Oh, I didn't realize my post sounded so dumb to you. I was just saying that Ma'am and Sir sound very cold to me (not saying that it is cold), even if just in response to questions or being called. That's only my impression, and I was interested to see how much one's regional background had to do with how we view this. But with respect to the OP's desire, I did give my small two cents about how I would gently introduce the new form of response. I just think it would take time and patience to introduce something new since we still have to remind our oldest, and she's been taught to respond in one way from the start. Tone of voice means more, which maybe is why I haven't spoken up about my friend's kid calling me by my first name when I really wish she didn't. If "ma'am" works for her (and anyone else), who am I to judge as long as she is a loving parent? Sounds like her family is doing fine! I didn't really think that anyone would eliminate "mommy" from a child's vocab. To me, it doesn't make sense to not allow the child to say, "Yes, Mom or Mommy" in response, but that's what they want to do and it's not my call to make for them.

nm

I found Artistic Pursuits on this link: At the bottom, you can click on the level you are interested in and it will show the book and supplies. I haven't used it, so I don't know if they are listing all the supplies you would need for a level. For music, we also like Classics for Kids. If you are interested in other classical radio programs, here is Kid's Classical Hour: http://www.wgbh.org/programs/-1207/episodes/-25240 We've also listened to Bernstein Century Children's Classics and Classical Kids productions. We are about to try some of Jim Weiss's Greathall Productions, too.

I was wondering the same thing. :bigear:

Privacy.

So weird ... someone posted above with a link to a ton of blog links and out of over 200 links, I randomly clicked yours before you posted on this thread. So when I saw your reply here, I recognized your picture from your blog. Thank you! Love the suggestions. No IKEA in w/in reasonable distance but I like the idea of keeping an eye out at yard sales and on-line. Thanks :)

I'd love to hear specifics, too. We also have a small room that we may use and would love to hear what are your must-haves, what you wish you had done when you started, and where you shop. Pictures would be great!

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Errors and typos kind of drive me nuts. But if you've done proofreading, you know how things like that happen. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258071&highlight=error This thread (see posts 4, 5, and 6) might help you decide if you are being too picky. Personally, I wouldn't throw out NL science based on that one error, especially the one you showed. Does it speak to the overall quality of the program? I haven't used NL, but I've heard good things about it (we'll probably use BFSU, though). Since you asked (:001_smile:), yes, I do think throwing it out over just that would be too much. I know very little about tectonic plates, but I just am not sure that map should be a deal breaker.

nm

I'm in the process of choosing for the first time, so I can't teach. I'll just commiserate and share where we are. After going in circles over a few different options (there's too many to look at all of them, since we aren't tied strictly to one style), I finally had to make a list of the ones I knew weren't right for us as first-timers, or based on our daughter's needs. And I added little notes about why they weren't the right choice for us since I was getting confused as I read so many reviews and threads on forums. I also have a Google document where I make note of potential plans so I can quickly share them with my husband and get his input. I put the potential negatives down about the choice and how we can work around it. I hyperlink the doc with the threads, reviews, articles, or websites that helped me. And I note where the resource can be bought, too. I love that! Every time I get overwhelmed I come back to a similar thought from a someone I know who was public, private, and home-schooled. It's not the curriculum or the school that was most important. Someone teaching strictly a curriculum isn't a teacher (this is a comfort to a school teacher friend that is wrestling with a weak curriculum). Intimidating, since it'd be nice if the perfect curriculum would solve our problems but as we know the programs don't do the heavy lifting and that's why we love good teachers. Still, we're thinking very carefully about the choices. We've seen some that clearly don't fit for us, but work for others.

I've been having the same problem, in a way. I just started a list of the resources that we have decided not to use for now, and made little notes with why they don't seem right for our goals and method. So many things look good but if I realize one resource has a particularly important "con", I write it down so I'm not tempted by it later! That helps when I come across reviews or threads that start to make me wish I could just go buy a ton of stuff. On the things we seriously are considering, we are making note of why we like it and possible issues. With one, we keep hearing it doesn't have enough hands-on activities but it still seems to be the best for us. I keep hearing about why other programs are great for it's hands-on stuff, but not good for areas that will be harder for us to work around. I was about ready to get out the darts when I finally realized that I could work around the first program's weak points more than the others. So far, that is helping me make choices as I sift through all the reading and great advice here ... but we haven't even begun to homeschool. I could be wrong! ;)

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Thanks for posting. I hope our library has it. And thanks for putting the song from the PBS show back in my head :)

Thank you for that info ... I've been looking at Singapore for my K daughter, too!

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