I joined, I think! Thanks for doing this!

Most definitely Winnie-the-Pooh and House at Pooh Corner. They are big-time favorites around here!

Oh, I am so there with 'ya! Stinkin' Olympics!

Welcome, Carrie!! Always glad to have another!:001_smile:

I update only about once a week. I started my blog because we moved cross-country and this was an easy, efficient way to update family and friends.

Raising Hand!! We will be starting on Wed. Aug 27th. Don't tell my kiddos, but our first day of school is going to be a day at the beach! Ahhh, the perks of homeschooling!

You know, this was the reason we decided to drop spelling all together. My children do not struggle with spelling, a fact for which I am very thankful. Doing spelling was just another thing we had to fit into the schedule. We have gone 3 years without any kind of spelling here. We address spelling mistakes as they come up, and that seems to suffice. I would recommend you go with your gut. If your little people don't seem to need it, I'd go ahead and drop it for a while. You can always pick it back up if need be. To answer your larger question: Not everything in our homeschool is fun and over-the-top successful, and that's OK. It's a great character building lesson to be diligent in one's work, even when it isn't thrilling, as I'm sure you know. As long as learning is happening, I usually just keep on keeping on. HTH,

I haven't read all of the posts, but my 6th grader's absolute all-time favorite series is the Redwall Series by Brian Jacques. I think he has read them all 2-3 times!

Yes, yes, yes!! We have been doing this since my 4th was about 18 months old. It is one of the big reasons that our days go so smoothly. It also forces the older child to serve the younger, which is something we are always working on around here. I want my children to "prefer others ahead of themselves" and this is a wonderful, practical way to practice that. I do, however, have the kids start some schoolwork while I oversee the little guy first thing. This allows them to feel as though they've accomplished something. My 9 year old daughter is like yours and would not like waiting to start her work! HTH,

We begin copywork in K and schedule it 4 days a week. We have a copywork jar that I fill with folded up slips with copywork (written by me) on it. They can choose 2 out of the jar and pick the one they prefer. The other goes back into the jar. My K-er will simply do sentences from Phonics Pathways. Once they get better at forming their letters I have a file of copywork selections from Scripture and books we've read. They get progressively longer as the kids get older. My oldest 2 stopped doing the copywork jar when they were in 4th-5th grade. However, every Monday morning they add to their Proverbs copywork book that they began a couple of years ago. They are copying down the whole book of Proverbs. Why do I think copywork is so important? First, it is great handwriting practice. If I can have them practicing their handwriting while reading and ingesting great sentences I'm happy. Secondly, I choose well written sentences and paragraphs that deal with all of the grammar they are learning: commas, quotations, semicolons, etc. It reinforces what they have already learned and serves as good practice. Third, it is a great way to expose them to wonderful vocabulary. Fourth, it helps with spelling. Constantly seeing and writing words helps them to remember how they are spelled. I don't think copywork is absolutely necessary in a great education, but around here it is helping. HTH, Nancy

Yes! I have been posting here for 7 years and there are very, very few people who would even recognize me! I guess I'm always afraid people will not understand my sense of humor without seeing my face.

Oh yeah! My husband was literally pushed up against the wall! Not fun!

I think you can go ahead and relax. It's all going to be OK! Since your daughter is so young, I would really just focus on the SOTW reading and one or two great books with pictures per chapter. Do some of the fun projects and call it a day. She doesn't need to remember everything (and she won't!), she just needs to have her appetite for history whetted. And SOTW will definitely do that! Take a deep breath and dont fret one more minute!

Congratulations!! The only concern I can really speak to is the being induced early because of the baby's size. My 4th baby was 10lbs. 4oz and had shoulder dystocia during delivery. It was extremely scary and something I did NOT want to duplicate with baby #5. My OB was great and agreed to induce me 2 weeks early. He was 8lbs. at 38 weeks gestation, so I am glad we didn't wait! Enjoy your pregnancy and congratulations!!

My husband always makes a complainer list three things he/she is thankful for right there on the spot. Thankfulness is a great antidote to grumbling.

Absolutely NONE during the week. I actually keep my make-up in the car because the only time I wear it is Sundays and I put it on on the way to church!

I can maybe top that: My five year old just realized you aren't supposed to put the floss pick back in the bag after using it! After 6 months or so of doing it. He's also king of back-washing. I guess we have some basic hygiene issues to work on with him!

here's mine!

YIPPEE! Welcome to the world little man!

My littlest guy is only 19 months right now, but since he's #5 we've been down this path before. First off, our family really thrives with a pretty rigid schedule a la Managers of Their Homes (MOTH). After breakfast my 4 big kids do their Bible reading, chores, and memory page. During this time my little guy watches a Baby Einstein (dubbed "Baby Crack" around here because of the uncanny way he will sit still and watch it!) Then we spend some time reading together. He also spends 45-60 minutes playing quietly in his pack and play, which he has been trained to do over the past year. We spend 30 minutes outside walking around the neighborhood mid-morning. The big kids ride bikes and my little guy walks. This is GREAT exercise for him and helps get all that energy out! Then he spends time with a snack in his highchair while we do our read-aloud time. Other activities include: spending time playing one-on-one with each sibling, coloring in his high chair, playing in the sink, puzzle time, and God bless him (!!!!) a 3 1/2 - 4 hour nap in the afternoon. I find, as other posters have said, that when he knows the expectations and we follow a schedule he will be pretty compliant throughout the day. Of course, he IS a toddler, so he will inevitably get into trouble periodically.:001_smile: I also have learned that having my kids start their day out playing on the computer can be a source of daily angst. (Ask me how I know? :lol:) They are then in play mode and I typically have trouble forcing them to change gears. How about having your other son begin with reading or copywork that he could do quietly while you spend some time with the toddler? I have found saving computer time for when schoolwork is completed is a great motivator, too. HTH,

Phonics Pathways & SOTW have been used in this house for 6 years Singapore Math for 5 years

We are in the same boat here. I have a 10 year old going through SOTW2 for the 2nd time and an 8 year old coming at it for the first. Now I am still in the planning stages, so I can't completely answer your question, but I can tell you what I'm planning to do. My 10 year old is an avid reader, so I intend to use sources such as the Veritas Press and Sonlight catalogs and Honey for a Child's Heart to beef up the reading for her. (So far I've got Beowulf and Otto of the Silver Hand...that type of thing.) I will also schedule in some outlining from the Kingfisher Encyclopedia. We are completing the Remedia outlining book which is reommended in TWTM this summer, so hopefully this will come more easily for her than it did last year. I am not going to have her do too much writing, as we are doing CW Homer this year and she's not in love with the idea of writing :001_smile: We will continue with the maps offered in SOTW, but I was thinking I could have her do more than is asked of her in the AG. As far as timelines, we have been using the History Through the Ages Record of Time book put out by Amy Pak at Homeschool in the Woods. We absolutely LOVE it. I like being able to have all 4 years of our history rotation in one book, and the illustrations are wonderfully detailed and described. I highly recommend it! I hope this is helpful. Enjoy your year!

and, I agree, 08-08-08 would be a very cool birthday... Or 08-09, which just happens to be my birthday! Blessings to you and your little bun!

Because I feel exactly the same way. I usually dive into the planning with gusto, but this year there's nuthin'. So, obviously I can't really help you, but I can say I know exactly how you feel! I just completed our schedule, which did help a bit. Maybe it's just the feeling that there's too much on my plate, and as I chip away I will be more into it. Good luck. Here's to a great year!!:001_smile:

Congratulations!