I would start over with first grade words, then second, and so on. No workbook pages, just daily spelling pre-tests, followed by writing the words correctly. The next day, quiz the missed words and add new ones. Any missed words are rewritten and studied for the next day. Do this every day, and every week or so go over all of the words missed before and then learned, just to be sure they are still remembered. If you'd like to try this, here's a link to some spelling lists. There are some worksheets there, too, if you want to use them. http://www.zaner-bloser.com/spellingconnections/practice-pages.html Also, if you want, there are online games available to practice the word lists: http://www.spellingconnectionsonline.com/ I hope something here helps!

Do you expect the person that represents you in Washington to vote the way he or she actually believes? Do you respect those people if they don't do so? I'll start. :) I have a real problem with politicians who claim to believe life starts at conception but don't want to "dictate morality" by saying the law should agree with that. The whole point of law is to dictate what is right and what is wrong. For Senators and Congressmen, their job is to make the law. The way I see it, if they believe life begins at conception, they should vote that way. I think it's illogical at best and more likely just a cop-out for them to say they don't want to "force their beliefs on others." I can't respect them for that position. I have a lot more respect for those who say what they believe and vote that way, even if I disagree with their positions. My representatives in Washington don't vote the way I would, but they are consistent in the way they do vote, and I respect them for that, even as I work to support their opponents. So, what do you think?

I wouldn't go. It's nice of her to offer to pay for a trip for you all, but... I would really hesitate to expose my dc to her if she has that much of a problem wtih the way you are raising them. The children may develop an affection for her that causes them to accept whatever she says as truth. If you really want to go, at the very least discuss the concerns with her beforehand. She needs to know that your ds told you what she said and do some explaining. If you aren't up for discussing it with her first, I wouldn't even consider the trip.

I believe life begins at conception. It may not yet be viable, but it is life. ETA: Whoops! I guess I started debating. Sorry!

6th grader - Growing with Grammar 6. It's going great so far. We tried R&S and A Beka before, but this is the best fit for us. It has a workbook to write in, like A Beka, which we much prefer. However, it's easier to find the instruction for each topiic, since all instruction is in a separate text which can be left open, if needed, while doing the workbook. No more flipping pages trying to find the rules, then back to do the assignment. There aren't as many exercises as with R&S or A Beka, either, which is a huge plus for us. Still, it does seem to cover the same material. There is no writing instruction, though, or reference material usage exercises, so if you want that, R&S or A Beka would be a better choice. The R&S writing instruction is much better than A Beka's, IMHO.

DH just told me tonight that Heart is upset about the RNC playing Barracuda at the convention. This election it seems there has been one band after another complaining about their music being played by politicians who don't share their views. Do you think it's reasonable for musicians to ask them to stop using the music? What if royalties are paid?

I think they'd consider his entry. It probably just didn't occur to them that some kids are homeschooled. Suggesting you could donate the prize money to the local school district is good.

My female relatives were older when they had heart attacks, but they can happen at young ages. I'm glad your sister went in so soon so there wasn't major damage. My brother had one at 40 and his only symptom was back pain. He'd had the pain for a week and finally went to his doctor, only to discover it was a heart attack. He had quite a bit of damage to his heart and hasn't been the same since.

Just wondering... is she sleeping as much now as she was a few weeks ago? Her description of how she feels is exactly how I feel when I don't get enough sleep for several nights in a row. I know nothing about ADHD meds, but I do know a lot about sleep deprivation! I'd encourage you to help her make sure she gets enough sleep for several nights in a row to see if that makes a difference. FWIW, I usually feel worse after my first good night's sleep after being deprived, and gradually get better over the week if I continue to get enough.

Oh, I did! I did! :D Let's see, I bought about 10 Landmark books; several SL titles I had already planned for the dc to read this year (from the library); a huge. world holidays cookbook for children; several Jean Fritz books; a bunch of science experiment books; some books on the American Revolution and the Civil War; 1970s copies of Algebra 1 and 2 by Dolciani; and a college-level physics text written for liberal arts majors. I spent about $20 on all that. Yes, I did indeed have a wonderful time!

You know, I've tried off and on for about that long, too, with very little success. The problem was, I didn't have a useful plan. Instead, I just would pull books that I didn't think we'd ever use, and there were never very many. Once I decided (thanks to some great suggestions here) to pack away anything we weren't going to use in the next two years, it freed me to cull my books pretty quickly. Once they were in a box, I just typed up the list of what was in it, slapped a label on it, and shoved it in the basement storage room. The lists are on my computer and will eventually be in a binder for me to reference. Right now, they are in a clutter pile on my desk, waiting for a home. ;) The job is never done! If you are interested, here's the thread with the suggestions people gave me. Maybe something there will help you, too! http://67.202.21.157/forums/showthread.php?t=53774

I have packed away my four boxes of unused books, and most of my papers are filed. I got off track with sorting, though, and then... wouldn't you know it. The best library sale of the year had to come along today and dh said I could go. Is that love, or what? :) So, I came home today with three grocery bags of books. Actually, now that I have emptied the shelves of the books we won't be using for a few years, it looks like they'll all fit. Hooray!

Yes, they all know me. The head librarian knows all of us by name and will come over to greet us if she hasn't seen us for awhile. The assistant librarians know us, too, and if I call about a book that the computer claims I still have out that I think I've returned, they immediately take it off my card because they know if I have it, I'll return it as soon as it turns up. I often get my own shelf for holds, too, or my own basket. It makes me feel special. ;)

Wow! You all come up with such great answers! I've been offline all day and just came back to find my post on the first page. What a nice surprise! I'm going to remember what all of you said so I'm prepared when one of these types of situations comes up again! :) I've had time to think more about the specific situations and I've decided that in situation #1 I'm just dealing with an outspoken person who jumps at all opportunities and likes us enough to wish we would come along. That's a compliment, even if it throws me a bit. She gave me a month notice, so it's not like I'd have to drop everything to do it. That has happened before (which is probably part of why I'm so uptight about it), but I can plan for this one. It's even something my dc would love to do and that I'd like them to do. In fact, if I'd read about it in print I would probably have wanted to do it, while being asked by a friend made me feel trapped. I wonder why that is? I really do need to loosen up a bit, and she knows me well enough to see it and isn't afraid to say it. I do appreciate that, even though I got my feathers ruffled. When I need to stick firmly to the schedule, though, I will definitely remember all of the great advice you all have given me! I feel much better prepared to handle it now! In situation #2, I'm going to try PariSarah's idea of turning the conversation back to my friend's children. People love to talk about their dc, right? ;) If she really wants to know what I'm using, she'll ask. In fact, she just called me this afternoon to ask about what I'm using for math this year and how it's working. If she wants to know more about our history and science, she'll ask about that, too, and then I'll be happy to share what we do. Wow, again. I can't believe how many of you took the time to give me such great advice! Thank you!!!!!!! You've made my evening!

Cadam, thank you for the scripts! I think what you suggested will work well.

Amy, thanks for reinforcing what I was thinking with my first friend. I guess I just need to practice saying, "No" so that it comes more easily. She needs to respect it or get over it. As for the second friend, that's not an annoying situation, just perplexing. I don't want to offend her the way the other lady has offended me, by implying she isn't homeschooling the right way, but I'm not quite sure what to say when she comments on how much my dc know. I usually just say, "Yes, s/he really loves ___." I don't apologize for what they know or for being smart. It's just that, since she keeps bringing it up,I feel like I should say something else. Would you?

If you have some suggestions for me here, I'd surely appreciate them! I have two situations that are bothering me. 1. How do I graciously respond to being told by another homeschooler (in an affectionate, but somewhat condescending way) that I shouldn't worry about how a special activity we have been invited to will affect our schedule? I know everyone doesn't want to keep a schedule, but I rely on mine to keep us moving forward. Adding hours of practice for a special event into our lives, plus the actual day of the event, plus the need for a babysitter, makes me feel stressed, and being told I don't need to worry about it all because of the benefits of the wonderful activity makes me feel my friend doesn't understand me at all. (Or, maybe she understands me too well and sees that I need to loosen up and take advantage of opportunities when they arise - probably true, and my dh would agree.) So, how should I handle this one? When it comes up I'm always a bit dumbfounded and flustered, so I walk away feeling frustrated. 2. How do I graciously respond to homeschoolers who don't understand why their textbooks include so many "unimportant" details - dates and basic facts - when they say things about how much my dc know. It's so tempting to say, "Yes, they do know a lot. They really like all those details you don't think your dc need to know." See my problem? That sounds w-a-a-a-y too snarky to say to a very nice friend who is just clueless about what motivates us. I usually end up saying nothing at all because I don't want to offend, but it happens a lot and I feel like I should say something to help them understand the connection between those details and grasp of the material. Any suggestions of polite responses would be very welcome! TIA!

:iagree: It makes watching anything terribly unpleasant.

It's hard to tame the tongue, that's for sure! I've been making a concerted effort to do so and to help my dc do so, as we watch election coverage and discuss the issues this year. We are a very opinionated, politics-loving family, so it's hard! Yet, I want to be gracious to those with whom I disagree. I have been catching myself when I speak ungraciously and rewording it more nicely. Yes, it's too late if it already came out of my mouth, but the practice helps for next time.

Have you looked at JCPenney? They have pants in short lengths, both in regular sizes and in petites.

Do you have a dartboard? Teach your little one to play darts, as much as possible at that age (we put the dartboard on the sofa). Show her how to hold a dart correctly. Praise her like crazy for getting it right. Then, when she goes to pick up a pencil or crayon, tell her to hold it like a dart. It does the trick.

I've read this before and I've seen in our own house, that the more energy I put into a situation like this, the less energy my slowest dc puts into it. It works best to just let the slow dc know that the family is starting dinner, going for a walk, watching a movie, etc. and you may join us when your work is done. It doesn't always help, but often it does.

Wow! Love it while it lasts! Unfortunately, it may not, but it's a nice start to the school year, isn't it? Some of the most fun is when the dc start to share their enthusiasm with each other!

Now, isn't that weird? When I submitted these thank-yous, I got a server busy message and I assumed the messages wouldn't be posted, so I tried again. Live and learn! Thanks again, everyone!

C-SPAN it is! Thanks!