She's improved, she's focused...and she's being held back. Unless she is falling over, I can't imagine why. Not every child will develop into a wonderful ballerina, but at this young age, fun and developing confidence should be a big part of the experience. They are little girls; if the school finds the next Pavlova, good for them, but but each child should gain from their time in class, not only those with professional potential. You should observe at other schools to make a decision about where you would like your daughter to attend. Even while attending one school for a core program, it's good to take an occasional class with teachers affiliated elsewhere. And it will give you some more information to judge your current school with a better perspective.

Kareni accurately summed up the CC experience here, also. I can't imagine anybody showing up with a parent. Or a parent talking to the instructor on behalf of the student. I really can't imagine free tuition!

Nature journaling/ drawing and bird watching are fun and get you outdoors. Janice VanCleave's books of science experiments are fun. Art Fraud Detective is a fun book. It also showcases many time periods, can start discussions: who the people were, what they were doing, clothing, lifestyles, etc. Oversize art books from the library are great to look at together. You could a use a timeline to choose interesting people or events to read about. You could even make a timeline, as TWTM suggests.

10 homeschooled celebrities: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/04/22/mf.home.schooled/index.html

Starr, it's not Borders- it's a spammer using Borders' name. Jean, hope everything is OK. Can you e-mail McAfee for advice?

Kate, efficiency is not the only consideration when solving a problem. I really think your daughter is on to something here. :) And what a beautiful tree. And Friederike, your son is sage for one so young. :)

An adult guide to better handwriting based on calligraphy. Very simple and easy to use; takes only a few sessions to get the basics. http://allport.com/Catalog_Product.aspx?catid=128&prodid=1769 Check your library, too.

up and running

My sister painted old paneling and it looked wonderful. She did use a primer; something recommended by the hardware/paint store.

Yes, you have your hands full training two. :001_smile: Kilcommons system is a bit more thorough than what you describe. The book is somewhat of a standard; your library may have it. Not complicated, but following the system exactly for a couple of weeks (probably less with labradoodles- they're very intelligent) makes life so much easier.

Wonder how long you've had them and has house breaking gone on for a while? Without a new animal/person in the house, it's fairly unusual for a dog to begin marking. Are they crate trained? Using a crate and following a strict schedule for food, water, and going out while training helps to form lifelong habits. Though I don't use all the training methods in the book Great Owners , Good Dogs by Kilcommons, his outline of housebreaking using a crate is the best I've ever come across. Teaching a dog to go in the same place using a command, such as "be quick" and following with praise and a small treat are part of his method. Not sure how much /which kind of training they've received, so thought I'd throw that out there. That said, if he seems in any type of pain, is off water or food, I'd bring him to the vet. And hey, just had the brilliant idea to go to the social groups and look for "Ask the Vet. Soph is so kind as to point us all in the right direction for our pet's care.

I understand the feeling of being overwhelmed by critters. They have to go, but make it quick. I highly recommend a good, fast swat. (Or, in the case of mice, a cat. Absolutely no swatting mice. Yech.) Not only will their end be merciful, but you will build courage. And aim.

Very true, there is nothing like a cat. Unless you have Elizabeth to visit.

Elizabeth, I honour you. :) P.S. Dear Lady, no more mention of the water method...let those secrets lie undisturbed.

Your family sounds like fun! :) The timing issue is a judgment call (kids aren't known for great judgment). It's perspective- they don't have the same to-do list, so they don't feel the pressure you're feeling. Katemary had good advice. What I've done with my children is share my perspective. Try telling them what you want to accomplish today; share the plan. Tell them how much time you estimate for the tasks and what time you'd like to finish up. Get them to have the same goal for the morning or afternoon (because they're kids and short times are manageable for them). And include something fun and refreshing in your schedule- time to read aloud together, or go for a short walk. So, make it a family goal to start school at the time you decide- and let them know how pleased you are when it happens. Once you get school started on time, you might get a family chore time started. A half hour of chores from each child might make a difference in your housework load. Hey! misread your post. Chores before school. We actually time chores. It makes life a lot happier to know it actually takes only x minutes to vacuum, and not forever, like it seems.

So, if undelivered, can you can file the claim and be reimbursed? And if it is delivered and the post office has it tracked, then I would consult with the postmaster about her claim to Paypal against you.

In TWTM, Jessie wrote that Susan had a theory: students skilled in rhetoric would not feel the need for a nose ring. So, how about: Kids have something to say. Teach him to express himself...intelligently. Writing With Ease This written over a Jekyll/Hyde split of photos. A successful looking boy (your average WTM homeschooled child :) ) and child with a fake nose ring and spiked hair. (Tipped in a shade of purple?). Y'know. Scare everybody. ;)

LOVE DOGS!!! Love 'em, love 'em, love em. Very funny. Thanks :)

Check your library to see if they have any of Hewitt's books (high school or college level conceptual physics, or conceptual physical science ) on their shelves. Then you could preview. Here is an online series you might like: http://www.lightandmatter.com/books.html More online--courses: http://see.stanford.edu/ Also check out MIT open courseware.

might have some of what you're looking for

I enjoyed your post. But. But... a study of Wharton and Plath... not for the faint of heart. :001_smile:

Hardy in MA...that's an interesting concept. Suddenly I want to read Ethan Frome. :) Just to see what this could mean.

Age of Innocence is the only Wharton I've read. Didn't find any great insights, thought it was predictable, didn't care for the characters. And I suppose that's why I didn't read any of her other novels. So, can't comment on those... But I'm happy that way, don't feel I've missed anything. :) I don't have enough time to read the books I want. It is accurate as social commentary. You could read a plot summary and an excerpt to gain that perspective, if you don't care to read the book. I am not a fan of James, either. Are you reading through great books for history?

I remember stumbling onto this site, too. I remember what was, I think, the first group of Boybarians. Weren't they Cami's? Everybody was so innocent back then. Mates called board friends "imaginary friends" (also known as the board ladies, as in "ask the board ladies what they think"). That's how the hive mind came into being. And trolls were rampant. Because we couldn't believe that anybody would say such things if they weren't true... Everybody was passionate about their math program, and even those who were very polite when other curricula were brought up secretly knew that anybody who didn't use the right elementary math , the one they used, was not passing any SAT, and probably not even the CC entry test (and those kids are all in college today, marveling that nobody knows who Herodotus was). Latin, too, would cause sudden, stormy battles. And the history spine that was recommended in the first WTM went out of print and if you were fortunate enough to have one you could sell it on the swap board and have the down payment for your first house.

If I were looking into a math tutor, ideally, I'd want to find one that is familiar with homeschooling, that has years of experience, one who would have good communication with both my child and me. If possible, one who had familiarity with the homeschool programs we've used. I would, actually, ask Jann in TX. :)