Thanks for the timely post. :-) We're using year 1 in the fall for 1 dialectic stage child and 1 upper grammar stage child. I've been reading all the TOG posts lately with :bigear:

:thumbup: Wow! What a deal!!!

We completed Science 2 and 4 this year. I would estimate that what the student themselves sees, in these two years, is 99% secular. For example, in Science 4, the book that the student reads that covers the origin of the earth is The Usborne Internet-Linked Book of Astronomy & Space. What the student sees on their worksheet: Discuss questions 6-9 with Mom or Dad. 6. Do you think the Big Bang theory agrees with what the Bible says about creation? Explain. (pp. 8-9) 7. Does the Big Bang theory raise any questions in your mind? If so, write one here. (pp. 8-9) 8. If scientists believe that everything exploded into existence at the Big Bang, what do they think caused it? What do you think caused it? (pp. 8-9) 9. Do you think it's a better explanation to believe the universe came into existence as a result of the undirected process of a Big Bang or as a result of an intelligently directed process (God)? (pp. 8-9)

Aww. So cute! Maybe we should get our Rottie a little cart. :)

Sorry you're still waiting. My little man came 5 days early. :) Gestational diabetes is a thing of the past and I've been overcompensating for the lack of simple carbs during my last trimester in the past 16 days. :D

This was our experience as well. My ds is not a natural speller; I helped him spell whatever words he couldn't get as they came up. By the end of the year dictation was a snap.

:iagree: I browsed it for a few minutes and didn't see anything I would consider developmentally inappropriate.

I think it is fine. This is the schedule my second grader had this past year: History Silent Reading: 15-30 minutes X 5 days Bible: 15-20 minutes X 5 days Science: 30 minutes X 5 days Penmanship: 10-15 minutes X 3 days Spelling: 15 minutes X 4 days Math: 60 minutes X 5 days History (with brother): 30-60 minutes X 2-3 days Poetry Memorization: 5 minutes X 5 days Grammar: 15 minutes X 3 days Writing: 15 minutes X 4 days Literature Silent Reading: 45 minutes X 5 days

"We aim to please. You aim, too, please." :)

I haven't read the comments yet, but will do so in a minute. The first thing that struck me was, "how on earth did she (or the bank!) expect to pay back a $100,000 loan with a degree in religious and women’s studies?"

Umm ... the author is Peter Enns. http://peterennsonline.com/about/

2003, I think. Oldest ds was 3 and we knew we couldn't put him into our nearby school for K4. Private school wasn't an affordable option, so we started researching homeschooling. :-)

Kari, I am so sorry for your loss. :(

:iagree: It was awful!

That's wonderful! Congratulations to them! :-)

Since I assume they've swapped the normal espresso for a liqueur, I'd go with Kahlua.

:iagree: I don't really understand how homeschooling per se could negatively impact my marriage. Dh and I have always had a wonderful relationship. We both try to see each other's point of view and have rarely felt an issue was our hill to die on. Have we gone through hard times? Yes, but those weren't really homeschooling related marriage problems, but life problems (death, sickness, finance, job change, etc.) I could see how certain behaviors I've seen mentioned or applauded here regarding homeschooling could negatively impact a marriage, but I tend to think those personalities would have the same selfish, self-destructive pattern whether they were homeschooling, private-schooling, or public schooling. Homeschooling has made us a much tighter-knit family overall. We have time for each other and we know each other. :iagree: I worked full-time for a year and a half before our second son was born. That was the most stressful time in my life! I wouldn't trade my life now for anything. :-)

What about Sonlight Science K? We haven't used K, but we're on the last two weeks of Science 2 and 4 and really enjoyed our year of science. I've already purchased 3 and 6 for next year.

I print out a weekly schedule for each subject for each child in Excel. We keep the current week's schedule in the clear front pocket of a 1 inch three ring binder, and as each week passes, we three-hole punch, and put the completed schedule inside. To make the list for you, I just grabbed my fourth grader's binder and typed up what was on his schedule each week. Our reading list is what I come up with at the beginning of the year plus additions as the school year progresses. Or we have weeks where I just can't think of anything and put "pick a library book" or "your choice". I wanted to add that for history reading, I assign reading pages each day, so each day will say: "Read chap. 1" or "Read chap. 1-2" or "Read pages 1-50, etc." For literature reading, I have them read for time. My second grader reads for 45 minutes and my fourth grader reads for 60 minutes.

I glanced through the lists above. Yes, Door in the Wall is longer, but The Revenge of Ishtar or The Little Brown Jay both could be read in about 15-20 minutes. I think the lists are completely reasonable. Both my current 4th grader and 2nd grader read (to themselves), on average, 2 chapter books a week; one book for history literature and one for literature-literature, if that makes sense. History reading was first thing in the am, literature reading was last thing in the afternoon. Here are the books both boys read for history (in addition to reading SOTW aloud as a group): With Lee in Virginia Anchor's Aweigh: The Story of David Glasgow Farragut Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders The Building of the First Transcontinental Railroad Custer's Last Stand America's First World War: General Pershing and the Yanks The Good Fight: How WWII Was Won by Stephen Ambrose Midway: Battle for the Pacific Invasion: The Story of D-Day The War in the Pacific: From Pearl Harbor to Okinawa The US Frogmen of WWII The War in Korea: 1950-1953 Americans into Orbit Meet Martin Luther King, Jr. The Breadwinner Parvana's Journey Children of the Storm Home of the Brave Here are some of the books my 4th grader read for literature: Midshipman Hornblower Lieutenant Hornblower A Wrinkle in Time Time Cat The Saturdays Dave Darrin's First Year at Annapolis Dave Darrin's Second Year at Annapolis Dave Darrin's Third Year at Annapolis Dave Darrin's Fourth Year at Annapolis Dick Prescott's First Year at West Point Dick Prescott's Second Year at West Point Dick Prescott's Third Year at West Point Dick Prescott's Fourth Year at West Point A Christmas Carol Robinson Crusoe Robin Hood To Kill a Mockingbird The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Navy Blue and Gold One day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich Number the Stars The Diary of Anne Frank Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Anne of Green Gables The Book of Three The Black Cauldron The Castle of Llyr Taran Wanderer The High King Crispin The Master Puppeteer The Omnivore's Dilemma for Kids The Never Ending Story The Sword in the Stone Watership Down The Black Stallion The Twenty-One Balloons Both kids read more than the books listed, but these are the only ones I have recorded. Honestly, it's hard to keep up with them sometimes. I have weeks on their schedules where I just write "Your pick" because I couldn't think of anything to have them read. On those weeks, they could pick from our home library.

Excellent article. Thanks for posting it. OP, have you read: How Not to Talk to Your Kids: The inverse power of praise By Po Bronson I highly recommend it. Snip from article:

Wow. Anyone that would think that of you hasn't been here long. :)

Going to church. Coming home. Taking a nap. Going back to church. Coming Home. Bed. :)

We finally received the packet today in case others are still waiting. :)

I would start flash cards and timed math sheets every day tacked onto the beginning of your regular math lesson. It shouldn't take more than 5-10 minutes daily. My 2nd and 4th grader have them down cold due to this method.