The skills she describes are often grouped together as a bundle and called phonological awareness skills. I was taught about their importance in graduate school (speech and language disorders) in 1989-1991. Their importance IMHO has been documented in research for a very long time, but not often put into practice. We've just moved over to Spell to Write and Read, and these phological awareness skills are included in the pre-teaching work for preschoolers.

We tried RS4K w/ physics, and it wasn't our favorite...I loved the lab sheets, but the experiments weren't always the best. We did like making the wet cell battery!

I'm headed to MassHOPE (New England's biggest homeschool convention) this weekend. One of the things I want to look at is Science curriculums for my oldest, who will be in 6th next year. He is a lover of science, especially the "pile of book" method (a la Noeo and Sonlight). We will finish up a couple topics from SL 4 that we haven't gotten to this year during the first part of 6th, but I'm contemplating a more textbook program for next year -- kind of a transition year before heading towards Apologia's 7th & up programs. At the same time, I need it to be something he can mostly do on his own. Oh, and I do want tests that go along with it, as well. What's out there that is good? BJU? Abeka? TIA

They are both framed, but one of the frames is damaged, so it is in my hope chest. My grad school one is sitting over my desk in the school room -- a reminder to me on those frustrating days that I did, at one time, accomplish something, lol!

From a BTDT mom......SOTW + activity guide, library books, and you are totally set for 1st grade. It was our best year ever. We started 1st with my oldest with TOG, but it was too much for me, him, and our life at the time. The mapwork in SOTW is perfect for grade one, the readings are engaging, the crafts are fun. Seriously, it was a great year.

I'm trying to get a non-salesman perspective on this. The SS makes the price jump on many of the new front load dryers. Do SS dryers dry even faster than non SS? If my kids leave a crayon in their pants and I don't catch it, will the crayon be easier to clean from a SS vs a nonSS (I still have blue tinged dryer drum in my non SS dry)> Is SS more gentle on clothes than nonSS? Thanks, Alane

There is also an interesting book with the same name. I'm excited to hear about the History Channel show!

Huh, I didn't know they had teacher's guides. I've been using WW 3000 grade 5 all year without it.....ds is doing very fine.

You might consider this in the fine prints of the ASTC memberships: I was considering doing a similar thing -- purchasing a membership at the museum near my parents and using it for museums where I live. I go back and forth about the ethics of the whole thing as well. The jury is still out.

It hasn't every been sold separately. I also wouldn't advise just purchasing the TM. Is there a specific reason you do not want the student materials?

Me, too! Thank goodness for homeschooling so I can finally understand the "whys" behind all I learned from preschool through graduate school!

The only thing better is when you hear her *laughing* while doing math!!!!

Yes, they do eventual teach it in the usual algorithm that we know. I cannot remember which book it is in, however. Remember, they are trying to reinforce place value. when you are multiplying 64 by 27, like this: 64 x27 You are not mulitplying 64 x 7, then 64 x 2 (which was how I always thought the traditional algorithm was having me do it), you are actually multiplying 64 by 20. Singapore is trying to teach the "why" behind the traditional way of doing math to build deeper understanding.

Praying!

I have -- and like -- both LoF and Key to Fractions (KTF). My ds was also having trouble remembering what to do. I like both supplements. LoF makes ds laugh during math (something that doesn't often happen), and I'm using that to give ds a new way to learn about the concepts of fractions. KTF has more practice in measured steps.

((hugs)) This happened to us. DH had been addicted to internet p*rnography, and God spoke to him about it at a homeschooling convention (when I was 4 months pregnant and feeling like a cow, thank you very much!). He confessed and over the next year or so, we had to rebuild our relationship. It was hard, but counselling (Christian) helped. Knowing that I wasn't alone in this helped (I read many stories about the addiction to internet p*rn online). He allowed me to set some ground rules on acceptable behavior in our home for a while (I locked him out of the computer at his request and my insistance; allowing me to talk about it whenever necessary, as an example). His humility at allowing me to do what I needed to do to heal helped so much. Yes, humility and total acceptance of blame on his part were huge. Having gone through that I know our relationship is better than it was before. God truly healed him of this addiction. In so doing, it brought us closer and knitted us together more. Of course, I wish we *hadn't* had to go through that, but it was an example of Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (NASB)

....a queen sized quilt or sheet set? is 7.0 big enough to get a good tumble?

lol, you're on! Anywhere warm!

Thank you. You all have made me feel so much more normal. Well, as normal as possible. Unfortunately my period hasn't gotten any lighter (it really lightened up after ds#3 was born 4 years ago) nor shorter, but this whole losing my mind thing just stinks. I really, really just hate myself during the 3 or so days before my period starts, but it is something that I don't realize at all. My dh just on Sunday said, "do you think you're getting your period soon?" This was just not anything I had thought (duh) -- It's like I cannot see the forest through the trees when I'm at that point in my cycle. Vacation? Yea, I should've grabbed my coast and car keys and taken off when he suggested it :lol: Hmm, guess I'll have to wait until next month to make a mad dash out the door! OK, so what natural supplements can I investigate? I don't want to be Mrs. Jeckyl and Mama Hyde.

I'm nearing 43 in a couple months. and just over the past four months I've gone from a sad/ weepy PMS to a pi**ed off PMS! Ii yell at everybody, nothing anybody does is good enough, or completed fast enough. My dh and I don't even recognize myself for the four or so days before my period starts. Is this normal? Or am I really dealing with something else (depression) on top of PMS? DH and I had a nice talk a few days ago, and he offered me days off (from homeschooling) a vacation, a get away....pretty much anything I could want! I admitted that we haven't taken a whole lot of time off of school since Christmas -- but that I'd go crazy with a week during the school year of doing "nothing." I've thought of going to my PCP (a man) to talk to him about depression vs. PMS changes, but have not taken the time to make an appointment.

I also wouldn't get one that did not have its own light source. The little mirror reflector is a pain in the neck. One little bump, and you have to start all over again!

I've seen them and looked at a brochure at the flooring store a friend owns. They look great, and one added benefit is that they won't be as cold as tile on little feet in the winter. Honestly, from a look standpoint, they look just like tile. I'd let dh do it, but we already had the tile picked out for the upstairs bathroom anyway. I didn't know the cost, however, and that is a great price. Hmmm, may have to consider it for the kitchen.

I have a 5th grader who will be gradually working in D for 6th grade. For the last unit of our school year, I am going to try something new: We will start our TOG week on Friday, so that ds -- when necessary -- has the weekend to begin some of his literature or history readings. We have a history coop on Thursdays, and that group meeting will end our week (unless Life gets in the way) and next year, we'll make the D level kids take their quiz.

This is exactly why the prestige level of college is not a huge factor for me. My top-25 undergraduate college is currently listed at $38K. Although we have 8 years before oldest ds goes to college, there is no way our savings or income can afford that type of school -- and they don't give a lot of scholarships either. I totally enjoyed my experience at said university and am grateful beyond measure to my parents for the sacrifice they made to help me through school. But, I would rather my son(s) attend a school that will help them attain their God-given potential without sacrificing their future ability to provide financial security to their own family. Besides, there was no such thing as the internet when I was in college (nor such thing as Windows!) and the options for obtaining college credit are so much more than in my day -- comm. college classes while in high school, CLEP (much more prevalent now -- I'd not heard of it in the mid 80s), accelerated distance learning.....and who knows what else will evolve over the next 8 years. If my kids decide that they want to go to college to prepare themselves for their vocations, then I'll help them look into alternatives that might cost significantly less than traditional brick and mortar universities. After all we homeschoolers are a creative bunch!

Yes I did. But for my kids? It is immaterial. I would rather they go to college that they prefer to attend and (of course) one they/we can afford.