We sold our last house when our 5th was a baby. We packed up 80% of our stuff and lined it neatly in the garage (packed in moving boxes). We had very little furniture left in the house, nothing on the walls, and a rubber maid bin with homeschool stuff. We painted everything from ceiling to floorboards, inside of cupboards, etc. so it all looked fresh and new. We sold our house within 2 weeks in a sad market for our asking price.

Would you consider this abuse or just neglect: no physical initimacy (for years - though he has admitted porn addiction in the past and she has caught him self stim). Not contributing financially (for years) or contributing just enough to stay at a level of poverty. Not interacting with spouse on an emotional level. My friend also suspects that he may have abused their dd. Her symptoms range from depression to compulsion to emotional infutuation with married men, enmeshment (unhealthy) with dd, to paranoia. thoughts?

I know that when I am excited about learning my kids will be too. This year I have a "spine" that we are following but I am using it as a jumping off point to build a year-long unit study . We are doing geography notebooks that continue to evolve and lots of read alouds from our shelves and memory work and timelines. I love how Jennifer uses video cams. Both my boys want blogs and I'm thinking that might just be the ticket to really get their writing/keyboarding up to speed. Also, we spend a lot of time talking. We do a lot of narration around here. Who said what, what was that called, what date did it happen, who else do we know, etc. My kids, at least, love the interaction, and so do I. When we aren't interacting, I am bored and boring as a homeschool momma. And my kids see their dad and I learning; he is studying Hebrew, I am studying gardening and blogging, etc. They are invovled in those things with us. We welcome their input and encourage them to inspire and teach us about what they know.

Last year we were invovled in what looked like a rigorous academic program. My very bright, then 13 yo hated it. The pride and egotism that were part of the co-op portion of the program weighed him down, he always felt behind and "lost." He writes slowly and couldn't keep up with the note-taking, etc. This year we are using Omnibus, just us. While he would rather be outside all day, he is doing the program, not with joy, but with diligence. I think both are obtainable. It takes perserverance to find the program, currciulum, method that might work with each of our kids, but that is part of the beauty of homeschooling. And we will probably have to sacrifice certain things for others, but IRL we do that all the time.

Stacy- that is a great point. I will hold off and think about that. I appreciate your .02!

I have a 16 year spread. The littles get up early and the older one want to start talking at 10p.m.! The thing that has really helped me with the littles is to be involved in a co-op. This year I am in a small co-op of 6 families. I have the oldest kids (again) but we are doing poetry, drama, and grammar, etc. The littles and middles are doing geo, science, art, " memory work. It's been great to have a day devoted to more unit studies and things the littles are into. I feel bad that it's a "wasted day" almost academically for my older kids and was actually really struggling with that last week. But my dh stepped in and reminded me that I need to get out, the little kids need focused on and we always have Saturday's for homeschool, too. So, we continue to do co-op. And, I have made notebooks for my 5 yo this year. She is loving it. It means "real school" to her and that she is included. I also do a lot of our read-aloud reading outside at the swingset when it's nice. My 5 yo can play and the kids can swing and it all works. I have my older kids participate in memory work and timelines. It's a hard balance. I'll be interested in reading what everyone else has to say. :grouphug: as you care for your kiddos!

Check out Bethleham Books and Beatiful Feet catalogs.

I live about an hour from where they settled in SD and it just amazes me that this part of the country was settled. It's blazing hot in the summer, freezing cold in the winter. There's still hardly anybody here ;). The farming is good but it is in milder parts of the country, too. I think, maybe that we've lost the appreciation for what it meant to own land and to be so connected with it farming.

I have been friends with a gal for over 25 years (egads I've lived awhile!) and she's been calling lately asking for "advice." The bottom line is that her marriage stinks. Really.Stinks. It's not a marriage, they just co-habitat. So, tonight, I am sending her an email. It's pretty tough and pointed. I hope she hears it in the spirit that I am sending it. Which is I love her and hope the best for her. What she has isn't the best. Life is never what we expect, is it? It really got me thinking about courage, which I blogged about. And in conclusion I really appreciate these boards and all of you who post regularly. You inspire me to do what I am doing with zeal!

It sounds like you have a fun day planned. I would suggest The Story of the World for History (SOTW). Read it aloud or buy the CD's, or both = ). Sonlight catalog has an great selection of history reads as does Beautiful Feet and others. I love the SOTW though because it is sequential. There are also cooresponding activity guides that go along. I would do a little more memory work. Poetry is a great place to start. "Language Aquisition Through Poetry" by Andrew Pudewa (IEW) is terrific. And of course, I'd suggest reading TWTM to get a good overview of what's out there, how to plan, organize and implement. Have fun :001_smile:

We've already graduated one with another graduating in the spring. It's been a sweet ride and we are looking forward to the rest of it :001_smile: (18 years down, 12 to go!)

What a beautiful tribute to this young man. I hope that at some point you can share that with the family. I love the quote on Roan Inish, "The only real tragedy in life is dying before you are old." You captured that poignantly.

Emilie Barnes has a tea party book for girls with a horse party in it- very cute ideas. Do you have any Breyer horses you could decorate with? Centerpice: boot (clean, of course) sitting on a bandana, with flowers in it (very cute). Gift bags: Bandanas (oriental trading has bandanas and hats). Craft: have everyone make a neckerchief fastener with sculpey that they take home. Play horseshoe toss. have fun :001_smile:

The first hint of fall makes me want to cry. Winter's here are hard and long; especially after living in NM and CA for the 14 years before this stint. I know I'm a weather weeny but southwest winters are heavenly; vs here where they are artic. I'll be doing enough soups, bread and cooking soon enough. For now, I am still revealing in being outside with one layer on, sleeping without socks and a sweatshirt, and reading at the swingseat while my kiddos snuggle kittens and are barefoot.

Great lists so far. Nothing very exciting to add:graham crackers and milk, homemade yogurt with jam stirred in, homemade applesauce - just toss apples into crockpot, add sugar (or honey), cinnamon, nutmeg and let it cook all day. Cook longer and you have apple butter (My kids love this, where they won't touch store bought), scrambled eggs, pancakes with p.b. They also love homemade rolls (bread dough formed into loaved. I load it up with flax seeds, wheat germ and oatmeal so it's filling; nacho chips and cheese (Sams).

GROW BIOINTENSIVE workshops with John Jeavons John Jeavons has been the Director of the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Mini-Farming program for Ecology Action since 1972. He is the author of How to Grow More ... www.johnjeavons.info/ - 7k - Cached - Similar pages I was going to suggest John Jeavons as well. Books are great, the log book is helpful, there is a newsletter. You'll learn a lot. Have fun!!

Our daily routine: up, eat, a.m. jobs, sit down at the table together for memory work and stuff we're doing together. This usually takes us to noon. My dh works from home 3 mornings a week so on those days I usually make a decent lunch. Then I usually check email and the Hive and try not to get caught! Afternoons consist of reading outloud, going over work with the older kids, gardening, listening to CD's. We continue jobs (laundry and pick-up), Latin cards, etc. I plan our school year heavily in the summer. I use Donna Young's goals form which lists subject, goals and curriculum. I have this in the front of a school planner in which I write down what we've done as we do it. I have a well-laid plaln in my head, but there are a lot of details so it's more for my own accountability and to make sure that we've touched on everything I want to work on during the week. Friday's are co-op days and we get a lot of subjects done on that day. The bulk of memory work, writing, math, history and geography are done M-Th.

My dh worked from home this a.m. and took a late morning jog down our country road with the boys. Down the road they go; my dh, just shorter, my 14 you and then my little guy, keeping up:). They are just all so darn cute! My 8 yo kept up the whole way-it made his day. Is my dh great or what?

Such awesome responses, ya'll. Thank-you:001_smile:. Anymore? Keep em' coming!:001_smile:

Maybe it IS the curriculum. It's so hands on. My 8 yo loves the abacus but doing math-kwim? I honestly think he'd rather have a workbook.

I did! Like Angela, I was expressive!!

I get math, I'm great at mental math. I just can't stand to teach it. I avoid it (althougth we do memorize math facts). My dh says it's becasue I'm a pragmatist at heart so I have all of these mental shortcuts. Maybe. I just find myself getting so frustrated with how long it takes my littles to figure out basic stuff (and I'm not pushing too hard- my 8yo is still in level 'B" of ALAbacus). What is my problem?

I want to second Beth's recommendations. I used to work for Hugh Ross at Reasons to Believe and his conclusions resonate with my dh and I more than anything else.

:grouphug:I hope that your heart heals. I have been a Chrisitan for over 20 years. The past 4 years I have led a lot of homeschooling activities, started them, poured my heart into them, created experiences and groups that did not exist. I have never led a group that has been exclusive but we have always had clear statements and expressions of faith. All people are welcome if they respect that. Frankly, my kids and I have both been treated horribly by some of the poeple that we have served. Served as in, we have poured our money, curriculum, time, and hearts into their children and families. Just this spring 2 very painful situations came up because of people's selfish, self-satisfied ideas. I don't think I'm over it yet. All of that to say; people are people, regardless of whether they are Christian, or Hindu or Pagen. We are all in the process of figuring it out, we are all on the journey. I know that God is going to use this experience to grow these other people as well as you and your dd. I hope that Love will prevail. :grouphug:

This is a pretty open-ended question. I am really curious what it is that you want your kid(s) to learn as you homeschool. Grammar, belief in God, ability to learn, French? Please be specific. And how do you teach them/ test them so that you know you've been successful?