Seizures were my first thought as well. Glad you can get in next week. Just document things like this for the neuro.

http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm You can print out the 1st 2 sets here for free--but it might not be worth the cost of your time, paper, ink/toner. If you join the yahoo group, you can sometimes find them used and/or sell yours when you are done with them.

Just for the record, I do at times order a kids meal for myself. I ask though if it is OK at sit down places, etc. Sometimes dd will get a kids meal and me an adult meal and then we split them between us as she likes some of what I am ordering as well. Now we will do the value/dollar menu quite often as that is more reasonable at many fast food places. I found out that for an extra 30 cents (free at some places) I can get a $1 McDouble with big mac sauce and lettuce added. I just order it with onions and extra pickle and then pay the 30 cents for the mac sauce and lettuce. For about 1/2 the cost of a Big Mac, I have myself a mini mac--same great taste, just less calories.

Check your prices at McDonalds. Here it is cheaper to buy 3 of the 4 pc. value menu nuggets than it is to buy the 10 pc. Might save you a bit of money.

This is a spin off on the thread about a child being too tall for a kid's meal. I would be good there as my almost 14dd is only 4'9" tall as is my 12dd. On the flip side, would/do you as an adult order a kid's meal? I am not talking about lying about someone's age to get a cheaper buffet price, etc. but more at places where they have set kid's meals---McDonalds, Burger King, Arbies, Culvers, etc? How about sit down places?

For reading practice, check out http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm These are the I See Sam books that you can print out for free. If she really likes them, you can buy the rest of the sets at http://www.3rsplus.com

If I could find my camera I would share a picture.

http://3rsplus.com/ I would check out these readers. They systematically teach these sounds. You can email them and see what set he should start with. Apples and Pears spelling might be a great choice as well. http://www.prometheantrust.org/soundfoundationsbooks.htm

You could come visit!!! We have a nice camping trailer you could stay in, Lake Michigan to visit just a few miles away, lots of chores that could be done, etc. The horses have been great for weight loss. I am new to horses. I bought my first one 2 1/2 years ago, had him for a little over a year and sold him as he bucked me off a few times. Now I have a quiet (but crabby) trail horse. My girls each have their own horses as well. 13dd has a 16hh 31 year old gelding and 12dd just got a 20+ year old 13hh POA mare.

Too bad I don't have a picture but try to imagine this: 1 plus size almost 40 mom 1 black sled filled with hay 1 baler twine harness for the hay (long loop that goes around your waist) 1 large wheelbarrow 1 pitchfork 3 horses to eat the hay and creat the manure In the mornings while the horses are in the barn eating their grain I use my "red neck" resistance trainer. I load the sled with hay and put the baler twine "harness" around my waist. Then I push the wheelbarrow with pitchfork along a 1/5 mile track that our horses live on while pulling the sled behind me. I scoop the poop as I go and drop the hay into 9 piles along the way. I figure that I am getting in my pushing, pulling and walking all in one go. Honestly though, in the past 4 weeks I have lost 7 pounds doing this. I am down 68 pounds from before we got our horses 2 1/2 years ago. If that isn't enough, you can always move 100 bales of hay.

At first glance, there doesn't seem to be much difference but once you work with the books.....and kids reading with them, you can see the differences. First, the kids only need know the sounds for s, a (short), m, I (the word I) and ee (long sound) in order to read the first 2 books. There is a strong emphasis on blending the words left to right---which that, along with using the cursor/notched card really helps with tracking issues. Most graded readers teach a sound and then give the kids a bunch of words that use that sound (like short a and suddenly the kids are supposed to read any short a word) but don't practice those words very often. With the I See Sam books, the kids practice each new word at least 5 times in the current story and then the word is used again and again in the next few stories. They also keep b/d and p/q far apart in the instructional sequence. They do though use words like Nat and Nan, this/that/then etc. in the same story so the kids must sound the word out left to right, not just look at the first letter and guess. The pictures do help carry the story along but the kids can NOT read the story but looking at the pictures. They have to read the words. New sounds are systematically introduced with lots of practice with each new word/sound. They also give a lot more practice at each level. There are 52 books for the K level with another 10 books with 2 stories in each for extra practice if needed. They just don't move as fast as many readers but provide a very strong foundation for reading. Above all, THEY WORK. My 12dd has LDs and my 13dd has a cognitive impairment, LDs, seizures, etc. and they both learned to read with these books. We had tried MANY other programs and I even have a degree in special education and couldnt' get them reading. Another plus is that there is a yahoo group for these books where you can get help from reading specialists from around the world for free---as well as get encouragement from other homeschooling parents, etc. The books have a high resale value as well so they cost very little to use. They are also very easy for parents to use as there is NO prep, no drills, no worksheets (good for those who struggle with writing), etc. JUST reading the books. There is a spelling program that you can get to go with it but I have not yet used it.

At 7, I would wait if she is showing great strides in reading. Check out http://3rsplus.com/ for some WONDERFUL reading books that are very systematic in their teaching and used for LD kids. The yahoo group for the books is very helpful as well and is full of reading specialists, tutors and homeschooling parents from around the world. Likely she could start with a higher level of these books but make sure to use the placement test so she doesn't miss out on any of the lower level skills.

How wonderful. Both that your dd can meet her sister and bio mom and the way that you handled this all. My son got to reconnect with his bio brother after 10 years. They had not seen each other since they were 5 and 7 when they met up again at ages 15 and 17. It is amazing that they are SOOOOO much alike. They have a great relationship now. Come to find out the brother's adoptive family had adopted 2 of dh's cousin's children and had adopted 2 of our former foster children. How is that for family ties? My girls have asked to see bio mom but we don't know where she is or if she is still living. Bio dad they will not meet but I would be OK with bio mom. They also have 6 older siblings that I would love to get in contact with but those siblings don't even know that my kids exist and they were adopted by at least 4 different families over the years. A friend of mine got her now 18dd at 5 days old in an open adoption of sorts (Eskimo village in the Artic circle so things are a little different) and is now having the bio mom (bio dad passed away) along with bio siblings coming for 2 weeks this summer for her dd's graduation. I keep telling her what a wonderful gift she is giving dd---even though it IS hard at times emotionally.

I like the Postive Action program as well. It is very strong but includes application, etc. We can do a lesson over 2 days with discussion. Really get the kids USING their Bibles. http://www.positiveaction.org/

Sad to say, this is VERY common. Is it any wonder why so many kids struggle learing to read? http://3rsplus.com/ is the program I am using with my girls and it really works. Your 4 year old might really like the books. You can bring out the first 2 sets for free from http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm Just DO NOT follow their directions on using the books. Use the directions on teaching kids to sound out the words from the 3rsplus site.

We are doing 1/2 lesson per day as my girls get overwhelmed with the handwriting, etc. involved. I would say 1/2 -1 lesson a day would be good. If you can handle 1 lesson a day, then 3 days a week might be enough unless they are behind.

These books http://3rsplus.com/ will keep her reading skills up and help her develop them even more. She can take the placement tests to find out what set to start with and go from there. What level is she reading at?

If you haven't done so, you might want to read the book THE BIPOLAR CHILD to see if that makes sense to you or not. I know the meds have risks to taking them but on the flip side, you need to look at where he is functioning now and those risks--failing school, having social trouble, behavioral issues at home, etc. (or what ever he is struggling with). Sometimes the "side effects" of not medicating are worse than the risks of using meds. Has he seen a neurologist before? Seizures can cause some mood/behavioral issues as well but can often be missed. On the Lamictal, did his blood level get high enough to be therapeutic? It took us months to get near a therapeutic level for my dd.

Just an aside, have you looked at food allergies/intolerances? Asthma and ADHD might mean food allergies/intolerances. Certainly not in all cases but worth checking for. My friend's kids went from lots of asthma meds/steroids, etc and behavioral issues to NONE once she found out their food allergies. Diet change didn't work here but it worked wonders for my friend so I like to mention it as a possibility.

I really like Apples and Pears. It works and the spelling carries over to everyday writing as well.

Try the I See Sam books. We had to wait over 1 year for my daughter's biopsy to come back. She actually has 3 different mutations---making her the only one known in the world with this combo. Of course, that means no one really knows how it will affect her long term, etc.

I would see the psych again and take a look at a mood disorder. What you mention (and his reaction to meds) can really fit something like bipolar or other mood disorder. IF that is what is going on, once you address that you can start working on the other things.

You might want to check out http://www.3rsplus.com/ These are the I See Sam books. You can get the 1st 2 sets for free to print out from http://www.teacherweb.com/CA/PomeloDriveElementary/Mrssakamoto/printap2.stm Look under the resources for the notched card. It is VERY helpful for tracking issues and is a FREE tool---well, you need a 3x5 card and a scissors to make one. The program is not scripted but all you have to do is teach the sounds and have him blend them into words. The first books look super easy and they might be (but they might not be). You could just have him read them off the computer. The key though is to make sure he is learning the sounds, not just memorizing the words. I taught both of my girls to read with this program---including my 13dd who has an IQ that tests at 38 with vision issues, seizures, LDs, etc.

For mild depression you can try the Omega 3---1000mg of EPA per day. you can use Omega Brites (3 per day) or Omega 3 Mood (2 per day) as good sources. Exercise is also important. I would though encourage a physical to rule out thyroid, blood sugar, or other issues that might be at play.

When I told my oldest daughter (all kids are adopted) about the facts, she just looked at me and in all seriousness said, "I'm just adopting". End of conversation.