I agree with LFC A. This is something he is doing with his older brother. He showed interest and keeps up with our current Latin. It was recommended to me to take 2 weeks for each lesson and incorporate all the extra activities. This will help with both boys. We love SOTW. I don't do everything with it. We read together and they do the activity pages. We will add the tests next year. I thought GTG would be a fun "filler" that wouldn't be heavy on history...more an introduction to countries and cultures. Is that right? Thanks for taking the time to look. I will check out 1-2-3 Draw and the Childhood of Famous Americans.

I am working on next year for my ds. He is 7 going into 2nd grade. Language Art CLE LA 200 CLE Reading 200 WWE 2 (We will finish GWG 1/2, WWE 1, SW B, Sylvan Vocabulary and penmanship exercises this year) Math CLE Math 200 (We will finish Saxon 1) History SOTW 2 (Whenever we finish SOTW 1) Science ??? (Well, um...I have a Zoo Pass) Latin LFC A (We will finish Song School Latin) Geography GTG PE continue with organized community class Art considering CLE Art or a community class Music would like to start lesson Bible continue with AWANA and home devotionals considering a Bible curriculum...maybe CLE On the side... Mind Benders BB2 English from the Roots Up (flashcards) Would like to find... US History - I would like something we can pick up and read anytime that introduces famous Americans, important dates, inventions. Any thoughts on Children's Encyclopedia of American History? Please feel free to comment! We had some flops this year. Keep in mind, some subjects he will be doing with his older brother. Thanks!

When I tell people I homeschool...some ask if I have a degree. Some ask if I am a certified teacher. Some just ask if I am smart enough. They follow that with "I couldn't go back and teach Chemistry or Physics". I couldn't either...and I don't plan on it. I plan on finding curriculum that can teach them. I tell people that I facilitate learning. I don't "teach" anything. We learn together. My boys are learning Latin. I wrote on a post today that I don't know Latin from pig latin! But we use a great program and they are learning it. We all have fun with it and I am there to help and support if there is a question or a problem. I have a good head on my shoulders, a passion for providing the best opportunities for my children, and a copy of TWTM. That plus the Answer Key and my kids will have the best education money couldn't buy! You will do great! Best of luck!

I found CLE while searching for a new math program. I stumbled on their LA and LOVE IT! I used GWG 1/2 and 3. We liked it. It's easy, quick, and independent. Each day we follow GWG with lessons in spelling, vocabulary, penmanship, and writing. CLE LA had all that in each lesson. I like incorporating grammar with spelling and penmanship...etc. Also, it seems to me that it covers a bit more than GWG. I think this because my ds took the placement test today and had to skip quite a few question because he had not been introduced to that concept yet. He has almost completed GWG 1/2. It has been fairly easy for him. He will go into CLE LA 200. There will be overlap, but he will cover some of the those concepts GWG had not gotten to up to this point. My other ds will go into LA 400, but he will be doing extra practice for a while until he masters each concept. I like that CLE has that extra practice available if you need it, but lets you skip forward if you are ready. I am excited about CLE LA. But know that GWG was good for us and I would still recommend it.

We also do Song School Latin and LOVE it! This is our first year of Latin. There is a workbook and CD. Each lesson has a few songs. The songs are fun and easy. The workbook is just as fun and easy. Lessons are fairly short. My goal was to gently introduce them to Latin. I didn't want them to be intimidated or frustrated by a foreign language. My boys love it. They ask to do it. They speak it to each other when playing. I think they are really impressed with themselves sometimes. And I am happy that they are enjoying it and learning all at the same time. We will move into Latin for Children A next year (I think). I know challenges are ahead when learning any foreign language, but Song School Latin was a great success at this level. This review coming from a mom who doesn't even know pig Latin! Rest assured, you do NOT need to know anything about Latin to do this program. Best of luck!

I am a new CLE math user. I switched from Saxon because it was not working for us. My ds loves math again. The program is very well put together, easy to use and understand, and can be very independent. And it's cheap! If what you are using now is working for you...I would stick with it. However, if you are banging your head against the wall and dreading every moment of math...well...CLE is wonderful and I highly recommend it!

I am very interested in everything they have to offer...but I need to "see" it! This is perfect! Thanks!!!

I use WWE 1 and 2 for my boys. I see in your sig that you use WWE as well. So you use this in addition to the CLE LA? And DITHOR...I haven't heard of that. What is it?

Yep, I park in the garage. He pulls straight in the driveway past the garage (MOST of the time). One day he didn't pull all the way up. I backed right into the driver side door. Volvo vs. Explorer. Volvo won, but both cars had damage. WHAT'S WORSE...the insurance made us pay 2 deductibles. 1 for my car and 1 for his. Then I was charged with a wreck! I did tell dh it was his fault. He should have pulled all the way up!!! But you really can't be at fault for a wreck when you are standing in the kitchen eating breakfast.

Tell me how much you like it. I recently found them and I really like everything they offer. I started using their math with my oldest son. We love it. So, I am thinking about changing over and using some (or all) of their other subjects. So, what do you like about them? What do you use? What about the extra resources...like the planner? What should I know before jumping in?

No, you will not have to pay state taxes of where you move. The military recognizes your home of residence. Your dh has or will have to claim a state or residence...meaning a home state/where you are from. We were from Tennessee. We moved to Ky, Colorado, then Ky again, then Alabama. Tennessee remains are "home of residence". Thus, we were not subject to state taxes for any state we were moved to. It is nice that the military does this for us. Especially when your state has no state tax! Unless something has changed that I don't know about...there is your answer! :001_smile:

I have officially removed Saxon from my shelf. After some input from the posts and more research...I went with Christian Light. I just got it yesterday and I am SO excited! I love the way the lessons are arranged. I anticipate my son will be able to pick it up quickly and learn efficiently. I like the approach of mastering a skill before moving on...not just exposing them to it. I like the daily drills, the pretest before lessons to reinforce the previous lesson, and use of flash cards. It seems like we can get to the "meat" of learning right from the start. And, it is super cheap! Today will be my first day...so wish me luck. I don't think I can bear yet another math catastrophe. Not to mention the panic that sets in when it is late March and we have nothing to show for math! Thanks to all who posted!

That is an awesome idea...the money in a cup! Thanks for sharing!

Do you use a chore chart? A reward system? Allowance? Stickers? Game or TV time? I want a good exchange system. Something easy!!! I don't want to reward my kids every time they lift a finger, but I would like to recognize when they do certain things. Especially when they do something without being asked! Or when they do something (that they don't want to do) with a good attitude and without complaining. When I motivate my kids on the front end...I get results. They don't always need motivating, but it is a handy tool! I just want to manage it...being the planner that I am. So, do you have a system that works in your house? PLEASE share!

I wanted to make sure ds got a firm foundation on math. I wanted to make sure we got the hang of homeschooling before I jumped into the hard work. That is why I chose Saxon 3. He did test higher. However, being our first year homeschooling, I wanted to build his confidence and establish our routine. For ds 7 in Saxon 1...same problems. I have reduced his math lesson to the homework part only. He does other math worksheets from Jump Start and Brain Quest. I will switch him to the same program I choose for ds 9.

This is my 1st year homeschooling. Saxon seemed wonderful. I'm sure it works for MANY...just not me! My ds is 9 (4th grade). I started him with Saxon 3. The meetings were dreadful. It was way below his level. So I started skipping stuff...only to find out I would need info that I had skipped to do the following lessons. I ditched 3 and bought 4. It went a little better. It just does not flow with us. Go here, do this, go back there, do that, tell me this answer, you fill this out, where is the timer. UGGG! I want something simple and to the point. I don't want to spend time on the process. I want our time focused on the lesson. So, any suggestion? Please bail me out of this one! I'm even thinking of ditching Saxon 4 and getting some Kumon workbooks just to finish this year. Please help!!!

There may be a move in our future...to Birmingham, Alabama. We lived there a few years ago when my kids weren't of school age. Are there a lot of homeschoolers in Alabama??? Is there a lot of homeschool support...groups, co-ops, classes (like PE)? We currently live in Florida...and there is a TON of stuff for kids. Aquarium classes, the Zoo, a great Science Museum, lots of park days, community classes (art, PE, cooking, wood carving...you name it)...I could go on and on! There are lots of homeschoolers in Florida...so we have lots of groups and friends to do things with. So, let me hear from Alabama! I'm hoping there is lots to offer!!!

OK...1st year homeschool. Ds9 and ds7 were in K and 3rd last year in ps. Here is what I am doing now that I am homeschooling. Spelling Power...B and D. We just started and they love it. But they laugh at how easy it is. Growing with Grammar...this is MY SHINING MOMENT as a homeschool mom. It's like clockwork! They love it...learn it...and it is SO easy for me. Story of the World 1...I was nervous...but we LOVE it! We actually spend too much time on it. We love reading books about what we are learning about. We can't get enough about Egypt, the Nile, and mummies. These are kids that had NO CLUE where Egypt was...the Nile was a "river"...and history is something you can learn in elementary school!!! Saxon math...I am teaching behind where my kids are...but we are getting into the habit of "homeschooling". So, this could be better. I feel bad that I am not challenging them. And I'm scared to skip ahead for fear they will miss something. Science...uh...well...I just got Christian Kids Explore Biology. Week 3 and we are on Chapter 2. I am afraid of it. Science intimidates me. It is above our heads, but we are actually doing it...at lease once a week. But I don't feel like they are getting a good science foundation. We read everyday...a victory. In ps my kids learned to HATE reading. So, to start off homeschooling...I let them read whatever they want. A book about waverunners, skateboards, the olympics...just put a book in front of your face and be happy!!! We will move into more important reading soon. We have a great PE class. We are adding an art class on Monday. We listen to classical music daily...until dinner when we switch to jazz. We LOVE Bethovan's Wig! They actually clean their room. We get along. We do devotionals everyday (almost). We never miss church now! We are happy. I am still paranoid. Am I doing enough? Would they be better off in school? Am I smart enough and do I have it in me to pull this off for the next 10 years??? Oh, I ordered Writing With Ease workbook 1 and 2. We will add that when it comes. I have moments when I say to myself...I am homeschooling! Thses kids are mine ALL the time. It's all on me. AM I INSANE? I love this. I love them. I enjoy this. They enjoy it. I hope to grow my confidence in my years ahead of homeschooling. Thanks to all who have helped me along my way!

I am still deciding on a Latin program. I go back and forth. Thanks for the feedback. Firsthand experience...especially from a new user...is very valuable. I may just give it a try. Am I understand you right...you got the DVD and workbook only? 1 workbook for 2 kids? Thanks again!

I researched this over the summer. Someone on this board suggested this site. It was VERY helpful. http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/SOTWmenu.htm

My doctor put me on a detox diet to get me off artificial sweetners. I thought artificial was good...or at lease better that sugar. I had to cut out diet cokes (which I LOVE), splenda in my coffee (at least 2), and anything else sweetened artificially. I LOVE coffee. But, I had to adjust to the taste of drinking it unsweetened. (my coffee used to be more like a hot chocolate) Now that I have, the taste of it sweetened makes me sick. I now have a new apprecitation for coffee...because i can actually taste it. It takes time. Once you begin to like it - you will never go back! That's my experience! Enjoy!

I, too, am a 1st year homeschooler. On advice from this board I bought Growing With Grammar. We started yesterday...so take this for what it is worth. We LOVE it. My ds who turns 7 on Labor Day asks...begs...to do more lessons. He is on lesson 6. My ds (9) loves it as well. Since my kids went to public school, I had to decide where to start them with grammar. This is the kid who said to me, "I have no clue what a pronoun is.". It is easy, well organized, short, and informative. I can't tell you how happy I am that I have my kids doing grammar and enjoying it!!!

We are starting SOTW 1...I am waiting for FedEx to deliver as we speak! I have read the list of men and women that SWB suggests to cover. Does anyone have a specific list of books that they read to cover these people? I know there will be suggested reading to go along with the chapters. I am just trying to get a jump start...get some things on hold at the library. Thanks!

I need some websites that ds7 can be on while I am with ds9...and vice versa. I'm still waiting on some of my curriculum orders to arrive, so they have time to spare. We like www.starfall.com. Are there others like this one? Any good spelling sites? Extra math practice sites? States and capitals? Geography? Educational games? Thanks! Emily

This is my 1st year homeschooling. I am using Saxon math 3. The teacher's manual has a lot of info that you go over that is not in the student handbook. FYI...it starts out very easy. It's reviewing simple couting, days of the week, months of the year, measuring, and simple word problems. It's easy to step into after a break. That will give you some time to get used to the format and your daughter time to turn her brain back on! We are on our 5th day. I am very used to it and very comfortable using it with my son. Day 1 was a little slow. But I would highly reccomend it! Best of luck! Emily