My ds 13 is also enjoying this for American History this year (8th grade). Were you the helpful soul who mentioned the roadmap that accompanies this series? If so THANK YOU. We subscribed to it last week. If not, thanks to whoever did!!:D

This thread is fun! Frankenstein The Count of Monte Cristo Essential Thinkers - Socrates The (newest) Well-Trained Mind Liberty and Tyranny Men in Black Harvard Shelf of Books (2 of the volumes) Emma

I'm not sure what type of hypoglycemia you have, but just be aware that reactive hypoglycemia is usually not detected with normal blood sugar tests. A specific kind of test is needed that I am hesitant to use with children as it requires especially long fasting. The way I have "diagnosed" it is to see what a difference the hypoglycemic diet makes...like night and day. Since this more rare kind runs in our family, that is good enough for me. So a person with vasovagal syncope can indeed have normal blood sugar even after waking up from fainting if they have reactive hypoglycemia. Hang in there! I know it is difficult. And give a hug from me to your dd too.:)

We always remind our dc that in the end, we would rather have them be "good" students and "excellent" people, instead of "excellent" students and just "good" people. Of course, some children may be able to achieve both. If they try their best and apply themselves, they'll be successful.

Hypoglycemia can also induce vasovagal syncope. In addition to hydrating her well, I'd make sure she is eating smaller meals every 2-3 hours. Some good snacks would be apple or celery with peanut butter, cheese and whole-grain crackers, raw veggies and yogurt dip, yogurt with oats & fruit or granola, hard-boiled eggs and whole-grain toast. The meals don't have to be big. Especially if she is thin, she just needs to have a steady flow of non-sugary nutrients coming. (bananas and grapes are very sugary) The link below describes the bluish symptom your dd is experiencing. The article is on NCS (neurocardiogenic syncope) which is also referred to as vasovagal syncope. http://www.dinet.org/NCS/ncs.htm Hope this is a help to you!:grouphug:

Tea tree oil works great on bee stings - like magic in our family. It also is good for any insect bites. Just make sure he's not allergic to it. I'd try it on one or two and wait an hour. If it doesn't make them more itchy, he's probably fine with it. Raw honey also worked wonderfully on a weird insect bite dd11 got this summer. It went from a little bite to a nasty-looking one fast. We put honey on it and a gauze pad and it was almost gone in the morning. Here's to a restful, itch-free night for your little guy! (and you)

Vocabulary from the Classical Roots, books A, B, C, D and E. There are 16 lessons per book. Sounds like she could handle two books per year.

We live in FL too:) Love the hot weather after such a cold winter. You've received some great advice from everyone so far. I think the one other consideration is whether or not your ds is "science-bent." If he is not, I'd have him do the tests as you've outlined, selected written lab reports (which I'd limit to one page typed), and the two papers...which I'd make a bit longer for a 9th grader (3-5 pages). If his inclinations are in the sciences, I'd keep the tests as is but make sure they have some longer essays. I would also have him do all lab reports and the papers would likely be 4-6 pages. Just to give you a comparison point, my 8th grade ds is indeed science-oriented and he's doing Apologia Physical Science this year...perhaps Biology as well. He will take all the module tests, quarterly exams, do written lab reports (most weeks), and write 1 or 2 papers, each about 6-8 pages. Have fun!

Josh McDowell's Youth Devotions (daily biblical 1 page devotions) focuses on instilling respect and responsibility. The best to you.

First, thanks for saving the turtle.:) Our beloved pet is an African spur-thighed tortoise (sulcata). Sulcatas don't swim; they are land tortoises. Almost everyone who meets our tort thinks he is a turtle. He's about 12 lbs. and a foot long. He would also drown if he was put in a pond or any water above his head. We do fill a baby wading pool with a couple inches of water and he loves to play in it occasionally. You might wonder how attached you can get to a tortoise. The answer is VERY. We absolutely adore our tort. He is a member of the family just like most pets. I would never have believed that tortoises have such personality. We have raised him since he was a hatchling. He has his favorite people, activities, and needs human interaction. When I garden, he will follow me around the yard. He loves to crawl under a "bridge" you make by straddling your legs. Sometimes he is positively human in his reactions to things! Earlier in the spring we had a panic because he burrowed out of his habitat. He was gone overnight. We were so upset. As I made "Lost Tort" posters that evening, all I could think of was that some child who didn't know him would find him and "helpfully" toss him back into one of the many ponds in our immediate vicinity. The thought of him drowning was more than I could bear. Happily, he is a creature of habit. We waited until his usual wakeup time in the morning and then went out to look in every grassy area around (it was grazing time). And we did find him, almost 1/4 mile away, happily grazing and navigating the perimeter of a house. (typical sulcata behavior!)

My ds would feel like his arm was cut off if he missed tennis for a week, so I can relate. I still think a month is way too short. Don't worry, he won't suffer. And I would not let him complain about not sailing. He brought it on himself so now he needs to own it. If he complains, he earns extra non-sailing time. If he keeps running, that's great because he still gets his exercise. And do you pay for that sailing? That's another option. Have him earn the money to pay for his sport while he is earning back your trust. Yes, internet would be gone for a long time too. Chores would increase. Schoolwork...I would let him make his own good or bad choices and wouldn't micromanage. I'd make sure he knows his deadlines and has a planning calendar. But I wouldn't hesitate to give him F's if warranted. I use a 4 to 1 grading scale for "regular" work. (4=mastery 3=good progress 2=need to move towards good progress 1=unacceptable). If regular assignments are turned in late, they automatically get a 1. (even if they are perfectly done). So a 1 is like an F. Letter grades are for larger assignments like papers, projects, and exams. If a larger project is late, it is docked one or two letter grades, depending on my discretion. For example, if it's late because something unexpected came up, that would be one grade. (That's why they have to leave extra buffer time in project planning!) But if it's late because they procrastinated the entire project, that would be minus two letter grades. Take care.

Oh, sigh. Sorry to hear you are going through this. It's not easy, I know. Here's a hug, too. :grouphug: I don't think sending him back to school will solve any of these issues, unless it's a military school and that would definitely be something I would seriously consider as another option, for your child's sake. My vote would be closest to number 3. It's time for him to grow up and experience the results of his choices. I would start by having him repeat all the work he lied about. Every single bit of it. If that means he stays behind a grade, so be it. If it was "his aim" all along to follow a certain path, he has made unwise choices that delay his chosen path. Too bad. This is "real life," especially at age 16. If you've screwed up, you pay the consequences. (I realize it's not easy to watch him make bad choices and LET it happen). A month seems like a very small time to take away privileges, given his age and his choices. Lying is so serious. It can and likely will ruin his life at some point if it continues. If he gets away with lying and only loses sailing for a month, that's just not painful enough imho to affect a different choice in him next time. The privileges have to be EARNED back. What he has to do is regain your trust. Trust takes time, more than a month(!) at that age, to earn back. Remember,what he did he did PURPOSELY. To you. EVERY time he lied, he deliberately chose to flush your trust down the toilet. Motivation to get done? You can't force that. You can model that in your own life. He's got to ultimately find his own way. Talking a lot with him about how he won't reach his goals won't help, especially if you've talked with him lots before. However, if you talk less and let him fail now in some areas, maybe he will learn over time that he has to "suck it up" and be a man. But if you bail him out, it's a disservice to him. As I have told my dc, there comes a time in our lives when there is not always going to be a carrot dangling there in front of us as a reward for doing what's right. Sometimes we have to make the right choice just because it IS the right thing to do, even if we don't WANT to do it! The ironic thing is that usually when we do choose what's right, often rewards do come. Not necessarily right away. In his case, if his dream has been genuine, he will be willing to put in the hard work to accomplish it in the long term. If he's not willing to do that, well, then I would really doubt that it's been his dream all along. And maybe it's best to find that out now, instead of shelling out lots of money for university and then discovering he doesn't really want that dream. The other thing I wonder about is what his home responsibilities are? In addition to school, is he regularly helping with cooking, bathroom cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, yardwork, laundry, etc. etc.? He should be! Does he get regular exercise or play a sport? He should be! These are all such wholesome activities that eventually give children and teens a sense of being a contributor versus a leech in the family. I don't think these should be options. It's just part of being a family, learning to be a responsible adult, and taking care of oneself. If a child doesn't want to compete in sports, fine. Walk. Jog. Ride a bike. Hit a tennis ball against a wall. Rollerblade. Ripstik. Whatever. Just get the heart pumping regularly. It will make him a happier kid. And internet time? He'd be way too busy studying, mastering the art of bathroom cleaning, cooking etc., and exercising to have much free time left. :) I'm sorry, internet time would just be GONE. He should have thought about how much he enjoys the internet service you pay for, on the computer you (likely) paid for, in the home you pay for, after eating the food you pay for...when he CHOSE to purposely LIE repeatedly to you. I don't mean to sound harsh. I think anything that remotely caters to him really leads to more of the status quo. Hang in there. I will be thinking of you and your family.

We are a BIG tennnis family here. Both of our dc play competitively in tournaments. But we don't get anything other than the regular non-cable channels. While out on errands, I happened to walk by a tv set that had the match on. I thought I was seeing things when I saw "21-21." I zoomed home, grabbed the dc, said "school's over for the day!" and we all zoomed over to Gramma & Grampa's house because they have the channel! As I told the dc, I have never seen anything like it in my life. And this will be the only time they likely will, too. How incredibly beyond-words cool. So glad others of you enjoyed it too.

Another vote for Phonics Pathways. One simple, black & white book. No bells or whistles.

Um...a dose of hot sauce in the mouth. In our house rolling eyes = blatant disrespect. Only needed to do it once.

I'd recommend doing R & S English 2 orally vs. written, especially if you're incorporating writing into other subjects. I also wouldn't stress composition at this point, but more handwriting skills. Just spend LOTS of time reading to her and getting lots of library books for her to read. Have her do oral narrations back to you (while driving in the car, for example). Prompt her with questions if needed. At that young age, reading and oral skills are so important to form the foundation for good composition skills later. After all, an oral narration is like a written paragraph! Have fun!

Saxon math provides everything you need including scripted teacher's manuals. You may want to check it out.

Hmmm. It sounds like there are several things going on here. It also sounds like you are tired and overwhelmed. Hugs to you! First, it might be helpful for you as a family to revisit the idea of how you celebrate different holidays. As our lives have gotten busier with older parent care and children's sports, we continually try to simplify what we do to make special days meaningful. Just because you used to do certain things for Father's Day (or any holiday) doesn't mean you have to continue doing them, especially if it induces stress. Sometimes letting go of old traditions in favor of new ones is just the ticket. Second, and I say this gently, it sounds like there is something lacking if ds13 and dd9 are completely uninterested in participating in Father's Day prep, however simple. Do they really appreciate Dad? Do they realize all he does for them? Children at this age DO need regular reminders all year long that Dad is their hero. Frankly, they need regular reminders to show regular gratitude for ALL others. Often. If that tone is regularly set over time, they eventually absorb it. And likely will be more excited about helping in special preparations. Next, instead of buying presents, can you or the children think of what would be most meaningful to Dad? My dh doesn't like us to spend money on him. So we try to see how little we can spend and how meaningful we can make it. This year, dd11 made him a special card and a little sculpey clay drill. DD13 replaced the opening mechanism on the patio door, so it's now fixed and dh didn't have to do it. I made dh his favorite meal. I don't (and won't) require ds13 to make a card. Each of them needs to learn to express appreciation/gratitude in their own way. Dad will be thrilled with each one's unique expression. May I ask why aren't your 13 and 9 yo helping to make cabbage rolls? It may be complex, but certainly they can be taught, especially the older one. Perhaps teach them how during this coming year and have them surprise Dad next year with that special meal. To be honest, especially with your need to do therapy with your ds10, it is important to teach the other children to step up to the plate. Don't bail them out if they fail to make cards. They ARE old enough to understand showing appreciation. And if they choose not to, they have accountability for that. At the same time, maybe next holiday offer suggestions that match their inclinations. When we were walking around in Home Depot a week ago, ds13 saw the door repair kit and asked, "should we get this so Daddy can fix the patio door?" I replied, "what a PERFECT Father's Day present for you to do FOR Daddy!" So when needed, I try to think ahead and offer suggestions that match their capabilties and interests, and that Dad would also love. Another thing I started doing a few years ago was making an annual list of all birthdays, holidays, etc. that we celebrate. I post this for the children to see. Then I do indeed remind them a couple times (not daily) when things are coming up. I reminded them two weeks ago about Father's Day. Then one afternoon when we weren't doing school this week, I mentioned it was a good time to work on Father's Day stuff. They are busy with school, sports and other hobbies, so it is easy to forget. One other item on food prep...I would consider having your 13 and 9 yo helping out regularly in the kitchen. It takes time to teach them, yes, and sometimes it's easier to do it all yourself. But it's more than worth it. They will learn to take healthy pride in their ability to prepare a meal, navigate the kitchen independently, and even clean up. They might not LIKE it all the time, but it really creates a sense of accomplishment and family cohesion. And they get to experience the wonderful feeling when you can say to THEM, "I couldn't do all this without you," and really mean it. When dc really learn some of these lessons, it will spill over into how/what they prepare for you for surprises, birthdays, Mother's Day etc. It just takes time and a consistent approach. Hang in there. And try to get some sleep. Things always look worse when I'm exhausted, too.

I so appreciate this thread, since Great Books Academy is one of my front runners. Thank you for your posts! I remain :bigear:

Sorry, I forgot...the link for Great Books is greatbooksacademy.org. The .com address gives you a totally separate organization.

I wanted to mention that Angelicum and Great Books Academy are the same organization. Great Books is secular in approach; their high school program doesn't include the Catholic religion courses. Angelicum's curriculum is identical in all subjects (including Great Books), with two exceptions - it includes the religion courses and the Great Books study guides have more of a Catholic emphasis. This is the explanation I received from the Registrar of Great Books/Angelicum. I am heavily leaning toward Great Books for high school next year, so I've been researching a lot. Thanks for the encouraging comments from Angelicum users!

You might want to check out greatbooksacademy.org as well :001_smile:

When my two children were about age 6 or 7, they started needing LOTS of exercise - every. single. day. They had always gotten a lot of outdoor time (yes, we play hard outside even in the hot, humid FL summers!). But at that age, it seemed their energy grew by leaps and bounds. They are super energetic. Most children are. So I made sure they got lots of energy burn during the days. They walked, ran, threw balls, kicked balls, caught balls, played tag, fished, rode bikes, ran, and ran. And ran some more. I also made a little phys. ed. "curriculum" of basic sports skills that I did with them. I don't think exercise will solve your ds's "fear" problem, but when children are sufficiently romped, they will indeed drop off quickly! And yes, take heart. My dd (now 11), who had always been a great sleeper, began waking up in the middle of every night when she was 7. I can remember being SO sleepy as I led her back to bed, or rocked her, or snuggled with her for a little while. I just kept reminding myself that someday soon it would pass, and those special moments would be gone. She did this for a year. I never could figure out why, nor did she know. But it stopped, quite abruptly. And I look back on it with a smile now. I think I would go the route of having your ds stay in his room, with a night light on. I would require that he obey this. Who cares if he falls asleep on the floor? My son took lots of his naps on the floor when he was a little guy just because he found it comfy. His other favorite napping spot was his rocking chair. As I tell my dc, the floors of most homes in this country are nicer sleeping conditions than most people in the world have. Hang in there.

Another idea for the bumps...have you tried washing your face with honey? My teen and pre-teen do each night, just a dab. It got rid of little bumps under the skin of my teen ds's cheeks. It makes their faces very clear and their skin soft.

Just wanted to jump in here... My 13 yo ds just began Jacobs Algebra I this week. I ordered the materials through Kolbe Academy. To answer some of your specific questions, 1. Your dd will get plenty of review and practice. Each lesson has Set I, II, III, and IV exercises. Set I is review, II and III cover the lesson and IV is a more challenging one or two problems. So far my ds has skipped the Set I exercises because he doesn't need them. The Kolbe syllabus seems to do a good job of choosing selected problems. 2 & 3. I'm not familiar with these math layouts so I can't comment. Jacobs is engaging, but not cluttered. There are some very funny cartoons! The text in the lesson is well-written and explains things without being too wordy. But there are not bells and whistles all over the page. For my ds, lots of sidebars and photos and captions are not desirable. As a measure of comparison, Prentice-Hall texts seem to be full of distractions, at least for my children. I find Jacobs' layout to be comparable in style to R & S Grammar. 4. If she works thru the Sets in order, she will build her understanding slowly. 5. So far, the dvd lessons are short. Just concise explanations of the lessons with a problem or two worked out. Not big, long lectures. You could make these optional for your dd. Ds did not need to watch the dvds this week to understand or complete the work. He did watch the dvds for lesson 7 & 8 out of curiosity and because I wanted to take a look with him! 6. All solutions are worked out in the solution manual for teachers, so you'd like this. We completed week one according to the Kolbe syllabus, which covers 8 lessons. That may sound like a lot, but it wasn't...this first unit is review for any student who is ready to begin Algebra. Hope this helps!