Well, like my original question said, I was wondering when other people did this, just to get an idea. Telling me not to do it in K is not what I was asking. "We started in 2nd grade," was more what I was expecting. I like to plan ahead, which I know is not uncommon around these parts. And, I never said I was planning on doing something now. I actually said I was thinking about 1st grade. I would like to keep her away from ONLY reading basic, basic readers when she can blow through Stuart Little in three days and love it. On our current path 99% of the books she reads look have a big picture on one page, and the other page says, "Here, Biscuit! Look what I have. Woof, woof!" Then the other 1% is made up of books like Stuart Little. Seems a little unbalanced to me.

I remember growing up in school (why I am comparing to traditional school, I do not know) we had books we read each year. Read and discuss, vocabulary, etc. I would like some sort of resemblance for my children. We don't use a packaged curriculum that comes with readers, and I don't want to line up with what we are studying in history. I am looking for assigned reading for each grade. Right now, without assigned reading, my daughter is just picking up anything she wants. This is fine, except that she is reading behind her level most of the time. She checks out a variety of basic readers at the library all based on their pictures. We get everything from a level 1 to a level 4. Then she picks up Stuart Little and devours it in 3 days and can't stop talking about it. I would like to offer more to her than continually checking out "Biscuit and fill-in-the-blank." My question is, when did you start doing this? How did it look in your homeschool? Did you use literature guides? We don't have any assigned reading around here right now. I'm thinking, given her reading level, that we will start next year in 1st grade. I work better with an idea in place, so I would like to have some books picked out, otherwise it will be more "oh, these pictures look pretty books." Any suggestions? Do I even need to do this?

I was a biology major in college. I was sure, when I first started thinking about homeschooling, that we would do a lot of science. I have since changed my mind. Personally, I don't think a strong emphasis in the younger years is necessary. Focus on the three r's, everything else is supplement. I mean, if you really get the there r's down in elementary, then all the other subjects are solidified later on. You need that strong basis in the basics, though. I think the direction you are leaning is perfect.

I'm pulling out a book... page 1 - circle what is different page 2 - trace the letter with your finger (one big letter) page 3 - draw line along path page 4 - circle the letters that match page 5 - color section with letter "p" page 6 - "listen and follow directions" Since we don't have the teacher's guide with teh actual directions for this one, we just say all the pictures, emphasizing the first letter page 7 - trace the letter page 8 - draw lines to letter page 9 - writing the letter (1/3 have the letter that they trace, the others are blank lines. We just skip the blank portion, or I draw a dotted letter._ page 10 - circle page 11 - circle page 12 - circle page 13 - circle page 14 - blank lines to write first letter (I draw dots, again, after she has identified the beginning sound) If you want to avoid the handwriting portion, this would be very easy and you would still get a lot out of it.

We just switched from RS to Horizons and we are really enjoying it. It was the same problem over here -- it was just not getting done. We are actually doing math now! I like the teacher guide, as it reminds me of RS book. I'm assuming this is okay to share, as nobody can take this idea and be any better off. Plus, my book says that brief quotations can be used for literary review. For each topic, there is the introduction to the topic (a couple of days). "Each concept will be reviewed for one week after the complete presentation. For the next two months, the concept will be presented every two weeks as part of two or three consecutive lessons. After a break in presentation for four weeks, the concept will be reviewed as part of the lesson for 3-5 days. This will be followed by a period of two months where the concept will be reviewed every two weeks as part of two or three lessons. This progression continues until the students have had the opportunity to thoroughly master the concept." So, basically, that is A LOT of review. For example, addition 1-9 is practiced lessons 4-14, 24-27, 37-40, 50-53, 73-78, 87-90, 100-103, and so on until you hit lesson 160. They really don't give a TOC, since there is no much review. There are four pages of the topic introduced and what lessons it appears in. There is no way I can type that out. It's just too much to decipher. If you PM me, I can email you a picture of those pages. Once you see it, you will see what I mean.

So what magically happens when I have a 5 year old, a 3 year old, and a 1 year old to make me more qualified for park dates? I don't see that as being quite different. I don't understand how any problems they may have experienced in the past disappear once the oldest in the family hits the 5 years of life mark. And I will not be a part of this group. We have already hit the "required age" and I am already turned off. I am not in this place anymore, as I keep saying, so it isn't an issue. Having been there, I will always be kind to these women and I was just suggesting the same for others.

I'm quite offended that you think we have no concept of how busy your life is. Trust me, we understand. Why are all the seasoned homeschoolers on this thread coming off like we are asking for MORE programs -- programs designed to fit OUR needs. We understand that you are busy. We get it. We aren't asking you to commit to more. And we aren't asking you to start up some special ministry in your house to us. It's great that you do that, but that isn't what we are asking, at least not me. I am talking about park dates and social events. Events that are already scheduled. Events that you are already going to be at. Events that my children won't be keeping your children from their schooling. Events that should be welcoming to all. We aren't going to pester you all with questions about what to do with our 3 year old. We are not asking you to change your life one bit. We are not asking you to give up any more time in your hectic schedule. And trust me, I tried to start up something myself. It is hard. I live in Houston with a HUGE homeschooling network and a huge message board. I tried to start something up for preschool parents and the few that contacted me lived 45 minutes away. There was a close group with every activity planned under the sun. I was offended that I was not allowed to attend a park date that other mothers already had penciled in on their busy schedules. Funny thing... After getting turned down for not being legitimate, I started reaching out to other moms on the local homeschooling message board who had children around the age of my children. I got this message from the head lady, who had been homeschooling FOREVER, and I believe, already had graduated all of her children... "There are many established groups and co-ops in the Houston area. Yes, it's good to get together with folks like yourself, but sometimes it's good to talk to folks who have been homeschooling for a while, instead of just new folks. just saying . . . " Exactly, I am not one of those moms who is a burden, either. So you have been burned, but doesn't the rest of the world say that about why people shouldn't homeschool. "Well, I knew this one family who was doing an injustice for their children or never teaching them anything or being a disturbance to the community, etc, etc." Don't we all get upset when those people judge us all? Don't we say they should get to know more homeschoolers? Yet, some of you are making large assumptions based on that one overly-eager homeschooling parent you know.

Well, our MOPS group actually lets expecting moms in. Same thing, right? You aren't there, yet, but you know it is approaching very quickly? It seems to benefit them and it isn't a pain for us. And I was never looking to join a group for information. Yes, you can find that online and I get more than I need here to ask anyone in real life. WE NEEDED ACTUAL PEOPLE. Internet and books do not provide that. I understand some people are introverted and don't need to be around people. They are okay to be sequestered with only their young children during their week and don't need any adult conversations. That is only one group of people, though. The Internet, alone, would be all they need.

Are you going to come babysit my kids? Unfortunately, all of the things you mention cost money, even if they are free, because of the babysitter aspect. My husband is in an evening MBA program, which leaves him very constained for free time to watch the kids. But even so, these people are not in my place in life. I find I don't have much to relate to them, which is even said for my best friends from college that live in town with me. We are just not in the same place in life. I'm not looking for a scrapbooking class to go and enjoy small talk. And if you would have read my original post, I do have that group now. I was let in our CC group when my oldest was 4, since that is when they start. Turns out, COMMUNITY WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, AS I THOUGHT! I have it now. It was what I was after, and after I let in, it lived up to all my expectations. I wrote this primarily for seasoned homeschoolers to maybe take a step back and think about younger moms in a different light. Before shrugging those young moms off the next time and telling them they are crazy for wanting to join any kind of homeschooling group, maybe they could extend some KINDNESS.

I think you might have misunderstood my original post? Your homeschooling group is not the type that I am referencing. There is a large, huge group here that is very active. Co-op classes, moms nights out, park dates AT LEAST once a month, field trips, homeschool dances, etc. I was very turned off that I was told that I couldn't attend a park date because I didn't have a child 5 years old. I wouldn't have wanted to do Lego Engineering, a book group, or knife sharpening. How is allowing me to come to a park disruptive? I wouldn't be begging for more activities to be planned that were preschool friendly. The activities were already there, and I was just told I could not join. And a play group is great if you have one!!! My whole point, from the first post, was that I lost my play groups and all of our friends because everyone entered MDOs and preschools. I'm not the only person in this boat. And I never said that I didn't want to hear "Slow down." I was trying to say that they saw me trying to join their group as being overeager to homeschool, so they thought "slow down" was the appropriate answer versus show any kindness to me. I was just trying to find a community.

No offense taken. Seriously! What you said was true, though, in that I think that is on a lot of older homeschoolers minds. Maybe some of them assume that is why I wanted to join? It's the whole issue of misunderstood interest! Because if someone doesn't know the reasoning and just declines those younger moms from the beginning, they can really make up their own opinions as to why they want to join a homeschooling group when they aren't there, yet, in life.

EXACTLY!

As I stated in my original post. I'm not there anymore. I have a group and I have finally been welcomed, being that my oldest is now 5. I have a heart for these moms, though. A friend and I are taking on our informal CC park days and we are opening it to younger homeschooling moms because we don't want anyone else to be in this position. I will always be aware and cautious because I was there, but I always feel a lot of others are not tolerant. Plus, I am in one city doing this. I guarantee every city out there has moms like this. What about all of them?!? My heart goes to them. I was just hoping older women would maybe think about it more. I never wanted to join a co-op at that age. I never was looking for an art class. I was never hoping my older children would look in to what the olders were doing. I NEVER claimed my child was gifted and this was why I needed in now. I was just a mother on that journey once who was refused to participate in the most mild social activities because we weren't legit.

Chapter leader of what?

I'm so excited for you!!! I remember finally meeting my first homeschooling mom with young kids and it was a huge relief, plus it made our life so much better. She is my best friend now!

No, I totally understand that. It is good to hear. I'm not asking anyone to not say that. It needs to be said. I'm talking about telling younger moms, you are not welcome until you have school aged children. To find something else to preoccupy the time. Like in my current CC group, the older women cannot understand why on earth a parent with only a 4 year old would want to join. They say, behind their backs, "They just need to slow down!" I try to explain, maybe it isn't the aggressive education they are after right now, but friends. They don't think of that because they already have friends! And let me say that a lot of the older moms are there for the community aspect, as well. I think sometimes it is a misunderstanding in goals. Young mom are trying to join for the community aspect, yet older moms just assume it is because they are itching to get started.

It's always good to hear it gets better, so thank you. And thank you for also understanding! I feel a lot of people do not. I understand comparing it to teenage children, etc, I understand, but loneliness is not something that is usually dealt with well. Loneliness is a horrible feeling, so it isn't usually something you just want to wait out. I'm finally in a group, going on a year now. I have a community and friends finally. We still make messes, we still enjoy the you get years, we still explore our world, but we do it WHILE having friends. I have a heart for these women because I feel I just made it across the line. I often think they wouldn't be so wrapped up in curriculum and pre schooling if they had friends. They don't have a community, so they become consumed with curriculum because there is nothing else there. Once I had a community, I didn't feel in the preschool race anymore. I didn't need it. Maybe if we welcomed these women, we wouldn't have this big of a problem???

My children are never napping at noon. Actually, I don't know anyone who naps at that time. Usually noon is lunchtime, so we would pack a lunch and join in at the park, then head home for naps afterwards. Nice and tired! That is actually what we do anyways. I'm sure we would love that hospitality. I mean, even a moms night out. Geez, those things are so refreshing!!!

I get it. I do. But we are a part of those groups. I'm actually in the second year of my position as Coordinator of our MOPS group. You don't get much more embedded in a group than that. Plus, tt's a larger group with 70 moms. And we STILL lost our friends. Like I said in the beginning, all the moms we associated with in MOPS and at church got busy with preschools, MDO's, and other obligations. Being in an urban area, there is a strong push for earlier and better. A lot of kids are in school 5 days a week at a younger age than kindergarten. We LOST friends. That is my whole point. But seriously, not telling us where a park date is? That is just ridiculous. There are going to be other moms there anyway. I'm not asking to come bombard your co-op class and I'm not saying that I want my 4 year old to play with your 8 year old. I'm just saying someone would be nice...

(I wrote some of this responding to another post, but I wasn't sure how many people read it there. I hear this all the time. A couple years ago, a local homeschooling group wouldn't even let me attend park days because my oldest wasn't 5 years old. I get it, some people are only going to homeschool preschool, which they didn't think counted, but what about me who was in it for the long hall? Even my CC group was thinking about not allowing families to join who only have a 4 year old -- it was just ridiculous to join any such thing at that age. My oldest is now 5, and now that I feel closer to being legit, my heart still goes out to all those young homeschooling moms who are in the position I once was.) Seasoned homeschoolers. You know who you are. Your one word of advice is always, "Slow down. Drink in these moments. Enjoy the younger years. Step away from the curriculum." You roll your eyes, thinking we are just too eager, too worked up, too high strung on education. You can't figure out why the mother with a 3 year old and a 1 year old wants in your homeschooling group. You think it is sad that those young parents are rushing their children. "Calm down," is the piece of advice often given. Have you ever thought that maybe we just want a community? Some of us are alone, walking this road TOWARDS homeschooling with no support. Some of us have been alienated by other mothers who think homeschooling is weird. Some of us have lost our mothers group to preschool schedules and new school events -- stuff that we don't fit into anywhere. Naturally, our old friends are making new friends at preschool and MDO programs; they hang out more with their new friends and we grow apart. As the world outside homeschooling is encouraging education younger and younger, young homeschooling moms are losing all the friends they ever had earlier and earlier. So, we are left alone. Twiddling our thumbs until the real homeschooling starts. Sometimes because we can't wait to teach, but sometimes because we can't wait to be preoccupied with something. It's hard from going to play groups and outings with other moms to having no group, no community. Enjoying the younger years is all good fun, unless you are doing it alone. All. the. time. Park dates -- alone. Field trips -- alone. Adult conversation during the day -- gone. Sometimes we jump into schooling because WE need something to look forward to each day. Just something, even if it is for 30 minutes. You become more lax with your younger children. You school them later and later. Why? Because you don't need that stimulation anymore. Sometimes we need to pre-k and K curriculum more than our children! Funny thing is, we will probably do the same. Because at some point, we will have homeschooling friends. We will have a schedule. We will have school work to do. We will have days full of homeschooling activities. We won't have any time to sit on the ground and play with our toddlers, but we will be busy and the day will fly by. We won't be in that lull anymore, feeling like we are just waiting for life to start. Just waiting to make friends. Just waiting to find our place in this world. I have a favor to ask all of you... will you let some of us into your group? I know, I know -- we talk a lot and ask too many questions. Maybe that is because it is the first adult stimulation we have received all week (remember, we are surrounded at home by preschoolers, toddlers, and babies). Maybe it is because yall are the first people we have met that are actually on the same page in life. You run around with homeschoolers on a daily basis, but those groups are currently a figment of our imagination. We really just want to be around you. To glean some of your wisdom. To know that it is all manageable. To see how your children act and say, "Yes, this is why I want to homeschool!" The fact that you have a 4 year old and I have a 4 year old means that they can be friends! My child might actually be able to make friends!!! It's funny. I jumped into PK3 curriculum when we didn't have anything to do during the week. The year went great and we had fun. I planned the whole summer for our PK4 year. We finally were let into a homeschooling group the next year, and you know what... I dropped all of our curriculum. It wasn't what anyone said to me. I actually hadn't even talked about it to anyone. We finally had something to do. People to meet with. Relationships and a community to become part of. We didn't need the curriculum for PK4 because we had found our place in life.

Heartlikealion, the question was directed to you, too. (My oldest is 5, as well.) I didn't necessarily mean a child who is in preschool, but more a child who doesn't have 6 hours of school work to do a day. I figured a preschool parent would definitely fit that bill. I'm sure at that point in education, the days won't seem to drag on because we will actually be busy with something all day! My heart goes out to you on the community aspect. I just wrote all about that in another thread. It's so hard when you don't have a community. It's an awkward period when you are trying to fit in and figure out how homeschooling looks at your house. Are yall church-goers? That may be a place to start looking. Don't limit to your church, but even check all the churches in the area. I would call the different church offices and ask if they know of any homeschoolers. Sometimes there are informal groups that aren't advertised online. Maybe a couple of moms who just get together at the park, or for outings. They assume they are the only ones in the area and yall assume the same. At least someone to hang out with is a nice change. Once we met one family, I felt like I wasn't so alone!

Most of the memory work is put to catchy tunes to help the children memorize it. This material is what the tutors use to present the memory work, and children can use these same songs to practice during the week. You can either buy a package of 3 cds for the cycle with all the memory work, or you can pay for CC Connected (online service) and download the same songs from there. The songs cover the timeline (which all the children sang at the family presentation, so your children will want to have a copy of this somewhere at home), history sentences, skip counting, and latin. A lot of parents have also put the other information to songs and uploaded on CC Connected, as it acts as a sharing center for those who pay for the subscription.

We just say the name for each picture and emphasize the new sound we are learning. Since it is the same picture you see for the rest of the book, I want to make sure my child knows what each picture is. My daughter swore the rocket was really an ice cream come (upside down). We also clarify, this is "rabbit", not bunny, etc.

I think the problem is the lack of community at that age, especially when it is your first. We knew we were going to homeschool. We moved to an area full of homeschoolers when my oldest was 2.5 years old. Unfortunately, you aren't viewed at legitimate until your oldest if 5 years old here. They will not even let you participate in park dates. I understand that they want to weed out the mothers who claim they homeschool by only homeschooling preschool, but what was I suppose to do? I joined a neighborhood mothers group and for the 2-3 age range, all conversations revolved around what preschool/elementary your child was going to attend. Often they would just look at me like I was crazy when I said we would be homeschooling. The one friend we made that year, we ended up losing to her school schedule the next year. It was a hard year. I hit a really dark point, as I felt like we didn't have any friends. We are social people and there was just nowhere we fit, because the one group that we would actually fit in told us we weren't welcomed yet. In a different way, my best friend (We have friends now, thank goodness!) was deeply embedded in her neighborhood with all the other moms. They all had children at the same time and did everything together when they were little. The other kids slowly got more involved in MDO programs and they just started dropping my friend. It was no fault of anyone's. They just started hanging out with school families more. So this leaves my friend and I, at this point, begging for homeschooling to start. We needed SOMETHING. By the Lord's provision we found each other during this time and lamented on this challenging period. I think it would have been different if we had some kind of group. A group to keep us active and busy. A group that we knew we would still have once school started, or a that we wouldn't be kicked out of because we were going a different path. A group of like minded individuals. Is that too much to ask? We joined CC at 4 years old because we needed a community so badly. We needed some kind of identity. The older mothers didn't understand. "Don't rush," they would say. "Enjoy this age." "Why are families so rushed to join CC?" One of these mothers had been homeschooling her down syndrome son years before her daughters came into the picture. She already had a community. The other mother pulled her kids out of elementary school to homeschool. They never experienced this period of exclusion, either. My friend and I have taken a strong interest in the mothers who are in the "waiting" period. We are starting park play dates soon that won't be exclusive. There are so many homeschoolers who don't do MDO programs and need a group, of sorts. It is a hard time. Those women need something.

Now could someone take all these suggestions and separate them out into grade levels. How do you decide what to introduce when???