Thanks for your response-those are some great ideas. I don't think my boys are stupid, I was just worried *I'm* not teaching them *how* to think, ywim?

Thanks Donna for your reply. I do have another question though...why does it have these type of logic problems starting in K then? Is there something I can do to help their logic and reasoning? They also have problems with word problems. They both can whiz through a math assignment, get every problem right, then get every word problem wrong..am I doing something wrong?

Please help me with this problem. I give my kids Mindbender puzzles 2x a week. They have NEVER got one right the first go around...NEVER. After I explain the pattern and explain the directions they sometimes understand, but never by handing them the paper and having them try and understand. I don't know if it's too much for them or if they are not really trying. I do notice they hand the paper back to me quickly and tell me it's super easy...and then proceed to get it wrong. So, I'm thinking maybe they aren't thinking it through... I'm really frustrated and scared that they don't have *thinking* skills..does that make sense? Please help...(they are both 8 and boys if that helps)

I'm curious..did she choose a church to join in the end or stay in the Catholic faith?

We are getting ready to start SOTW 2 and while we loved 1-there was some things I didn't like. It had no timeline. I did print out a timeline from Hannahs helps but would love one that included Biblical events-do you know of any? Also, the maps were not good. I would like a map that they could color that showed the whole world. I felt like if we were studying Rome and it just showed Italy and a little bit of the surrounding area, it made it hard for them to understand where in the world this was happening...do you know of any printable maps that we could use or just a great wall map? So, I'm looking for a great timeline(can be a wall timeline) and maps-any suggestions? Blessings!

Mrs. Mungo-we are planning on this be the last home we own until the children are grown.

Thank you all for responding so far. I did want to clarify thought that while the 5 acres in far from my husband's job(45 min commute) it's about 4 minutes from a small town that has a library(a great county library system so we can get any book we just might have to wait a couple of days) a grocery store, and some shops. A bigger town is about 15 minutes away(this is the town we just moved from) and has a large homeschool group with lots of activities. So, basically, my commute for activities would be about 15 minutes. It's my husband's commute that has me worried and concerned. The house we were building also has a homeschooling family that lives next door with children that are the same ages as my boys. So, with that added...which would you choose? (-:

We live in the SE so no bad winters. It would be a true 45 minute commute and my children are 8 years old.

O.k. I'm going out on a limb to ask another question(even though I'm new and I know that's sometimes not o.k.) We are at a crossroads in a decision in our family and I'm curious what you would choose. We sold our home and are looking at possibilities. Our first choice is a custom built home at the end of a road with over 5 acres a of land. Our second choice is a nice, suburban home in a nice neighborhood with all the ammenities. The first choice is a 45 min commute for my husband. The second choice is a 15 min commute... Our hesitation is of course, giving up the land. With 5 acres the boys would have alot of space to roam. We would be free to have animals if we choose. It would be a dream home. The second home is very nice, in a very desirable neighborhood but on 1/3 of acre and most of the homes have families but both parents work so it's not like they would have playmates during the day. I don't know if there are many homeschoolers there. It is very convenient though.. Both homes are comparable in price. What would you do?

I don't know how to single out a specific sentence but I didn't understand what you meant when you said my kids don't know what a Ho is and you felt it was a joke...it wasn't a joke at all. My kids don't know what a Ho is and when those boys told them it was a bad word they really believed they were saying bad words by saying HoHoHo...

Also, I haven't brought it up again except to commend them on telling the truth about the situation. When he tears up(he's trying to fight the tears)I believe it's because he's really upset about it not because I'm overreacting. Yes, I did scream about it once on Sat. but I haven't freaked out again about it but have comforted them both since then...

Yes, to reiterate he did start crying before I freaked out. I think he was so upset that someone told him to keep a secret from me. Honestly, as far as I'm aware, my children have never lied to me. We are really open with each other and I always tell them they can tell me anything and they do. I'm really, really proud of them for coming to me immediately after I picked them up. I know it must have been hard for them because they wanted to be friends with these boys but knew what they were doing is wrong. I personally don't think I'm overacting about them being words. I truely believe it is an innocence lost...regardless of if they know the meaning or not. I would just like some advice on how to comfort them over this and how to respond when they ask the meanings of the words. I would it from a Christian perspective if possible. I don't want to act like it's no big deal, because it is a big deal, ywim? And I'm sorry I *only* have 55 posts..I didn't know I had to post alot to ask a question so I'm sorry in advance for that.

O.k. so this weekend I allowed my twins to go to a new friend's house to play for a couple of hours. We don't know the family super well but we do know that they are Christians(they have invited us to church) and are in our Christian homeschool group. My boys met there boys at several homeschooling events and hit it off wonderfully. So, we brought them to their home on Sat. for an afternoon playdate. We stayed a bit to chat with the mom so my husband could meet her and we could just take a look around and give some ground rules to the boys. Well, everything went well until we picked up the boys. They got in the car and had these weird looks on their faces. We asked what was wrong and my one son started crying and told us the boys told us not to tell us something...oh gosh.. here we go... They spewed out every cuss word I've ever known. The boys wanted to know what s*** and f*** mean and what was a h*...I screamed...I literally screamed. Not the best thing at the moment, but I was truely shocked. My kids are only 7!!!! They have never...I mean never heard any of those words before. They were crying and we expressed to them how proud we were that they told us even though the boys at the playdate told them to promise and not tell their parents. I'm still in shock and horrified. I feel like my boys have lost their innocence. I don't mean to sound dramatic but I really do. They keep coming up asking about these words and my one son said today he's scared to say, "Ho, Ho, Ho" like Santa because he know's it's bad. I can see him fighting back the tears everytime they try and talk about this with us. Like they feel dirty or something...ywim? I told them they were not permitted to hang out with those boys anymore, not because the boys did something wrong, but because they told them to keep a secret from us. To be honest, my boys don't want to hang out with them again anyway. They even told me to call the boy's mother and tell her but I'm scared to do that because I don't want any backlash to my boy's at a homeschool event that this family may be at. What else can I do? Please help me find the right words to say to these precious boys...I feel so bad that there hearts are hurting for knowing these things and they keep saying they are trying to forget but can't. Please help...

This sounds so bad but I have to be honest-I really don't like teaching science and it usually ends up on the backburner. But, the kids love it. Is there some sort of video/computer based science program with minimal teacher involvement on my part? I can get things ready for experiments if needed but as far as teaching and testing-I need someone else to do it.

We could go out a bit, we've already been looking at land that's about a 45 min commute for my husband. But, with land and putting a septic system and a well and then building it can get really expensive. Which, at this point, we can afford, but what if something happens to the economy(even worse than now) and my husband loses his job or the dollar totally collaspes? I'm scared then that we wouldn't be able to afford the house. Am I worrying to much about this? Do you feel at this point, knowing what is going on with the economy that you would prepare in that fashion? Or do you not worry about it? Has every generation gone through this where there is a segment of the population that feels they need to prepare for the worst instead of just enjoying this moment? Know what I mean?

O.k. we've sold our house and looking to move again. We live in an area that land is getting hard to come by. It's either really expensive or has tons of restrictions(ie.no farm animals, etc) So, we've already been pre-approved ready to go..but where? We've lived in subdivisions, historic homes, all different homes although we've never owned land. The subdivision appeals to me as well as land(we would have to pay alot more to live on land unless we bought a mobile home or something) I ugess what's I'm asking is if you were in this position now, which way would you go? I'm fearful of the dollar collapsing and think we should be as self sufficient as possible and know we can't if we live in a subdivision. But, am I overreacting? Would you not worry about it and just move in a neighborhood or do you feel like we need to prepare for the worst?

Thanks for your help!

Brilliant idea! Thanks!

My twins are on a new concept in math. They are getting a ton of problems wrong (we use Math U See) but when I go and mark what is wrong, they both can fix the answer right away. I'm confused! Am I not teaching the concept right or are they rushing to fast with the assignment? I have warned repeatly and repeatly and repeatly to double check their work and it falls on deaf ears. I'm so frustrated! Please help with some advice. Should I give extra worksheets on the days they are clearing messing up alot or is it me not teaching correctly?

Thank you for writing I have a good heart. I actually had a very black, sinful heart but last year I had some of my darkest moments in my life and truely God came and saved me. Someday, I will share my testimony and I did a bit on my blog. What it has taught me is that I want to live to serve the Lord. I don't really know how to do that because I don't believe(until last year) I was ever at that point where I really understood God's grace and mercy. It taught me to never judge(even though I struggle with it daily-I think we all do) and I want to live to serve him...even if I don't know how to do that..that's why I ask so many Christian questions. I'm searching for answers...I want to please him because of what he's done for me. That's why I feel so much compassion for this woman. I'm sure she is tormented inside(whatever other's may believe) I'm sure she is searching for answers as to why she has done what she has done. No one wishes to be evil, we just are...

As you may be able to tell from my post count, I rarely ever post here on these boards. Now, I know why, I won't do it again. I apologize if I have contributed to allowing this to get at an elevated level at all. I have posted some Christian questions on here lately as I'm searching for truth in my walk as well. It does trouble me though the amount of judgement that some folks that are Christian have...it makes me personally feel like I'm not good enough to enter his kingdom with things I've done even if I have repented and asked for forgiveness. I pray for this woman-I hope she has repented and asked for forgiveness. And forgive me if I'm not *Christian* enough or don't understand the Bible completely and am teaching my children wrong, but I believe if she is truely sorry and has asked for forgiveness and has repented, she will be in heaven ...am I wrong? I will not add anymore to this thread in a negative way..blessings...

That I can agree with you on..totally...in the way it was said, no. I think he would have morned for them as well as for her. I think he would also mourn and be sad for the tone of that post...just my opinion..

I think everyone will agree it is wrong but your post was not to state a fact it was to judge her. Would Jesus have wrote that same post in that tone? I don't think so.

Condemnation from people who judge(and have no right too), yes... From people who realize that we are all sinners, no... I'm sure your sins hurt Jesus just as much as her sins do, no more, no less..

:iagree: