I guess I don't see that describing a child as "lazy" is such a critical and unkind thing. Laziness is simply a trait that needs to be worked on (very slowly and non-judgmentally at 4.) If the OP had asked for suggestions on dealing with a hyperactive child, would you blast her and accuse her of not liking her child b/c she "labeled" her child as hyperactive. Based on the OP responses it doesn't seem that she tells her child that she's lazy..but was describing her behavior to us in hopes that we might have suggestions for dealing with it. I agree (and I believe the OP does as well) that the "lazy" description should NOT be applied simply b/c the child whines at reading a sentence (it IS way to early for that). I'm sure that using reading as an example of "laziness" is not warranted but the OP indicated that reading is not the only area that this trait is exhibited nor is it a new trait but rather an ongoing pattern. B/c you won't give her any slack based on her follow up posts, it seems that it isn't the reading issue that has you so up in arms against her but simply the fact that she described her child as "lazy" and that she feels it's a trait she needs to work on with her. My ds (3.5) is lazy - and I love him very much and we have a great time. If he's playing and wants a certain toy, he'll ask me to go get it - he doesn't want to look for it or stop what he's doing to get it. It could be 3 feet from him but it's too difficult. Yesterday, he told me he's not a very good helper, (I've never said this to him) he just said it in hopes he could get out of helping me pick up his toys. (I tell him he's a very good helper when he helps). PS to OP, my ds also has the same problem on his trike: he is physically capable and coordinated to pedal but it's oh so much easier to peddle when Mom is pushing from behind. (ouch my back!) I guess that makes me a mom who doesn't like her child b/c I'd like for him to help pick up after himself and do some things for himself even if he doesn't feel like it or it might take a bit of effort and that I think he might be a bit lazy b/c he doesn't. So if anyone has any good ideas to gently and incrementally encourage a young child to expend themselves a little bit, I'm all ears.

The Michigan state University's children's garden runs a free online program called Jr. Plant scientist. It has activities for you to complete at a local botanical garden/garden center, your backyard/neighborhood, and through online research. When completed your child receives a Jr. Plant scientist Certificate. I can't speak from personal experience as my boys aren't old enough for it but I plan on using it as it looks interesting and free!

Pre-K: AAR-Pre-1, HWOT pre-k & K. K-4th: Phonics Road (4 levels), DIY copywork, TOG writing assignments. 5th-8th: Latin Road to English Grammar (3 levels), TOG writing assignments, possible other supplements based on dc interests. 9th-12th: TOG writing assignments, periodic grammar and vocabulary review, possible other supplements based on dc interests.

Clarification on whether AAR/AAS are supposed to work together. This is from Merry at All About Learning Press in response to a question from a person who was NOT planning on doing the programs together The programs can work completely independently of one another. AAS and AAR both use the same sequence and the same phonograms. Both are complete phonics programs, so they are interrelated in that way. AAS teaches words from the spelling angle, and AAR teaches words from the reading angle. They are not scheduled to "line up" or anything though. In fact, they are separate for a specific reason. Kids generally move ahead more quickly in reading, and we don’t want to hold them back with the spelling. All About Reading includes decoding skills, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary and lots and lots of reading practice. It will use letter tiles just like AAS does. AAS focuses instead on encoding skills, spelling rules and other strategies that help children become good spellers. For this reason, the programs are also independent of each other so students can move as quickly or as slowly as they need to with each skill. And another response to someone who asked how to structure it if they wanted to do AAS and AAR together. 1, If you are teaching AAR and AAS together, you have the flexibility to either introduce the sounds as AAR does (one at a time), or as AAS does (all up front). If you follow the AAR schedule, just make sure that you have introduced the needed sounds before you come to a step using them in AAS. 2, Start AAR first, and then start AAS when you would like to add a focus on spelling. The phonics in AAS can serve as a review and reinforcement of AAR, as well as adding on the spelling rules and strategies that are helpful for spelling. When Marie works with young children, she likes to work on both reading and spelling simultaneously. With younger children, she uses the letter tiles for spelling, because children are usually still working on letter formation. The benefit to working on spelling at the same time is that the child is getting reinforcement both ways — decoding and encoding — and she feels that they can progress more quickly. The other benefit to doing both together is that you can catch kids BEFORE they start inventive spelling! So Marie likes to catch them early. But it isn’t necessary. If your child is just interested in reading, and you feel that your child isn’t ready or interested in spelling yet, feel free to set aside the spelling and concentrate only on the reading. We are going to be starting Pre-1 soon. And I'm trying to plan what I'll be doing afterwards. I believe AAS/AAR is based off the Spalding method which encourages learning to read through spelling. (hence Writing Road to Reading). So I believe AAS/AAR is really made to work in this manner. However, they realize that a lot of children have trouble with the writing/spelling component but want to move on in reading; so they developed them separately to give more flexibility.

This is an a nicely illustrated anthology of poems: Classic Poetry There is also a beautifully illustrated picture book of Browning's Pied Piper. But tops would be the already mentioned A.A. Milne books and Stevenson's Child's Garden of Verses (of which there are numerous illustrated versions).

I actually had a question about these books. I saw a Frog and Toad Treasury are these the same as the I Can Read Books. Or are the ICR books based on this series. If they are only the ICR books, I think I'd want to hold off on them until he can read them on his own...maybe?

Thanks for the advice, right now the illustrations help to engage my ds, he often gets upset b/c I change the page too soon b/c he hasn't finished studying the picture. So I'm hoping longer texts will help. The other reason I would like to have lots of illustrations is that he will take the book on his own and "review" the story to himself by looking at the pics. Thanks, its one my list. I'll take a look at it. My DS loves McCloskey books, so I'm sure the pencil drawings will be just fine. Thanks for all your suggestions, having a few illustrator's names really helps in the search. I don't have a good bookstore nearby so I can't browse through books.

Thanks! I put the WTP collection and Little Bo on my wish list. I didn't know Julie Andrews wrote children's books.! I also saw what looks to be a beautiful picture book by her, Simeon's Gift. I wish there were younger children's illustrated versions of the E.B. White books (not the cutesy ones put out when the movie came out.) I did see some beautiful picture books of Charlotte's Web that had the complete text of one chapter in each book. It looks like they were maybe? going to do a whole series to do the complete book. But alas, they only did the first two chapters :glare:. I would have bought the series for that. I got a wonderful copy of Wizard of Oz illustrated by Michael Hague from my grandmother when I was little. I wish I could find a whole collection of different books like that.

Hi! This is my very first thread!. I'm looking for beautifully illustrated CHAPTER Read-Alouds for my 3.5 ds (and 2 yo ds), preferably classics. We are just starting chapter reads for bedtime. I'm looking for a gentle intro into the longer classic stories. BTW we read lots of picture books during the day - so we are not lacking there. My criteria: Classic or children's classic Multiple chapters Lots (every page or every other page) of big (& beautiful) illustrations like a picture book but obviously with a lot more text. (I don't want those "classic start" or "great illustrated classic" books). I'm looking for the art almost as much as the story. Preferably hardcover and bigger in size I don't mind if its an abridged edition at this age. I'll need more than just a title but an actual edition (illustrator's name?) I've done some Amazon searching...but it's hard to tell what the book is really like, how many illustrations, etc. I also don't mind if its OOP if I can get it used (at a reasonable price). Thanks so much!

I haven't read all the posts but here is my suggestion: I plan on having my boys read "The Count of Monte Cristo" i/o Pride and Prejudice when the time comes it is on the TOG alternate list. It is roughly the same time frame except in France i/o England, deals with the history and societal customs of the day (post-Napoleon) but has betrayal, revenge, prison escapes, & sword fighting. It is longer book however, and if you don't want to dedicate the time to it: The movie version is fairly good. ETA: Ok I changed my mind: I think a great alternate to Pride and Prejudice is Wuthering Heights. A strong male and female character (so as to not ignore novels w/ females written by females) in roughly the same time frame dealing with societal issues that is roughly the same length of novel as P&P. I think WH is a bit better for literary analysis than P&P (not hating on P&P, I have read it numerous times). There is a lot of discussion to be had on the setting, symbolism, character development, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, plot development, themes, etc. There is also so much to learn on how our feelings, thoughts and actions can drastically affect the people and places around us and well into the future. Also one could easily relate to one or more characters (in part or in whole) that are in this novel. Some great questions: Who is the villain in the story? the hero? Does previous abuse or mistreatment excuse/justify/make understandable future bad acts. What societal rules (if any) contributed to tragic events? Is the obtainment of "true love" more important than anything else? What about revenge? Who ultimately wins and why? Just my humble 2 cents (and since this post is a week old: probably out of date.)

My all time faves that have been read many, many times: Picture Books: Classic Golden Books - Pokey Little Puppy, Saggy Baggy Elephant, Yellow Taxi, Scrawny Tawny Lion Richard Scary Books Frances Books Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Nancy Drew Series - I don't know what happened to these, most that I read were my mother's and aunt's (60's) and we added new ones (80's). Wizard of Oz Series The Borrowers Series The Black Stallion Series - my mom sent these to me a couple of years ago and I read them all again. I really wanted that horse. Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates Swiss Family Robinson - I also read this fairly often (still) A Wrinkle in Time All the Frances Hodgson Burnett Books The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings - I started the series in 5th grade...it took me a couple of years but I finished it. Since then I read them every year (I'm 38). I saw someone else list the Ballet Shoes (forgotten about that but loved it as well) I also had Dancing Shoes, I think there was also a third book in that series. But I probably won't be sharing those with my boys. High School Books: All time fave: A Separate Peace by John Knowles, no girls, no adventure, it just speaks to my heart. I've read it every year since the 10th grade and cry every time. Wuthering Heights Watership Down Jane Austen Books Robinson Crusoe Phantom of the Opera

Please, Please take this w/ a grain of salt...since I'm am in the planning stages (3 & 2 yr. old) and am not there yet. We will do our hist and lit read alouds 1st thing in the morning for a couple of reasons: #1 It is very important to me (in that I believe it helps with the reading/listening comprehension and their imagination and creativity) and I don't want it to get "put aside". and #2 - my boys are not at their "peak" when they wake up, they very much like to snuggle w/ mom on the coach; let's say for the 1st hour or two - so they are already used to this. (I know this may change). After this time their "brains wake up". In addition I plan to set a time limit for the 3 R's each day. Not because I don't think that they are the most important subjects but because I think that after a certain amount of time in each subject the child "shuts down". We will then continue the next day where we left off. My plan is to work side by side with each child for their 3 R's segments so hopefully we might avoid some behavior issues, if not they will have 3R "homework" during afternoon free time. Lastly I plan to do an agreed upon "free" read-aloud before bedtime. 1st time segment listed is for early grammar years increasing to second time segment as they get older. My plan is: 1. 1/2 hour to 45 min history and lit. read aloud time 1st thing (after breakfast) every morning 2. 1/2 hour to 45 min. fun history/literature stuff (plan is to do TOG). 3. 15 min. snack/physical break 4. 1 hour to 1 1/2 Language arts block (1/2 hr to 45 min dedicated teacher time for each child while the other does independent stuff including additional lit reading if necessary) 5. 1 1/2 hr Outside Play/Nature study/phys ed. 6. Lunch 7. Quiet Time (used for taking naps if they want or independent reading and personal devotions. 8. 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour math segment (1/2 hr to 45 min dedicated teacher time for each child while the other does independent stuff) 9. 15 min snack/physical activity break 10. 1 hour science/art block on alternating days This schedule takes us from 9 am to 4:30 pm but we have a 2 1/2 hour break in the middle. Hopefully the kids can get back on track after this b/c it is not free time i.e. playing w/toys, screen or game time. Rather physical activity time to get the ants out, then food, then quiet time to get minds focused back. We will start at 8:00 when the times for each segment will increase. BTW, I plan to school 4 days a week all year w/ one day as outside field trips, extras. Anyways this is my step by step PLAN to get it all in. I can not speak from experience. I developed this after researching a lot on here and knowing what I know about my kids and me.

Hi!, According to Spell Out Load blog, there are two codes available (at least they have no exp. date listed) they are: "Maureen" to get the flash cards for 11.99 i/o of 19.99 or "Virtue15" for 15% of everything in your cart. There was a 25% off code for the homeschool kit but that expired in Sept. I don't know if the others still work but they did not have an exp. where the 3rd one did. HTH.

You might want to have her check out http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/, if she isn't looking for curriculum per se. She has lots of printables for early learning skills based on themes and on "before five in a row" books that can be set up into lapbooks and she hosts a weekly "preschool corner" where she could get lots of education/craft/art/Montessori ideas from other preschool moms.

This is so me. I am also awaiting the men in white coats. Um....I have a plan through middle school (with ? electives), Spreadsheets, estimated costs, schedules, book/curriculum wish lists for each year on amazon cross-referenced with books that my library has (I'm planning on a living books/TOG) approach. I made the lists so I could have them with me in case I hit upon a used book store/garage sale/etc. (I picked up an Excellent copy of "In Search of a Homeland" at a used book store on vacation for $2 - a book we won't be using for 6-7 years!) I know things we'll probably change a bit..it'll be interesting to see where we end up. But I've tried to pick curriculum that has a multi-sensory approach so that I can tweak it to emphasize the approach that fits the learning styles my boys may be. I'm also planning a day by day approach, with a certain amount of time dedicated to each subject each day. We will do what gets done and then pick up again the following day. I'm hoping to stay away from fixed lesson plans that will lead to the I'm behind/ahead. So I'm planning to be pretty fluid in that area. (is that an oxymoron?) My excuse...I'm doing this now when I have more time instead of when I'm teaching. I can also try to start collecting curriculum/books now used to spread out costs over time. Sound good?