Well, we love CLE, and it's cheap enough to buy one light unit and see how it goes. I don't know the price of singapore, but I don't believe it's very expensive either? I think you'll get a mixed bag of responses on this one. :)

We just switched to CLE reading, math, LA and bible for my youngers. The reading program is awesome, and if you like the style of their other subjects, you'll like this too. Even w/out the workbook, the stories are great, but the workbooks really give their comprehension skills a workout. Greta, welcome to the family. :)

I think you're fine with the teacher manual and the workbooks. The calendar and counting chart are cheap, but I don't have those because we were doing the Saxon calendar, and we just do our own thing until the year is up. I do like CLE's flashcards, they come in a nice box and are sturdy cardboard, but I think if you have some on hand, you can make do. The clock is decent, I don't remember what I paid, but I think it was like $2? I'm happy to have that, it makes it easy. With any math program, I would always recommend counters (beans, bears, pennies, anything small and easy), plastic tangram shapes, linking cubes, etc. A mish-mash of manipulatives are so good to play with. Our favorite thing right now is to take the cup and 2 dice from our yatzee and do simple adding with those. This is stuff that you can get a box of and pay a small fortune, or you can go around and just pick up stuff cheap. Saxon has a kit that I didn't buy because we already had so much of it. I don't remember if CLE has a kit of manipulatives or not, but it is really easy to put together your own as you go along cheaply.

CLE is less "chatty busywork" than Saxon, imo. I find that it is more streamlined, got to the point quicker and therefore less frustration for my two that use it. I do love the way they incorporate their flash cards daily, too, telling you which facts to drill and then a daily speed drill in the back.

I am told there is an application for mac computers where they can see if someone de-friends them. I de-friended someone once and they were alerted by this program. Facebook itself doesn't let them know...supposedly. :/

I would say no, you don't need two of them. My dd doesn't even use the tiles, ever. She prefers spelling things out loud, or writing them on her dry erase lap board. I would not recommend AAS for a natural speller. If you think yours will fly through level 1, he'd probably fly through level 2 as well. My dd is a natural speller, and I think it's just way too easy for her. She enjoys it though, and I have it, so we'll see how it goes. We're part way into level 2, and she's 6 in first grade.

I really needed to hear this. I've been trying to cut myself some slack and tell myself this, but it's much nicer to have the reassurance from someone else. thanks. :)

I started having my oldest do his math on graph paper. You can get a notebook of it, and it really helps them to keep things neat: one number per box. Once their work is neater, it's easier to get them correct. Another thing with Saxon to remember, *from the way I understand it*, they will do certain problems on the DIVE, work through them whatnot. Then the actual assignment only has a few of that type of problem, and the rest are things that were covered several weeks ago. I think it confuses some kids. This is just what I was told recently, I need to look further into my ds's work and examine how much truth there is to this. We're struggling a bit with the DIVE+Algebra1/2.

There are shapes for every month, each day has a shape, in a rotating pattern. You'll need the manipulative set too. We did 1/2 year with Saxon 1, and jumped ship for CLE 1. I really wish I would have started with CLE.

We are doing (and really liking) those, with the exception that my 7th grader is doing Saxon. They've been getting done daily, but I'd like to get more in. We have the time/ability, it's that i'm paralyzed with not knowing what else to do, because they are all at such different levels. My oldest has been working through Apologia Physical science, and my 4th grader has been doing Apologia Swimming Creatures. My youngest has just been doing a lot of reading. History also has been reading library books and watching DVD's. I think i'd just like something to pull it all together, so that I have the reassurance that i'm doing enough of the right things. And something to add a little *fun* would be nice, too. ;)

Can anyone tell me if going through ECC for the first time in 8th grade would be a mistake? He'd have younger 5th and 2nd grade siblings tagging along. This would be for next year. Now that i'm finally getting the basics (math and LA) covered, I would like a schedule. I want a program that teaches me how to homeschool. Does that exist? I want biblical worldview. I want some hands on projects, some massive hand holding telling me which books to choose for which child. I'm worn out with choosing something at three very different levels. Trying to figure out what to do... I SO wish I had started hs'ing sooner, but this was God's plan for our family, and I can't change it. Last week I had a massive head cold, we got nothing done. This week, sciatica, not much done either. I'm having a rough go of it, wondering if I ever should have attempted this..maybe I should have left them in school. I know this will pass, but i'm really down about what we've accomplished this year. It's all been spent trying to figure out what my kids know and what to get them going with. I have the WTM coming from the library, and will go through that again. I really, really want to hit a comfort zone and feel like i'm doing something right with this. I've looked at MFW, Sonlight and TOG. I'm favoring MFW to start with because it seems more hand-holding and easier to figure out. Can anyone help me figure out if this would be a good fit for us before I throw some more money out the window on a choice that won't work for us? Please? :bigear:

:iagree:OH yeah, i'm completely in agreement here. God's moving you, and you will someday look back and understand why. btdt. :grouphug:

MFW Exploring Countries and Cultures? It's what i'm looking at for next year, but I have no experience with MFW yet. Curious to see other's input.

I do, I guess I never thought about it. I just throw in the roast, add some water, salt and pepper, onions, carrots and parsnips. You can do potatoes, but I prefer mine prepared other ways. The carrots and parsnips are SO good cooked with the roast. I put it in in the morning, and it's done by dinnertime. Add a fresh loaf of bread and voila! Dinner. :)

Sweeet!!! Praise God!! :D

The pictures are just plain cruelty. lol

Thanks for the suggestions, I will be looking through them! :)

I just left Saxon 1 for CLE 1. I'm not sure at what level we'll return to Saxon, but if we do, it won't be before 5/4.

My dh and three kids use them (they're all flat-footed). They can pretty much wear them in anything that they can take the manufacturer's insert out of, to make space for the orthotic. I personally wear Birkenstock sandals in the house ALL THE TIME. I wake up and put them on. I take them off right before sliding into bed. For feet issues, back issues, etc. It's made a huge difference. They also make shoes under the name "Footprints" that I have a pair of, and love.

I'm sorry your family is dealing with this, and I so wish I had some sage advice to give you. :( Space and time can heal a lot, hopefully he'll eventually open up. In the meantime, I would recommend you go to counseling w/out him if he won't go. You're going to be his support system, and you're going to need to know how to treat him. Men handle things differently, and treating him like a 'victim' might be a blow and further aggravate things. I would definitely seek advice from a male counselor on how to help him, and keep *your* support system close.

Hmmm....we'll be lucky to hit 30F here today...lol Big difference in one little letter, huh? LOL

My dh and I have been volunteers, and he is still on one committee. All I have to suggest is stop responding to her. Make it clear that you are moving on to the next issue and completely disregard her at this point until she's willing to opt for decency. I can guarantee that the rest of the group knows what's what. It's hard not to argue with someone who's clearly egging you on, but it looks bad to everyone else. It's a waste of your time to further engage in this issue.

Our WalMart just started stocking it again, just over a buck a bar.

What does she want?

newbie here, so no rec's on what to get....but I can say that I would have NOT purchased so much. I erred on the side of overkill, and regret it. ;)