I wouldn't pay. I'd ask for the barcode number and go through every book in the classroom set with the teacher before making her stay home from the trip.

I can only answer for myself, but I believe in the 'sensitive periods' of a child's life and the idea to intentionally foster the skills as a child moves through them. As a parent, being aware lets me prepare materials and exercises in advance and bring them out as needed/desired. This, of course, leads to a prepared background to start formal education in 1st grade. It does mean that I'm conscious of what my child is gravitating to and keep a checklist in my mind, but it doesn't mean we sit down with "seatwork" or block off daily chunks of time to 'teach'.

Hmm...I think if you're asking yourself these questions, you need to step back and try to look at the whole picture. What do you want for your children? Who do you want them to be? Do you love them unconditionally? How is your family life preparing them for an independent life? I know in my heart homeschooling is not about me. I don't want my child to conform - I want him to achieve more. I don't want him to get a substandard education - I want to be able to pick from the best for him. It's not about a happy family, but making sure he's on the right path with how to plan/achieve goals, learning to use the knowledge he has, and desiring to have more. I want that *for him*. I want him to want it. I never wanted him to get lost in the shuffle or have serious gaps in logic due to poor material presentation. Where do you stand?

Yes and no. This takes the idea behind montessori-style math manipulatives and draws them. We use actual manipulatives at home (using base ten or MUS blocks) to create addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems when learning the basic principles. Then we move on to color-coded graph paper to learn the stacking method (corresponding to the colors of hundreds, tens, units in repeating lines to create up to the hundred-thousand place) and eventually move on to sideways notebook paper. It works, it helps to internalize place value and number sense, but it's not necessary to continue to use it once the concepts are grasped. However I'll still find my son crossing his hands as he's doing a multiplication problem, visualizing the grid of squares as he's working it mentally. LOL My 14yo went from MUS + Montessori to AOPS, so I can't say it has caused him much harm. ;)

This works pretty well in our house. By 8th, though, we ended up with both the careless mistakes AND the attitude that goes along with thinking he's infallible and it must be me that's wrong/doesn't understand his reasoning/doesn't see that grid paper and writing things out is baby work. Bah. It sounds harsh, but I started writing on his paper "quit pulling numbers out of your rear end! They stink!" and "Stop teleporting!" (i.e. - skipping steps). It has saved my sanity, made him smile/groan/correct the issues, and gets the point across.

We lived in the middle of the ocean for 2 years. My advice: -go outside. Snow, rain, whatever, make it a priority to enjoy the natural world in all its states. -pare down "stuff". You don't need it, and it often brings discontent with what you have. Keep the things you love, the things that bring you together, and the things that encourage imagination. -create your own holidays. You may feel a twinge of missing out on traditions you had before (city parades, etc.) so make your own. We celebrate Chocolate day and Pi day now, and do theme movie nights. There's not a whole lot of advice there, sorry. :) But it does make it passable and even enjoyable for a family. Over the duration of our time away from the states I found that those who focused on what they lost were never happy where they were. They were just lost.

We slowly waded into the chore for money thing. I highly believe that different stages need different guidelines, and one-size-fits-all approaches rarely work. For us, we had to give it baby steps. Step 1: chores and money are separate. Chores get done based on a daily chart, they're checked, and if not done nothing fun happens until they are. A small allowance is given to learn how to manage money envelopes and delaying gratification. Good for 4-5yos who are still struggling with impatience, basic money skills, and learning new routines. Step 2: by late grade school, money and chores are tied together. I folded manila cardstock and made 8 pockets to hang on the wall - 7 days of the week and one 'DONE'. Then I labeled strips of colored cardstock with the chores he had to do each week - seven for 'tidy room', six 'make bed' (and one 'strip bed')...all the way down the line for each chore. He could choose where to place the ones that weren't daily, but every pocket needed to be full. We introduced the contract idea where we both signed, stating he would be paid for all chores done by X time (that he picked), and not for any done after. On my part, I would be silent before X time, but after that, I was free to nag and get on him about them. No getting out of chores, just out of payment. Every day I'd pluck the cards from the 'DONE' pocket, walk through a quick inspection, and replace the cards in the day's slot that weren't done properly. The rest would go into the first jar in my room. When he completed the chores left, they went into the second jar in my room. Every Saturday I'd open up petty cash, break out the jars, and show him how much he earned and how much he wasted. (we'd also switched to The Bank of Mom And Dad, where he had to keep a ledger and write a check for withdrawals from his different 'accounts') Step 3: Early middle school saw a different set up and the widening of contracts. Daily chores now get done because they are habit and they need to be done. But the opportunities to earn money are different. I accept a bid for a job, along with details : when, how much, completion date..and can negotiate a counter-offer or accept as is. But I only pay for the product finished, and only after a budget is filled out for the cash. We have other money handling steps in there, too, but they're less tied to chores and more to just learning how to manage an income. I, too, grew up in a house without chores and it took me a long time to learn what I wanted for my kids to learn. I didn't want them starting out life like I did. But every family is different and you have to assess what will work for you with a large age span. But don't be afraid to deviate and say "they need THIS right now, but we'll work up to THAT later."

Congrats! I used a sling in the beginning, switched to an Ergo, but wish I would have researched options more. With a 3yo, the Ergo just doesn't measure up - and around here it's more necessary than a stroller (Europe isn't all handicap accessible). http://theportablebaby.com/carrierfeatures.html - a list of most of the major baby carriers and pros/cons Most of our baby gear was ultra-portable and storable, and I'm not sure that's what you're looking for. BUT, the top of my list for must have include: -muslin blankets (bambino land, aidan & anais..) -an amber teething necklace -a bucket bathtub (warm and cozy, easy to empty and store) -Sophie the Giraffe -an infant car seat. I know, I know...you technically *could* go straight to a convertible. But you need to research that choice well, since most convertibles don't have harness straps that go close enough and low enough for a newborn. There are a few that do, and companies are getting better about making sure the proper recline is there. I went for the infant seat because I wanted one that I knew was made for "preemies", which meant it would fit a newb. Even the Snugride I tried didn't meet my standards. But whatever you choose, try to find a CPST to go over it with you so you know the ins and outs.

At that age, only if it washes out. It's fun to try out new hair colors, not so fun when you have to live with something you don't like until it grows out - and 9yos are fickle.

No, I wouldn't punish for that. The punishment becomes solely reactive and without merit. I don't punish feelings. I don't punish the expression of those feelings UNLESS it violates the rights of another. If a kid wants to scream in his room, fine. Tell his friends he's mad at me, fine. Stomp and sulk, fine. I think you need to dig deep to figure out what, exactly, you're punishing for and what you expect to get out of it besides dancing on free speech. ETA: in my house, I think I'd simply be setting ground rules for communication. Especially for the adults who seem to be dismissive to make it clear that a second side can be stated, listened to with a "that's an interesting point" and refuted with a simple "however, it needs to be done" or whatnot to end the conversation.

Yogurt Mini-bagels w/cream cheese smoothies (dump bag of frozen fruit into blender, add apple juice and yogurt.) leftovers hard boiled eggs fruit

I used to work at a public library. The ONLY patron who irritated me to the point of wanting to put her in time out was a teacher. She had an item that was 3 weeks overdue and thought she shouldn't have to pay fines on it, throwing a temper tantrum bigger than the 1st graders she worked with. And you know, I might have possibly waived the fee except for two things: the first, it was not a kids' item. And the second, that she felt that the rules didn't apply to her, dismissively waving her hand over the sheet she was given at renewal time a month earlier. I don't like attitude. I don't like it when I have a job to do that ticks people off. Yes, there might be some leeway, but it's only by grace, not by demand.

It was lame. The rules were so-so, but they didn't lead to any real competition or game play.

My house loves Magic, D&D, Pokemon...all the card games really. And Elementeo still sucked hardcore. They truly sucked the fun out of it. The Kid was unimpressed, to say the least. He had more fun with Chemlab (learning how to create and memorize various compounds) than he did with Elementeo. I would love to see an element game that brought the Periodic Table to life. This isn't it.

LOL! Neither company claims to create resources for pre-K levels so I guess they pick and choose what to promote.

Bento boxes are popular here. Or we can fill our short Kleen Kanteens with a soup or chili. My kids' favorites are biscuit balls or turnovers, though. I'll take biscuit dough or pie crust, make flat circles, and add a spoonful of toppings: bbq chicken leftovers w/mashed potato, onion, and cheese taco fillings shredded pork or beef chicken, veggies, ginger, and a little bit of sweet chili sauce Really, whatever is leftover from the night before. Then either folded over or the sides get pinched up into a ball shape. They get quickly baked up, left to cool, and put in a tupperware container in the fridge. The next morning everyone gets 2-3 along with some fruit, cheese, sticky rice, salad...and they get packed in the car with an ice pack on top.

We have the app. It's not fun at all.

http://americanhistory.mrdonn.org/revolution.html (links to all things revolutionary war) http://www.historyanimated.com/newhistoryanimated/ (animated battles) - Too Late To Apologize by Soomo. Absolutely awesome song! - Horrible Histories American overview (not horribly accurate, though) If your library has these, they'd be great, too: You Wouldn't Want To Be (In the Revolutionary War, A Colonist....) My Name Is America

Can you do one with an attachment? I'd get something you can put a universal attachment on for the infant seat (most non-car seat brand strollers offer this), and then something like a sit n stand attachment for the 4-5yo. I saw one around here that was like a bike attached to one side of the stroller.

Skip the cookbook. :) We have a weekly market here. We've had to learn to use things like arugula, pecchorino, procciutto,speck....and none of that is in our cookbooks. And what is in them is often unavailable to us or comes in a different form. Over the past several years, dh and I have found that it's easier to ask how to use X ingredient or look up a dish online that goes with what we can buy. We did finally find an Anglicized regional cookbook that has provided amazing dishes, but that's about it. You'll do fine. :) Eat good, feel good.

Today is half over here. :) So far today.. -set up, ran, and cleaned up joint merit badge/beltloop/pin event for the scouts -went grocery shopping Still to do... -work on co-op video -finish unit study Okay, my list is short, but each one takes forever!

I live abroad, so it's really a non-issue, but the sole health clinic has a Physicals day twice a year. The kids start at reception and go along the building to different stations set up - height, weight, eye check, blood pressure.... The process is streamlined to take no more than 20-30 minutes a kid and there's always at least one kid at a station (siblings or friends often go together and split up at the last station, the exam rooms)

I took the upper kids this year at our co-op. The thing I found with them is that they still want the fun projects, but that they're old enough to collaborate. My entire guiding thought for class was that I wanted to do things that would be difficult to do at home alone. We did a book club (first semester: 3 different books with an emphasis on finding plot, protagonist/antagonist. Second semester: one book, culminating in a month-long project of creating a game to go with the book. Both semesters were full of weekly hands on activities, too) and then I taught math - semester of hands-on algebra and a semester of hands-on geometry. Our co-op is enrichment/social time. Not really academic, with the exception of a few classes.

A health exam is required here. There is no 'failing' it, but having a doctor assessment at the beginning of the year lets them know if there are any kids who will have trouble in PE (if it's offered) or if a student appears to not have the physical ability to do something instead of bringing it up in a parent meeting they can just check the file. Dental is not required. Oh, and we've toured 2 different schools over the past 5 years before enrollment papers. One I toured twice, once for me, and once for an incoming parent that was looking for specific things and wanted pictures. The schools were always able to accommodate me. I'd be suspicious of a school that DIDN'T open their doors on request.

I do. I think they're best for 7th+, mostly because the work expects them to really think things through and make logical connections. Right now the local high school is borrowing a few of mine to supplement their AP history class. That's not to say that you wouldn't get use out of them - it would just be in a different way. I use them at our co-op to hammer a point or show the kids documents that tell the story. But at the same time, I wouldn't buy them just for my 4th-6th graders there. I pull documents off the internet - between Digital History, Letters of Note, How To Be A Retronaut....there's more than enough free resources. I can print out whatever I need. Now, I would make the suggestion to get Mysteries In History books or something similar. Mysteries in History has a full lesson plan for each mini-unit, presenting a primary source or two, a few secondary sources, and expects the kids to find out what really happened using the information they can gather. I've used them with pretty good success, especially with the early logic crowd. The only problem with these is they are not chronological, not exactly. They cover a wide spread of years, so the World History book was able to be used for 2 full years of history class.