I sympathize with you, it's very overwhelming when you first go dipping your toes into the world of homeschooling. There seem to be SO.MANY. different ways to teach and curriculums to use! I know it gets even more challenging when you have to try and figure out which child falls into what level, and who can be combined. I can remember sitting at the computer researching everything, getting dehydrated and hot because I would get myself so flustered over math programs. That being said, this forum helped me tremendously. I would recommend reading The Well Trained Mind. I wish I had read it sooner rather than later, I would have saved myself a few instances of raised blood pressure. I would also say that you can easliy combine your oldest two (3rd & 4th) and your younger ones (preK & 1st) and that would streamline things a bit. If Homeschooling is something you are called to do, then by all means you should go for it. Wade into the waters gradually. Start with the basics for a few weeks (especially with the littles) then slowly add things in as your figure out your routine & schedule. Grant yourself grace and time to figure out what works and what doesn't. Good luck to you & your family.

No! we go electronic free for periods of time and then my husband will want to have TV or a gadget and I always regret introducing them back into our home. It often becomes a fight or a bargaining method for my kids "if I go clean the shed out" ...or "I went and cleaned the bathroom can I use the ____" ...which I don't like. Or the dreaded "so and so gets to watch show X...why can't I?" Forget it! It rots their minds and burns out their eyes ;)

I *think* if you add another child to your existing account....they willl let you use the codes for the newly added child even once you have been 'locked out' from using the codes on the original child. Either that or you can create a new account for a different child and redeem free codes that way? I did one or the other....I can't remember! But we were able to use the free codes after Reading eggs realized we had been getting it free for ...a really long time.... :)

Great response! thanks for the honesty! :)

Why do I never hear anything about Horizons Phonics?? I *just happen to have* The 2nd grade & also the K Phonics & reading. (I bought the math programs used and these were a package with those) I had intended to use 100 ez lessons to teach reading & wondered if I could use Horizons K phonics as a supplement or would it just be confusing and overkill? Could I use just Horizons and skip the 100 EZ lessons to teach reading? or is that ill-advised? ;) I honestly never have seen opinions on the phonics & reading and have wondered what the general consensus is.

My 4yo DS loved doing R&S for preschool. I would often times find him and his older sister sitting in their room working on them for fun. I felt like it strengthened his ability to grip a pencil properly with the line tracing, cutting and pasting that was included in the workbooks. Plus, it is hard not to love their affordability!

thank you for help wth my book confusion. I kind of feel like MFW k is perfect for my 5yo. But my 7yo might not be ready for Adventures, which was also why Core A was a consideration. Thanks again!

If you had asked me last month, I would have told you that I was going with MFW K & Adventures for my rising K'er & 2nd grader. Then the Sonlight catalog came in the mail..... I changed my mind and decided that I was going to use Core A with my kiddos (ages 5 & 7) with the K & 2nd grade readers. I guess that SL now included the LA with the readers? I would love to hear opinions on the SL Lang Arts. The reason I changed my mind was: 1) I liked the idea of having all the books on hand, rather then the library. 2) I like the idea of the kids working on the same core vs 2 different things. 3) I am a little disorganized ADD...so I *thought* the way SL has their IG's all laid out would work better? (from what I had read & gathered) Please feel free to dissolve my reasoning for choosing SL instead of MFW. With the SL website acting crazy yesterday & so many things being on back order, it is giving me time to re-evaluate things. *MFW is cheaper, always a plus for our family. Even if I include the Lit package with the K cirriculum, still less expensive than SL. would it be comparable if I got the lit package with MFW? Is the Lit package the 'book basket' or is that a totally different thing? *Are the SL IG's a better fit for a new-ish HS'er who is a little scatter brained? * in my head, the same core for 2 kids seems great. But will it be that much better? and I had read somewhere that core A wasn't particlarly as awesome as some of the other cores. true? Anyhow, this is me thinking out loud. I would love some feedback on it. :)

:) Thanks folks! I knew you all would have the answer! thats all needed to hear & it's what i expected. ETA: you would not drive? or go in general? ...

Just as the title asks, Has any one driven through Mexico and/or Central America? A friend and I were discussing going to Costa Rica w the kids for a month. Where we were wanting to go, we would need a vehicle (i think). Anyhow, the idea of making the 4 day drive was tossed out. I have NO idea what to expect? I hope this doesn't offend, but what I have in my head looks like a scary disaster of random muggings', confusion, and becoming so lost we are never seen again? ;) But my mind has a tendency to over exaggerate?! It could be exactly the same as our interstate system for all i know! Also, If you have been to Costa Rica? feel free to suggest places and things worth doing. (yes I realize its a big country) Where did you stay? what types of expereinces did you have? If you think I am losing my mind and have no business traveling to country in which I know very little about and am not anywhere near fluent in the language, feel free to let me know that as well! Thanks!

thank you SO MUCH! our last code expired a week or two ago and my LO's have been going through Reading eggs withdrawl ...and their Mama was being a cheap-o about buying it! ;) I just went to the site to type the code in... Reggie the Eggsplorer started talking loudly and children came scurrying from every room in our home, they were so excited to have him back!

Hmmm. I am still not able to send PMs today? any other ideas? I am doing everything right?? Title, message, submit? Then the messages dissapears into cyber air? My sent box is empty? Arrrrgggghhh. SO fusterating! :tongue_smilie:

That's what I was thinking? But then felt like a looney stalker sending a 2nd PM to the same person. ;) ... thanks for responding!

I am not new to using a forum, but I am new here! :) Hi! I have been trying to PM people about things on FSOT, but i dont think they are being sent or recieved? I know how to pm, and I had sent one or two PMs sucessfully in the last 2 weeks and have gotten responses......but now......nothing? in my 'sent' folder in the private messages, it doesnt even show that i have ever sent anything? am I going crazy? I know i am hitting the submit button & including a subject title?? is there some rule or setting that I am missing? any ideas as to what I am doing wrong? TIA

thanks, good to hear i am not off track. i have not read thw WTM, but probably should considering my cirriculum selections huh? ;)