Hello All!! My son is competing in our school project week and was chosen Top 3 in his grade!!!! There is a People's Choice Award, and the voting is on now! Please vote with Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest...... THANK YOU!!! http://www.juliancharterschool.org/finalist-brent-e-grade-2/

Sounds like we have the same thoughts, and similar sons :)

I agree that dropping it is a terrible idea. I learned in 1st grade, Montessori. I have not forced my son to learn it, he wants to, just slower than I did. It's more fun when it is his idea ;) Agree, I can see some typing, but did not agree with all of the assignments typed. :)

We liked FLL 2 in 2nd grade. Grammar.

So we are in a Charter and for a couple reasons need to remain linked to a public school, for now. DS8 is in 3rd grade, however most of our curriculum is BJU4. At our teacher meeting this week, we turned in samples of work, including some really nice paragraphs, which we were quite proud of as DS is a reluctant writer. We have worked really hard to encourage writing, building paragraphs etc. So, I thought that the teacher would thrilled with the progress DS made, as I was. I had many writing samples to show her. While she did like them, she in turn told me to not have him write anymore (in the sense of handwriting, pen to paper) but to have him now type his work directly on the computer. Excuse me!? I replied that I still want him to write on paper. We both know he has struggled with that. He is not ready to not have no handwriting assignments. She told me that to be ready for 'spring testing' aka common core test, that he needs to put thoughts directly on the computer, not on paper. OMG. For one, I am opting out of 'spring testing'. For two, he is 8 years old. 3rd grade. I will teach him how to write on paper, and he will learn cursive also. 2 things it sounds like public school does not teach. He will have handwritten assignments. He is learning how to type, but I will not make that his sole way to express words. Thank you for listening :)

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Cattle for beef, large fields of potatoes, spinach. Grapes for wineries. Smaller farms have pick your own blueberries and strawberries, also some CSA farmers.

I agree with other members that Siamese types can be more vocal. I also agree with the suggestion for a rescued kitty. There are so many that need homes, and they come already spayed/neutered and have vaccines.... quite a savings for you and saving a life!

I decided to have chickens for two reasons.... 1. Because I wanted my son to have the experience of collecting eggs from our own chickens. 2. Because I know that my chickens are not cooped up in wire cages so crowded they cannot move (among other things that happens to them, I won't post here so I don't offend anyone). Like the Happy Cows make Happy Cheese commercial, my chickens are happy and making happy eggs LOL

Thank you for letting me vent.

We have activities a couple nights a week, but not all. Yesterday was swim lesson, but he missed that because he didn't get school done until it was past time we had to leave to drive there. Didn't seem to phase him, and he loves swimming.

My DS8 is in 2nd grade is doing some subjects above grade level. Through divorce, I have continued to school him at home. We have daily struggles, some due to his father being gone etc. and some I am not sure of the cause but he does everything he can to avoid school. From dawdling to being mean. Our work load is very easy compared to some, and can be done easily in 2 hours if you add up all the time he really works, but he can stall and drag it out all day. I can take away this privilege or that, doesn't matter. I can plan this fun thing or that, doesn't matter, and then we both miss out on the fun thing. I am at my peak. He doesn't realize how lucky he is to not have to sit in a school all day, but I am about ready to send him. His anger and my frustration is getting to me. Any advice?

We just did planets, 2nd grade. I used Considering God's Creation, a foam planet kit from a craft store, Discovery Education videos and library books. For each planet I had my son write some interesting things about the planet in paragraph form, then complied all the writings, drawings and worksheets in a book report type folder. We were quite proud of it since my son is a reluctant writer, and having him write his own sentences with facts he found interesting about the planet was awesome :) and he really enjoyed the Solar System Detective pages in Considering God's Creation.

I would hold on to adventures for another year. I used it for 2nd and my son (7) was bored, we didn't finish. One can only color SO MANY state coloring pages. Boring.

Awesome thank you!