Sheryl the 20th doctor literally is the one who suggested it even though gi dr never did more than a blood test. Bingo, a lot of food changes and 3 days later and we had a different child. It's definitely been an adjustment but we took the entire household gluten and dairy free and haven't looked back. We have 6 kids and I never knew we could have this level of calm lol! If you do decide to give it a try and need any hints or suggestions etc feel free to email or pm me. Hugs sending P&pts that your situation improves drastically and soon! Mary

I'm going to sound like I'm coming from left field and out of my mind to some of you. I wouldn't stop I'd take your daughter off of all gluten, dairy (simply because it tag teams withthe gluten often and is horrible on the intestines) and also food dyes. Here is why: Gluten intolerance causes severe mood swings, headaches, schizophrenic episodes, total black outs for some where they do things they normally wouldn't. For our son it also cause gluten ataxia which looked like learning disabilities and was actually the gluten attacking the cerebellum. We have since found out that 3 of our children had either full blown celiac or gluten I tolerance. It is definitely worth a 2 week trial and it won't even take that long to see a major behaviour change even with the drugs she is own. It is very typical of these kids to be misdiagnosed for YEARS! 9 years for our son and 8 for our daughter. Best wishes, Mary

Hugs, allergies are SO tough to deal with. My children aren't highly allergic to peanuts but they are highly allergic to gluten. I don't know what they will do when they need to start shopping! Maybe wear a mask :S? I can't take them to a grocery store or most restaurants. It is highly frustrating.. all that to say that yes! Things can hand around and become pervasive. For us even taking them in a grocery store, the DD gets a migraine, the ODS starts throwing up and his eyes swell, and the MDS has an asthma attack... all from the flour in the air from the bakery! Or heaven forbid someone have a bag of flour around us :glare: I wish you the best, be sure to keep your epi pen handy, and wash, wash, wash when you are around them or even suspect you might have been. For us, I go shopping and then come home and immediately have to shower. It's a pita but it works. Mary

I have to say (please fellow ex and current SL'ers don't hate me lol!) that if you know you are going to have a hectic school year next year I wouldn't do Sonlight. There is a lot that still goes into it on your end. I would look at possibly still using their readers if you like them, but a more teacher friendly open and go curriculum like My Father's World, Winters Promise, Heart of Dakotas, etc. I have used 3 cores now and always end up ditching the teachers manuals somewhere midyear and going it on my own :S It honestly may just be us, but we don't like reading snippets of 4 books at once, and doing several cores at once I was literally hoarse by the end of some days. With SL there is a ton of stuff to add in as well. Best wishes, Mary

I wouldn't hesitate to do MFW K since you already own it. Taking it slow and easy and possibly checking out or buying the K literature pack books they now recommend 1 per week. Also a PP'er had an excellent suggestion in that you could also add in FIAR. It is inexpensive to purchase, the books are readily available used or at the library, and you could major on a letter say ever 2 weeks instead of one and easily spread the program out over the course of a year. Neither is very time intensive. I wouldn't sweat if you don't "do school" a few days a week either at that age. Children learn so much by doing! If she is giving so many signs of readiness though :) I'd move forward with teaching her. Best wishes! Mary

Lol! I'm curious, what did the pp'er replace the "properties of ecology" with for MFW?

Has anyone here used HoD and MFW? I was pondering between the 2 but finally "settled" on MFW for fall. We will have a new baby as well as having 5 in school and one preschooler. I wanted something open and go as well as integrated lol! Thanks, Mary

Grats!!! Always so fun when they finally "get" it :D