Wow, you have such a plateful right now. No wonder you feel burned out. Several of my family members who suffer from long term emotional issues, mainly depression and stress, use St John's Wort, and they really swear by it. I was going to suggest sleep. Are you getting plenty of sleep, or are you avoiding it? Sleep keeps your body going, it keeps your hormones balanced, it keeps you from going over the edge. Not sleeping all day because you are depressed kind of sleep. But, going to bed at a decent hour and staying in bed all night kind of sleep. It is a deep healer. Rest. My husband has a term he calls "running on empty". He learned to do it years ago when he was really sick for several years. You just do what you need to do, and no more. Then you rest. You dont push yourself. He reminds me about it when I get burned out. Its kind of like going into automatic, putting one foot in front of the other, not thinking too much, just doing what absolutely needs to be done. Then stopping. thinking of you :grouphug:

Oh Karen, I am glad all is well for you too. One of the things that I was annoyed about, if it was to be a positive diagnosis, was how much focus and attention this was going to put on me, both by me, trying to get well, and by my family and friends, and I just don't want that sort of attention....I just want to get on with my life! Its just great to have a simple, ordinary life. I know what you mean by mentally immobile! It is such a sense of freedom to be able to let it go.

Steve Austin!

Our schedule is,the kids need to be up by 7am. By 8am, they need to be doing their music practice. They start their schoolwork- maths- at 8.30. I did shift it all back half an hour for a while but it was a push. This routine seems to work for us. My teenage daughter would love to go to bed later and sleep in, but she has afternoon and evening classes- art, sewing, sometimes guitar, Scouts, piano.....drama and sport one day....all in all, it works better if we spend mornings on our schoolwork, because there is not much time to catch up if we start later.

I see the "rigorous education" part as developing the skills in my children to appreciate the vast world they are part of- the art, the literature, the philosophy, the religions, the diversity, the history of their own culture, the appreciation of others' cultures, languages, nature, their own gifts.....and be able to interact with this world with the greatest potential to live their own potential. So I guess I see it as laying in front of them the smörgåsbord of life, and giving them the tools to appreciate it, and give back to it, to find their highest calling. For me, its not really about career training as much as life training. So, I dont want to burn them out, and I think if I pushed too hard, I would. They would shut down. They don't love all their schoolwork. But, they love parts, like parts, tolerate parts...they don't truly dislike much, I don't think. Sometimes things they learn in school trigger off passions in them. They both love to read. I dont expect them to love their learning though, they still have to do it anyway. I try and keep academic schooling in balance with outdoor life, social life, rest, creative pursuits, and their other passions. So no, its not an either/or scenario, but I do believe that its possible to overvalue academic knowledge, and outward achievement, and undervalue other parts of our beings, and I endeavor not to do that. Balance.

Well, you can feel sorry for me, because dh54 and ds12 both think farting and belching are hilarious. I have no hope. Actually, in the family I grew up in, and in my present family, these things are no big deal, and are not punishable offences :001_smile: I wish ignoring it would make it go away, but it doesn't :001_smile: so I just give my most withering, superior look (at dh of course) and he just laughs more. At least we have a good sense of humour around here. :lol:

Even though ddalmost14 (how long do I have to keep saying that? ) has a computer and a dvd player and tv screen in her room....she doesnt use them...they have there for the convenience of guests and because the other tv's etc are in my bedroom and dh's bedroom (yes, we have separate bedrooms). So, when the kids want to watch a movie, and I dont, they can. That may happen once a month! (more in holidays). We dont allow her to have her online laptop in her bedroom, because it feels like it would be askign for trouble, she is very computer and internet literate and a social livewire. I don't really "believe" in allowing kids to have electronics in their bedrooms, but it is just a practical thing and not actually used very often. As a fmaily, we dont watch tv at all, only dvds, anyway, and probably only one or two a week, unless we are hooked into some series (like Star Trek) in which case, its mostly together in my room. We have no tvs in public areas of the house. Only computers.

I picked for mine. I learned French and Latin at school, so those are the two languages we do. If my kids showed a strong inclination to learn a particular language, and the motivation to learn it, I would be happy to drop French and let them do the language they preferred. But they don't, so they learn the one I am most familiar with, so I don't have to learn another language from scratch, which I don't have the inclination to do.

I am using AO now and I have to agree with the others, CM is rigorous. And even though i didnt listen for a long time, there is no substitute for reading her books. It brings everything you read "about" her methods, translated through secondary interpreters, alive. We are still finishing early afternoons though (my kids are ages 12 and almost 14), because I put a cap on things. For example, an hour is long enough for maths, evenf or my almost 14yo,so they just stop after an hour. Sometimes that's half a lesson, sometimes that's two lessons. I am on several of the CM/AO/HEO yahoo groups and there sounds like there is a jump up around AO4. Some people do a 3.5 year. But the years don't necessarily correspond to the grade levels- because CM is so rigorous. I am attracted to it because it has a different feel to straight neoclassical though. We are much happier around here with shorter lessons, covering lots of subjects, finishing early to mid afternoon at the latest, and also, the kids work much more independently, which I am surprised about. Wasn't expecting that. But maybe it's their age, too. It seems to be a great misunderstanding though that CM is not so rigorous, or that it might even be more like unschooling...it isnt. It is not easy, and its quite structured.

5 years of homeschooling. I would have started from the beginning (like, birth!) instead of not trusting my instincts and putting them in school. I would do, I think, a Waldorf style education in the first few years. Lots of art and hands on activities,crafts, songs, games. Ha, I say that, but its always been hard for me to do that.I am more of a read aloud on the couch mum, but I do love their crafts. I would teach reading earlier than Waldorf does, though. A mixture between Waldorf and CM would be ideal. I would use SOTW. I would read lots aloud as I did anyway. I would do lots more field trips when they were young. I would have daily rhythm and structure...but we always have. I would probably do similar to what we are doing now for the early teen years...literature based, CMish, academic but not driven, still relaxed, still a good lifestyle. If my kids, given a wholesome start and never sent to school, showed a tendency toward 'natural learning',self driven and motivated, I might go down that path more than I have done. I am not sure.

I bought both several months ago, watched the first DVD, was bored silly, and still haven't watched the rest. I am glad you asked the question, because I can see some people have just used the syllabus, so I will do that. I don't seem to be a learning from DVD type person. I just want to skip and skim to the important bits, and with the DVD, you cant do that as well as scanning a page. Must be my learning style!

I think I will go with the domestic staff. I want someone to cook us really healthy meals, taking into account all of our health issues (dh's allergies) moral issues (dh's vegetarianism), protein needs, likes and dislikes, please. Oh, and if they could clean up afterwards too, that would be nice. And if they could also teach the kids about nutrition and the importance of a good diet, because they don't want to hear it from me :001_smile: With that, my time would be free to use the library and internet to homeschool perfectly well, but I wouldn't wish for that because I already have it :001_smile:

I don't know about LBC either, but the advantage of AO being free is that it allows you to spend money on other things, (like dance classes or whatever) and to tweak to your heart's content without feeling you are wasting your money. I have started using AO and it is a well thought out, complete curriculum.

I have been through this issue and I am glad I switched. For us it was R&S. I probably could have kept my younger on it, and he would have benefited from the repetition. But my older was losing her spirit, her enthusiasm, for her favourite subject....she is an articulate and happy student most of the time and R&S was too dry for her. She thrived on CW for quite a while. I guess it depends how much your kids normally complain and what your goals are. It was important to me that my happy natured, cooperative, capable dd enjoyed her LA, so as to keep her euthusiasm up for the subject. I actually work hard finding the right programs for her and she doesnt always enjoy them (such as AG now) but she does appreciate that I try to get her programs that fit her personality. it is one of the benefits of homeschooling, as long as you have an income that can support it. In hindsite, I would have kept my son on R&S and just changed my dd, but I didnt realise at the time that he would complain about just about everything anyway :) although he did thrive on CW too for a while (I stopped due to burnout for ME). I have a friend though whose daughters have done Saxon Maths and R&S ENglish for years, because the mum trusts TWTM recommendations and knows they are solid programs, and that's it. The kids have surrendered. Its all ok. In the end, I am not sure its worth worrying about. But my own preference is to have the kids well matched to their curricula.

My kids are 17 months apart but the older is a bright student and the younger has learning difficulties. I have always combined them in history, sometimes in Science, and always with our read alouds, Logic, poetry etc. I havent until recently combined them for LA. And I haven't intended to, but yesterday I was about to start working with my older on essays...discussing the structure etc more formally that in the past...as I had been planning to for some weeks....and suddenly I realised that there was no reason my younger couldn't also learn about essays, and begin to write them and learn about the structure, within his own capacity. So I just included him in the lesson and he was more enthusiastic than his sister! So, it looks like I may be able to combine them for "writing" now as well, even though the older will probably catch on quicker. I have a friend whose daughters are two years apart though and she delibertely keeps them separate for everything because it is the younger who is the more advanced student for her age, and the older has some learning difficulties and felt bad that the younger was understanding things that she didnt. So I think personality issues need to be taken into consideration.

Thanks everyone A friend of mine died only a couple of weeks ago from breast cancer, after a 5 year battle, so it was all too fresh. :grouphug: to everyone

3 weeks ago, I went for a women's health check up with my doctor. She found a lump in my breast. She automatically sent me for a mammogram, with a possible ultrasound and biopsy. I couldn't get an appointment for 3 weeks. 3 weeks. I couldn't even find the lump, and neither could dh. 3 weeks of concern. 3 weeks of a health kick, too....no crap food, more exercise...juices...no chocolate :001_smile: Of course, I knew that 99/100 are benign. But....what if. Yesterday I only got 4 hours sleep. This morning I woke up strangely calm and feeling like it was going to be fine. And, it was....my first ever mammogram (I'm only 41). Didn't even hurt as much as other women had said.The radiographer was very professional and caring. The mammogram picked up something, so I had an ultrasound. But, it was just a simple cyst, with no danger signs..just filled with fluid. The doctor, who apparently looks at breasts all day every day, :001_smile:,was not worried at all....so no biopsy. Even though I knew it would be ok, I feel like I have been given a gift, and my appreciation for my body, my health, the beauty around me, everything, everyone, is renewed. I am walking on air. Life is beautiful. I am eating chocolate again :001_smile:

Yup, Latin is easier because it has rules that don't change, 'cus it's dead, and it doesn't matter what your pronunciation is like. It is a logical, matter of fact type language. We do French too, but well after starting Latin. The Latin helps considerable.

I think if I was struggling like that every day, I would send my kid to school! But, I do have a difficult child...I basically learned early on not to leave the room. I have two kids and if I leave the room, they start mucking around- or one does, disturbing the other, which is just as bad. We have a schoolroom and this is where my computer and desk are, and this is where I spend our school hours, till just after lunch. My 13yo daughter loves her morning shower....if she sleeps in...and it is her responsibility to get up on time, not mine......she doesn't get a shower. Natural consequence. I wouldn't skip breakfast, because of how important it is for getting the metabolism moving in the mornings, but I guess it could be a last resort if its important to her. I have heard of people doing things like tipping frozen marbles into bed with their lazy child, or spraying them with water. Overall, it sounds like your relationship with her is not so good. She doesn't respect you. I would get tough, but make sure you follow through every single time. But then, also spend more time with her, do some things together...I don't know what your dd likes, but mine loves to play games, to cook with me, to go shopping with me, and for me to sit and do art with her. Have you seen the Raising Godly Tomatoes website? I am not Christian but I learned a lot from this website, and the concept of tomato staking older children is very useful. basically, if they cant be trusted to behave out of your sight, they need to stay with you in the same room, all the time, wherever you go, until they earn your trust. So if you are int he kitchen, they do their schoolwork at the kitchen table etc http://www.raisinggodlytomatoes.com/ Ultimately, it is you who needs to change, of course...she is a child, and you set the parameters of her existence. I find my greatest downfall with discipline issues is when I want my misbehaving child to love me, so I am not strict enough when they express hatred and anger toward me. However, that is one of those parenting truths we all come to learn....a child who is given very clear boundaries and they are held firm, comes to respect their parents, and love follows.

Hi Luanne, I have noticed you have written a lot of messages lately regarding trying to self educate. Are you a bit stressed about it? Why don't you just relax and enjoy yourself? Have you set yourself an impossible goal, and are you now self flagellating because you can't meet it? I find I remember what I am keenly interested in, but my memory is certainly not what it used to be. I can remember highschool algebra and my credit card number and all my bank account numbers but I sometimes cant remember what I did yesterday or my best friend's name. So be it. What is your motivation for so much hard work? Of course self education is a worthy goal, but what is the cost? Are you having fun, feeling enriched, growing as a person? You can keep learning your whole life, but maybe you need to find a way of learning that works for you (listening to lectures, watching documentaries, reading books? ) rather than thinking it has to be a certain way. My husband comes out with amazing comments at times - he doesn't read at all, but he watches lots of documentaries and has given himself an awesome general world education over the last decade with them. he keeps up with the news. It's not a "classical" education, but education is education, if you are engaged with it. What is your passion?

We memorise poetry in an informal way by learning one poem at a time. They just learned Jabberwocky. There is no sense of pressure at all. I read it daily until they burst out of their skin wanting to tell it to me without me reading it! Once they have it down cold, we move to the next. We also read other poems daily without memorising them. Lots of exposure. I don't remember learning any poetry at school with the possible exception of My Country, by Dorothy McKellar- it's a famous Australian poem. However, in singing, one naturally learns poems in the form of songs.

I have always considered the fact that the planet is becoming highly populated. Ideally, perfectly, I think most people could have around 2 children, and those who really want more can have them. and balance out those who have not so many. So you asked, "perfect number" -I just see it as an issue that is beyond the personal. Perfect for my tiny personal feelings is one thing, perfect for the world is another. I know its a complex issue though.

Steve Irwin, definitely. My dh and I would both break out in tears regularly for week afterwards when we would see tributes to him. Princess Diana affected me strongly too. I watched the funeral with my toddlers next to me wondering why I was crying. And yes, Heath Ledger too. It always hurts when there's children involved, doesnt it?

Everything everyone else has said, plus parsely. I jsut lvoe parseley, and it is very high in iron and minerals. And you can just pick a sprig and munch on it. The other herb I like to have growing in the garden (not so good for windowsills) is comfrey. If you get a sprain, you can macerate it (just chop some leaves up small) and place some onto the sprain, cover with plastic wrap, and cover with a bandage. We did it ith my daughter when she sprained her knee falling awkwardly out of a hammock- it was swelling up straight away. We comfreyed it and it was fine within a couple of days- the healing was very quick.

I don't have much to add. I agree with everyone who has said don't take on any more activities, keep an eye out for appropriate part time work over the summer but I wouldn't necessarily take anything on that doesn't feel ok. And, focus on reducing expenditure. The best way of increasing income is to decrease spending. Keep your spending in perspective...is it worth you having to work to have the kids do an extra class? And, write out a detailed budget. Write everything down. Get really real about your expenses, don't be in denial about anything. Face it all, and put it on paper and see if it can work. But the comment I was going to make is on organic food. I am a naturopath and a periodic health nut, and we don't buy organic food because I can't really justify the expense for our family. From my perspective, most people don't even get to eating anywhere near enough fruit and veg on a daily basis- including my family- to justify going organic on a tight budget. In other words, eating healthily, eating whole grains, lots of seasonal, local fruit and veg, eating a basic healthy diet, is a huge step up for most people, and to me that is more important than organic...organic is the next step from that. Unless of course you have the money to buy organic easily. Milk is another issue, and we buy raw milk, but I must admit that would go too if we got tight. Instead of organic, I have a bottle of fruit and veg wash on my sink and everything gets washed with that. It takes wax off fruit and gets rid of everything else (well, the label says that and I presume it does). I get a box of fruit and veg delivered each week so that I don't have to think about having enough in the house-its a similar price to what I would get it for in the local supermarket. The thing that would break my heart the most would be cutting back on kids' classes, but actually it would be ok. It will all work out, and you are certainly not alone...many people are experiencing difficulties in these times. As for gas prices, its good to keep things in perspective. The U.S. has cheap gas still compared to many places in the world. I am not sure how to translate gallons over to litres, but we are paying lots more lately. But a friend from Germany says we don't know how lucky we are, because our prices still haven't reached what he was paying in Germany a few years ago. I think as western cultures we are going to have to go through change and adjustments because our lifestyles are ultimately unsustainable. This is just the beginning. I don't know about you but it actually helps me to think of it in the bigger picture....helps depersonalise it.