I just checked my download from last year and it appears I have gr. 1 and 2 of the new revised version and gr. 3-6 of the old. My ds 9 is just finishing up 3B so I will just keep him in the old version. However, my ds 6 is just finishing up 1B and we are getting ready to start 2A. Will the eventual jump from 2B (new) to 3a/B old version cause him any trouble ? Or should I get the revised versions of 3-6 for him (and eventually 7) so he doesn't miss anything?

My ds 9 is starting to work on fractions and is struggling (we are using MM 3B and Miquon). He really needs to "see" the fractions and so I think manipulatives always work well for him with math. I have tried to work with the c-rods but he really gets caught up on the number of the rod and can't see it as a whole, for the purpose of working with fractions. For example, if I use the brown 8 rod and want to show him 1/4 - he can only see it as "2" - he gets that is it is 2 of 8 but I think if we used something that didn't have other numbers associated with it, it might be easier for him to understand. Does anyone have any ideas for a good set of fractions manipulatives? Thanks p.s. we love c-rods for all other types of math :)

Here are a few links for the books I mention above: http://www.amazon.ca/Kids-Book-Canadian-Geography/dp/1550748904/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1363536734&sr=8-7 http://www.amazon.ca/Canada-country-Social-studies-elementary/dp/tags-on-product/0968678815 http://www.amazon.ca/Who-Runs-This-Country-Anyway/dp/0439957303

I would recommend the Kids Book of Canadian... series (History, Black History, Prime Ministers, Geography, etc). We also liked the Book "Who Runs This Country Anyway?" (I think that is what it is called). It might be a bit young for him but we enjoyed the workbook by Donna Ward "Canada my Country". It covers Geography, and Social Studies including Government and prominent Canadians

If I bought the 1-6 bundle in March 2012 would I have the full older version?

We tried SM for all of 1 and 2 but dropped it in favour of MM for gr. 3. I like how Singapore introduces concepts but I prefer the way Miquon does. We have been using Miquon since the begining and so we dropped SM in favour of the exploration that Miquon offers (my kids LOVE it) and the practical, incremental steps and review of MM. SM didn't have enough review for us and the juggling of the many books was a pain. The Miquon/MM combo is perfect for us.

Thanks everyone - I will continue to gently correct it and hope he grows out of it in the next few years.

My son still regularily has to use the tricks I have shown him (bd eyes etc.) to keep from reversing letters. And in cases where I haven't shown him a trick for keeping them straight, he mixes them up or reverses them. Writing is a slow process for him on a good day, but it is made much worse when he has to stop frequently and figure out which way a "b" goes or which way a "j" turns. I had thought by 9 this would be less of an issues - shoudl I be concerned?

I just wanted to second The Last Safe House by Greenwood. I just read it to my two boys (6 ans 9) and they loved it. It has activities too.

Well, I have an appointment with my Ped to discuss my concerns. I also contacted a Child Psychologist who specialises in Neuropsych assessments. These assessments aren't covered by insurance and apparently you don't need any referral here to go and see them. It will take a few months to get in (and about $2000) but at least we will get some answers. I will also ask my Ped about mito disease testing and find out if there is anythign else we should be looking at. Thanks for the information about horses/riding. We have a place not to far from here that does does this type of therapy. I will look into it.

We have had some tests and a CAT scan and spoke to a Ped specialist two years ago but at the time I was so overwhelmed with all the information about aparaxia, I don't know that I remember much. I don't think they tested for mito disease but I am going to make an appointment with my doctor soon and have them go over all the info with me again. I will also ask about neuropsych testing. Thanks for all of your advice. I really appreciate it :)

His last Ped did have a CAT scan done and tested him for a few genetic things (Fragile X and MD) but everything came back normal. He does have a large head which concerend them and felt he did have very low tone but he compensates really well (he runs, plays, etc.). He is just really clumsy and tires really easily.

Hi, thanks for your post. I have always suspected my son has other issues other than Apraxia, but most times when I voice my concerns my Doc would say he is young, let's wait and see etc. etc. Can I ask you what you meant by not successfully homeschooling him? Did you eventually send him to school? This is my big fear. I really don't want to send him to school but worry that I won't be able to access the services I need for him outside of school. How did you get the diagnosis of "mild mental retardation" and from who? How is your son doing now? Thanks again.

Thanks for your response. He has been seen by an OT a few times but because they say he is functional (i.e. he can walk etc.) he is not a priority and so they don't see him on any pemanent basis. I love the book you recommended. I will pick it up and read. I would love to have a better idea of physical things we can work at from home. He is a very low energy kids. We still have to bring a stroller most places because walking more than a block is too tiring for him and he needs to sit down. When at home, he still sits in a W position (which we try to correct) or he lies down. He can't comfortably sit crossed legged or on his knees, he eventually slumps and falls over. Even at the dinner table, we have to give him the chair with arms on it (I think they are called the captains chair) so he won't fall out of his chair - he just forgets where he is in space and leans to far and falls out). As far as his food. He loves fruits and meats and doesn't seem to be constipated. He has a bowel movement daily but often he will tell me he needs to be changed and when I go to change him, the poop isn't all the way out. He can't seem to contract his sphinkter muscle at all. He has always had some trouble knowing how to purposefully contract or release his muscles. Often even when he has to urinate, he will ask for a glass of water to drink which helps him release his urine. It is all jsut so hard to figure out how to help him. I give him Omega suppliments daily and a multi vitatmin and that is it. I will research the other things you have mentinoed. He is very ridgid about a lot of things so trying new thigns can be a challenge. As far as school goes. He enjoyed AAR Pre-1 but struggled with the word games (rhyming). He is now great at identifying what sound a word begins with so we are making progress. We don't do a lot of the written work in ETC but do a lot verbally. I have AAR 1 but I don't think he is ready yet. He can remember large chunks of information that is concrete like flags of different countries but can't remember that you say "she" when speaking about a girl. I am going to ask for another referral to a Ped (his last one recently left town) but I'm not sure what testing to ask for. Thanks again for your help.

Hi, my youngest ds is almost 5. He was diagnosed with Apraxia at 2.5 and also with global low tone (hypotonia) and likely global apraxia (very clumsy, difficult planning movements for his limbs) but we never got any formal diagnosis on this last one. Here in Canada, he will age out of services for his speech at age 5 (very soon). After that point, he would either go on a 3 year waitlist through the school system (if we enrolled him - which we won't) or a three year community services waitlist (for kids not in school and anyone else) for speech services. Due to the long waitlists, we will pursue speech therapy privately for him once he turns 5. So here are my many questions and concerns. I will homeschool him but am very worried about how to help him most effectively. He has a very weak and poor pencil grip. He has trouble maintaining or holding a pencil for more than one or two strokes (his muscle tone is just too weak). He still isn't toilet trained (can't effectively get his bowel muscles to work for him on command). He stil has many speech issues - he is making great progress and is usually understood by others now, but he really struggles with r's, l's, and many blends. He also has some speech quirks like messing up most pronouns (refers to everyone as he or him). He also seems just young for his age. I don't really know how to describe this last one well, but his comprehension and understanding of topics seems behind his age. So, I am nervious of our offical start of school. I am worried about teaching him and helping him and screwing things up for him. I know school would be a disaster for him but I think our family probably think he "needs" that extra help and the social environment (he is also socially behind and I worry he would be treated poorly by the other students). Any advice from others on whether I need to pursue other testing for him at this point? He has really only been diagnosed with Apraxia and his Ped agreed back when he was 2 that he didn't have Autism - but that is all he has ever been looked at for. What programs or curriculum would you suggest as we begin K? Please reassure me that I can homeschool a wonderful little boy like him that has some delays! I am just so worried I won't be able to help him enough. Thanks P.S. I have been homeschooling his older brothers for the last two years and it is going well.

Here is what my 4th grader will begin in the fall: Math: MM4a/b plus finish up with Miquon Spelling: AAS4 Writing: WWE3 and WWW3 Gram: FLL3 History: finish SOTW 2 and begin 3 Geo: EM Daily Geo plus more Canadian studies Science: EM Read and understand Science plus Mr. Q's Life. Logic: Logic Liftoff Handwriting: HWOT cursive Music: guitar lessons Phys. Ed.: Swimming, basketball, and karate.

My ds 9 is reading the 39 Clues series. This is the first series he was willing to read.

My boys would like to do a project on water erosion. I was wondering if anyone could recommend any good resources, lapbooks, etc. ? Thanks

Has anyone used one? Where could I purchase one?

we did the download so I didn't need to pay for shipping. I find the pages (especially in the younger grades) really crowed in MM so I rarely used them directly and had my dc write on a white board instead - which they greatly preferred. I love MM but don't think the text would have worked as well for us.

We really like them too. We have Canadian Geo, Canadian History, MedievalTimes and Creatures of Myth... We just played the Geo cards yesterday with a big map and small prizes. It was a lot of fun. I would like to get some of the science ones.

We use Miquon and love it along side MM

This is a perfect plan :)

This is exactly how we did it too!

My 8 year old loves all of the "Who Was.." books. http://www.amazon.com/Who-Abraham-Lincoln-Janet-Pascal/dp/0448448866/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360333801&sr=8-1&keywords=who+was+abraham+lincoln