Embarrassing, but true. I was going through my teenage daughter's old clothes and found some training bras. They fit. For the first time in years I'm comfortable and not pulling and adjusting. To try to keep from looking like a preadolescent, I wear layers. $0.02

I have several children with auditory processing disorder (including myself) and am researching Dianne Craft's materials. I see that this thread is from 2008. Could you give us an update? Blessings, Christine

I'm sure everyone knows how much printing a homeschooler does. I use several curriculum that are digital and need to be printed. SO, can I hear who has a printer/copier that I can use to transfer my pictures to my computer that doesn't cost a fortune to buy ink for? I don't need a fax or any fancy features other than enlarge/shrink and multiple copies. I'm dying from the cost of ink with ours. Another question might be: where can you find inexpensive ink? I've tried the remanufactured and the replacements but neither worked and here I am now for over a week with no printer. Anyone?

I am the mother of seven children ranging in ages from 21 to 2. I have homeschooled for about 8 years. I say this to clarify my experience. I am concerned about my almost 8yod. She is terrible at math. She is working at the end of a 2nd grade math book right now and just tested at the beginning of 2nd. During our short break between "years" (April of this year) we did timed tests every day to keep up the addition and subtraction skills. No matter if she was timed or not timed she could not get them all correct. (These were 5-minute timed tests of 100 problems.) Now that we are schooling again, I'm trying to introduce subtraction and addition of two or three digit numbers (276 + 23 or 199 + 210 or 412 - 89, etc). She gets them wrong every time unless I say "and now what, and what's next", etc. She knows the STEPS of what she is supposed to do, but she just can't get the facts right. She'll start at the ones and add when she is supposed to subtract, then she'll carry the group of ten and subtract in the tens row. Every problem she finds a different way to do wrong. I've stopped moving forward in the curriculum (MCP) in order to just practice, practice, practice. Another problem: a couple weeks ago she was getting them right and now she can't figure out how to do them again. Is this "average student" learning a new skill, "slow student" learning slowly or "learning disordered student" who needs some kind of help? I try to use manipulatives (blocks, number line, word problems, cuisinaire) to give her as much variety and approaches as possible. Yesterday she wrote that 9-5=14 and she just couldn't figure out why it was wrong. :confused:

Here is our 4th grade plan, which we've already started since we school from May to March: TOG Yr 4 for history, literature, etc. Math: Saxon 5/4 (might be changing this) Spelling: AAS 3 (we started late) then Phonics Zoo A Vocabulary: Word Roots A Grammar: Easy Grammar 3 (started this late) then 4, and Daily Grams Writing: IEW SWI-A Science: Apologia Anatomy Geography: Hewitt 4 that I got for free from a library sale Art: Artistic Pursuits 3 Handwriting: Italic 30 minutes silent reading a day. She reads through Abeka readers and I check her comprehension.

Dh was 56 when the last was born, but we did have a miscarriage earlier this year, so does that count as 58? His oldest daughter from his first marriage turned 39 last week. I'm 42. This is a lifetime commitment to raising Godly offspring. No retirement here. My oldest daughter, 17, is hoping to be pregnant at the same time as me (after school and marriage, of course). We'll see. This is God's show.

1. Going to a year-round schedule with school just 3 days a week - allows me to keep up with the house and appts/errands. Low stress. 2. Keeping up with literature read-alouds (they're actually learning to listen for longer periods of time!) 3. Turning off the TV and allowing only limited videos/DVDs.

We just moved rural two years ago to fulfill our dream. I will never go back to the city! or even suburban! However, I would second the suggestion that you rent for a year first. We were unable to find a good church anywhere near our new home and now we travel 50 minutes each way to church on Sunday, plus we can't be involved in any other activities because of the cost of the gas. Gas has been our biggest consideration for everything. Going to the store, the library, the doctor... we have to think about doubling and tripling up on errands in order to save gas. It is very stressful. But, again, I LOVE living in the country. Consider the distance to the food store, Costco/Sam's/Etc., doctor, pharmacy (for those inconvenient illnesses), hospital, etc. You may want to investigate homeschool support groups, sports and lessons, etc. Renting for a year is a REALLY good idea. I guess it goes without saying that I say GO FOR IT!

I'm homeschooling 4 of my 7 right now: grades 11, 4, 3 and 1. Last summer and part of this winter I've been homeschooling two of my step-grandchildren (3rd and 1st). We had "individual work" before lunch where I scheduled them the best I could so that I could spend individual time with each grade (my 11th is independent) and then after lunch we do "group work". This is Bible, memory, science, literature (read aloud) and history (Tapestry of Grace). We all study the same things, but I have different levels of expectations for the different grades. It has worked very well. HTH!

I see that Teaching the Classics has DVDs and workbooks. Are the DVDs necessary? Could I teach it with just the workbook and get the DVDs later?

Ok, I'm thinking through my question a little better. We read lots of literature and do some narration and answer questions as I come up with them, but nothing so far has systematically taught what we need. Thanks again.

Oh, I should mention that this is for the 9, 7 and 6 year olds.

I've realized that we have a great big hole in our homeschool where teaching about literature should be. What do families use to teach setting, characters, etc. ?? We have grammar, copywork, writing, reading/phonics covered. None of them cover what we are missing. Help! Christine 17yod - Belhaven High Scholars dual-enrollment 9yod 7yod 6yod 6yogs (grandson) 4yod 2yod

I just spent 3 days reading through the thread about the WORST curriculum. Now I'd like to hear everyone's favorite! Ours: Italic Handwriting 100 EZ Lessons Leading Little Ones to God The Peacemaker for Kids AAS Apologia (Elementary Science) Astronomy Apologia (High School) Anatomy, Chemistry and Biology Life of Fred (Algebra II) Still need to find the perfect Math program, but who isn't?

Hated: Saxon Math (1, 2, 3) Language Lessons for the Very Young 2, 3 FLL Writing Strands Love: 100EZ Lessons = I've taught 4 to read with it. We don't read through the stories 3 times, just once. We don't do the writing. We do the instruction on one day and the reading on the next (after the first few easy lessons are over). This has worked great. By about lesson 60 they are ready to give it up and read on their own. I tried another program this year, but went back to it after seeing what a great job it did. We supplement with BOB Books and easy readers. The stories do get kind of long, so I sometimes alternate reading the sentences with the child to take the pressure off. AAS - yes, it's easy, but the beauty of knowing how to spell something by the rules opens a whole new world. Almost any word they encounter can be deciphered. I love this program.