My experience is with my 4 and my opinion is that preschool and kindergarten you don't need to do anything but imaginative play, lots of exploration and reading. And go to your library on at least a weekly basis. And get dirty and play in the mud. Ok, your kid too. :) Lots of art materials and exploration. Academics after 9 or 10 or when they demand it.

Has she already read the book? Just reading all the slang and accents was excruciating for me. :) How about teatime? Remember that amazing meal the mother and family brought over to the family that was sick (or was it a new baby?)? And the boy didn't get any of the food? Oh, but the preacher did? Maybe make that meal and tea and talk about how the boy must have felt being as hungry as he was.

I just can't leave this alone - posting for my benefit also. :) http://www.readingyourwaythroughhistory.com/

I wonder if you'd find this interesting? http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/virtual/core4-1.htm

Just looking at both products, the Trigger looks like it incorporates smart ideas for memorization while the Creek one tells a long story and I really can't see how the story relates even minimally to the equation or how it will stick in the kids' head. I'm pulling the trigger on the Trigger.

Ok, I hate to even think about adding to this, but I've been looking at lists and books all afternoon. While I haven't read any of these, I'm looking seriously at getting them for our next level (when we finish World History and move onto Ancients). I need to get a year's worth this fall so I've been looking. Anyway, for the boys (12 and 14) I'm looking at: Along Came Galileo The Librarian Who Measured the Earth The Gilgamesh Trilogy Made in China

wow. thanks everyone. (though I must admit to being disappointed there aren't any levitating kids out there)

I have gone back and forth and back and forth on this subject and still don't know. The kids have all ranged from refusing to listen to Spanish (English is everyone's first language; I learned Spanish in 1987-90 traveling in South America) to becoming very intuitive. Those who embraced it have refused and those who have refused have embraced. It is a circle. :) I have tried OPOL but it is REALLY hard for me as Spanish is definitely a 2nd language. It is draining. (OPOL=One Parent, One Language) So I then tried an hour a day but that is not enough. Then we tried OPOL again. And I was doing ok with that and being consistent and then had an allergy attack and now it has been 4 days of English and no Spanish. So, no answer. But OPOL definitely works if you can stick to it. I think we'll try 1/2 day of OPOL and 1 day a week of no Spanish. They definitely have picked up a lot of vocabularly in the short time I've done OPOL thought.

We do a LOT of reading. Well, mostly *I* do a lot of reading. People are always telling me how incredible my kids' vocabulary is (all 4 of them) so I guess that must be it. They have never done any lessons whatsoever but we do read very rich literature constantly. Well, what I consider rich literature.

Every time I see that phrase I am imagining all these levitating kids. I've never seen a "falling" xgrader or whatever the opposite is, so, can someone translate for me? I don't think all these posters have levitating kids - and if so, mine want in on it!

The Geography Through Art looks interesting and Teaching the Classics I'd really like to try. I'd like to try Adelier (sp?) Art because I can't imagine DVD art being anything like my philosophy, but I'd like to check it out. HWT. (Handwriting without Tears) I just can't justify the expense of the books when copywork and so many downloadable cursive practice worksheet abound. Tapestry of Grace (TOG). I would love to give this curriculum a tryout but I'm almost sure it is too scheduly and too religious. Maybe once we're back in the US I'll see if they have a money-back thing but that is why I've never done that with Sonlight - I already know we're not going to like the Christian god stuff so it would not be honest of me to return the produce after trying it. Analytical Grammar, Sentence Island (and all the other Michael Clay Thompson stuff), Easy Grammar, etc. I'm just not sure any of the grammar stuff will be necessary for our philosophy. But I sure would like to try it. :)

Yes, and the Emerald City of Oz will explain events which are referred to in later books. But after The Emerald City, I think you can read in any order you'd like to.

Ah, that is what I am loving about Sonlight (but maybe after reading the books the umpteenth time, I wouldn't :)). I am getting as much (if not more) out of the books I read as they do. And I love discussing topics and ideas with them - this occurs naturally as I read the books.

I have only looked at Year 1, so that might be the issue. I just could not figure out how though as the entire year seems to be based on Bible stuff. I guess I'm going to have to look again and harder. :) And I don't have any problem with the kids learning History, it is just when stories are presented as facts, when Christianity is presented as the norm, that I get discouraged. All our reading and even our dates are interjected with so much Christianity as it is that I get weary.

I think that looking into the reasons you hated homeschooling would be very useful and also why you would consider homeschooling for your child. It is very possible to keep your child home from school and by any number of methods, end up with a happy, excited, curious and learned child. We come from a radical unschooling background; I have just begun to do academics with my boys (12 and 14) and am considering a switch with my girls to a structured homeschooling (structured to us, but probably very UNstructured to many homeschoolers) for my girls (8 and 6). There are so very many ways to homeschool it isn't funny. :) But first off, I would not even consider anything formal until your child hits 7 or so. Use the early years to read read read read. We are atheists and use the Sonlight literature and have been incredibly pleased. We do not, however, read any of the Christian religion books. Christianity is so forced upon almost every book you read I really don't think it necessary to read even more. And much of Sonlight's Chrisitan books are "ignorant people who were enlightened with God" blather that I just can't use them at all. And then there is also the Waldorf philosophy and the Montessori philosophy to look at. We were very Waldorfy in the early years; write before read, no TV, natural toys, etc. Try to resist the temptation to force your child to learn X by X year. If nothing else, I have learned that when they are ready to learn, they'll get it in an AMAZINGLY short amount of time. And lastly, enjoy. I get as much out of our academic and discussions (we even discuss copywork! :)) as my kids do. This should be a really fun time and not drugery.

Not necessarily. My 14yo wrote "s" and "J" backwards until he started wanting to improve his handwriting and his numbers were unreadable until he started doing formal math. If she doesn't get a lot of writing practice, it could simply be an issue of practice. After a couple weeks of copywork, my 14yo has lovely writing and no problem with backwards letters.

One that I really like is http://www.homeschoolclassifieds.com/

I do wish it could be done secularly but I don't see how. We're sticking with Sonlight for that reason, that and I'm not interested in a schedule but the discussions look interesting. But the boys and I have discussions over their copywork so maybe I'll just get Teaching the Classics and call it a day. :)

I don't think it is absolutely necessary. He will re-introduce characters and give little backgrounds on old characters in many books. And don't miss the Prologues and letters to his little readers. Lovely peek into his mind and the atmosphere at the time.

you can also download it free - it is public domain and not copyrighted.

THat is our same list (for 14you and 12yo) except for the Bible. Also, Otto of the Silver Hand, The Children's Homer (for the 6yo and 8yo), SOTW (for the 6yo and 8yo), Agustus Caesar's World, Black Ships Before Troy, The Pharaohs of Egypt, The World of Columbus and Sons, The Cat of Bubastes, and History of the Ancient World.

We LOVE the Oz books and I read at least 4 chapters a day to my girls. I read from the Project Gutenberg site (and coincidentally, I'm reading chapter 9 of The Patchwork Girl of Oz at this very moment (well, taking a little break right now, obviously)). http://www.literature.org/authors/baum-l-frank/ We have read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz The Marvelous Land of Oz Ozma of Oz Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz The Road to Oz The Emerald City of Oz The Patchwork Girl of Oz (reading this now) The Scarecrow of Oz The language is WONDERFUL, the vocabulary rich, the adventure thrilling and the imagination amazing. I can't recommend them enough. An example from Chapter 9 "It is hard to face any savage beast without a sinking of the heart, but still more terrifying is it to face an unknown beast, which you have never seen even a picture of. So there is little wonder that the pulses of the Munchkin boy beat fast as he and his companions stood facing the cave. The opening was perfectly square, and about big enough to admit a goat."

i'm not seeing the free offer - only a pay $12.95 offer.

I'll share what's been happening in our household and if nothing else, maybe you won't feel so bad. I have never taught a kid to read. Three out of four (not the 6yo yet) learned without any teaching from me. If you have a print and literature rich household they'll learn without teaching. So that's off your back. :) I still read to my just-turned-14yo (he is reading "Animal Farm" right now). None of the kids have had any formal math either. They've learned place value by themselves and convert from pesos to dollars (we live in Mexico) frequently. The boys (12 and 14) are starting Math 7 of TT and are having no problem. They are enjoying the lessons and do as much as they want to do. The 14yo is voluntarily doing the quizzes and enjoying them. I honestly believe that if they want to be doing Algebra and Trig in a year they'll be doing it. We have never done a spelling lesson in life and we have recently started doing copywork. Everyone (all 4) are interested in learning cursive so i give them worksheets daily and they do as much as they want to. I do a LOT of reading though. We're doing Sonlight Core 5 and 6 books along with various other literature and I am reading about 3-4 hours a day between the 4 kids. I honestly don't think that audiobooks are a bad thing - I'm considering doing SOTW (and using it as a "story book") for car trips also. I think you and your kids are telling you something - that you're piling too much on and losing the wonder, joy and fulfillment of what introducing your kids to new worlds is supposed to be about. I really don't think it has to be drudgery because when they decide they want to focus on something, they will! I hope this has been helpful - you sound like you really are looking for "permission" to be relaxed.

Here is our very first Tuesday Tea Time (ala Bravewriter)