We're looking for a family vacation on the cheap. Could this be it? Ideas? Suggestions? Worth a family visit? Cheap places to stay for a family of four? How long to stay? Thanks!

I'm a rookie hs mom with what is probably a common anxiety: The school year is ending and I have more lessons left than school days left. Can anyone encourage me on how to shake that awful feeling of being "behind schedule?"

I need an inexpensive microscope or kit for my 4th grade son. Just a "hobby" microscope with prepared slides or making his own slides. Also, a suggestion for easy-at-home-without-making-the-kitchen-a-disaster chemistry curric. Ideas?

My 10yr/4th grade is stuck in a rut with his down time. He's a voracious reader and likes Lego but needs some other activities. We live in a neighborhood with NO kidsl. He has his 8yr old sister to play with and likes to play outside, but that gets a little boring. He ALWAYS defaults to wanting to wanting screen time, and he can't even think of another thing to do. I needs some fresh ideas to get him to forget screen time and get him out of his rut?

tjlufkin - did you do it at grade level at the end of that grade level like I'm considering doing? I'm just not clear if ITBS is meant to be given at grade level at start or end of the grade. Thanks!

Not sure if there's any help out there, but here goes... I'm making a "diagnosis" that my 2nd grade DD is emotionally mature, or at least I think that's what to call it. She's very sympathetic, has insights into feelings and others' motivations then articulates the situation very well, picks up on subtle character development in movies and books often pausing a movie or book and saying something like this: "...so is Anne feeling a little jealous that Diana is getting married even though she's also very happy for her best friend? Do you think Anne is thinking about Gilbert and regrets that her pride got in the way? Do you think Annes really loves him and it's too late for her to tell him?" She is a talented actor and dancer, yet is too self-aware and embarrassed to audition. She notices subtle body language and speech patterns and can mimic and impersonate people almost immediately. She loves to read fiction about people and relationships. Her academics are just fine -- at or a little above grade level. She's a "language arts" kid rather than a "mathy" kid. Does anyone else have a child like this? Thoughts about activities to encourage this? What kind of academics or studies would work well? Not sure this is the right place to discuss since it's not traditional academic gifting, but just throwing it out there. Thanks!

I'm seeing lots of about it on these boards. Is it supplement? Just for fun? Maybe like LOF but for the younger set? Meant to entice non-mathy kids? What's the fuss?

I was looking for something other than the Stanford since, per BJUpress you need certification. And I didn't want to spend the $20ish and time to do that. I can admin the ITBS since I have a college degree (and read the BJUpress waiver.) Anyone else?

My son is in 4th grade. Our second year of hs wraps in June. I'd like to test to get a handle on his achievement. He's a bright kid, but I'm looking for some real numbers and feedback. So...what kind of test do you suggest as we close 4th grade? Since we're testing at the end of his 4th grade year, should I still choose a 4th grade level test or a 5th grade level? I was thinking of the ITBS. Thoughts?

Check out Susan Wise-Bauer's audio lecture: Homeschooling the Real (Distractable, Impatient, Argumentative, Unenthusiastic, Non-Book-Loving, Inattentive, Poky, Vague) Child It's SO good and shared insight into our parenting/teaching issues (both mine and my kids') http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/homeschooling-the-real-child.html

I looked at GWG last night -- might be a good match. It's nuts-n-bolts and written to the kid. And no references to Father and the farm :-) I'm not familiar with Saxon grammar. I thought they were just math. Which I'm using this year for the first time. Which has turned math=tantrum into math=manageable and pleasant. My DS (who's not mathy, but very language-y) said he feels like a college student using graph paper to work out the problems.

DS9 is a grammar guru and actually looks forward to the subject. Weird, I know. We just started R&S4 for grammar. The content is solid, but he's so distracted by the language, examples, and illustrations. He finds them old-fashioned and folksy. He's not mocking or making fun of the publisher, it's just that he can't relate to farming and the simple life portrayed. I know this sounds ridiculous, but he can't look past it. Last year we used k12 grammar. I don't know if k12 developed their own grammar or used another publisher and just put it under the k12 brand. But he really like k12 grammar. So, any suggestions for solid grammar like R&S but that's a little more contemporary? Or any ideas on what k12 uses? Thanks!

I did k12 last year as an independent purchaser of the curric -- not through a virtual school. I soooo feel your pain. I felt overwhelmed -- and I wasn't even accountable to a teacher! Here's my practical advice: if you can "assess" out of a lesson, go for it. By that I mean, go right to the assessment and see if the child can master it at 80%. If not, then go back to spend time teaching the lesson. Here's my mental health advice: relax. Easy for me to say, right? But seriously, try to settle yourself. It's totally reasonable to feel overwhelmed -- this is all new to you, right? Don't feel shame because the learning curve is HUGE! Be your best advocate and get the help from your teacher. Finally, my Plan B advice: maybe this isn't the best fit. By all means, give it a few weeks to get a handle on it. But there's no shame in letting go of it if it's interfering with your life, rather than enriching it. Looking back, I wish I would've tossed the curric and gone with my Plan B: just math, writing, all kinds of reading, and play with my kids rather than put our family through agony by sticking with k12 when it just wasn't the best fit for us. Best wishes!

I'm just starting to join in the discussions. I discovered WTM last year during my first year of hs. I purchased K12 independently for last year. This year I'm following suggestions from WTM and other resources to encourage a classical education model. Can I just say, ladies, how incredibly helpful your posts are to a newcomer? Many curric decisions were based on your posts and insights. And it sure is good to know I'm not the only one home squirreling.

I'm looking for some science for my DS age 9-4th grader. I like the idea of real books, yet a prepared plan to use them. Noeo seems to fit my wants. This looks interesting -- especially the physics for my upper grammar DS. My DD age 7-2nd grader will probably sit in on the teaching. Thanks for any input.

We've heard GREAT things about CYT. Our homeschool family is looking forward to classes and productions. Not sure we'll get the kids reg for fall classes. But are there winter and spring sessions?