Kathy, I actually think your best option if you want a reading plan that they can fit in before school is to have them read 1 chapter or 1/2 chapter of a book of the Bible each day and then keep a journal. Ideas for journaling: start the morning with a thankfulness list (3-5 things per day) record any prayers or concerns record a verse that stuck out to them from the reading answer any of these questions: what does this passage reveal about who God is? What does this passage reveal about how God works? Does this passage reveal a promise, warning, rebuke, truth, prophecy from God? Is there something I need to change in my life, thinking, actions based on the truths in this passage? Other options: I love Precepts because it helps the student learn to really dig into Bible study. The original Precepts studies can be time consuming (30 min/day) but the newer in-and-out series is designed for folks who need just that -- to get in and out of the Word more quickly. You can choose any book of the Bible and just start studying. These two sites focus on different books of the Bible, with some online helps. She Reads Truth and Women Living Well. There are plenty of other online Bible studies as well. Oops. Just now see that this is for your ds and dd. Both are geared toward women those WomenLivingWell has a man's version of the studies. :) Word of Life has devotionals on the same topic for the whole family. These provide the verse, a short devo and some response. We've used them and they are a good devotional that go systematically through books of the Bible rather than hopping around. My church -- First Baptist Jacksonville -- has a free devotional based on books of the Bible. Right now, we're in Joshua and next we'll do Judges and Ruth and then move into a New Testament book. These are free to download. Go to Resources at the bottom and then you can scroll down to Personal Study Guide. My teen and my 6th grader use this. I have a reading plan called 100 Days with Christ that walks chronologically through the four gospels. I'll be blogging about it once a week. The reading plan and journal are free, but it might be more reading than your kids can fit in before school.

Margaret, I'm so sorry to see this. Your family has already experienced such deep grief with the loss of your to-be son-in-law. Sending prayers and hugs to you. <3

TURDUCKEN! One year when we went away and it was just the 8 of us, I made a turducken. Boneless turkey, boneless duck, boneless chicken with a layer of stuffing between each. They're awesome!! It's expensive so I wouldn't serve it with a crowd. It was so easy to prepare since it's boneless and already stuffed.

Chloe, What a brave, brave question to ask this group. What a wise mama to gather and prepare your children. My hat is so off to you as you walk this path and my prayers will surely be with you. I wanted to answer from the perspective as single mom still homeschooling after my dh died suddenly. Here are my thoughts: *Grief will affect what the homeschooling looks like. It takes every bit of mental and emotional energy to process everything, to begin to understand and make a new normal. Everyone responds a bit differently and that will show up for your kids. Some kids need a schedule to keep going and some kids need to scale back to a core of school. Our loss hit without any notice whatsoever, during the summer thankfully, but still that next school year was hard. I so appreciated the time we had together to talk, to feel everything together, to discuss, to do lots of Bible study, to read books together. The ample time made available by homeschooling is a gift. *For me -- as the teacher -- I could only do core schooling. I had so much to do and the grief itself consumed my thoughts. I needed to mother my kids and that was my focus. *look for a solid co-op, IRL classes or online classes that can continue to give some continuity and structure. We were in a co-op and those families stepped up in so many ways for us -- bringing meals, crying with us, understanding my kids and knowing the backstory, continuing to speak about my husband into my kids' lives. <--- All of that helps with the healing. *try to take care of as much paperwork as possible beforehand. Transfer titles, share passwords, consolidate accounts, make decisions as much as possible. What a gift that is. There is so much paperwork with an estate but these things can free up needed time for your spouse. *find one or more mother's helpers, babysitters, tutors that can help your husband. It takes a village will never be more true. You wear an incredible number of hats and it's likely that it will take many folks to help fill what you give to your family. I have a high schooler who comes in one morning a week to teach math and reading. If I could do more, I'd probably have her in 2 days a week and if our situations had been reversed, I'd want my husband to have someone at home a lot so he had fewer nights to cook, to clean, to teach, etc. *when friends ask what they can do to help -- give them a specific prayer request like one of your children, schooling, a financial need, your husband, etc. and ask them to commit to pray long term for that. At least a year, hopefully much longer. Your husband will feel their prayers and they are such a part of the healing and moving forward. Heaven only knows what the prayers of others -- including people on this board -- accomplished for us spiritually and practically. *and then give your friends a tangible way to help later. I really think so many want to help but don't know how. There's so much more than making a casserole, though that's a great start. Picking up kids for an afternoon, helping with driving, calling at the grocery store and asking whether anything's needed, taking kids out to shop on Father's Day, for Christmas, for your spouse's birthday so they have something special for dad. Come cheer your kids on at their games and ballet recitals. Help with Easter baskets? Lots of the kinds of Christmas goodies you always make? My prayers are with you and your family. God bless you today and this Christmas ~ Lisa

The Royals is more documentary but entertaining in a different way and super interesting. I constantly have multiple screens open as I google my British history questions. :)

All manner of math manipulatives like cuisenaire rods, 100 blocks, Alabacus, fraction circles and overlays, clocks, triangular math fact cards. Really good microscope. OOP books. Reference books for history, geography, science; field guides, ect. ETA: magazine subscriptions. We get National Geographic and NG Kids. I really wish I'd invested in more periodicals because my kids love them! They get read and re-read.

I have both. I originally bought Harp & the Laurel Wreath for narration and did use it some back in the day until I began using language arts materials that were more open and go. I've used Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization with my youngest two and LOVE it. We've always done a lot of scripture memory (large blocks and chapters) but this is the first time we've done serious poetry memorization. I like the poem selections, I got it used from a friend and it's working great. I don't have the CD, but that would be the clincher for me if you're only talking poetry memorization and not narration.

Lots of math manipulative play: dominoes with domino cards Tangrams Logic puzzles Shapes with shape cards Math It addition/subtraction Geoboards -- either playing with string to form shapes or copying shapes from cards File folder games Matching analog and digital time Cuisenaire rod games Language Arts: Practice spelling words in sand Beginning alphabetical order File Folder Games

Veritas has its self-paced courses $100 off through 12/2 and will donate a Bible course through a Chines ministry. https://www.veritaspress.com/selfpaced/?utm_source=Eblast&utm_medium=Newsletter+List&utm_campaign=2016+BOGO&inf_contact_key=192d74a72bd66e1a9ab0c72c5541e87c26b39dfdf988fdd61ed21d9ad9ddb625

I'm going to come back to this thread when I'm on my next break today but I wanted to make a book suggestion. I read TigerMom's book and was appalled at the WAY she went about pushing her children. It was extreme and seemed to be at the cost of relationship. I think there's a better balance. And that's what I found in this book: Top of the Class: How Asian Parents are Raising Top Achievers and You can Too. It was written by a daughter cheering how her parents had helped she and her sister in their education. There was no toxic fall out -- it showed a healthy, purposeful, encouraging parent child relationship. https://www.amazon.com/Top-Class-Asian-Parents-Achievers/dp/0425205614/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480353760&sr=1-1-fkmr2&keywords=asian+parents+how+educate Lisa

I actually did. Wimpy Floridian and it dipped here and I just wanted to take the edge off. I admit I was super wimpy. :) We're back to high 70s. I cannot imagine bearing with a 60 degree house! Y'all are not wimps!

Wow...just catching up here after days without power and then just getting our wifi back. There are still a few in my area without power but most folks are back on. Days 1-3 without power & water were okay but by Day 4, I was downright cranky. And then no wifi! Eegads I've torn through my data this month! But I am counting my blessings because although we had about 17 huge oak trees down in my little neighborhood of a few streets, and though we have more trees on our lot than anyone else in the neighborhood, we had no trees down. Tons to clean up but no house damage so I feel we came through well. St Augustine is drying out but the downtown businesses got hit badly. How did everyone else do? I think I heard NC rivers are still cresting?

This is such an interesting thread b/c I'm right now trying to retrain my dd how to hold her pencil. She's right-handed and seems to use all her fingers. I'm using some grip trainers on her pencils. I'm pretty sure all of my children needed some help with their pencil grip. My youngest is fussing a bit but I'm hoping in the long run it will help her legibility and reduce strain. But following to see how this is working for others!

Glad you got treatment in time. My mom had something similar happen and it was excrutiatingly painful for her!

Trader Joe's stevia sweetened dark almond chocolate works wonders here.

It may just depend who's doing the talking. I mostly hear moms underplaying the work/preparation/frustrations when talking to others with littles. The mantra seems to be to just let them play, though there are serious challenges for that age even if you're just doing a few hours of school each day. I'm in the process right now of serious re-evaluation. Not because I've fallen out of love with homeschooling but because I wonder whether I'm best serving my younger two given that I'm now actively writing and working. It's meant that school looks different and my after-school hours look different. Every time I begin to run through the disads with homeschooling, I could put it's co-equal under traditional schooling. Will I really gain an extra 5 or 6 hours a day or will I just shift my workload to helping with hours of homework in the afternoon and evening? Will those 5 or 6 hours get whittled away by early release, volunteer expectations, teachers days off, etc.

This is my experience as well. Thank you for communicating it so well (as usual) Patty Joanna. I'm not in an Orthodox church but this would be the teaching I'm familiar with.

I was just coming to ask for this! I'm also interested in any sites that are providing one more place to practice and nail down math facts.

We didn't use the video sequentially. I usually just pulled one up that would help with a concept and/or for extended application of a lesson.

Barb -- you've been at this a loooong time! I'm sure it will feel very different, but I've no doubt that you'll soon get a good rhythm down. I'm so sorry about your house fire. I cannot imagine how much work that is to put a house and home back together for you all. Blessings on this next chapter ~ Lisa

The self-paced history is rich enough for a 7th grader. They tackle hard topics and expect quite a bit of memorization and geography. You could definitely beef it up with the read alongs you assign. Maybe look at it for 7th and if you're happy and it's still thorough enough, then sign up for another year. We've used it for 17 years...my 6th grader is on his 5th year with it and he is going to sorely miss it next year! Lisa

I'm continuing to pray for you, Teresa. It may be early yet, but I wanted books from the beginning because I wanted to know how to navigate the grief for me and alongside my children. I've written about grief (look for Braving the Broken series)and there's also a website called A Widow's Might that has a lot to offer. Offering up prayers even as I type this for you and your children.

Thank you for the bump. How awesome to have her live! Anyone else have some input? :bigear:

Give Your Child the World, by Jamie Martin (she's a homeschooler and has a site as well) is a curated book list. I just reviewed it and love it. It will be a spine for much of our reading this year.

Care to share how you liked it? Or didn't?