Go to college? Yes. Move out? No. :-) Michelle

Ditto! I have btdt, and have learned along the way that often less is more. :-) Michelle

It's really a matter of finances here mostly. And space. Michelle

The Challenger explosion is what comes to mind. But considering the fact that I'm 40, I'm sure there were other things prior to that that I should be remembering! Michelle

It does bother me to a certain extent, but I realize that it's mostly irrational so I wash the stuff and try to put it out of my mind! :-) Michelle

Caffeine does make a difference for my adhd son. We tried eliminating dairy when he was much younger and didn't see difference at all. But now that you mention it, lately I've been thinking he's showing signs of lactose intolerance. Maybe we should try again.... Michelle

I would get MUS Gamma, start at the beginning, and go through it as quickly as is comfortable for your dd. That's what I did several years ago when my son just wasn't getting it and it helped tremendously!! Michelle

I am disappointed to learn that the wisdom booklets are not readily available. They are mentioned in the back of the Duggars' latest book. Michelle

Thanks for the suggestions thus far! I've never heard of Kinetic books or Chalkdust. I'll be checking them both out.... :-) Michelle

I like computer-based programs, but I'm not at all stuck on that. Michelle

Also, I happen to have a copy of SOS's 7th grade math on hand that I've never used. Is it a disaster to implement?? Michelle

My son is 11 and will be starting 6th grade in September. Last year in 5th grade he completed grade 7 of Teaching Textbooks math. He's unhappy with the idea of continuing to work two grades ahead, so I have agreed to let him do 7th grade math again, but with a different curriculum. The question is which ones should we look at, considering the fact that we love TT? (Saxon and MUS have already been ruled out.) Thanks! Michelle

My son was like that at that age. He was also hypersensitive to planes flying overhead. I don't have any fabulous strategies to help, but I will say that he is 13 now and although he is still bothered by thunderstorms it is otherwise a non-issue at this point. Michelle

Saxon would not be a good fit for a child who dislikes review. I am very fond of TT and would pursue that if possible. Michelle

I used it for a year. The main thing I didn't like was that it focuses on letter writing. I wanted to cover the bases more in case I got into a situation where my kids needed to go to public school for some reason. Michelle

The only thing that needs to be replaced is the student book (if you choose to write in it). Michelle

I haven't figured it all out yet, but this is what I have so far: Math - TT Science - R&S Grammar - Easy Grammar History - Abeka Michelle

The kids have to jump up to get their own things. :-) But for me, it's simply pencils and solutions manuals. Michelle

We are using McRuffy. I used to make things a lot more complicated, but eventually realized that in the early years it's better to simplify. :-) Michelle

I have BTDT, and for us, it did not work. Now, my situation might be somewhat different in that my son has PDD (autistic spectrum), but nevertheless.... I think particularly when boys get to a certain age, the feeling of their mother riding them throughout the day can become a bad dynamic. Because of that our son who will be 14 soon will be going to school for the first time this fall. It's too soon to say if that will help, but I've heard positive outcomes from families with similar issues in our church. Michelle

I started leaving the kids alone when the oldest was 12, but that was really just to be able to say I was within the law. His 10yo brother was actually the one in charge because the oldest has PDD and really couldn't handle it had his brother not been around. Michelle

We did my own version of block scheduling last year for the first time (my oldest is 13 and we've been hsing since he was 4). It worked out really well for all of us. The kids were able to focus better rather than jumping from subject to subject, and it make it easier and quicker for me to do grading. Michelle

Ditto what TXBeth said. I used ABeka for several years and I think their phonics is very thorough. It's possible to use it without the curriculum/lesson plans, but I think you will miss a lot that way (having tried to do it myself). Michelle

I like R&S, but with several children to keep up with I like Easy Grammar better. Michelle

I second the vote for Teaching Textbooks. Michelle