It's a long story but my family has managed to end up in a very undesirable situation where we got scammed by someone else. The loss is not just monetary and I have been physically ill about this for some time. There is a chance at rectifying this situation but would need the other party to have some compassion to the situation they have put us in. It's a long shot but not entirely hopeless. I have no where else to turn right now but to implore y'all for some prayers/good thoughts/vibes that we can get this situation resolved. Could I ask you guys to get behind me on this one, that the other person will have some kindness in their heart towards us and that this situation will come to a good close for my family? I'm just so sick about this. I've updated this in post #38 below. Thanks to everyone - your thoughts and prayers meant a lot. I don't know how we are going to move forward from this. I could use some prayers for some sort of solution.

It's a long story why we are in this situation but here's the gist of it: I need a secret Santa gift for a 15 (maybe 16?) year old girl. $20 value I have no idea at all what this girl likes except for horses. Hoping to get something nice that she'll appreciate and not just chuck. Thought about movie passes but she lives a ways away from a theatre and that may pose some problems. Sigh. I'm such a Scrooge but I hate secret Santa things. I can't opt out of this and need to get something in the next couple hours. Ack. Help me!'

My kids really enjoy Sentence Family!!

I found this game at my local thrift store and snagged it. It is in brand new condition and it is really a beautiful game. My dd13, who is an avid reader just loves it! It's a fresh twist on a classic memory game that adds a bit of interest for the book lover in everyone. Made me think of this board and thought I would share in case anyone is looking for a different kind of gift for a hard to shop for person. Memory: Book Lovers Classics Edition There's also Book Lovers Scrabble :)

I know this has been discussed by I've searched and can't find the conversation topics now so I hope it's ok that I start a new thread. Dd13 is good with taking notes from a text but I would like her to take learn to take notes from audio lectures or classes she participates in (we will start with TC courses that she's doing for history and science). I never learned how to "formally" do this and while my method worked well for me in university I would like to be a bit more precise when teaching dd. What have you used when teaching your kids to take notes from a lecture? Do you start off by allowing them to pause the video from time to time to get their notes down (I know sometimes I still do this when I am watching an instructional DVD at home) and gradually get them to where they simply have to keep forging on like they would have to in a live class? If possible, I am hoping for something that is easy to implement but still has clear instruction. I know I can also search google but thought the Hive might have some tried, tested and true methods/programs. Links would be greatly appreciated! TIA!

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to respond. I spoke with dd as to what she would like to do and since I am reading through Oliver Twist with my 5th grader, she said she would like to do the same with me (we are taking turns reading a chapter aloud). Dd and I decided we are going to take down Omnibus III and work our way through. There are a few books, like Pilgrim's Progress, that neither of us particularly enjoyed, but I figure it'll be a good exercise for us both. I need the discussion questions already done up to guide me and I think it will open the door for some great conversations. Time will tell if it's the right choice, but in the words of Andrew Kern, we will "take the next step." Wish me luck. 😎

I never thought of Deconstructing Penguins. Thank you. I have it but read it when she was in K and got overwhelmed. There's no reason your suggestion won't work for us now. She had actually picked up my WEM and read through the beginning part and decided to work through the novels section. That's where a majority of her book choices have come from this past year and a half. I've actually seen her keeping notes in a journal but she won't let me see the journal. I respected her space since it was all "free reading". She's ahead of me in the WEM novels list due to other things coming up for me and her having more time to just read at night. Maybe I will pick up where she left off ans keep going through the list with her. Thank you so much for the encouragement.

Thank you for this. I actually caught her snuggled up on the couch reading HTRLLAP last week. I had purchased it to read through myself but went through How to Read a Book first and never came back to HTRLLLAP. Since she's already taken the initiative maybe I will get myself a copy and we will read it together.

Has anyone here used this book and can offer a review? I'm interested in using it but don't know much about it.

I am looking at possibly using this book and wondering if anyone here has any thoughts to share about it? My dd is only in grade 8 but I am posting here since I would like to get some advice from parents "on the flip side" who already have kids working through high school material. I've posted that literature is a weak point for me and I am looking for something to work through with my 8th grader. Like many here, I started reading to her at birth and since then she's always devoured books. In terms of more formal reading instruction we did one or two PP guides in grades 3/4, she's done CLE Reading since grade 5 and is currently on the third book of the grade 8 (and last) level. In grade 6 we worked through LL7 but didn't love it. She wasn't thrilled with the book selections and found the program to to be a bit dull for her liking. She did do well with it, but was very glad when it was over and made me promise not to make her do LL8. Last year (7th) she did one semester of the online class with Adam Andrews and the Centre for Lit. She liked that a bit better but wasn't enamoured by the book selections- she had already read all but one of the books. She did find the book discussions to be of interest to her, but admitted to me that she didn't learn a lot as she already had a good idea about what was covered. The only part she really loved was that Adam Andrews offered some insight into MacBeth that she found quite fascinating. (she enjoys Shakespeare's works) For the second semester we also worked through Figuratively Speaking. She reads a lot on her own accord and has devoured a ton of literature in her free time: most of Dicken's works (she loves Dickens), Austen, Bronte sisters, Moby Dick (she's read it cover to cover 3x now and is her favorite work), Don Quixote, Count of Monte Cristo, Madame Bovary, Gulliver's Travels, Sherlock Holmes, The Great Gatsby, several Shakespeare plays. There's more, but you get the idea. She really likes to read but doesn't discuss her reading with me at all. Mostly she curls up in bed at night with her Kindle and reads. To be honest, I am not really sure where to go from here with her. I feel like we should be having discussions but I don't want to take away the joy of reading. She's also very particular about what she will read so I know that the Stobaugh book linked above will force her to read outside of what she tends to gravitate to. She read the LOTR trilogy in 4th or 5th grade but didn't enjoy it enough to want to devote a year to LLTLOTR and she didn't like AGG enough to go through Where the Brook and River Meet, so neither of those will work for us. Since literature is not at all my strong suit and I would like something that offers some guidance. I like the idea of LLTLOTR as it weaves together other works, which is something I lack the ability to do for her. I also do not feel confident enough to come up with writing topics for her and that's another reason I am looking for *something* that we can go through together. I've thought about doing Excellence in Literature with her but I'm not sure if that's the correct choice since she's currently working through WWS3, which involves a solid amount of writing. I am not sure how much more writing she should/could do at the 8th grade level? I am not sure at this point what our plans for the future are WRT to whether or not she will go to B&M or do online. I did speak with dd extensively last night and she remains adamant that I find a way to homeschool her through high school, despite my shortcomings in the realm of literature. Being a homeschool family really suits us, but first and foremost I want to ensure that I am doing well by her and providing her with a solid education. At this point I need to put aside my self doubts, trudge forward and hopefully make this 8th grade year a success for her. She doesn't love talking to me about what she reads and prefers to keep her thoughts to herself unless *extensively* prodded. It's almost like each book she reads is a private conversation between her and the pages before her and she doesn't want to let anyone else in. She's private and introverted in that regard, but will open up if I ask her or if she needs to "for school" which is why I'm hoping for some sort of program. It's completely possible I am barking up the wrong tree and am going about this all wrong. Sigh. If any of you would have some insight for me that would be greatly appreciated.

I feel like we were doing ok until I read the Circe threads and those got me doubting everything. They reminded me of why I started this journey in the first place but, at the same time, how under qualified I am to be heading this off. I know I haven't failed them thus far. My oldest, at least, has a good idea of the flow of history, is literate in the different sciences as I have always been consistent with our study of science, and has the solid skills in the areas of grammar and writing. For me, it's the logic and literature aspects that are really taking the wind out of my sails. I was not trained in formal logic and presenting it to her in a coherent and interesting manner has proved difficult. And literature at the high school level is making me beyond nervous. She's already devoured most of Dicken's works, read Moby Dick 3x, gone through Austen and the Bronte sisters and has read classics that, at her age, I never knew existed. I know I can do better for the other kids, but is it too late for this one? Do I put her into the same public system that failed me? Private school is sadly not an option. The schools here run around $25,000+ per year. I don't want to stop but I don't want to fool myself into thinking I can do this when maybe I really shouldn't be.

I apologize in advance that this will likely get lengthy. I am stuck in the haze of sleep deprivation and my brain is foggy and hazy. I feel like I can't think clearly some days, but this isn't the main point of this thread. I must preface this letting you know that I got what I think was a typical education. I was an honor student at the top of my graduating class. I did really well on the SAT etc. I studied hard, made good grades, but sadly I never learned (or retained for that matter) much of anything. It was simply study for the test, do well, promptly forget all that was learned. My English studies were abysmal although I didn't know it at the time. There is one part of my grade 10 English class that clearly stands out. We had spent a long period of time studying allegory and other literary devices used in a Disney cartoon. . I recall watching it at least 3 times in class as well as at home while my friends and I laughed about and went through our assignments. I also going to watch The Phantom of the Opera as a class and studying that. I don't recall all we did but do remember working tirelessly well into the early hours of the morning to complete the final assignment at the end of the unit ... a diorama(!!!!) of the stage and the cellars of the opera house. I was thrilled when I received 100% for my efforts and then a bonus 10% on top for including a small descriptive write-up. Grade 11 and 12 English classes were better, but marginally so. We were never required to read Dickens and I never (at the time) read classics like Animal Farm or Grapes of Wrath. I did do reading on my own but, not having any proper guidance, tended to gravitate towards crap like Danielle Steele and VC Andrews. :blushing: :ack2: I did read LOTR and Austen as well but clearly was not mature enough to make those my preferred reading material. I do not recall being taught how to write a proper paper but as (luck?) would have it I had a natural ability to write which got me through. Life went on, I went to University, was never going to have kids, blah blah blah. When my oldest was born I heard about WTM when she was about 2. I immediately devoured it and realized that this was the education I wanted for my kids and NOT what I had gone through. My high school really didn't prepare me for post secondary but somehow I managed to get through unscathed. I wanted more for her. So, I gathered almost every resource mentioned in TWTM and we set off. At the same time, I read WEM and began reading through the novels one by one. Not as diligently as I had hoped but my dd was then 4 and I had 2 more little ones to tend to. I made a good dent in those WEM books, but I'd be lying if I said I remember much of any of them now. Whether this is due to my own lack of intelligence, lack of sleep for 13 years or something more, I do not know. But I feel like I may as well have not read them at all some days. We followed WTM very closely for 5 years and for the most part everything was great. When dd was in 5th grade I found myself in the middle of a life altering event/crisis that was to last ~3 years. It changed who I was to the very core and it is only the last 6 months or so that I have been able to find myself again. Needless to say, school went in a whole new direction. I went from following WTM to more of a school-at-home, panic, we are never doing enough approach. I did my best to counteract this by hiring a tutor to help dd through Wheelocks and she managed to get through about 1/2 the book. But gone was the poetry memorization (for the younger kids) and the extensive reading aloud (to the younger kids). Completely gone was my self-education. So, here I am with a dd in 8th grade as well as 3 other school aged kids. I consider it a fabulous night if I can get a consecutive hour of sleep without having to nurse the baby. Most nights, it's 30-45 min. It is slowly killing me. My brain is mush. I'm not even clear if this post is making sense. Add into the mix a terror of a 3 year old who never. sits. still. and needs to be constantly watched and entertained/kept busy and the days are chaos. I don't sit down and read the classics at night. I collapse on the couch! Most nights I "sleep" in my clothes. I've decided to throw myself wholeheartedly into this again and pick up where I left off but I am wondering if it may just be too late? None of the kids are behind; they can read and write effectively and are "above grade level" (I have some friends who are ps teachers and I show them their work from time to time and that has been their feedback) and are proficient at math. But their education for the past 3 years has been far less than MY ideal, and the ideal of those of you who partook in the many Circe threads. ;) My oldest definitely got the better end of the stick in terms of solid early skills (the most reading aloud, the poetry memorization, the sequential history complete with activities and relevant field trips). The other kids did too, but only to an extent. They are definitely more used to the "school-at-home" vibe even though I have tried to keep their curriculum from WTM picks. I think I can pick up with them and head in the direction I want to go but my concern lies with my oldest. As part of my commitment to bettering my homeschool I have once again started reading threads here. I dropped off for quite a long time although I did post/read from time to time. It was mostly when I was in dire need of something or needed to vent. I wasn't really gleaning anything of much importance. So I've stumbled across the Circe threads. I'm not done them, but I can already feel the panic setting in. My own high school (English) education was abysmal. I want so much more for my children. There is plenty more reading that I need to do but I'm sick when I realize I don't have the time. I need time to read the Circe threads, listen to the talks, read the books recommended in the Circe threads, digest it all, and on top of that, read the classics that I didn't read (or no longer remember :banghead: ) so that I can actually do something with my oldest. I don't have the time for all of this. :willy_nilly: I used to study Latin along side of her but that had to drop off and I am back to the beginning with it. Some days I wonder if I had a brain injury, it is scary how little I remember some days. My dd dropped the Latin studies over a year ago and has forgotten a great deal as well and I mourn for the money we spent on that tutor when we will now have to repeat it all over again. I suspect it will come back to her a lot faster I don't know that I can continue to teach my dd and give her the education that I would like her to have. Currently, she is doing very well as she is studious and diligent. I've shown her writing to many adults and their jaws hit the ground when they read it. She's excelling in her grammar studies in R&S8 and has surpassed my grammatical skills- I now have to use the teacher book to mark her work! So embarrassing, I know. I want to be able to take her further. I long to read the Great Books with her and discuss them. But how on earth can I do that when I am so unintelligent myself and my degree really doesn't prepare me to help her with such skills. Literature interests me but also scares the crap out of me because I know it is such an area of weakness. We are not in a bad school district now, but I didn't grow up in a "bad" one either. I speculate that I must have had the great misfortune of having a lousy teacher for those high school English years because, best I can tell, the other subjects were fine and prepared me for university level courses. Perhaps this is the end of the line for me when it comes to teaching dd. She's reading and thoroughly enjoying grappling with the great works of literature. But maybe I am simply not the mom to continue those steps with her? I want to be but I also have the other kids to teach and two l'il guys in diapers that need constant attention. I also have a business I help run and my dh travels extensively so I'm on my own for a lot. I am not smart enough to do this. I read some of the Circe related threads and I can barely grasp the ideas that are being presented, let alone grapple with them and have anything of value to add. I am embarrassed by my own unintelligence and I very well aware of what I don't know. :p The flip side of this all is that I know one of the guidance counsellors at the local high school so I did go and speak with her (at a coffee shop, outside of school hours). I showed her some of dd's work and we discussed what she is reading. The counsellor looked at me and said that she would be absolutely thrilled if her grade 12 graduates were writing as well as dd is. (I almost cried because this really could be more to do with the fact that their graduates are poorly prepared more so than dd being highly accomplished... but I shouldn't sell dd short. She does seem to have a gift in this area). All this to say that I didn't mean to lose 3 years of my (self education) life. Crazy twists and turn of events has led me to where I am now and I need to just take the next step and move forward. After reading all the more intellectually minded threads on this board I am reminded that I am painfully uneducated (or at least educated in the wrong areas) and it's very possible that I am just plain stupid. Oh brain, why art thou so fuzzy all. the. time? So that's my question for you all. As a mom who hasn't read a lot of classics, is not overly philosophically minded, and has issues with mental capacity (I can learn but man I just can't seem to think and remember things the past few months) is part of my providing my dd with a quality education simply knowing that it is time to stop and put her in a b&m school??

Dd has started working through Connect the Thoughts history program and we could use a bit of help. I'm not looking for the answer to this question, but rather some guidance where to look to find the answers. In what way are artists today guaranteed their works will be seen? Who are today's "patrons"? Are they individuals, or are they organizations? Or both? Do some research. Where does art work, like paintings, sculpture, and plays, get displayed, and who pays the money to make this happen? 50 words or more. We have some basic ideas of how to answer this but would appreciate some sources to "back it up".

Looking for some reviews on this product. Anyone?

Yes, you are very likely correct. My thinking has been rather fuzzy the last couple of weeks. Thanks!

I thought about that too, LibraryLover. Perhaps that is part of it. My kids are not perfect but they're pretty decent. I have a lot of people tell me that they are a pleasure to be around and that they like our family. In fact, one lady just told me that this week and regretted that they are constantly busy but she has kids in competitive gymnastics and such is the nature of the beast. But perhaps you are right. I do have little ones who are not of school age whereas many people I know are past that stage of childhood and we just don't fit into their "groove". Thank you for some perspective.

Thank you! I didn't realize that LToW could come after WWS3. I thought it was one program or the other. Will you be using level I or II?

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond. You've helped me through a difficult time and gave me some perspective and lots of much needed support.

I'm looking at these two to see if either could be a good fit for my 8th grader to start and then finish into next year. Any thoughts on either?

I have to admit that I just love the WWS series. It has done so much to improve my dd's writing and I am looking ahead to what we will use next year. If you've been using WWS, what are your plans for after WWS3?

Now that it's been out for a couple of years I am wondering if anyone here has used the "Write With the World" program? I see that VP has it in the grade 8 lesson plans as curriculum for composition and would like to hear some reviews on it that are newer than the 2012 threads I have found here. I'm curious what others have thought of it and what age it could be started at? TIA!

Out of the two, which is more do-able for a younger (grade 5) child? If my 5th grader is finding WWS1 to be a bit difficult could we work through LAoW slowly or is it a more difficult program? Still trying to find something suitable to do until she's ready for WWS. Sigh.

My original plan was to take mine on a plane ride somewhere cool like NYC for the weekend or to a fancy museum but due to circumstances beyond my control that's not going to happen any more. :( I'm looking for something extra special and cool but I'm not coming up with much. Would love to hear what others have done. TIA

Hi! My ds would like to try his hand at blogging. I don't have a blog, nor do I actually know anyone IRL who does. So, I need to turn to the Hive. Actually, that's not quite true. I do know one person who blogs and they use WordPress so that is what I tried to help DS set up but I find it rather non-intuitive and things take forever to load. What is the easiest platform to use? What are the pros and cons to each? I don't really like the idea of Blogger because it's so tightly linked to Google accounts, but maybe that's not as negative as I think it is? Please help this total newbie out so my little guy can do this. I really want to capitalize on his desire to actually write something!

I have. But I caught it early and I think that really helped. Things I did: Acupuncture Homeopathic tincture specifically for adrenal support Being religious about being in bed and sleeping by 10pm every single night Cut out coffee completely Eating every couple hours and being very mindful of blood sugar Reducing all stress- to the point where I took all the kids out of activities for 6 mos- no rushing like mad out of the house, late dinners, being hurried from place to place etc. Essential oils- I know these can be a hot topic and I didn't rely on them much but I did use them. Nutmeg in particular. YL also has a couple others specifically for adrenals. But I am not "going there" on this thread. :)