Thank you for your insights! You both have given me things to think about. OhElizabeth, I think you nailed our problem - we have a history problem, not a narration problem. Or, rather, a history book problem. Elle likes history, as long as it's presented in a fun way. She read Pocahontas and the Strangers in 3 days and talked about the book for 5 minutes when we came across Pocahontas' name in the history book she hates so much. She read The Birchbark House in 4 days and was able to tell me about each day's reading. She finished Pedro's Journal and not only narrated the book to me, but was able to hypothesize about why Pedro wouldn't want to go on another journey using examples from the book. I guess I'm stuck on her being able to retain and retell her history lessons because I think she should be able to do this (public school thinking, maybe?). She spells very well (on the same level as her reading), but doesn't like to write. She just learned cursive and it takes her a while to write everything out, which frustrates her. I've suggested she print, but she says she learned cursive and that's what she wants to use. JennW, I picked up a copy of the WTM at the library (and ordered my own copy) and I really like the way the history lessons are laid out. I'm thinking of using SOTW next year. Elle seems to be interested in the children and women of the periods we've covered. She likes the books we're reading for ASI and also likes the American Girl/American Diary books at the library. She hasn't expressed interest in one area or wanted to do any further indepth studying or reading yet, but I'm encouraging her to let me know if there is. Thank you both for the wise words and support. :)

My dd8 went to a public school for K-2, so this is our first year homeschooling. She is reading on a 6/7th grade level with her vocabulary and spelling skills are at the same level. We've already modified our program (Winterpromise American Story I) and don't do the spelling work (Spellwell books B and Bb) as she finds them too easy and boring. She's gets angry when she does something she feels is too simple or condescending to her. The problem is that she cannot seem to narrate in any way, shape or form, our non-fiction history readings. She does very well with books she enjoys, but when it comes to nonfiction, she cannot seem to remember the material. She says it's boring and she doesn't like to read boring stuff (I can't say as I blame her; I can't remember but a tiny portion of my history classes). I've tried a number of different ways of helping her. We've tried taking one and two sentences and breaking them down to summarize. She ends up reading through the sentences 3 or 4 times, then repeating them almost word for word. I've asked her to tell me what she thought was important from the paragraph. I get a blank stare, sometimes with tears. I've asked her to tell me anything she remembers, anything at all. Another blank stare. I've suggested she write down her narration, either using free form writing or a who, what, why, where, when style form. She dislikes writing as much as she dislikes narration. I've gotten out maps and found other material to reinforce our reading and hopefully help her to remember. It worked to a degree; after reading about Henry Hudson twice in her history book, looking at two maps, making a map, watching a video on explorers and then seeing him referenced later in her history book did she finally remember what he did. She couldn't remember why he sailed up the Hudson, who he was sailing for, or what he did later - just that he sailed up the Hudson River. I've considered adding WWE to our curriculm to help her learn how to narrate and to help her writing skills, but I'm worried that it may be too easy for her. She likes to be challenged but is also easily frustrated (what a combination! :) ). I'd love to hear any advice or suggestions anyone may have. We've both been dreading our history readings and it's gotten to the point that I'm just want to skip them all.

Thank you! :)

I'm considering buying the WWE program for my daughter, but am a bit confused as to what I need to buy. Do I need to buy the workbook and the Instructor Text? It looks like I could do well without the IT, but want to make sure.

One more vote for Winterpromise!

I'm planning on knitting a blanket, a hat and a scarf for my FIL this year. He saw the baby blankets I made for my sister's twins and went on and on about how much he'd love to have some hand knit things, so...:) I'll also be making a scarf for my mom, hats for my sister's babies, and a shawl for my sister. My kids will each get a set of flannel pajamas and some clothes for their teddy bears. I'm planning on making up some cookie or muffin mixes for my nephews - they love to cook. I'd love to make some homemade preserves, but the last batch I tried didn't come out so well, so I may wait until next year and get some more practice in. Wow! Looking at that list, I should have started last month.

Have you seen anything else that concerns you? What does her mother think ("mommy radar")? Does she understand things that are said to her? At 15 months, my son had maybe 10 words. He understood me when I spoke but just didn't talk. I taught him some basic signs and he communicated quite well that way. He had about 50 signs he used at 18 months but only about dozen words or so. Our doctor said not to worry about it - some kids are late talkers. Now I can't get him to stop talking! He chatters all day long - to me, to his sister, to his stuffed animals, to his toys, to himself... Each child is different and each will develop at their own rate. Our oldest didn't say her first word until she was 9 months old and developed steadily (but slowly) after that. Our middle child started talking at 6 months and could carry on a coherent conversation with an adult by the time she was 2 years old.

We roll out or flatten canned biscuits. They brown up nicely and the taste is pretty close to a regular pizza crust.

Our oldest (now 19) was about 8 or 9. Our middle child (now 8) was 5. She was reading quite well in Kindergarten. Our youngest (4) isn't reading yet, but can remember what I read very well.

I don't know if they're bad names, but I heard these names hollered on the playground over the weekend: Diesel, Rocket, Ranger, Gunner, and Fidelis. We live near a military base. My husband has a friend from high school who's last name is Daniels. He named his sons Jack and Charlie.

We're still trying to find our groove and I'm beginning to get discouraged. On the good side, I really like the curriculm we have. Elle is doing very well in grammar and math, and is enjoying science. Mac has flown through his HWOT book and is ready for the Letter of the Week or Explode the Code. He's learning to count beyond 10 and is doing simple addition all on his own. Both kids are in swimming lessons and doing very well. But I'm having trouble sticking to a schedule and getting organized. There seems to be so much going on in our week that we sometimes go a day or two without any lessons at all. I know I should be keeping better records and keeping Elle's work better organized, but I cannot seem to get it done. Elle doesn't care for narrating and that makes me dread history lessons. I've stopped asking her to summarize and just talk about what she read, but I end up hearing a lot of "Well, there were these guys and they went, I don't remember where they went, and they found some land and stayed there then went home, but I don't remember where their home was." She whines and complains about handwriting and notebooking, and threw tantrum yesterday when I assigned her a short poem to copy. The first four weeks were wonderful; even days we were on the go, we were able to make up the lessons later. Now, however, I'm wondering if it's too late to send her to school. *sigh* I think this needs a post of it's own.

Friday is sometimes our catch-up day. Tomorrow, Elle will be doing the few things we didn't get around to doing this week because of appointments. She doesn't have too many things to do, but they can be time consuming when she stops working to complain about working on a Friday. :tongue_smilie: When we're not playing catch up, Friday is usually our fun day. We'll go to one of the museums, bake something, have a game day or movie afternoon or do something else the kids enjoy.

Wow. I could have written this post, only not quite as eloquently. And I, too, often feel like a fraud in many of the local Christian groups, to the point where I no longer attend any groups that are bible-based (which leaves me a bit high and dry). I feel like I'm expected to be something I'm not even though no one has said anything to me about my beliefs.

I homeschool them for their basic lessons, but outsource swimming lessons and chess. Elle wants to take up fencing so I'll be finding someone else to instruct her in that, as well.

I have to dress up once a year and I dread it. I feel like I'm wearing a costume all evening. A formal dress, heels, hair in an up-do, jewelry - it's just not me. I'd love to be able to wear a tux and be comfortable. Or better yet, just stay home.

I've seen these at the bookstore but never checked them out. Thanks! Good idea! I didn't even think of that. I guess I was so focused on having a curriculm that I didn't even consider doing on my own. Thank you for all of this! I was having trouble locating the free thread, so double thanks. :)

I didn't choose a geography curriculm at the beginning of this year because I didn't want Elle to be overwhelmed with work. Things are going very well and we're finishing our lessons in good time, so I'd like to add in geography. We're using Winter Promise American Story I for our spine, if that makes a difference in any recommendations. I'd like to keep our geography studies in line with our main area of study, but am certainly not against a whole world approach at this point, either.

I'm using Pre-level 1 with my daughter and we use the text, student manual and the teacher's manual each time we do a lesson. The Teacher's Manual gives instructions along with the items needed and tips on how to set up the experiments with each chapter. For example, we're doing Experiment 4 today and without the TM I wouldn't have known to prepare the cabbage for the project.

Happy anniversay and congratulations on 16 years!

Our library had several toys we could check out and our favorite was Richard Scarry's town playset. We could check it out once a month and keep it for a week and we had that playset every month for two years or more.

This was a song that was sung every week at my grandmother's church. Grandma always hung her sheets out on the line and I always thought they were singing "Bringing in the Sheets". :)

For DD (8): WP American Story I. She loves the books she's reading. She's a bit bored with the Grammar and Spelling portions of the LA curriculm, though. For DS(4): HWT Get Set for School and Starfall.

I'm teaching American History this year (3rd grade). Our curriculm doles it out in one week lessons - last week was Native Americans, this week is the Vikings and Leif Eriksson, next week is Columbus. It's more of a quick overview and I know I'll need to go back over everything in more depth later on. I'm kind of wishing I had started with World History first.

Happy Belated Birthday! I turned 40 on Monday and I feel better about myself than I ever have.

I think Weird Al did a spin-off with this title. :) Count me in with the 400 children and Reverend Blue Jeans. My oldest daughter thought the Oakridge Boys were singing about He77 Pirates instead of Elvira. And I thought Stevie Nicks was singing about a one-winged dove instead of a white winged dove.