My DH has been working from home since the February earthquake destroyed his office. I've loved having him here and so have the kids. We had to make the rules clear that daddy in the office is not available to us, but once we got used to that it was wonderful to have him here for lunch and being at home already meant he could eat with the kids instead of getting home just in time to say goodnight. He is going back to working away from hom tomorrow as they have a new office now :-( we will miss him.

My non-US resident (or in anyway connected) DS knows them thanks to Wacko Warner's song which shows a picture as he sings them. I'm sure it'd be more useful for him to know more about his own country, but all in good time, lol!

rain gutter bookshelves like this: http://raisingolives.com/2009/07/raingutter-book-shelves-tutorial/ Or put crates in your existing shelves with the books outwards so he can flip through the books.

I love my pressure cooker - a stew or casserole that would take all day in the slow cooker is done in 12 minutes in the pressure cooker.

I use our memory work for copywork, or excerpts thereof. Also a fair bit of AA Milne and nonfiction information relating to his interests at the time (Space, human body, chemistry, water, etc).

I'm a youngest (of two) Married oldest (also of two)

My understanding is that the grade equivalent on these tests means he scored at the level an average child in grade X would taking that same (3rd grade) test - rather than that he's ready for that grade level work.

I'll second, third and fourth that recipe, it's the best I've found.

I'm glad to hear they are differentiated as articles in there somewhere. I guess I could just go through with a pen and change those parts. It's interesting that so many of you see them as adjectives - but coming from outside the US education system we've never seen them as adjectives - they're articles. Hmm, another thing to add ot the list of cultural differences that surprise me.

I'm so disappointed. I've been getting so enthusiastic about using this and working my way through the info and reviews and reaching the decision to order, but now that I've seen inside (via the PPT) he calls articles adjectives <sob>. Where, oh where can I find a grammar programme that is as interesting and varied, based on good literature (and doesn't use sentence diagramming) but teaches the parts of speech correctly?

We have similar chairs but the brand is Picopico. They're great.

:grouphug: I will never understand why they do this stuff in the maternity ward.

This is what I'd say too. My first realisation that DS could 'really' read was when he took a book he'd never seen off the library shelf (Today I Will Fly - a Gerald and Piggy book) and read me the whole thing with out any help, with expression, laughing at the funny parts. He was 2 years 5 months and I nearly fell over because until then we'd assumed he was 'reciting' books he'd been read. What it looked like when he sat down with Charlottes Web was what it looked like when I sit down with it - he read silently by then, and when he reached the part where Charlotte dies he came and climbed onto my lap with tears streaming down his face, whispered, "she died" and finished the book. He didn't say anything else, just cuddled in and kept reading. At the end he looked up and said "Charlotte died, but it's ok, her babies are like a part of her. Wilbur will love them too." Then he turned back to the beginning and started reading again... and stopped and said, "she's going to die again." He understood, and he loves that book, it's still his favourite. He's not yet five.

My DS has just finished Anne of Green Gables and he LOVES Anne. I think he identifies quite strongly with her. I'm looking forward to reading him Little House on the Prairie on the soon, I'm pretty sure he'll like it and he loved the Secret Garden too. He's not ready for A Little Princess yet but I'm sure he'll enjoy it in a year or so. So, no, I don't keep the 'girl' books away - so far he doesn't seem to mind either way.

I love mine too - they make such a difference.

My sweet boy does the same thing, but 45 minutes would be a short one for him. His record is a little over eight hours. The only 'label' he has is profoundly gifted. We've just had to ride it out and now at a little over 4.5 we have more good days than bad... but on the bad days it sounds like someone is being murdered here. The best solutions we have found are repeatedly telling him that he is not going to make 'X' our problem and consistently starving the behaviour of all attention while ensuring that there are consequences every single time he does it. It happens much less often when we ensure the brain is being fed appropriately too. It's not much fun sometimes though... good luck with it.

DS will be a 'year 1' here so I'll count him among your first graders. 1) complete AAS 2 and 3 2) complete Miquon - not sure where to after that 3) continue reading a variety of 'good' novels (keep him from discovering "diary of a wimpy kid' and 'captain underpants' for as long as possible) 4) begin to use cursive, complete Getty-Dubay C, start D 5) Develop writing skills to include 3 - 4 paragraphs in recount, persuasive and narrative genre 6) pick up his books and make his bed! 7) continue to build focus and concentration / keeping attention on the task at hand I'd like to include some home ec stuff in there, oh, and shoe lace tying!

Kind of related - I just finished an order for some non-school related things. Shipping to New Zealand from several companies was $80 - 90 USD, the one I purchased from was $24 USD. I don't understand the difference... but I bought from the cheaper place. There are a number of schooling materials I'd like to buy, but the shipping costs really are extortionate in many cases - and not true cost, when I can ship to friends in the US and have them send it on for less.

I'd like to spend some time in Canada, and in Greece, but I'd always come back to New Zealand to live - and Christchurch at that... we'll stop shaking eventually, and it's teaching my kids some exciting new words like "liquifaction" besides, Auckland has volcanoes :lol:

I'm on there anonymously too. It's a good way for me to keep up with friends / family without individual emails, etc. I am unsearchable and only linked to immediate friends and family. Friends of friends cannot see anything I post or find me via friends - the only way to find me is if I contact the person.

Hugs. It's awful. I hope you get some relief soon.

For what you're describing I'd go with Miquon.

Never forget that those numbers are not who your son is... he's so much more than that. I hope they can get him access to some wonderful programmes though.

We have slides, swings, sandpit, playhouse, basketball hoop, climbing frame, trampoline, bikes, scooters, bats, balls... the list goes on, out there. My DD will play outside happily for hours if left alone, but most of the time you would think I'd asked him to cut of his fingers if I send DS out. Not that he's not active, he just prefers to do it all inside. He will go out, play for about 10 minutes, then he's back. I guess some kids just like being outside more than others.

I'm another NZer and I'd second the gumboots, shorts and black singlet if you're not wanting to go for the traditional Maori costume. Draw a silver fern on somewhere for extra authenticity. Otherwise (looks at jeans, t-shirt and slippers) I don't think we dress a whole lot different to you.