Thanks guys! I have quite a few options to check into. I'm glad I have the rest of the year to do it since I seem to be a researcher (never happy until I've put in too many hours, eyes are red & crossed and so tired I cant stand up straight).:D

Thank you for your thoughts. I will try this, but gauging her reactions seem to be difficult. As soon as she gets frustrated or irritated with something, its like she puts up a wall and almost stops communicating unless she is forced to answer a yes or no question. My dd is 14 as well. I understand the taking a break, walking away for a time and coming back to it with a new perspective. Sometimes that will work for us, but sometimes it seems like the never-ending battle. I'm really hoping this is just a passing phase. I'm not sure I can stand 4 years of this. No, you don't sound harsh. Actually this sounds like several of the conversations that I've had with dd recently. I have no problem standing up to her, I think I just need a little reassurance & support from time to time. Maybe I'm just not being patient enough. Sometimes I catch myself thinking that one trip to the corner or three extra chores should solve the problem but I know that usually it will take much more than that. I really appreciate your up front support. I guess I just get to feeling overwhelmed from time to time and need to hear that I'm doing the right thing and that things will be ok. We'll just keep wearing our the corner and hopefully she'll catch on before too much time is wasted (for her & us). It really bugs me, though because this dd can be the most motivated, hard working, sweetest, loving child when she wants to be. But then in the matter of seconds she can turn around and be completely awful over what seems like the smallest thing. This afternoon has gone a little bit better that this morning, but I'm just so tired of the non stop roller coaster of attitude. You never know what to expect when. I know, I know...patience & consistency. Thank you...I'm sure it will take more than what she can dish out to break me (she just wears me out).:tongue_smilie:

Oh, I wasn't aware that there was a Lial's Pre Algebra book. Off to check it out...thanks you!:001_smile:

How do you deal with a child that consistantly whines about assignements? I have a dc that will complain/whine about how hard the assignments are (highschooler), and compare her HS work load to her youger siblings (K & 3rd grade. exa. "Why is her work so easy? Anyone could do that!"). Anyway, the comparing with the younger kids work is unbelievable enough, but when she does it in front of the younger kids it causes dd8 to feel bad because she doesn't think her work is easy. I have explained this to older dd, but so far no change. Anyway, when older dd asks for help, she wants it her way only. If it's math she is having trouble with, I will try to work with her backwards through the problem or topic to see where the problem began, but when I start asking her questions about it she says I am treating her like a baby and refuses to answer my questions. So I can't help if she wont let me (dh has tried as well and rean into the same problem). Usually this process ends up with dh & I so mad we're seeing RED and dd in tears. She says she is being cooperative, but when after 5 minutes she still hasn't answered "what is 10*2?" that is ridiculous! Anyway, this is really causing a lot of distraction & chaos for the rest of the family. I am just completely worn out! I would really appreciate any thoughts, advice or experiences you could offer. Thanks in advance for your help...:confused: :banghead:

I've got 5 this year with a 1yo running arround (2 highschoolers, a 6th grader, 3rd grader & Ker) and I'm about ready to go off the deep end!!! What happened to my quiet obedient children?:tongue_smilie:

Ds is using Math mammoth this year (6th grade) and we plan to use Lials for Algebra, but I'm wondering what to do in between. Anyone have any great suggestions?

I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but our chickens have supported themselves for the last 1 1/2 years. We sell the extra eggs they lay and up until last month, the $$ from the eggs has been enough to buy the feed for them and also to make any repairs/additions to their coop as well. Unfortunately, we have had quite a bit of trouble with possums, racoons, wild dogs, & hawks that we have gone from 60 chickens down to 19 in the last month. So now we don't have very many eggs to sell and they are not supporting themselves anymore. But it worked out really great before we lost so many...thinking we will have to build our flock back up and find a better way to keep them protected, yet still "free range."

Welcome to country life!:D Don't worry, you will adjust and get used to them. I used to be terrified of snakes, but after so many years of living "with" them (not in town, but out in the country) they don't freak me out anymore. I still don't like finding them, but I'm not scared of them like I used to be.

I would move on the the next level. You can always take it slow or even stop if it becomes to difficlut for your dc.

:iagree: We use MFW & if I feel something is over my younger dc's head(s) then I excuse them from that assignment/reading or just have my older dc read it independently. We also go through the Sonlight catalog and use some of their readers & read alouds. It is working out well for us. In the beginning, I really struggled between Sonlight & MFW, but in the end we chose MFW mainly because I would have had to teach too many Sonlight cores at the same time. Combining my kids was just a lot easier w/ MFW.

I ended up not buying Digital Frog because it is not the virtual dissection program that I first thought it was. When I emailed the Digital Frog people asking for a list of dissections that were included (to make sure they lined up with the labs for our biology curriculum) this is the response I received: The Digital Frog 2.5 is really an anatomy and physiology program supported by an interactive frog dissection. It includes human anatomy comparisons, but no other dissections. Our rationale is that we only dissect in order to learn anatomy and physiology, so including other dissections is unnecessary. I am sorry if this does not meet your needs :( Now, this is not to say that Digital Frog is not a great program, because I really liked the demo that I saw & other things I have heard about it. But for us, it just wasn't what we were looking for right now.

We are using the Biology 101 DVD's as our main biology resource along with parts of the Abeka Biology Text & the Dover Human Anatomy Coloring Book. We are only a couple weeks into it (with my dd's 9th & 10th grade), but so far they are enjoying it (one likes science & the other is not a science person at all). I know that is probably not much help, but we were ready for something a little bit different this year and so far this is working out nicely.

We officially started Kindergarten August 8th. Dd is 4 but will turn 5 in mid November. So far so good! She is loving it and progressing at a faster pace than I expected.

:grouphug: Hope she is feeling better soon.

I checked 2 days because we use MFW and Writing Strands is only scheduled for 2 days per week. However, my kids write every day. Whether it be copywork, writing a narration, dictation etc. for history or science there is writing going on all the time. I guess I should have checked 5 days, but we only use our "formal writing program" twice a week.

I pull it up off my neck and try to keep the air moving around me. I really cant stand humidity (unless it's raining, of course:D).

This is a HUGE red flag for me! I would never drop my child off to spend 1 1/2 hours with people I didn't know or had only met once (I don't care how long I had talked to them online). I would think that there should not be a problem w/ mom & younger siblings hanging around in the background.

:iagree: We have used it off and on for the last 5 years. I really wanted to love it because the content is so great. My dc did learn grammar while we were using it, but it finally came down to...do I want to bore my kids to death with school, or do I want them to enjoy learning? I chose the latter. I know not all subjects will be fun and exciting, but I also don't think they should bring sighs and tears. I want learning to be a positive experience for my dc so out the window went R&S and on to brighter days. We have been "in school" for 2 weeks now (w/o R&S) and so far it has been great! These relaxed, almost stress free days are a wonderful change for us!

I will agree with this, but ffom the other perspective. We live far from our families, and it has its pro's & con's.

We live about 2000 miles from my parents and about 350 miles from dh's family.

:iagree: I have not read any of their books either, but have read an article or two from thier magazine. When I watched the links, it upset me to see them come across as "Me first! Are we going to be blamed?" instead of showing concern, compassion and sympothy for the children involved in this horrible situation. I cannot believe that these people claim to be christians. True christian parents would never abuse their children like that!

Great room! Where did you get the desk's? I'm looking for something simple and really like yours.

Thank you for posting this. You don't know how encouraging it is to me. I have been going through some pretty rough times with my older dc (they can say some pretty hurtful things when they get frustrated or upset) and I just don't handle it very well anymore. I hate to admit it, but they rattle my cage alot lately. PS is not an option for us, & private school is just too expensive to even think about so we will just have to work it out somehow. Thank you for helping me to remember that I don't have to give up just because they don't like something. OP, hang in there. You are not alone and it has to get better, hs or ps, right?

:iagree:The price of groceries are killing my budget!

Love your morning board! I have been so focused on collecting fun books & activities for dd to do when she starts K in a couple weeks, that I totally forgot about a board like this! I guess I'll have to get busy. Thanks so much for sharing.