So happy for her!!!

What about just starting with volume 1 for both? Alternatively, I wouldn't stress over how much your younger one absorbs. She'll hit all the content 2 more times before she graduates.

I can't imagine any of my kids at 3 sitting still for table time. I feel like we are almost there with the 5 year old and I'm requiring more time sitting still for her.

We survived. Trying to simplify this year and really focus on math, Latin, writing, and science. The younger kids were terrors and I'm feeling really motivated to find the $$ for Montessori for them this year.

We've decided to remove the TV and limit it to just a DVD Friday night and maybe Magic School Bus in the car when we run errands for an hour on the weekend. I'm ashamed to say that currently they watch quite a bit. We've been using it as a crutch and it needs to end. Tomorrow is the day. Any tips? Anyone been there, done that?

I really hope he slows down! I'm crossing my fingers. I've been thinking about it more today and I think what worries me is that it feels like we are quickly going to max out what I'm comfortable teaching and while DH is more mathy, he won't last much longer than I do. I guess it's just scary to think about my very little kid surpassing what we can reasonably help him with (although of course we are very proud of him). But alas, maybe he'll take 3 years to do algebra. That sounds wonderful (and gives us time to frantically study ahead!) I think the other challenge right now is that his math ability is outpacing his maturity. He's pretty mature for a seven year old but still...he's a little kid. So I look through DM and while I think there is plenty to challenge him there, it's not colorful, fun, and/or silly. I think we somehow have to balance challenging him and giving him new things to learn with something that appeals to a silly little boy. As much as Fred isn't my cup of tea, LegoMan thinks of him as a dear friend and will follow him to the ends of the earth.

I really like DM too. I've been working through it myself in preparation. I wish we'd used that more integrated model when I was in school.

Great ideas! Thank you! We're thinking about contacting the local grad school too and seeing if maybe they have a master's student who wants a little tutoring gig on the side. I'm hoping we can find someone who LOVES math as much as he does and will share his joy out of sitting and doing problems and solving puzzles.

That app is awesome! He's actually 1/2 a level from beating it (probably will do so later today). The last few days he went back and made sure he'd solved every puzzle on every level in the recommended number of moves although he was quite proud he could do a number of them in less moves. I tell you, this kid is going to be the death of me!

LegoMan turned 7 two weeks ago. He starts algebra via LOF tomorrow. Hold me. Up until yesterday I was going to insist he finish the SM IP5 but I know he's going to be miserable. I was planning to start DM by the fall. My gut says this is the right move. That he needs new concepts to learn. That the constant rehashing of elementary concepts is really frustrating him. But then I start thinking about it and I get scared I'm going to screw him up somehow. Why is this so scary? It's just math right? We can always hit algebra again with a better text right? Meanwhile he's thrilled. He's practically memorized all the Fred books up to this point, reads them daily, and sleeps with them.

Following. I'll admit we are touring the Montessori school as a solution to this challenge but that's unlikely to pan out so I need ideas. So far I've got: Simple puzzles Lacing cards (she's got crazy good fine motor skills) Duplos Play food and dishes Small magnetic train and tracks (from IKEA) Washable crayons and lots and lots of paper Magnadoodle Magnetic dress up dolls (the wood version of paper dolls Melissa and Doug make) I'm crossing my fingers the 2 year old and the 5 year old will play together nicely so LegoMan can get some work done.

I'm thankful I'm not the only person who has these dreams. I have two master's degrees and yet this dream pops up every 6 months or so. When I was teaching it was a senior level course so at that point it was honestly the community college transfers who were still struggling. As far as I know they all graduated but it wasn't with good grades.

Presidents vs. Aliens, DragonBox, and Reading Rainbow.

Lately it feels I spend almost as much time self-educating as I do teaching the kids. It feels like a lot (and almost too much) sometimes but I do find the quality of my teaching has greatly improved as my knowledge of each subject deepens.

I'd start with Latin Alive. You can always take it a bit more slowly if it becomes necessary.

Fred. Over and over.

We are dumping formal grammar to leave a large chunk each day for Latin. I may dump spelling too. He's a natural speller and probably doesn't need it but I haven't made peace with quitting AAS when we are half way through level 5.

If he's breezing through the workbook I'd use the IP instead. That is one of the major things I like about Singapore, it's totally customizable to the needs of the child.

I really liked the series starting with level 3. With an older kids I'd start there.

This is only our 2nd formal year HS (didn't get too crazy with K) but this is my first year doing major planning. I got the 30 day trial for Homeschool Planet and so far I really like it. I've got literature, writing, reading (ArtsyGirl) and spelling scheduled for the year. Math will just be scheduled as we go since it's impossible to predict how quickly they will move but at least I have the curriculum chosen. I still have to schedule Latin but the books will be here tomorrow. The big one I have to work on is science. I'd like to get BFSU totally scheduled out including all resources through Christmas break. BFSU fell apart last year once I ran out of pre-planned lessons and work got crazy.

LegoMan and ArtsyGirl will graduate a month before they turn 18. Assuming The Monkey stars at 5 she will turn 18 six weeks after graduation.

Can't wait to read that book with my kids.

LegoMan taught himself at 3.5 and was fully fluent by 4. He loves to read but isn't a huge fan if being read too.

The religious factor kills it for us. But it is lovely to daydream about. I've got a serious crush on a lot of CAPs stuff right now.

I'm an employer. I do ask for resumes because we don't have a formal application like most very large businesses. I would want to see where he is in high school, any volunteer work he's done (since this is his first job), any relevant skills he has, and any impressive work related skills he has even if they aren't directly applicable to the job he's applying for. References who are not friends or family members too (including an indication of how he knows them). While references can be submitted separately, seeing them up front tells me someone has "professional" references. It's sometimes hard for a high school student to come up with some. I've been doing this a long time (was a manager for many years before I owned a company) and I have yet to see an "objective" that wasn't a load of useless trash. I ignore them or laugh over them. If I'm bringing on a high level manager, I suppose an objective might actually communicate something valuable (although I can't recall one that did) but I cannot fathom what a high school student could put down as an objective that wouldn't be 1) obvious or 2) nonsense.