Just adding my 2 cents re: FLL. We also skipped lessons that seemed to be overkill for the kids. I did (and still do) love the music that goes with FLL. In the car we sing the songs that list pronouns and other parts of speech! It is light and fun. Even if you go with something else, the songs that go with FLL 1 and 2 are worth your time, imho.

This July will be my first homeschooling experience. I've been afterschooling for 2 years but now I'll be on my own! I'm excited to try everything! I am also nervous to be responsible for everything ;). I guess I am most excited about MCT and TOG. I've used many of the other curriculum (in my plan) over the past 2 years, but that will be new to us. Hoping I've chosen the right level!

I think your plan looks very doable. Dd4 has been working on ETC for spelling purposes and I'm not sure that you'll find you need to slow down. We are almost through book 2 and the only revision I've made is to write the words for her as she spells them from memory. If fine motor skills aren't an issue, you may not even need to do that. The writing is minimal. God bless your journey!

We are moving back to the U.S. from Indonesia and that seems like enough! :) But I do hope to do some math games with the kids and give them the chance to do lots of reading. I may give them a "goal" of twenty particular books by August and see about a reward of some kind. We'll see. I am excited about being back at a place with a local library so we'll hang out there a lot! I plan to take it easy until mid-July and start schooling when it gets too hot to go outside and play.

I will be homeschooling for the first time this year, too, though I've been using math programs in afterschooling for two years now. My ds will be in third grade this year. After a lot of looking around, seeing what he has been using in school (we are in Indonesia at an international school and the curriculum is very "asian"), asking various people: I decided upon Singapore for grade 3. I've been using some of MM this year and I like the way it looks. I agree with pp- some of the pages lack interest. I love the price of MM, though! You can find it relatively cheaply all the time. HTH!

http://www.amazon.com/MacBeth-For-Kids-Shakespeare-Can/dp/0887532799 Did someone already mention the Burdett books? We went to London last year and we read several of the books mentioned above and they liked those, too. But the one that is worn from love is the Shakespeare Can Be Fun book. Hope that will link you . . . if not, just go to Amazon and check it out.

I use reception right now with dd4. I print out the activity pages (pictures of the family, etc). In some cases, the student is asked to write or color on the page. She loves that part. It is such a nice program- gentle, but full of mathematical thinking. It is a bit of a spiral approach, but not overwhelmingly. Dd4 is having a great time with it. Frankly, so am I!:lol:

I did a search for this and came up relatively void of information. Can someone tell me more about this? How do you use it? What kind of program is it? Thanks in advance!

We will start full-time homeschooling this June/July and my son will technically be in grade 3. In WTM, it does suggest starting the 4 yr cycle at whatever level your student will be (if not done at the beginning). I like the idea of starting at the beginning no matter what age because history is a story told from beginning to end- not middle to the beginning. I think you'll be fine. Maybe give it a try and evaluate mid-year? HTH!

Ds who is 2e has never needed a lot of sleep. He stopped taking 2 naps before he was 1yo!! But, to put this in perspective, he never seemed to need more sleep; he wasn't fussy when he had less sleep, etc. I will be honest, however, and tell you that Dh and I always attributed his need for less sleep on his ADHD (of course, before the diagnosis the dr. always said that some kids just don't need that much sleep). OTOH, gifted dd6 needs a lot of sleep and always has! She will tell me, "I want to go to sleep now." She napped until this year (she will be 7 in 2 weeks). She would still nap now if I made her lay down for any length of time. FWIW, my kids are busy. We live in a tropical climate and they are outside nearly every day biking, playing, swimming, etc. That might explain the tiredness of my dd6 . . . but I tend to doubt it. HTH a little bit. I think that kids sometimes go through times of growth and they need more sleep. Other times, however, they don't need so much. It is hard when you, the parent, still need some time of rest!

Congrats to your girls! Glad this one went better than the other one! They should be very proud of themselves. :)

I love it! So funny and quite engaging. Thanks.

Don't know what is playing where, but my favorites have been: Les Miserable Phantom Of the Opera Miss Saigon (absolutely wonderful story and music) Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat Haven't seen Wicked, but everyone I talk to raves about it. Hoping to see it this summer. Have fun!!

:iagree:That is it exactly. What a shame for women in general . . . we've come so far and yet we've simply set a new restriction for each other.

It is difficult for me to believe that my baby will be a ker next year!! That is how it goes, though . . . Bible: OT focus using online Confessional Lutheran materials Math: MEP and Miquon (doing MEP reception now) Language Arts: WWE 1/FLL 1 Spelling: Not sure . . . she is reading well enough to do formal spelling, but still :confused: about what to use Humanities/Geography: TOG with olders Science: Biology focus with olders Music: Piano Art: Artistic Pursuits It is nice to see what others are doing- thanks for posting!

About the bolded for my son, I find that he is quite compliant. In fact, sometimes I wonder why he doesn't fuss more about things he "doesn't like". It is my daughter (no diagnosis of ADHD, but gifted) that fusses like crazy about things she doesn't particularly like or find engaging. My point (and not to take over the thread) is that I wonder what the difference is in some of these kids (2E vs. gifted). And what about discipline for some of these situations??!! It can be frustrating and confusing. :confused:

I have a rising 2nd and a rising 3rd grade student, and I admit that I would like to do more with them together. It is sometimes difficult to make it work when they are so different. So far, this is the line up for ds8. Bible: OT focus using online materials; My First Catechism Math: Singapore 3A/3B CWP, IP Language Arts: WWE 3, FLL 3, MCT Island (though I'm considering the next level instead) Spelling: Grammar of Spelling 4-6 OR Building Spelling Skills (I'd love input on that program if you have any) Elementary Greek Science: Biololgy focus- Apologia, RS4K, CLP Nature Reader Humanities/Geography- TOG Logic: Thinking Skills Art: Picture Study and Artistic Pursuits Music: Piano, guitar, Classical Kids CDs, composer studies Most of this is bought, but still some to go . . . :tongue_smilie:

I spend about 45 mins to an hour on art on a Saturday morning. Usually that includes the picture portfolio and a lesson from Artistic Pursuits. I find it quite easy.

I have purchased and really enjoy using two of the picture study portfolios. They are well made and the kids enjoyed looking at them. It has a teacher lesson included. It was very easy to read aloud. I will buy more next year for sure.

Another vote for MEP. My 4 year old is loving it. We are doing reception now, but will more than likely move up to the next level by September. For my older daughter, we did Saxon 1 during her kindergarten year. I think Saxon K would be ok for your 4 year old. Depending on how close to 5 she is you may even consider bumping her to Saxon 1 or waiting just a bit and bumping her then to avoid buying Saxon K and 1. Although now you might as well look at MEP- it's free! :)

Though I have afterschooled my children for two years, this will be my first homeschool experience. So excited, but also quite nervous. Take this list with that in mind. :) DD going into grade 2: Math: Miquon and MEP (already using this and loving it!) WWE 4 MCT Island level Spelling: Grammar of Spelling 4/5 (from Veritas Press) Humanities/Geography: TOG Elementary Greek Science: Biology focus using RS4K, Apologia, Nature study Logic: Mind Benders, Critical Thinking Skills Art: Artistic Pursuits and CM Artist Portfolios Music: Composer studies and looking for advice since piano is probably going to get dropped Edited to add Bible (can't believe I forgot!): OT focus using Confessional Lutheran online material and My First Catechism. Looking over this it seems like a lot . . . but I really do hope to schedule it in such a way that it gets done!

Still no advice except to seek another doctor's opinion. But :grouphug::grouphug:. I said a prayer for you when I read your post.

:iagree: DD6 is a voracious reader/speller/language arts, etc. But sometimes she wants to read the most ridiculous stuff. I give her "must reads" and then let her choose the rest. In addition, I have found that if she balks at a book because of size or small print, etc., I can read her part and she'll be hooked enough to read the rest on her own. Same is true with ds! Sneaky, but effective.

I don't want to tell you what is or isn't ADHD, but I do agree with pp that looking carefully at the criteria is best. Then go find a neuropsych that you trust/feel comfortable with and talk with them. I will say, however, that ADHD can look different from child to child. My ds (who has ADHD diagnosis) CAN sit and read books for awhile and will sit for me to read books for him, but he is making noises in his throad while I do it or is fidgeting with his hands the whole time. He has trouble waiting his turn to speak, he will run right over his sisters if I don't tell him to watch out. Those are just some examples of behavior that we are working on in our home. On the other hand, his is very often seen as a very sweet boy who plays well with kids of all ages. School work can be a challenge at times. He is quite a gifted musician and excels in math, but struggles with focus when he isn't taking his medication. For example, he will sit at his math work (with me beside him) and work MUCH slower because he is jumping from math problem to math problem on the same page. In addition, he will play piano quickly and beautifully with minimal mistakes, but the other day (off meds for a week or two) he was making some mistakes in a piece he knew fairly well and I actually heard him say, "What is wrong with me?" He can feel his own distractedness. These are the ways that I see ADHD in my gifted son. I hope this helps a bit. Again, no two kids are the same. You might find something totally different. God bless you in this process!

http://clclutheran.org/godshand.htm I am planning to use this next year. It is completely free and could line up with SOTW. Sorry I can't make it a link.