I'm a homeschooling mom of 5. One has graduated and is in college. The second should have graduated in May but is slacking off and not working. Who knows when she'll pull it together and finish. That leaves 3 under my tutelage in our homeschool. This will be our 14th year of homeschooling. I am underwhelmed by the prospect of starting up again. We usually do work in July and my 3rd child, who is going into the 9th grade, has been working on her own. But the 4th graders have not done squat. Because I don't want to do anything. How do you keep going, year after year? I want to be the happy, dedicated teacher for my littles that I was for my older students when they were the same age but I simply am not. Too much water under the bridge. Looking for inspiration to be awesome again, lol!

Thank you all for your help! I'm trying to remember that he needs A LOT of activity. Telling them BOTH that they couldn't ask irrelevant questions really helped tremendously today. And remembering that I would have to think outside my little box helped today. The boy was having issues with keeping on task with his reading. Writing it on the driveway and having him bounce through it helped a lot! Thank you all again! Lori

Sorry, he's 6, 1st gradish.

This is the first boy I've home-educated. His four older sisters are much calmer and more attentive than he is. It wouldn't be so bad if one of his older sisters wasn't his twin. When I sit down to do school with them, he interrupts and distracts/disrupts for 5 minutes out of each 10 minute session. At least. I am so very frustrated with him. Please, you moms of boys, please give me some tips here. And be aware that my hubby is of the opinion that they have to actually do schoolwork rather than be unschooled. Not that there are probably very many unschooled classical educators, but just thought I'd make that plain. Thanks, OH Lori

Man, and they were at our recent homeschool convention! Lori

I'm trying to remember how old my daughter was when she went through a horrific growth spurt and went up a shoe size in a week! I think she was younger than your daughter, though. You said she was really skinny, is she going through any signs of puberty (probably breast buds at that age)? That can kinda make you inattentive (ask me how I know!). I'm more concerned that her inattention is also at the same time as some severe migraines (but at this time of year, it might also be pollen or hormones). So, all that to say, I don't know but sometimes kids do just go off and lose their minds. I wonder if there's another way you can approach her math or take a half step back to let her regroup while she's having these periods of inattention. I'll be interested to hear what your doctor says.

I'd sure like to know!

One of our piano teachers told us that it wouldn't do any good to give them lessons before they could read (can't figure out the letters of the notes if they don't know alphabet). Another told us as early as possible. Personally, I think it depends on the personality of the child and the family ability to cope with/afford lessons. But then I'm that way. :blink:

Isn't it a blessing to be able to sew? Good work!

Sorry! Missed that you'd already found your solution. :001_smile:

We have had the same issues and we're going to Florida in a couple of weeks to spend some time with the grandparents who think we're over-the-top religious freaks. Sigh. Oops, sorry. Anyway, I ordered the patterns from this site: http://www.modestswimwearsolutions.com/ to make our girls (and my) swimwear. My son has his knee-length swimsuit from last year and my husband will probably wear his scrubs. Another nice site I saw was aquamodesta.net as well as some of the aforementioned sites such as wholesomewear.com. Any of these will make suits for you, most to your specifications (longer sleeves, skirts, etc.) but I wanted to get patterns so I can make my own as my girls grow up and out of their suits (or wear them out). HTH, Lori

Amen and thanks!:iagree:

I think it's raining all over...we'll be wishing for it come July!

what I do with my SIR list on my blog is to have a whole other page which lists the links and put an icon in my sidebar which links to that page. All I have on the blog proper is the icon proper. Perhaps you could update the separate page everytime you do a Link of the Day? No, that sounds sort of time-consuming. Never mind! :D