http://www.ringoffireradio.com/ http://www.alternet.org/about/index.html These might be of some interest. I started looking for alternative news sources after having our cable shut off. I absolutely could not handle more than 5 minutes of the "news". ie: ranting about subjects, but void of facts OR celebrity gossip. Exactly when did we start caring more about Brad and Angelina than what is happening in the world and our country????? It's just the same phrases over and over and over and, well, you know what I mean. I'm not saying that I endorse everything that you'll read or hear on these websites. If I did, I wouldn't be able to think for myself~ Dawanna

Hang in there~ I wouldn't say anything to her, until you've had a chance to decompress. Since she is only a babysitter, you don't owe her any explanation. Just don't ask her for help anymore. Sounds like talking to her would help, anyway. And it sounds like she thinks that SHE is their social worker. We've all been embarrassed before, so don't worry about what she may or may not have said to others. We can't control that, ever. High fives to you for adopting several times. You are a hero in my book. The world needs more people like you! I'll pray that you have peace of mind. Don't waste your precious time worrying about someone who isn't worth it. Love on those kids and do something fun today!;) Dawanna

Jann, The pictures were amazing. How awesome that you were able to go! Rest well~ Dawanna

We also do our memory work together. They are 9 and 11 yo. Instead of competing, they drill each other and help each other. It's awesome to watch them work together.

We are CMers, and we do geography, history and science together. As an oldest child, allow me to say that EVERYONE has "issues" that they struggle with, whether they are youngest, oldest or in between. Too fat, too skinny, too fair, too dark, too tall, too short, too many rules, not enough money...... At some point we all just have to get over it and accept that life isn't perfect. (I've had this discussion with my sisters several times) ;) For homeschooling purposes, it is just plain easier. Teaching them together, expecting more detail from the oldest has worked for us so far. They don't really compete with each other, and I just don't bring it up. My boys have different strengths, though. We learn a continent, add countries, capitals and landmarks as I think that they are able. We study a period in history, learn names, dates and details, as they are able. Science, same thing. This year I'm adding an almost 5 yr old to the mix. For us, we just don't allow them to compete. We encourage them and give them pats on the back for their hard work. If one starts to put down his brother for not being good at something, then we quickly point out where the brother excels in something that he thinks is hard. It's just keeping them from being rude and proud. Working on their social skills, you might say. ;)

I had the same issue this year. My oldest son's test results were amazing. BUT, it was his 3rd year testing. My middle son tested okay, scoring average on all. BUT, it was his first year testing. I'm tweaking a few things, but mostly just accepting the fact that he is not able to concentrate for long periods of time. We're working on it, but he's 9.........

Burnout happens to all of us~ When I get overwhelmed with everything, I take a break from the usual stuff. ie: cleaning, cooking, laundry, picking up endless amounts of junk that invades my space..... We do fun stuff, like go to the park ALL DAY. When it's just way too loud in the house, I take a book or something to knit and the kids laugh, play and wear themselves out. Or if I just can't muster up the energy to cook, we order $5 pizzas for dinner for a few nights. We just have to get out of the house, we go to the library and the kids play on the computers that only have access to a few educational sites. Or we go to the zoo. Figure out what is triggering you~ constant noise, too much to do in one day, loneliness, etc. Everyone has the need for breaks. Let yourself take one.;)

The healthiest reasonably brand is Nutiva it's available at our local Walmart Supercenter and Whole Foods. or at www.vitacost.com Beware buying any of the cheap brands, it's chemically processed, tastes metallic and isn't good for you...... If you aren't using it for health benefits, then any brand will be fine. Good luck~ Dawanna

I decided to take the plunge and order the core 6 ig this year for us. I am very impressed, after reading the entire ig over the last 3 weeks. There is a lot of discussion and commentary to go with the books. It was more amazing than I thought it would be, and I had high expectations. We have over half of the books (from using sotw 1 and 2) so it will also be a money saver this year, yeah!!!! I'm using it for 4th and 6th graders and a k5yo~ I actually can see how it can work, I'm so excited. (I'm just going to use some world history books out of the core 1 for the 5yo's history) We are taking this month off. Honestly, I can't see it taking 4-6 hours, so that estimate must be for the ENTIRE core. It will end up taking us about the same amount of school time, I'm guessing. Less time for me, though, bc I don't have to figure out the order to read library supplements, discussion points and questions, etc. I go my ig used for $40; a deal if you don't mind a few pencil marks..... Good luck~ Dawanna

I have 11yo and 9yo sons. (and a 4yo son, who is learning to read) If the older two don't want to read a book, that's fine, BUT they must read the first chapter and then decide. If they choose not to read it, I have them to tell me why they don't like it. 'It's boring' doesn't cut it. ;) Most of the time, they admit that it's not bad after reading a chapter or two. If it's a book that I think they need to read, I have them read it aloud to ME, 'so that I can make sure it's a good book for them'. :001_smile: It works like a charm, and for my 9yo it is great practice for public speaking. He went from sounding scared to death at the beg of the year to projecting his voice and using attitude at the appropriate points in the story. As a bonus, my 4yo gets to hear extra read alouds. Ditto on screening the library books. I request most of ours online, they get to choose science, history, fables or occasional extra reading. I keep their literature schedule so full that picking extras doesn't happen much. They would prob just choose comics, if given free reign. LOL Works for us...... Dawanna

I almost spit my coffee all over my computer screen! I'm gonna laugh about this for days....... Thanks for the anti-aging treatment~ Dawanna ;)

Your schedule is YOUR schedule, it can change daily, weekly, or for special field trips, etc. These forms really helped me this year. I agree with the other posters: when we do our 'together' subjects first, the day goes more smoothly. FYI~ we take June off, then school year round, 4 wks on, 1 wk off with an extra break as we want to take it. We are never behind, bc we are months ahead by the time school starts. The boys don't mind it, we have plenty of time to add in extra stuff. We are able to finish by 1pm most days! ;0) My idea of a perfect day~ Just experiment and find your groove..... Dawanna http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/eyguide/ http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/daily/ http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/weekly/

We use several of her books last year. First of all, this is a Charlotte Mason-type curriculum, not drill and lists. (If that's what you are wanting, you'll hate these products.) My 4yo is using: Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons (for phonics) with Language lesson for the very young vol. 1 It's $20, contains picture study, writing practice (w/o being contained between two lines, IMO perfect for beginning writers), narration, poetry, drawing or coloring a picture to go along with a verse or poem. It's light, but makes it's point and then it's over; perfect for this stage of learning. I loved it, and so did my son. We also added letter practice on the magnadoodle and chalkboard, bc he doesn't like writing on paper much. ;) I will be continuing this series until 3rd grade for my 4yo. My 3rd grade son used: Language lessons for the elementary child Spelling through copywork bk A Copywork for little boys He liked it, he is my twaddle-free schooler. If it's just busy work, he will see through that and not want to do it. He liked the LL, it was a brief overview, not an intense study. Spelling through copywork was perfect for this stage, IMO. Copywork was quality verse, short passages, but it did contain some errors, that we corrected. I have found errors in half of the programs that I've used, but Sandi Queen actually emailed me back, wanted to know where they were so they could be fixed. NOT ONE of the other curriculums has even acted like they cared. (Just so you know, he read the Hobbit, all 7 Narnia books several times, and comprehends KJV verses and just started Saxon 54.) I feel that this was plenty for him this year. My 5th grade son used: Language Lessons for the Elem child bk 2 Spelling through copywork bk B Copywork for boys I found this LA book a little light for a 5th grader. He is very creative, so the picture study spurred on several 5+ page stories that he wanted to write, so we made it work for us. (which is the case with any curriculum) It is a basic overview, not a rule book. I would recommend using it with Easy Grammar. Spelling bk B was fine for the year, we did most of the testing aloud, if they could spell it right the 1st time aloud, we moved on to the next lesson, if not, we worked on those sentences again. Copywork was sublime. Her choice of verses were useful and quality. Overall, I like her products, and her philosophy. This is a small home business, and the quality of the books is super, considering that. Her heart is in these books, and our experience was positive. We also used Learning How to Learn and Bk 2 God's Plan for growing up. I would recommend both. There is no 'Revolutionary' info in either, but they served their purpose, which is all I expected. Hope this helps someone~ Dawanna

"I don't know how old your child is, but we're using the first book with my 10 year old. I would say that you could start at the beginning and work your way through it, especially if you are just starting dictation. " I agree! We are buying Spelling Wisdom book one for a 4th and 6th grader. I did separate spelling and dictation last year. Looking to streamline this year, not just have busy work. We are getting book one and working through, even though it may be a little easy at first. If you want a Charlotte Mason approach, that separate the two subjects, I can recommend http://www.queenhomeschool.com Her dictation books contain quality passages, and there are several to choose from. We used their spelling books last year, also. I just prefer copywork and dictation over spelling tests. We test the words that challenge them aloud, and they rarely miss. If it's a real program, whatever you choose, your kids will learn to spell, IMO...... Dawanna

First, how blessed your children are to have you!!! It is a gift to love your children and to have compassion towards them. It may sound strange, but not all parents know how to do both. There is a BIG difference between teaching children to fear you and to obey out of love. You can't have it both ways. And, honestly, it largely will affect their relationship with God when they are grown. Will they obey and follow Him bc they are afraid of Him or because they love Him and know that they are a part of His heart? There is a book by Reb Bradley called Shepherding Your Child's Heart. I would recommend it for you and for anyone who wants to know WHY you feel the way you do about discipline. It is never easy to stand on your own. You know how to do this: you're a homeschooler! God never puts us in a situation unless He's given us the resources to handle it. It sounds like the Holy Spirit was prompting you to speak, just as He restrained you at the end of the confrontation. I am so proud of you for standing up for that child! You did the right thing~ The dad was wrong to expose you to his bad behavior. I agree with the previous posters, you need to go to the pastor and explain to him what happened. Implore him to have a talk with the father. It is his responsibility to get involved when his congregation is not making good decisions. The dad invited it by acting like this in public!!! Hang in there, and never underestimate the power of prayer. God loves those kids and he wants the best for them. I will be praying that God's presence invades their lives and that His peace invades yours! Dawanna:grouphug:

You may not have a real job (or a life) if you are getting paid to critique people's scarves...... So, since I knit a scarves with fringe, does that make me dangerous? Whatever!!!!!

Elaine, It sounds like you haven't had a break lately~ NO ONE can function at 100% capacity while under the kind of stress that you have described. Give yourself a break, take some time to compute your thoughts and feelings about everything and THEN start back on the schoolwork. There is no way that you can stay sane while starting 10 new responsibilities while dealing with emotions that need to be worked out and dealt with. Isn't there someone that you can sit and chat with, maybe once a week, and if not, have you considered journaling? I am not a journaler, but when I am under big stress or dealing with hard stuff, writing it down and digesting it sure helps me. It also allows me to say some pretty harsh things and not have to deal with the apologies and aftermath of saying it out loud. LOL You can always rip the pages up and throw them out afterward~ Try sticking to the basics only for the kids schoolwork. They can do a lot on their own, with you as their sounding board of what they've read about and how they are progressing. Saxon DIVE cds teach the math lessons, DIVE also make teaching dvds for several science courses and just pick up a beautiful feet catalog for great reading lists that count as literature and history. Hang in there. I will be praying that peace invades your life!:grouphug: Dawanna

Thanks ladies, This was my first post ever online, and I am so thankful for you~ You made me feel like I am not just being an "overprotective homeschool mom". LOL My dh almost had a nervous breakdown after seeing that women talk about "personal stuff" on the computer. BUT, after seeing your insights, we were both impressed that you ladies took time out of your lives to share your wisdom.:001_smile: Blessings~ Dawanna

So sorry that you aren't feeling well. You might try a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the infected ear. Let it stay in there with a cotton ball. It works most of the time to ease the pain....... I'm praying for a quick recovery for you!

Beautiful Feet has a neat study. The M. Henry books might be a little difficult for her, but they are great, so you may want to read them aloud to her? There are quite a few of them.... Flicka books may be close to her ability.

I have used Biokleen for 2+ years and I'll never switch to anything else. I use the liquid most and I find that in my super capacity washer it lasts a lot longer than it says on the bottle. I actually hung a notecard on the wall and made tally marks for each load to see if it actually lasted the stated 64 loads. Well, I made it 93 loads on a $11 tax included bottle of detergent. I'm talking 3 boys and a husband- dirty loads of laundry. It works well, clothes wear well and it doesn't bother my super sensitive skin. Be sure to try the dishwasher powder, also. For $9, use 2 tbsp per load (we have 1 load daily) and it lasts me 5-6 months!

Okay, I am on the verge of getting very upset at our church's youth group direction. I was cornered by our children's church leader on Sunday; she wanted to give me a heads up that my 11yo son, who just finished 5th grade will be promoted next week to the youth group. Our church has a "class" this summer for the kids moving up and then they will be mixed with the other jr and sr high kids. They are doing a Josh McDowell workbook about adolescence and adding some Dr. Dobson stuff in. She told me that they "may be discussing masturb****n and other things that some parents may be uncomfortable with." I was so caught off guard that I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. I asked exactly who would be leading this discussion, she replied that she would be and other moms, but they would refer the kids back to their parents to find out what they have to say about these things. Her reasoning was that apparently "nothing is off limits to talk about in youth group and she doesn't want the kids to be embarrassed later on because they don't know what the older kids or the youth pastor is talking about" if these subjects come up. I am very angry that #1 they think that it's appropriate for the church to be talking to my 11yo son about sex, #2 that they are even thinking about delving into these issues vs. teaching character lessons and scripture. I am 90% ready to tell her and the pastor that if this is where the youth group will be heading, then we will need to find another church to raise our three boys in. Our sons are 11, then 9.5 and almost 5. Any advice?????

The best toy we've ever bought for anyone 3-11 is Zoobs. You can buy them online or in a specialty toy store. They are not cheap, but they come with a lifetime guarantee. With three boys, ages 4-11, so that's what I'm talking about...... We have 2 boxes of 250 and a set of the wheels to make cars. After 2.5 years of boy play, they are still going and still #1 toy played with, (tied for favorite with Legos for my 11 yo) They make trucks, planes, swords, guns, belts, crowns, breastplates, birds, spiders, dinosaurs, whales the size of our coffee table..... Included are directions on different projects until theri imagination takes off. AND, if you take a picture of their creation and email it to the company, they put them on the website! So cool for the grandparents, etc!