I'm looking for some good books for my kids to read during the summer. My 14yo ds is on par for his age. He loves fast paced action books mostly. His favorite series are Alfred Kropp and Alex Rider. Any ideas for summer? I'd love to find some free books on my kindle. Any older books that teenage boys enjoy? My 8yo dd is another story. She is just starting to read, so I'd like to find something for us to read together. She tells me she hares books, so I have a tough audience. She's a highly spirited child who is very artistic and social. What books would you recommend for a girl like this?

I wouldn't be that quick to move on to something new. AAS is a wonderful systematic approach to spelling. Your kids are still very young.

I have a soon to be 9th grader. I'm interested in the transcript process and would like to see several examples to get an idea of what I need to do. Where can I find these?

I totally agree with what everyone is saying about using the money as a security deposit, but that money shouldn't be used for shampooing the carpets. You should expect normal wear and tear after 4 years of renting. Since it is your property, you should make sure it is ready for the next renter. Not your current renter. Obviously, the security deposit should be used for damage caused that is outside of normal wear and tear.

My dd has been enjoying living math books lately. I found so many good ones, but only came home with: The Best of Times Math Appeal The Grapes of Math Math for All Seasons Millions to Measure I also found a copy of Apologia Chemistry text in great condition. I absolutely love used book stores and goodwills. It's like a treasure hunt. You never know what you're gonna find.

I know some moms hs year-round while others follow the ps schedule. So what are you doing, school wise, during the summer? My 13 yo will read every evening, work on Spanish, and some math work. My 8yo will continue with AAS, Why Johnny Can't Read, living-math, R&S math, and Spanish. Hopefully we can fit this in during our busy summer!

I LOVE HOAC lapbooks. Right now my 8yo and 13yo are working through Ancient Egypt. I haven't used other lapbooks, but I like that all of the teaching is included with a schedule. My oldest can do these completely on his own, but we usually enjoy doing them as a family. My favorite part of the lapbooks is that while we are studying the same thing, each child is working on a different skill. My son may be writing a research paper on Julius Ceasar while my daughter is doing copywork on the same topic.

My 8yo dd is "behind" most children her age. She is noticing this lately, and it's really upsetting her. I told her that she is smart in many ways that other children are not (art, music, Spanish) and that it all evens out in the end. She's still upset that she doesn't know multiplication and cannot read well. She may have a mild LD, but I think she is just extremely VSL. How do I comfort her? I probably didn't do a good job comparing her to her friends even more, but I didn't know what to do.

Neither of my kiddos groan much (8 and 13) unless they feel that the work is too hard. Sometimes the work is too hard and other times they just don't want to go the extra mile. Busywork can be an issue as well.

I like Progeny Press.

I tried it once and it was a disaster. They just could not focus.

If spelling does not come naturally for your child, you should avoid spelling books with random lists where you test at the end of the week. The kids memorize for the test and quickly forget the words because they need a better understanding on the "whys" of our spelling and phonics rules. This is why I love AAS. Since my dd is also very visual, she also draws pictures for the different words to cement it into her mind. If your child is a good speller, I'd use a book with spelling lists that cover specific rules with each list. If these books seem easy, move to vocab study.

I have a very ADD type personality, so the monotony of the same schedule everyday drives me batty. At the same time, my ds finds comfort in a schedule. What kinds of schedules have you come up with that break up the monotony and yet still offer the reliability my son needs. Could I use a more typical schedule with my ds who will be in 9th and something different for my dd who will be in 3rd. She is much more like me. Any ideas?

3rd grader- R&S math with Addition and Times Tables the Fun Way R&S Bible, reading, and phonics AAS ARFH Aha! Science MOH 1 with SOTW 1 Learnables Spanish-finish 1 and begin 2 Typing Instructor for Kids Drawing with Children 9th grader- MUS Algebra 1 Progeny Press guides EIW Finish R&S grammar from this year Apologia biology ACE world geography Learnables Spanish 2 Drawing with Older Children and Teens The Most Important Thing You'll Ever Study

My 8yo dd just got a guitar and is artistically talented. I think this includes musical talent. I don't have money at this point for lessons, but I've heard there were videos for teaching basic chords. Do you know the name of these videos? Do they offer anything like this online?

I second Aha! Science!

What curricula teach from whole to parts? I'm not even sure I understand the concept, but it seems as though my dd learns well this way. She is finishing 2nd grade but behind in many areas.

Wow, this list is awesome! I really like Addition the Fun Way. My daughter listens to the stories and then draws the pictures. This helps cement the picture of the number problem in her mind.

Thank you so much for your thoughts. This will really help me in moving forward. He definitely does better with lots of exercise and sleep. Also, I agree with him pulling away from mom and needing to hear from his dad more.

I have a 13yo ds. He seems to be exhibiting many of the "typical" teenage behaviors. I have to say that I am at a loss with him right now. He is a good kid, but he and I do battle daily. He speaks to me in the most disrespectful tone. He'll flat out say no to me. Other than that, he does his chores, does his schoolwork, has good friends, attends church with us. We have always been close and still have fun together. I just feel like the daily grind is becoming too much for him and me. How do I help bring harmony back into our relationship?

The Learnables is fabulous this year. My 8yo and 13yo learning the same material at different paces. We will be using these regularly.