I am researching different curricula and am currently looking at these two. I have been able to see an example of Learning Language Arts through Literature - and it seems to me to have some reading instruction, handwriting and comprehension questions in it. Does that seem like a fair assessment? For Language Lessons through Literature - does it have comprehension questions, or is it more of a copywork, narration, grammar type curriculum? I have not been able to find a sample online that has more than just the table of contents. Are there major differences that I'm missing? Or major similarities that I'm missing? Thank you!

My children and I have almost no contact with my MIL (only see her when social obligation requires, and only in a group setting). My oldest knows exactly why we are not on good terms with MIL. She was on the receiving end of favoritism for too long, and then was there when MIL had her epic meltdown. My youngest has no clue - she has no memory of her at all. She has started to ask why she only has one grandma. I try to keep my explanation honest but simple. I have asked her how we are to treat others - with kindness and respect - and how it feels when others don't treat us that way. Then I explain to her that her other grandma does not treat others with kindness and respect and so we choose to not see her very often. As she gets older, I expect I will have to explain more simply because of how curious she is, but for now that is working. I'm hoping that explaining it in that way will help her to good future expectations for family and friends.

In-law bingo is a lot of fun, especially if your husband is in on it with you. I generally engage with the kids. Then I can't be criticized for ignoring family, because I'm playing with family, but I don't have to deal with the in-law drama.

And I won't host the extended family Christmas, again.

It is worth it. My oldest made assistant store manager at age of 17, and a lot of that is due to her responsibility, work ethic and her knowledge of how to do chores. She was astonished when she had to start teaching people how to do very basic things.

I did (kind of). For math my oldest had the choice between online or at our local community college. She took an online math course. She did a lot of her work independently, using a weekly work list. We scheduled history and literature discussion times each week or bi-weekly depending on what she was working on. That seems to have done well for her, as she is doing well in college, and has commented a few times about how happy she is that she already knows how to schedule her work load and some of her friends have struggled with it.

For me, that is guilt-inducing. My favorite two expressions about raising children are the one you already stated (the days are long but the years are short), and that raising children is like being pecked to death by chickens. Raising children is work, and everyone is allowed to feel frustrated or have a bad day at work. Moms should be also, and acting like there's something wrong with a mom that becomes frustrated or worn down while working a job that never ends helps no one. Of course, JMHO...

Start with de-cluttering. Go through twice, and be ruthless. The less clutter the better it w ill look. Interview realtors. Find out their fees and get their opinion on price and any staging that should be done. Stage the house - paint, rearrange furniture, remove personal items. Put up for sale. I know some people don't believe in staging, but it really can make the difference between languishing on the market and being sold.

IEW has a Cyber Monday sale (Dec 2 - 6) with 50% off clearance items.

I would think about All About Spelling to encourage spelling skills and reinforce phonics.

Yes, Singapore is the one that has her bored, and yes, we are using the HIG. We do a lot of extra math just through games using ideas from education unboxed and the Right Start games. Thank you for the feed back, it helps me feel better about not using Singapore.

I have a bit of a quandary I am seeking advice for. It's not really a problem, but just something I need to figure out. For preschool dd did Singapore Essentials A and about half of B. She kind of hit a wall, so we just did some relaxed math with manipulatives. Then we started Rod and Staff math 1. It went well, seemed to have the explanations, repetition and review she needed to understand and remember math concepts. For some inexplicable reason, I want her to do Singapore. I want her to be well versed in math concepts and solid in the basics (so know her facts). So I picked up Singapore 1a and we have been using that. It goes ok, she has no problem understanding the concepts, but seems to get bored quickly by doing the same things day after day, and seems to loose a little without more review. So now we are using both Singapore and Rod & Staff. I can continue to do that, no problem, but I'm not sure there is a reason to. Rod and Staff seems to work well, so I am not sure why I am just not using that. Singapore has gotten good reviews for how strong of a math program it is, and I want that strong background for her - I would like her to go into Beast Academy or AOPS eventually, so she needs a good base. So, I think that long ramble is to ask will Rod and Staff prepare her for AOPS? Or should I stick with the combination of programs? I don't see us doing only Singapore, as she seems to need at least a little bit of spiral in her math program. Thanks if you made it through that...

I would like to give you two examples. First myself - I love to read, always have. I have also always been good at writing. College papers were never an issue for me, I could sit down and write them in one try. I had a standard public school grasp of grammar. I found in college that I actually enjoyed diagramming sentences. Second example - my oldest daughter. She was / is a voracious reader. She could write at a basic level. Her writing did not really reach the next level until her junior year when I required she use Analytical Grammar and diagram sentences. She really needed the intensive practice with grammar before she internalized it. All that to say everyone is different. My feeling (based on experience teaching my children as well as being a public school language arts teacher) is that grammar instruction is necessary at some point. For me that definitive point is fourth grade. I can see both sides of the argument for working on grammar before that, but feel very strongly that a good grammar program be used starting at a third / fourth grade level for at least a few years. YMMV...

I agree with tracymirko - SOTW as your spine. Make sure you are looking at the alternate books. Also, you could shift around weeks like suggested above if that is still too much time spent on Biblical history. Egypt, Greece and Rome are all things that could easily be extended to fill, with a lot of fun projects to boot.

Can I call it a black Friday hope chest? We are black Friday shoppers. With my oldest, on the black Friday shopping trip during her senior year, her grandmother and myself bought her a number of items for independent living, mostly kitchen type stuff. She got to pick a good number of items, and the prices were low enough for us to get her more...

I thought it was as well, so maybe we're both nuts together! :lol:

I've found that I get bored without mental stimulation for me. So I've started learning bass guitar, and I'm working on reading through some classics with a group of home school moms - I enjoy both music and reading, so these things are right up my alley. Would something like that help?

My oldest went on a tour with a school group to Costa Rica a few years ago. She had a great time, and there were no major issues. I'm not sure about an adult tour, but she had fun...

I am not a "who's going to tackle" person, but I am a list maker. My husband likes to joke that at busy times I need a list of my lists. Over the weekend while I am planning lessons for the kids (DD in K, and I have an extra I do preschool with) I also look at the calendar for the week and create a list for at least the first three days of the week. My list generally is created in the order in which I plan to do things - here is yesterdays for example: Pay bills School Clean house Store for Ricotta Lunch Nap time / Bath for DD / Put together dinner Snack time / Read Mary Poppins Dance @ 6 Some of those things are just this is the day I plan to do this type of things - like clean house. I didn't list every activity I do to clean the house, just a general this needs to get done. Some are more specific reminders - nap time / bath / dinner for example. Since we have dance until late on Mondays, DD needs to take her bath while the preschooler naps. Some things are if it's not on the list it doesn't get done kind of things - like read Mary Poppins. I have big plans for reading chapter books to the kids, but for some reason that is a hard thing for me to get done, so it goes on the list. Some things, like school, get done even if they're not on the list, but it helps me see where my time is going each day as I plan out my week. I put lunch on the list as sort of a line in my day, others might just sort by am and pm activities. Having the first few days of the week planned out helps me to manage my time. If I get things done and have some free time, I can look at the next few days and maybe check a few things off in advance. I know that Fridays are wiped out, as we do co-op and playgroup, so I need to have my stuff done before then. HTH

Can you please describe in more detail how you combine these? For example, Singapore 1 in tandem with MUS Alpha?

I've thought about this before... Latin (which includes grammar) Math Science Fine Arts (this would include music and art at alternating times, and we would look at History and geography through those lenses)

We practice Wednesday nights after the evening meeting on most weeks, then meet at 9am for practice on Sunday mornings. Sunday School starts at 9:30 am, so short practice then.

Can somebody summarize? I can't watch the video...

Have fun storming the castle!

:iagree: It sounds like it's time for even more space. Toxic people are toxic, no matter their relationship to you. It is had, extremely difficult when it is a parent :grouphug: , but sometimes distance is the best thing that can happen. Why should she have to hug her mother if she doesn't want to? I am not a hugger. We did not hug much in my family growing up. Now that we are older, my parents like to hug when we depart. I go out of my comfort zone to do that for them, but that is my choice. If anyone tried to force me to hug, they would not like my response. Each person is entitled to a certain amount of personal space and comfort. Being forced out of that is not something to take lightly.