DD 12 is a smart kid, not mathy. She is probably going to go into some kind of artsy field, although I'm not sure what yet (she IS 12. lol). So this is what we're doing this year: BJU Writing and Grammar 7 R&S Spelling 7 (about to finish 6) Life of Fred Fractions, then on to Decimals Apologia General Science BJU World Studies 6 and 7 R&S Bible 6 (wanted her to start at the beginning of the story, so she's about 6 months behind grade level, but catching up) Fallacy Detective Art classes 2x a month (all that's offered) Rummy Roots and a Greek book that's called "code" something (haven't started yet) Lots of readers What do you think? I admit to being a little....apprehensive about Junior High.

Thanks so much for posting this! I have been meaning to look up articles on this and just haven't gotten around to it. I nursed while pregnant one other time--those 2 children are 12 months apart--and do not feel that it did any of us very much good, but my baby was 3 months old when I got pregnant. She was weaned by the time she was 7 months, after gaining no weight for 2 months. :( My current baby will be 17 months old when the new baby comes and I have nursed her the whole time. I am SO SO SO encouraged to hear that nursing while pregnant is harder than tandem nursing. Frankly, I have hated nursing while pregnant. Doesn't help that my little one is a pincher and puller. Just makes me so irritable sometimes! But nor is she at an age (14 months) where I feel like I can just so "no more", nor would I even want to. It would make me really sad. But she's also nursing only at nap time and in the middle of the night since DH took over putting her down, so that's taken alot of stress off me. Good luck when your new one comes! :)

And I have just become keenly aware of how the Devil himself uses issues like this to make it appear to a board of mixed believers and unbelievers that Christians eat their own. I know debate was not the OP's intent, but that's how these kinds of discussions seem to always end up. :) Because of this I wish I could delete my prior post, not because I feel I said anything wrong, but for the sake of testimony heated doctrinal debate probably does not belong on a board like this.

The reason I bring up John 3:16 is because it states that God loves the WORLD. A God who loves the world does not create the majority of it with no other choice but to fill up Hell. I actually HAVE studied this subject, and come across the same assumptions from friends who are Calvinists all the time: that I must believe I save myself (or at least performed a work for it), that I am an Armenian, that I am ignorant of the Scriptures because I am not a Calvinist, that I am relying on my own human logic because I do not agree with them, etc. It truly is exhausting. I too am going to bow out of this discussion because I have been over it so many times and HAVE had many inflammatory things said to me and about my beliefs, which are firmly rooted in God's Word. They are not my own opinion. I did not decide "I think God gives us choice" and THEN read the Scriptures. Those who believe the TULIP are not the only ones capable of reading the Scriptures for what they are and coming to a conclusion of what God is telling us. There are many Godly theologians on the opposite side of Calvinism, also. They cannot just be dismissed as ignorant.

Hmmmm....I don't recall using my own logic, but Scripture. My own logic means nothing if it doesn't agree with the Word of God, which is why I have been very careful to quote or reference Scripture. I completely disagree that "socio-economic status" is what He meant by "respector of persons". The word in the original is simply "person". Not "a person's status". God did choose Israel to be his chosen people, but not all of them were saved. He did not choose them to exclude all others from salvation. There were plenty of people that heard about the God of Israel and trembled and wanted to join with Israel. He chose Israel as the people He would bring the blood line of Jesus through, but even Israel He gave a choice of obedience of disobedience to. I am on my phone so cannot look up the reference, but I believe it was under Moses that the nation of Israel was pleaded with to "choose life" when they had a choice of blessing or cursing, death or life. God was telling them He wanted them to choose life and blessing. Joshua told them "choose ye this day whom ye will serve". If the children of Israel, God's *chosen* people, had a choice between blessing and cursing, and who they would serve, then surely everyone does. As far as "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated" that was for the purpose of the birthright blessing. I believe that Esau was saved during the time that he and Jacob were apart because he showed forgiveness, brokeness and love towards Jacob when they came back together. Only God could have worked that kind of change in his heart. No, God's ways are not our ways, but He does want us to understand Him, otherwise He wouldn't have authored the Bible. It is not at all clear that God chooses some over others. The Bible says "He made Himself the propitiation for our sins. And not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world"." He made himself a ransom for all"" For God so loved the world" " He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance". God says He created Hell for the Devil and his angels. If he created people for Hell then it would follow that He would not have said He created it especially for the Devil. God cannot tolerate sin, and yet, creating people who have no choice but to go to Hell means He preordained that they would sin, meaning, like a pp said, He would be the author of evil. God tells us in His Word that the sin of unbelief is what sends people to Hell, not not being chosen.

I think the standard can be different for every kid. If my 12 year old preferred Magic Tree House over other stuff consistently, I would say for her that is twaddle. But the MTH books are what got my next 2 reading at all, so for them it's not twaddle, at least not right now. To me junk would be cartoony books and books with just no plot for kids who should be reading books with a plot. We have had some Disney books given to us, but to me they fit in there with junk. But that's here. Maybe Disney books get some kids reading, which IS the most important thing in the younger years. It'd be one thing if you did not introduce better books and just let them pick books willy nilly all the time based on pop culture, but it doesn't sound like that's the case. Continue to introduce and read (or have them read) better literature for school. That's what I do, anyway. :P

Also, just to be clear, just because one does not believe in the 5 points does not mean they believe that salvation is in any way a work of man. It is clearly God's grace that saves us by the finished work of Jesus on the cross. We can do nothing to earn it. But God does call all men to repent and believe on the name of Jesus. Is this a "work"? No, it is obedience. Everyone is saved the same way--by grace through faith, not by faith through grace. We are saved by obedience to God's call to repentance and belief, just like God says "IF thou shalt confess and believe".

I cannot agree that the scenario with God offering grace to all but saving only some is Biblical. This makes God a respector of persons, which He says quite clearly (I believe in Romans 2:11) that He is not. Choosing "this one and that one" is the definition of favoritsim.

I'm with Rosie. I have an immune system of steel and have never used Lysol, antibacterial soaps or bleach. I really believe in letting kids play in the dirt and that their immune systems need to be tested. I think some of the allergies that seem to be so prevalent today can be attributed to so much sterilization of surfaces these days (good germs are killed as well and bad germs learn ways around our cleaners and medicines, which is why we don't want to "kill" germs, only wash them away for the most part). I also think that many times it takes an unhealthy host to accept a germ enough to make them sick. Not all the time, of course! Anyway, we've never washed down a book and my kids are rarely sick. We do keep a clean home, but use water and a sponge. If I thought a book needed it, that's all I'd use. But I also agree with the pp that said many germs do not live that long on surfaces, since a lot of them need a warm host.

I too was schooled almost exclusively with A Beka. There are many areas in which in feel I got a solid education, however, independent and critical thinking were not two of them. Anything that can called creative is not A Beka's strong suit either. There's a lot of "just follow the rules" which I experienced even more by going to their college for a year and working for A Beka. I do like A Beka's early phonics cirriculum, but truly that company may be the sole reason I started researching schooling any other way but with textbooks and was so anti-textbook for so long. Lately I have been researching BJU because 12 yo DD is moving up and I still have so many littles. I need her to get a quality education but to be able to be largely independent. I viewed the samples online (can't do with A Beka! It's like they're hiding national security secrets in their books that you can view only if you purchase!), and have a church friend who is letting me take a look at her books. I am impressed! They are definitely textbooks, but there is stuff in there that I believe sparks actual thinking. We will be doing their heritage study and English.

I don't understand the statement "why didn't Jesus pray for ALL men?". The Bible says "for God so loved the WORLD". That's all men. It says that's why He sent His Son. I believe it's 1Timothy 2:4 that says He desires that ALL men come unto Him. He Himself tells us to "pray for the salvation of all men everywhere". But I do agree with Kathleen in VA that I am not at all sure that there are more believers in the US than in India. People who say they are of a "Christian religion" and truly saved people are not necessarily one in the same. Also, the Bible says that before the Lord comes the Word must first be "published in every tongue", so who knows how many non-Western people still have yet to hear the gospel that will eventually come to Christ?

I have one child so far that loves literature. My next 2 children could not care less about great books. It really might always be that way, and if so, I accept it. I do like a lot of the pp and require good books for school reading, and allow them to read what they want for fun (within reason). This means that my second and third children read Magic Tree House and Arhtur books like they are going out of style. But they are READING. That is the first step to their loving literature at all. If I allow them only to read classics I can be assured they will never pick up a book for fun. Even my 12 yo reader loves Nancy Drew. So did I. Not everything has to be great mind food, IMO. And I don't feel a bit guilty about it. :)

I was an English major in college and yes, find it very difficult to get past spelling and grammatical errors in a curriculum. It does make me doubt the author's education or credentials to be putting out a professional work for money. Yes, I do sometimes cringe on an informal forum when someone consistently misspells something or using bad grammar, but being a horrible typist (fast, but not accurate. lol) I totally understand typos and not capitalizing. There is a BIG difference between the standards for a forum and for those used to judge a work of educational value.

I caught it at 12 and had one in my eye. I was fine. :) that's not to say there can't be bad things that happen, but I thought it'd be a little comforting for you to know someone else who had it and everything came out ok.

I am a baptist, but not of reformed theology. I have a reformed friend who assumed I must be of Armenian theology, but I am not. I believe (and most Baptists I have ever met in my life) in the availability of salvation to all (1Timothy 2:6 "Who gave Himself a ransom for all men") like Armenians believe, but also in the permanence of salvation ("no man shall pluck him out of my father's hand" John 10:29) like those of the reformed faith.

I think it's the first time I've admitted it, but I was disappointed to find out this baby is a girl. :( Our kids come in sets--older girls, boys, younger girls. But now, with this baby's being a girl, the pattern is broken. It's not really a big deal to me, but I was SO sad for our boys who just KNEW they were getting a brother. We brought them all into the room so we could all find out together, and the tech pointed out the anatomy and said "princess", and our boys just immediately showed their disappointment. But, 6 weeks later, we are all over it. Our boys know how much they love their baby sister and that this one will be no different. Their being ok with it makes me feel much better. God has a plan for each child and I can't wait to see who this special little person is. :)

Usually done by 11 here, but it's certainly not NECESSARY that you do that. My 12 year old, 7th grader has: English Spelling Math Reading History Science Bible We will be adding art appreciation and logic, so those might have to be done after lunch. But she normally starts around 7:30 or so. She does everything independently unless she gets stuck, and we always discuss, but that might be throughout the day.

Thanks so much, Jenn! what a great resource! cougarmom--never heard of triangle flashcards. I'll have to check that out! and I just realized I miscounted my own kids! lol. Make that 5, soon to be 6 other kids that have to learn this! :tongue_smilie:

our kids go 6 lessons for 30 minutes for $35

Thanks you guys! I have downloaded the free Timez Attack, and will probably get alot of the other stuff suggested when we have money again. I still have 4 (soon 5) other kids that will need to learn this stuff, so I am glad there are so many resources! :)

Wow, thanks so much. I am breathing a huge sigh of relief right now. Looks like there are plenty of ways for me to help her. I believe her problem is not in the concept of multiplication--she knows that it's just a way to add faster, and not so much in the facts (although she's a bit slow with them), but more in how to apply it and knowing WHEN to apply it. It's like she looks at the problem and just says "uh.....yep. that's a problem!". lol. so thanks for the encouragement. I am going to bookmark this thread and do it all. lol. Tofuscramble--that's the way I do math! lol. I was always so horrible at it, so I found ways around it. I"ve kinda shied away from showing my kids my way because I thought it was a bad way (for example, instead of trying to add columns in my head, something I am extraordinarily bad at--I say "what's 35 = 27? well, 35 + 30 would be 65, so minus 3 would be 62". I like what you said about helping her think it through in a less "mathy" way. Maybe she'll actually understand it as something real and useful if she has more than one way to do it.

oh, thank you, thank you! all wonderful suggestions. she'd really like those games, but yes, the practical ideas are good too. and thanks for letting me know we are not alone. there are so many children on this board who are doing ALGEBRA in 7th grade. but knowing the apple does not fall far from the tree, it does not SURPRISE me that DD struggles so much. so did I. I guess it's just different when you're mom AND teacher. so much rests on me and I want to get it right.

My 12 yo DD--who is very bright and reads at high school level--does not really know her multiplication. This is despite having done A Beka math for K and 2nd, doing 1st and 3rd grade in PS with Saxon, coming home since then with MUS and TT. We have gone over and over these stupid multiplication tables. She will struggle through and get most of the answers right, but then when applying it, is clueless. She is now sitting there with her LOF book and asking WAY too many questions. I told her LOF says you need to know your multiplication to do the fractions book and she insisted she did. But the application is not there. Now there's a question about something times 3 being 150 (which could also be done with division), and she just looked at me with this horrified look on her face "I don't know how to do this!". I am on the verge of tears because she is just not getting it. I am so thankful she is home because I KNOW this is a problem. My parents never knew if I was struggling with something because I was in school and I brought home good grades. But now, what to do about it? The logical side of me knows she will catch up if we DO something.