insistence and neither had any obvious reaction. A year later though I had them tested for heavy metals and both came up positive for mercury. I could only trace it back to the vaccinations they had. There is NO safe level of mercury in the system. In the end...perhaps most people will be ok. And perhaps not. It's hard to know the long term affects of vaccinations (and in the case of the swine flu one, perhaps even the short term ones since it has been rushed in). The rates of autism and autoimmune conditions have skyrocketed in the last couple of decades...why? They don't know. It may not be one thing- it may be the vast number of chemicals we are now exposed to in our lifetime- kids have sensitive systems and will be the first to suffer. I dont see the need for this vaccinaiton, for most people, and I never vaccinate for flu. Dh did for years, and kept getting sick as well...this winter, he didnt vaccinate, and didnt get sick. Strange how often people say that.

Got both of them...thankyou. I havent really considered going through them- I ll have another look at that. thanks :)

I think you just learn as you go what your priorities are. Is it more important ot you to finish your history in a year so you can move on, or is it more important to indulge in the enjoyment and learning of a part that really takes your fancy? I have always spent a year on each year. I cut stuff out if we are lagging. Thats what important to me...because as much as we LOVE our hsitory, and we do....I personally get tired of Ancients etc and want to move on! But I don't think thats any more correct than your approach, honestly. The thing is not to feel guilty because there are others doing it differently. You are learning. If it makes you feel too bad that you are "behind" (behind what or who?), then maybe you realise you really want to keep a tighter schedule, and you either speed up or cut something out. We all go through it- the discernment, the sifting as to what to include and what to leave out...because, I am sure you realise, its jsut not possible to fit everything into a 12 year education, even a classical one.

I love what Dangerdad has said. I agree...sometimes we women think we have made ourselves clear, but the dh hasnt really got it properly. I would at least go for a forseeable end to the position. If you knew you only had till the end of the year, could you hang it out till then? Make a plan. Tell him you just.cant.do it anymore, and think about alternatives to suggest to him. The burden on a dh to support his family is big, and I am certainly guilty of forgetting that at times. That being said...no way so think you should stay in a soul sucking job. If you feel you can actually afford being home....push for a trial period. My dh is also very proud of supporting the family so I can homeschool. But I have a part time job that works well for a bit of extra income and makes me feel a bit better. If it came to the crunch and dh just wouldnt accept it...I would leave the job anyway, or find another. Life is jsut too short, and you are ultimately responsible to yourself first.

I think that is more my inclination as well. I never originally homeschooled in order to give my kids a superior education than they would get in schools- that was a possible wonderful side benefit. I homeschooled my son because he had LDs and suffered in school...it was traumatic for him and he wasnt learning at all...I was more worried about his self esteem than anything- his giving up. For dd, it was purely social...we just didnt want to lose her to the system. I found TWTM months after I had begun homeschooling. I was happy to try anything, even unschooling, rather than school. I would not call us especially "rigorous" any more, but we do do a fair school day almost every day. I don't take days off lightly. We have our routine. I do wonder at the families who don't spend much time at home, but I also wished I spent more time out of the house doing field trips when my kids were younger. There is more than one way to homeschool. And not all kids are college bound.

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Only have an Ipod touch. Awesome. Endless games9Not that I have a single game on mine!). My kids mostly use free games and other apps, but sometimes ask if they can buy one- costs all of $2 usually, and they give me the money and they buy it. Not that I would give one to kids that young...they are breakable and need care. Dd's touch phone broke recently because it was in her back pocket when she sat down. I have heard many stories of these things going through the wash, getting dunked in the pool....they usually don't survive.

Why not just use the suggestions in the WTM? Rod and Staff is used a lot. The books SWB have written are well loved. Once you ask the board here and even consider deviating from it, you might not be a "strict-classical-WTMer" anymore.

My dd15 is doing exactly what Jean does, right now- the short story section in the Gold book. I think she is getting a lot out of it in terms of what you are wanting.

We did this this year....loosely, anyway. We read the books and discussed. The Book of Insects was OK. We enjoyed King Solomons Ring more- a lot in fact. I think with all these type of books, it depends on the kids and their inclination. Some have been a hit for us...others, not.

We do an ongoing read aloud, or two, at once, and discuss as we go. Sometimes I use discussion questions (thanks for the reminder Nan and Lori, about the WEM). The kids are also both using LLATL, and the Gold one that Dd15 is using is definitely expanding her understanding of literature...but I think its the years of reading together and discussing that will stick in the kids' minds long term. Im sure some kids do well with independent work in this area, but my younger just doenst engage very well with it.

We havent used soap at all for years. Well, ever, actually. We dont even have any in the bathroom. I do have a pump bottle of castille soap at the sink but it is rarely used. If you bathe daily, you simply don't need soap. It's a marketing ploy. A good flannel will get most dirt off. We dont get "dirty" in that way, but I understand young kids do sometimes.

I am looking for more "alternative" type nutritional information rather than the standard government official recommendations. Something I might write myself but haven't- something another natural therapy type person has already written for teens. Is there anything like that out there? My dd15 is interested - I am always teaching my kids stuff around nutrition and healthy eating but I do get a lot of eye rolling- I am looking for something that is not too technical, but above a child level. I keep thinking there is a market for a good website or book directed to teens that teaches about healthy eating, cooking, and also other healing modalities, herbs etc. I would like to find it already done though. Any ideas? thanks

My husband agreed to a 6 month trial. He had all the same concerns as your dh. He was sold within weeks. I cant remember where I found all the info but I googled and found articles on the benefits of homeschooling - not long articles, just readable ones- and printed them and put them on the kitchen table. Dh saw how totally keen I was and went for the trial. The first thing I did as a new homeschooler was sort out their social life. It can take work and dedicaiton to get that part right, jsut as much as teh acadeics. I dont think dhs who are concerned about this are altogether unreasonable...but depending on the resources you have available, it can quickly become a non issue. Only weeks into our 6 month trial, he was my best supporter and has been ever since...even when I have felt maybe we should be more open to highschool as an option. Good luck. Meet each of your dh's concerns with some informaiton, and reassurance that you dont want your kids to grow up freaks either. If its the social side he is concerned about, do the research.

The Vedas, in particular the Upanishads. I prefer to read about other religions and beliefs looking for the essence, the core teachings...and I dont believe they are all as different as people seem to think.

I am pretty anti medication myself, but I do understand sometimes its the best thing. My step dd21 is ADD and her mum put her on medication for her teen years...but in her case, it really seems to have damaged her brain. It's hard to explain but she is so spaced out and unreasonable its hard to communicate or have much to do with her. She is 21 now and long off the medication. The medication didnt help her school marks but maybe nothing could have. She now has OCD quite badly as well, which she didn't have as a child. Anyway, what I thought to say to you is that....many of us find that our boys' brains turn to mush during those middle school years, anyway. You might have seen posts here with subjects like "what happened to my boy's brain?" or "how do I get my boy to be interested in his work? " or "how to get my son to be organised?" These posts tend to come when the boy is preteen/early teens. It is common. I just thought I would throw that into the mix for you, since we all tend to be a bit isolated as homeschoolers and often don't realise that behaviours can represent developmental stages. I might as well share that my husband is also ADD, severely, although undiagnosed (he is 55, I am not even sure there was such a diagnosis back then). He was expelled from 3 kindergartens, and from highschool. He was a nightmare of a child- the oldest of 5. He wasn't allowed home from boarding school only 3 miles away on weekends, because his mother couldn't handle him. However by the age of 28 he was a retired millionaire. At age 33 he got seriously ill and re-evaluated his life, and left all his businesses. He has had an amazing life and now lives to serve others. When his daughter was diagnosed with ADD he was very very strong on not medicating her, because he feels that being ADD is not a condition or disease- it simply makes someone learn and think differently, and he would never change that in himself. I know every situation is different and it can be an agonising decision for parents..just thought I would share.

Lol, I just this minute walked away from watching the first movie to see this thread. Everyone said the movie was so bad but after reading the books (months ago now) I thought it was pretty good. Maybe it wasnt so good if you hadnt read the books. Or maybe I am just a sucker for another dose of Edward. I would think they were too old for a 10yo and I am pretty liberal with that sort of thing. But I really don't think the 4th is any worse than the rest. Dd15 and I think it was the best book.

Dd has a passion for drawing and watercolours, but also for Scouts and friends. Ds also has a passion for his friends and for computer games etc. I could say my ds doesnt have any passions but the I thought about his friends, and his love of computer games...maybe they're not your healthy classically educated homeschooled kid type of passions but they are what floats his boat. Both kids love to read good fantasy as well. I honestly wouldn't worry about it.

I don't mind a bit of controversy......I don't take what is said here to seriously or too much to heart, usually. It's all play, even when the issues are fairly serious. The same old discussions and controversies can get old...but the years of reading and posting here have helped me refine my viewpoints, and opened my mind to others' viewpoints, so it's all good.

Hi Nan, its my dd and she has always been artistic, but for the last 5 years or so she has been going to a watercolour art class at our local community art gallery, which happens to be just down the road, where the teacher is a botanical artist. SO in a way, dd has been "apprenticed" to this woman, and they have a close bond. I am amazed myself at the work dd is doing. A couple of days ago dd and I went to a botanical art exhibition with famous artists in it...and we realised that dd could easily enter her work there as well, she is that good. Except it takes her months to do each painting (I dont know if it takes others as long). She feels she is lacking in the "creative" side of things though and is trying to draw "from her head" rather than imitating, at times. She loves to draw gothic and fairy type images. Even though I say she is gifted, you know, its a lot of work- its not work to her because its her passion...but when I do our read alouds each day, she is drawing. When I kick her off the computer (where she loves to play with Photoshop) she goes to her room and draws. When she watches TV, she draws. So its often hours a day, and this has been going on for years.....so while she has a "gift" in one sense...in another, its hard work that anyone could do, in a way, if they had the inclination. I wish I could get ds more interested in drawing..but with a sister so good and him already have low self esteem about his abilities in general (with LDs)....he basically wont even try.

I am of the mindset that everyone is gifted. I realise many of the people here have kids who are very advanced in certain academic or conceptual skills and gifted is a term that alows them to have a common language with other parents with similarly gifted kids, and I dont try and take that away. I decided to visit this board today just because. My kids are not accelerated or gifted in the commonly understood sense, but both have their gifts never the less. Dd is very artistic- botanical artist- ds is musically gifted but yet can't tell you the names of the notes. I dont feel the need to label or catagorise them to be here.